55
Is it not shameful, finally, that other cities have endured the last extremities of siege to preserve our empire,For example, Thespiae. See Xen. Hell. 6.3. For other examples see Paus. 9.14, and Dio. Sic. 15.57 and 69. while we ourselves see no reason why we should bear even slight hardships to prevent our being forced to do anything contrary to our just rights, but are to be seen even at this moment feeding teams of ravenous horses,Horses were kept for racing, and were regarded as an expensive luxury. although, like men reduced to the direst extremities and in want of their daily bread, we sue for peace in this fashion?
56
But it would be of all things the most outrageous if we who are accounted the most energetic of the Hellenes should be more slack than the rest in our deliberations upon this question. What people do we know, worth mentioning at all, who after a single defeat and a single invasion of their country have in so cowardly a fashion agreed to do everything demanded of them? How could such men hold out against a long season of misfortune?
57
Who would not censure us if, while the Messenians withstood siege for twenty years in order to retain Messene,In the first Messenian war, 743-724 B.C. Paus. 4.13.4. we should so quickly withdraw from it under a treaty and should take no thought of our forefathers, but should allow ourselves to be persuaded by words to throw away this territory which they acquired by dint of struggles and wars?
58
There are those, however, who care for none of these things, but, overlooking all considerations of shame, counsel you to follow a course which will bring disgrace upon the state. And so anxious are they to persuade you to give up Messene that they have dared to dwell on the weakness of Sparta and the strength of the enemy, and now they challenge us who oppose them to say from what quarter we expect reinforcements to come, seeing that we exhort you to make war.
