The brazen thresholds both sides did enfold
Silver pilasters, hung with gates of gold (Chapman).

Al. {pastasi}, = colonnades.

Next, as to armaments: Will you present a greater terror to the foe if
you appear furnished yourself from head to foot with bright emlazonrie
and horrent arms; (3) or rather by reason of the warlike aspect of a
whole city perfectly equipped?

(3) Or, "with armour curiously wrought a wonder and a dread." {oplois
tois ekpaglotatois}, most magnificent, awe-inspiring, a poetical
word which appears only in this passage in prose (Holden). L. & S.
cf. Hom. "Il." i. 146, xxi. 589, of persons; "Od." xiv. 552, of
things. Pind. "Pyth." iv. 140; "Isth." 7 (6), 30.

And now for ways and means: On which principle do you expect your
revenues to flow more copiously--by keeping your own private capital (4)
employed, or by means devised to make the resources of the entire state
(5) productive?

(4) Reading {idia}, al. {idia}, = "your capital privately employed."

(5) Lit. "of all citizens alike," "every single member of the state."

And next to speak of that which people hold to be the flower of
institutions, a pursuit both noble in itself and best befitting a great
man--I mean the art of breeding chariot-horses (6)--which would reflect
the greater lustre on you, that you personally (7) should train and send
to the great festal gatherings (8) more chariots than any Hellene else?
or rather that your state should boast more racehorse-breeders than the
rest of states, that from Syracuse the largest number should enter to
contest the prize?

(6) Cf. Plat. "Laws," 834 B.

(7) Breit. cf. Pind. "Ol." i. 82; "Pyth." i. 173; ii. 101; iii. 96.

(8) "Our solemn festivals," e.g. those held at Olympia, Delphi, the
Isthmus, Nemea.

Which would you deem the nobler conquest--to win a victory by virtue of
a chariot, or to achieve a people's happiness, that state of which you
are the head and chief? And for my part, I hold it ill becomes a tyrant
to enter the lists with private citizens. For take the case he wins, he
will not be admired, but be envied rather, when is is thought how many
private fortunes go to swell the stream of his expenditure; while if he
loses, he will become a laughing-stock to all mankind. (9)

(9) Or, "you will be mocked and jeered at past all precedence," as
historically was the fate of Dionysus, 388 or 384 B.C. (?); and
for the possible co