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Now it is not easy for one person to recount in detail the perils undergone by many men, or to show forth in a single day the deeds of all past times. For what speech or time or orator would suffice to declare the valor of the men who lie here?
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By means of countless toils, conspicuous struggles, and glorious perils they made Greece free, while proving the supremacy of their native land: they commanded the sea for seventy yearsFrom 476 B.C., when Athens became the head of the Delian League, to 405 B.C., when she was defeated at Aegospotami. and saved their allies from faction,
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not suffering the many to be slaves of the few, but compelling all to live on an equality; i.e., they were the general promoters of democracy. instead of weakening their allies, they secured their strength along with their own, and displayed their own power to such effect that the Great King no more coveted the possessions of others, but yielded some of his own and was in fear for what remained.
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In that time no warships sailed from Asia, no despot held sway among the Greeks, no city of Greece was forced into serfdom by the barbarians; so great was the restraint and awe inspired in all mankind by the valor of our people. And for this reason none but they should become protectors of the Greeks and leaders of the cities.
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And in misfortunes also they displayed their accustomed valor. For when the ships were destroyed in the HellespontAt Aegospotami, 405 B.C.—whether it was through the fault of the commander or by the design of Heaven—and that supreme disaster overtook not only us, who suffered that misfortune, but all the rest of the Greeks, it became evident shortly after that the power of our city was the salvation of Greece.
