suppose nothing more grieuous shall euer fall out then what now is and that our enemies consultations and actions shall much aduantage vs. But if our hope should be frustrate and wee should on all partes bee circumuented and that wee could not preserue the State these are dangerous things which I shall speake of yet I will not spare to speake freely of them for these are better and more agreeable to our wisdomes to be told among the Graecians then those which some aduise vnto I hold it meete our parents children and wiues and other our people should bee sent some into Sicilia and Italy some into Syrene some into Epirus whom all these will willingly receiue with sufficient proportion of ground for their habitation and other prouision for liuelihood some in rendring thankes for the benifits already receiued from vs others in expectation of the profit they may receiue for the good they doe to vs. Those which remaine and are willing and able to vndergoe perills shall forsake the Cittie and all their possessions and goods sauing what we can carrie with vs taking some Castle or Hold which is well fortified or fittest for warre to offend and infest our enemies on all sides both by sea and land till they shall giue ouer challenging that which is ours And if wee shall valorously attempt these things without delay wee shall see those that now Lord it ouer vs and giue the Lawe become our humble suppliants and suters to receiue Messena againe and to make peace with them Now which of the Citties in Peloponesus hath vndertaken so great a warre as is requesite this should be if your wills be not wanting Yea who will not be astonished and tremble at an army so mightilie compacted and so well exercised so iustly incensed against those who haue beene the causes of these mischiefes so resolute to spend their liues in publicke seruice to imply them selues vpon nothing else but vpon the warres neglecting all other occasions not vnlike those armies which consist of mercinary forces whose trade is nothing but warre A discription of Mansfieds Army Moreouer hauing no certaine Cittie of abode able to liue without houses in the open field rouing vp and downe throughout all countries and can make them selues borderers or neighbours on whom soeuer they will and thinke all places which are fit for warre to bee their habitation and natiue Countrie I thinke if these wordes allready spoken by me were diuulged through out Graece our enemies would find themselues very much perplexed and so much the more if necessitie force vs to put this in execution For what shall we imagine they will thinke that they should be subiect to suffer mischeife but shall not be able to doe vs any hurt and shall behould seige layd to their Citties but ours so well appoynted that it cannot fall into the like affliction beside nourishment for our bodyes shal be easily had out of our goods brought with vs together with such as shall come by forraging and spoyle but theirs will be hard to come by because it is not all one to provide for an armie and to feed a company of people in a Cittie and that would vex them most of all when they shall heare that our people doe florish in great experience and wealth but shall see their owne every day hunger-starved and themselues not able to supply their indigences yea when they shall plough their ground they shall haue theirs reaped for them against their wills and on the other side if they leaue it vntilled they shall neuer haue to suffice them But perhaps they will vnite their forces and raise a generall army and follow vs at the heeles and so hinder vs from hurting them But what will be more wished of vs then to meet their fullest forces and their best preparations to battail and in the same difficulties with vs pitching their Tents against vs their souldiers ill ordered out of the common rout vsing many generalls but we shall easily make a quicke hand of them by compelling them to fight at our pleasure not at their owne choice The residue of the day would faile mee if I should take in hand to tell how much our estate would be bettered by these courses This is againe manifest that we excell not the other Graecians in greatnes of our Cittie nor in multitude of men but because we haue framed our gouernment like to an Army well ordred willing to obay the commanders And if wee shall represent that whose imitation hath profitted vs it is not obscure that wee shall be more powerfull then our enemies for wee know that they who were made Lords of this Citty hauing but a small army when they came into Peloponesus haue achieued many and mightie enterprises It shall therefore well become vs to imitate our ancestors and returning to our first originall because we haue stept aside endeuour to recouer our auncient honour but wee shall doe most disgracefully if knowing how the Athenians left their Countrey for the safegard of other Graecian we should not dare to leaue our Cittie for the safety of our selues And that when wee ought to giue examples to others of such worthy atchiuements wee are not willing so much as to imitate their honourable actions Yea this is much more rediculous if the Phoceans flying from the dominion of a great King leauing Asia fled into Massalia wee should come to this pusillanimitie as to suffer or vndergoe their imperiousnes of those whose masters we haue been heretofore We must not ere in our minds to reuolue that day in which wee should seperate our most deare and neere suddainly from vs. But rather are wee to looke backe to those times in which as victours ouer our enemies wee shall rectifie our Cittie and imbrace those which are soe neere and deare vnto vs. And now wee are to make it appeare to all that we haue been without desert infortunate and that in former times wee iustly would haue commanded ouer others And thus stands the matter I haue made this speech not as that we should instantly do these things nor as though our safety consisted in no other course but as desirous to vndergoe these and farre greater miseries before wee make composition about Messena such as they require Nor would I so feruently exhort you to warre if I found not that this course which I haue propounded to be the best way for a faire and firme peace for future but out of that which others haue counselled vnto it will be dishonorable and for no time durable For if wee shall dwell neere this Cittie enlarged and repaired who discerneth not that we shall euer be ending of our daies in tumults and dangers These therefore discoursing of securitie hide from themselues that they make but a few dayes peace for vs which will beget hereafter a continuall warre Faine would I heare of them for what things and when they thinke we should fight euen to death Not
