ear no profuseness, nor allow me to exert
the generosity of my nature. Your wealth exceeded that of any
particular, or indeed of any prince who lived in your days. The vast
commerce which, after the example of your ancestors, you continued to
carry on in all parts of the world, even while you presided at the helm
of the State, enabled you to do those splendid acts which rendered your
name so illustrious. But I was constrained to make the public treasure
the fund of my bounties; and I thought I could not possibly dispose of it
better in time of peace than in finding employment for that part of the
people which must else have been idle and useless to the community,
introducing into Greece all the elegant arts, and adorning my country
with works that are an honour to human nature; for, while I attended the
most to these civil and peaceful occupations, I did not neglect to
provide, with timely care, against war, nor suffer the nation to sink
into luxury and effeminate softness. I kept our fleets in continual
exercise, maintained a great number of seamen in constant pay, and
disciplined well our land forces. Nor did I ever cease to recommend to
all the Athenians, both by precepts and example, frugality, temperance,
magnanimity, fortitude, and whatever could most effectually contribute to
strengthen their bodies and minds.

_Cosmo_.--Yet I have heard you condemned for rendering the people less
sober and modest, by giving them a share of the conquered lands, and
paying them wages for their necessary attendance in the public assemblies
and other civil functions; but more especially for the vast and
superfluous expense you entailed on the State in the theatrical
spectacles with which you entertained them at the cost of the public.

_Pericles_.--Perhaps I may have been too lavish in some of those
bounties. Yet in a popular State it is necessary that the people should
be amused, and should so far partake of the opulence of the public as not
to suffer any want, which would render their minds too low and sordid for
their political duties. In my time the revenues of Athens were
sufficient to bear this charge; but afterwards, when we had lost the
greatest part of our empire, it became, I must confess, too heavy a
burden, and the continuance of it proved one cause of our ruin.

_Cosmo_.--It is a most dangerous thing to load the State with largesses
of that nature, or indeed with any unnecessary but popular charges,
because to