or, by a more conscientious adherence to what they aim
at, rise superior.

(20) Sc. the Lacedaemonians. See W. L. Newman, op. cit. i. 396.

You would seem to suggest (he answered) that the spirit of beautiful and
brave manhood has taken wings and left our city; (21) as, for instance,
when will Athenians, like the Lacedaemonians, reverence old age--the
Athenian, who takes his own father as a starting-point for the contempt
he pours upon grey hairs? When will he pay as strict an attention to the
body, who is not content with neglecting a good habit, (22) but laughs
to scorn those who are careful in this matter? When shall we Athenians
so obey our magistrates--we who take a pride, as it were, in despising
authority? When, once more, shall we be united as a people--we who,
instead of combining to promote common interests, delight in blackening
each other's characters, (23) envying one another more than we envy all
the world besides; and--which is our worst failing--who, in private and
public intercourse alike, are torn by dissension and are caught in a
maze of litigation, and prefer to make capital out of our neighbour's
difficulties rather than to render natural assistance? To make our
conduct consistent, indeed, we treat our national interests no better
than if they were the concerns of some foreign state; we make them bones
of contention to wrangle over, and rejoice in nothing so much as in
possessing means and ability to indulge these tastes. From this hotbed
is engendered in the state a spirit of blind folly (24) and cowardice,
and in the hearts of the citizens spreads a tangle of hatred and mutual
hostility which, as I often shudder to think, will some day cause some
disaster to befall the state greater than it can bear. (25)

(21) Or, "is far enough away from Athens."

(22) See below, III. xii. 5; "Pol. Ath." i. 13; "Rev." iv. 52.

(23) Or, "to deal despitefully with one another."

(24) Reading {ateria}. See L. Dindorf ad loc., Ox. ed. lxii. Al.
{apeiria}, a want of skill, or {ataxia}, disorderliness. Cf. "Pol.
Ath." i. 5.

(25) Possibly the author is thinking of the events of 406, 405 B.C.
(see "Hell." I. vii. and II.), and history may repeat itself.

Do not (replied Socrates), do not, I pray you, permit yourself to
believe that Athenians are smitten with so incurable a depravity. Do you
not observe their discipline in all naval matters? Look at their prompt
and orderly obedience to the sup