But of our Cittie I can averre no such matter for in former times none ever thought stronger then wee invaded these territories but of others many instancies may be vsed and especially of the Cittie of the Athenians whom we shall find by incroaching vpon others to be much blamed by the Grecians But for their revenging of wrong haue ben praysed of all men And if I should recount the old perilâ—s which the vnder went against the Amazones Thracians and Peloponesians who breaking into these Countries with Euristieus I should be thought to tell you of things too high and remote from these present times but in the Persian warre who knoweth not out of how great calamitie into how great prosperitie they were raysed for they only out of the inhabitants which came from Peloponesus perceiuing the power of the Barbareans to be vnsubsistable thought it vnworthy for them to condesend to the conditions propounded to them but presently resolved to make lesse reckoning of their Citties subversion then to become servily in subiection Therefore forsaking their Territories and Cittie minding their Countries fredome associating vs in their dangers obtained such a change that they who for a few dayes were made a spoyle were for a long time after Lords over others neyther in this Cittie onely is it very available for the common good to take courage and to avenge our selues vpon our enimyes but also even Dionysius the Tyrant by his example confirmeth the same He being beseidged by the Carthaginians there being left and having no safegard or defence for him but hemmed in with warre and his subiects hatefully harted towards him the tyrant offered to escape by Sea-flight one of his servants adventured to say he that dyeth a King leaues a faire Monument whereupon being ashamed of what hee had purposed and againe bestirring himselfe and taking armes slaying many millions of the Carthaginians made his Soveraignty over his Subiects farre more firme and that power which he first had being more strengthened he ended his dayes in King-like authoritie and left his sonne in the same honour and principallitie wherewith hee was invested In like sort to these did Amyntas the King of the Macedonians for being ouerthrowne in fight by the barbarous people that bordered vpon him and being stript of all Macedonia first he minded to leaue his Countrie and to saue his person but hearing one commend that which was spoken to Dionisius and taking courage as he did surprised a smale Castle or hould and sending for aid thither within three Monthes space he regained all Macedonia and raigning all the residue of his life dyed very aged we shall be very weary both in hearing and speaking if we should search out all such actions If we should remember the deedes concerning the Thebean warre we could not but lament for these present accidents but for the future wee conceiue better hope for they being so hardy as to sustaine our assaults and threats in this estate stood their affaires that at other times being in subiection to vs now they seeke no lesse then to command vs it is a sensles thing to thinke that when as such alterations haue ben in others their should be a stand in vs onely But we must not bee daunted with our present estate and bestirr for the future and trust in what time must bring forth being confident that Citties remedy such calamities by wise Goverment at home and by marshall skill abroad Nor shall any dare to gainesay that our experience in the warres is not much more then others and for good Domistick Govermentt it is in vs alone such as it ought to be which being so our affaires must needes be more fortunate then theirs who bestow small care vpon either of these two But some inveigh against the warre and tax it by vncertainty of events vsing as many other arguments so especially those disastars which haue befallen vs and thinke it strange that any should iudge it fitt to put confidence in a thing so hazardous and difficult But I haue knowne much happinesse to haue accrewed to many by the warres and through peace many haue lost For none of these courses are of themselues either ill or good But as a man shall vse things and opportunities so of necessity haue they their events For it is behouefull that they who are in prosperitie should desire peace for so in that estate they shall greatly preserue that they haue But those that are in adversitie must listen vnto warre For by troubles and bustling a speedie mutation will follow and I doubt we practise the cleane contrary to this For when we might haue liued at ease and pleasure we followed warre more then was expedient but now that we are driven into great distresses wee seeke for ease and take counsell for securitie But they who would inioy their liberty must shun compositions tendred by commaund or strong hand as tending vnto servitude And should come to parleyes either when they haue super eminency the better of their enimyes or at least equall to them aliter the conditioÌ„s of peace which any publike state