Thesauros Literature Oratory Παναθηναικός

Παναθηναικός

Παναθηναικός Isocrates
34 and it behoves a man of taste not to indulge his resourcefulness, when he has more to say on a given subject than the other speakers, but to preserve always the element of timeliness no matter on what subject he may have occasion to speak—a principle which I must observe. Therefore I shall speak on the poets at another timeA promise not fulfilled. provided that my age does not first carry me off and that I do not have something to say on subjects more important than this.
35 I shall now proceed to discourse upon the benefactions of Athens to the Hellenes, not that I have not sung the praises of our city more than all others put together who have written in poetry or prose.Cf. Isoc. 15.168. I shall not speak, however, as on former occasions; for then I celebrated Athens incidentally to other matters, whereas now Athens herself shall be my theme.
36 But I do not fail to appreciate how great an undertaking this is for me at my time of life; on the contrary, I know full well, and have often said,Isoc. 10.13. that while it is easy to magnify little things by means of discourse, it is difficult to find terms of praise to match deeds of surpassing magnitude and excellence.
37 Nevertheless, I may not desist on that account from my task, but must carry it through to the end, if indeed I am enabled to live to do so, especially since many considerations impel me to write upon this theme myself: first, is the fact that some are in the habit of recklessly denouncing our city; second, that while some have praised her gracefully, they have lacked appreciation of their theme and treated it inadequately;

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