honoured their high endeavours, and proved himself a present help to
them in time of trouble.[6] No citizen could be his personal foe; of
that he was assured. His desire was to commend them one and all alike,
counting the common salvation of all a gain, and reckoning it as a
loss if even a mean man perished. For thus he reasoned, nor made a
secret of the conclusion he had come to: so long as her citizens
continued tranquilly adherent to the laws the happiness of Sparta was
secure.[7] And for the rest Sparta would once again be strong on that
day when the states of Hellas should learn wisdom.

[3] Or, "he was at the same time the most obvious in his allegiance to
the laws."

[4] Lit. "would have taken on himself . . . would have ventured on
revolution."

[5] Lit. "as a father to his children."

[6] Or, "and was ready to stand by their side in time of trouble."

[7] Or, "For this was the clear tenor of his thought, that by tranquil
continuance within the laws the citizens of Sparta might secure
her happiness. And as to power, Sparta, etc." See "Mem." II. vi.
27.

And if, by admission, it is noble for every Hellene to be a lover of
his fellow-Hellenes, yet we must fare far afield to find another
instance of a general who, expecting to sack some city, would have
refused to seize the prize; or who regarded victory in a war waged
against fellow-Hellenes as a species of calamity. Yet this man when a