obtaines of the enimy are sutable to the terms wherein their warre hath ended that they all may haue such a League as may bring a totall cessation of armes which yee minding ought not rashly to cast your selues into base and ignominious coÌ„ditions of peace nor appeare more timorous advisers in your Countries behalfe then in other affaires and remember that in times past if but onely one Lacedemonian did ayde any of their confederate Citties which was beseidged all men would confesse that for that one man only they did obtaine their safety And a man may heare of our auncestours many such men and my selfe can reckon some of most note and name Paidaretus going to Chius with his navie preserved that Cittie Brasidas entring Amphipolis marshalling but a few of them that were beseiged in fight overthrew many of the beseidgers Gylippus also ayding the Syracusians did not onely saue them but captived all their enimyes army royall both by Sea and Land And how can this but be dishonourable to you that in those times every one of you was enough to preserue other Citties but now all of you dare not attempt to saue your owne And you haue filled all Asia and Europe with your tryumphes when you fought for others yet for your owne Country so manifestly not only wronged but reproached there is no appearance of any battell which you haue fought worthy so much as to be named but other Citties in the defence of our Empire haue endured the most extreame Leaguers but we our selues haue not the courage to beare the least hardshippe that we be not compelled to doe that which is dishonorable Now when as we are furnished with good troopes of horse well fedd and trained for the warres should we now make so base a peace As may be seeme only those that are brought downe to the lowest ebb of necessities
and want meanes for their dayly sustentation But this of all is most vnworthy if we who are thought the most actiue of all the Graecians shall be most slow in these deliberations And is it meete to mention some of these braggs with which we are outfaced by these men They say these men who are but once overcome and haue but one assault or impression made on them so effeminately yeelding to what conditions soever the enimyes propound how will they be able to endure a continuall calamitie And who would not disdaine vs the Messenians induring the seige of twentie yeares in this Country if we should through a sodaine composition forsake the same not remembring our Auncestours but what they with much labour and danger haue possessed wee should through a verball perswasion cast away Which some nothing respecting nor regarding the dishonour that will fall vpon vs advise those things which will make our State for ever infamous And so eagerly doe they exhort vs to deliver vp Messena that they haue been bold to discover the weaknes of our Cittie and the strength of the enemy and bid them which oppose their advise to answer and tell from whence any help can be expected wherevpon we should giue counsell for a warre Truely I thinke the best procuring of ayd for warr and the most assured is to vndertake iust causes For it is right and meet that even the good pleasure of the gods should assist such if we may coniecture of the future by the present Add herevnto to governe the Common wealth well and warily and even vnto the death to resist the enimy and to iudge nothing so heavie as to be ill spoken of by our owne Countrie men which worthy disposition is to be found more in our Nation then in any other And truely for my parr I had rather go to the warres assisted with troupes of our owne Nation then with the strength of many millions of other Nations For we know our predecessours comming into these Countries were not Conquerours by the multitude of others aydes but by those virtues before recited Therefore it is unworthy to feare the enimy because they are many but rather herein to set vp our resolution sith we see our selues so to haue suffered calamities as none others ever did continuing in those constitutions of our Auncestours which were ordained from the beginning But some not contenting nor containing themselues within their happy estates but being of turbulent spirits others combined with warlike confederacies invading other Citties others doyng the cleane contrary and the rest are at difference with their neighbours rather about the boundes of their territories then warring against vs. So as I wonder men should seeke greater helpes in warre then those which the weakenesses of the enimyes afford these shal be our aydes and assistance But if it be needfull to speake of forraine aide there be many I thinke that would leavie forces for vs. First I know the Athenians though they stand not for vs in all things yet for their owne safetie will doe any thing and some other States will ioyne it in Counsell for what may as well now availe vs as themselues Yea Dionysius the tyrant and the King of Aegipt and other Potentates of Asia as in them is will readily send vs assistance And besides these the wealthy and famous Graecians endevours in all excellent actions though yet not ioyned to vs yet in good will are with vs of whom we haue good cause to hope well for the future And I thinke the people in Peloponesus and that Popular State which we may well thinke although not hitherto yet at this time would take care on our side For they haue not obtained by their falling from vs what they expected but instead of their libertie the contrary hath befallen them For they haue both lost the best men in their estate and are now becom subiect to the worst of their owne Cittizens and when they would liue after their owne lawes they are fallen into many and greivious breaches of all Lawe And whereas heretofore they were wont with vs to goe against others now they see others warring against them and the seditions which they heard before