mercenary hands--if you would charge yourselves with your own defense,
employing abroad, for the public, what you waste in unprofitable pleasures
at home, the world might once more behold you making a figure worthy of
Athenians. "You would have us, then, (you say,) do service in our armies
in our own persons; and, for so doing, you would have the pensions we
receive in time of peace, accepted as pay in time of war. Is it thus we are
to understand you?" Yes, Athenians, 't is my plain meaning. I would make
it a standing rule, that no person, great or little, should be the
better for the public money, who would grudge to employ it for the public
service. Are we in peace? the public is charged with your subsistence. Are
we in war, or under a necessity, as at this time, to enter into a war? let
your gratitude oblige you to accept, as pay in defence of your benefactors,
what you receive, in peace, as mere bounty. Thus, without any
innovation--without altering or abolishing anything but pernicious
novelties, introduced for the encouragement of sloth and idleness--by
converting only for the future, the same funds, for the use of the
serviceable, which are spent, at present, upon the unprofitable, you may be
well served in your armies--your troops regularly paid--justice duly
administered--the public revenues reformed and increased--and every member
of the commonwealth rendered useful to his country according to his age and
ability without any further burden to the State.

This, O men of Athens, is what my duty prompted me to represent to you upon
this occasion.--May the gods inspire you to determine upon such measures,
as may be most expedient, for the particular and general good of our
country!


CL.