amongst their neighbours now they also behould almost every day commotions amongst themselues And they are so brought vnder by afflictions as they be now not who are the most miserable among them for none of their Citties are so without dangers of sword that hath not their neighbours doing them mischeife so as their territories are layd wast their Cittie 's dimolished their dwelling houses ruinated their goverment turned top-side turvie their lawes abrogated which while they enioyed they were the most happie of all the Graecians and so faithlesse and hostile are they among themselues as they rather feare their owne Cittizens then the enimy And in-stead of that wealth which they enioyned vnder vs and good will which they had from vs they are fallen into such barbaronesse and hard-hartinesse as they that haue wealth more contentedly will cast it into the sea then to impart it to the poore in necessitie and the poore had rather rob and forcibly catch from the rich then take them vp though they might find them by chaunce And abrogating their sacrifices they sacrifice one another on their altars and there are more exils now out of one Citty then there were before out fo all Peloponesus notwithstanding all which recited miseries those which are concealed are more then are declared there is no wretchednes nor heauines which concurreth not with the times with which some are already and others very shortly will be filled all seeking to find deliuerance from the present calamitie For think not things can continue in this stay for they whom prosperities hath burthened how can they long indure the waight of aduersitie therefore not onely if wee get the victorie by fight but also if wee remaine inioying peace yee shall see them changed and they will thinke that confederation with vs will bee their best safeties this therefore is the hope I haue And I so farre abstaine from yeelding to our enemies demands that if none of these things come to passe no aide from others and though some of the Graecians should hurt vs and others of them should neglect vs I would not hereafter be otherwise minded but would sustaine any dangers of warre rather then signe any such conditions for I should be much ashamed of both these either to condemne our Ancestors as if they had iniuriously taken from the Messenians their territories or that wee if they haue lawfully possessed them should giue away any part beyond right and equitie And neither of these two must be done but wee must consider how wee may make a warre beseeming our worth least wee should giue the lye vpon them who praise and admire our state but rather so to behaue our selues that they might be thought to haue praised vs lesse then wee haue merited For I
then when our enemies impose vnreasonable conditions vpon vs Not then when they would catch vs out of our countrie and make free our bond-slaues and place them in the countrie which our Ancestours left to vs Not then when they not onely turne vs out of that wee haue but make vs the reproach and scorne of our neighbours I truely thinke that for these it is fit to endure not onely fight bvt flight and death For it is farre better to end our liues in the honour which wee haue then to prolong our dayes in dishonour subiecting our selues to our enimyes commaund If I must not dissemble to say what is evident It will be more tollerable that our enimyes should destroy vs then deride vs. For they who haue lived in such reputation of courage and worth as wee haue done must choose one of these two either to be eminent among the Graecians or else to dye every mothers child of vs without subiecting our selues to bassenes which we must thinke on not with loue to our liues nor following the opinion of our confederates whose guids and rulers we haue ben thought worthy to be heeretofore But these things being considered to choose not what is most expedient for them but what is most comely for Lacedemon and for our braue actions For of the same things all must not ever deliberate alike but as from the beginning every one hath layd the foundation of that matter For none will impute it as a fault to the Epidareans Philasians and Corinthians if they regarded nothing but the life and the preservation of themselues but it is not decent for the Lacedemonians to stoope to all kind of meanes but if they cannot saue their liues with their honour death must be preferred For they who contend about vertue must labour in nothing so much as that they may be seene to doe no shamefull act And the cowardice of Citties is no lesse perceiued in such determinations then in the hazards and perrills of the warre For the greatest part of the things their done consisteth in Fortune but what is decreed in those things is the very index of vnderstanding Therefore we must alike studeously prouide for those things which are heere decreed as the things which in the warres are fought for And I wonder that they who would dye for their proper estate should not beare the same minde for the publique for which wee should suffer any thing and not shame our Cittie or see it forsake the Orders and gouerments wherein our Ancestors established it And of these many affaires and mightie dangers which presse vs and must be avoyded of vs this must especially be looked vnto that we appeare not to doe ought effeminately nor yeeld to our enemyes beyond what is right For it is a shame that they who are dignified to command the Graecians should stoope to their enimyes demaunds and be so farre cast behind their Auncecestours that whereas they to get Soueraigntie ouer others were ready to suffer death One the contrary we doe vndertake the danger of a warre to ridd our selues from subiection vnto others Well may wee be ashamed to looke on the games of Olympus and other famous solemnities wherein euery one of vs was emulous and more admirable then any champion that did beare away the bell in these games Into which how thinke you any of vs dare enter when we are like to be scorned instead of being honoured instead of being conspicuous aboue all for vertue and hereafter obscured and despised of them for our dastardlinesse Besides we shall see our vassalls out of that Countrey which our Auncestours left vs bring greater offerings and sacrifices then we and we shall heare from them reproaches so disdainefull as may be expected For those who were before our seruants and now haue pircked vp to stand one euen ground to make conditions with vs being their Masters with which Couenanrs they will so pinche vs as no man living by words can expresse whereof we must now consider and not then repine when their is no other remedie And now let vs be watchfull how none of those things may happen or light on vs. For what shamefull basenes is this in former times we could not endure to be equalized of free men but now we shall be seene to suffer the bold insolencies of bondmen And wee shall be thought heretofore to haue flourished in brauadoes and when we were encouraged no better then other men yet to haue set a good face vpon it and to haue put on a fayned grauitie Let vs therefore giue no cause to such as vse to revile vs and endeauour to conuince their euill speeches with our deedes acted in imitations of our Auncestors worthy exploits Remember our predecessours warring against the Arcadians whom as they say ranked or ordered vnder the buckler of a few targetterers got the victory of many millions And also those three hundred who at Thyrea vanquished all the Arguies And those embattailed thousand at Thermopolis who fighting with Seventie millions of the Barbarians turned not their backes neither were subdued but left their liues vpon life where they were set in aray shewing themselues such as they who imploy their best art and skill in celebrating commendations cannot paralell their prayses with their vertues Calling all these therefore to mind let vs couragiously prepare to battel not expecting any others to salue our present maladie but what dangers doe assaile vs let vs assay to defeate For it behoueth men of valour in such times to be more couragious For prosperitie couereth the vices and cowardice of all men but aduersitie discouereth what all men are wherein we must shew that we haue been better trained and instructed in vertue Nor must we despaire out of those things which we now haue should arise those things which we yet ioy not For I suppose yee are not ignorant that many actions haue happened which at the first all men accounted miseries and were greiued with the induring thereof but afterward yee experimented the selfe same to be the causes of much happines And what need we forraine examples I say of the Athentans and Thebans haue not come to that greatnes by peace but out of calamities of warres haue recouered themselues and of one is become the chiefe of all and the other at this instant so great as none would euer haue supposed it could euer haue been for renowne and shining greatnes affect not to be produced out of sloth but out of bloody conflicts in desire wherof neither our bodyes nor liues nor ought else that we haue are to be spared For we shall set all things in good plight and recouer our State into that dignitie from whence it is lapsed we shall surpasse all our Ancestors in honour and shall leaue nothing for our successours to exceede vs and we shall be in so good case that they would speake well who are willing to speake well of vs shall not be able by their praises to equall our exploits Neither must we forget this that all men set their minds and hopes on this Parliament and open your determinations in it So therefore let euery man set downe his resolution as if wee were now vpon the common stage of all Greece It is but one marke that we ayme at in all these deliberations For if we will resolue to maintaine our vpon equall tearmes euen vntill death we shall not only be well reported of but all the residue of our time we shall liue secured But if we be faint-hearted in perils we shall perplex our selues with many incumbrances Therefore exhorting one another let vs pay backe to our countrey her due for breeding and feeding vs and let vs not behold our Lacedemon as it is now contumeliously oppressed and contemned Neither let vs frustrate of their hopes such as are our well wishers nor making too much account of our liues appeare traytors to our reputation considering that it is the highest point of honour to exchange a mortall bodie for an immortall Glory And with expence of our liues which we can enioy but for a few yeares to purchase that good name which we shall leaue to all our posteritie for euer For it is much better by this exchange to get that honour which shall neuer weare out then to hedge our selues in with great reproaches for a little season And I thinke yee may be more encouraged to warre if yee represent vnto your minde as present your parents and your children these calling vpon you not to staine the name of Sparta nor the lawes in which you were brought vp and instructed nor the battels waged in their dayes these other challenging at your hands that countrey which their Ancestors bequeathed them their Soueraigntie ouer the Grecians and their principalitie which they receiued from their forefathers to whom we cannot answer that either of them make vniust requests I know not why I should prolong my speech only thus much that if for the many warres in this State and dangers vndergone our enemies at no time erected any trophe against vs while any King of our owne family was commander And it is the part of wise men that whom they haue vsed as Leaders and Generals in Warre with victorious successe by these deliberately aduising touching future dangers rather then by any others should they be perswaded FINIS