Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/76

54 HISTORY OF GREECE. harbors of the confederate cities ensured a thriving trade as well as a steady revenue from custom-duties. The neighboring Thra- cian tribes would be easily kept in willing dependence, and would thus augment the military force of Olynthus ; even the gold miiies of Mount Pangaeus would speedily come within her assured reach. " All that I now tell you (such was the substance of his speech) is matter of public talk among the Olynthian people, who are full of hope and confidence. How can you Spartans, who are taking anxious pains to prevent the union of the Boeotian cities, 1 permit the aggregation of so much more formidable a power, both by land and by sea, as this of Olynthus ? Envoys have already been sent thither from Athens and Thebes, and the Olynthians have decreed to send an embassy in return for contracting alliance with those cities ; hence, your enemies will derive a large additional force. We of Akanthus and Apollonia, having declined the pro- position to join the confederacy voluntarily, have received notice that, if we persist, they will constrain us. Now we are anxious to retain our paternal laws and customs, continuing as a city by ourselves. 2 But if we cannot obtain aid from you, we shall be under the necessity of joining them, as several other cities have already done, from not daring to refuse ; cities, who would have sent envoys along with us, had they not been afraid of offending the Olynthians. These cities, if you interfere forthwith, and with a powerful force, will now revolt from the new confederacy. But if you postpone your interference, and allow time for the confederacy to work, their sentiments will soon alter. They will come to be knit together in attached unity, by the co-burgership, the intermar- riage, and the reciprocity of landed possessions, which have al- ready been enacted prospectively. All of them will become con- vinced that they have a common interest both in belonging to, and in strengthening the confederacy, just as the Arcadians, when they follow you, Spartans, as allies, are not only enabled to 1 Xen. Hellen. v, 2, 16. 'EvvoqaaTe <5e Kal r66e, nuf eiKO, i'fiuf rye pev Bo.'in'af tm/j.&T]&fjvai, onus fir) nati' KV ELTJ, 7rofo) de jiei&vof iidpoityiKvr/f fivvafieue ufj.e7.7}ffai, etc. I translate here the substance of the speech, not the exact words. 3 Xen. Hellen. v, 2, 14. 'H^ueff <5e, u uvdpef Aanedai/aovioi, (3ov'h6[te&a u.lv rolg iraTpioic vopoif xpTjadcu, not airo-o/Urat clvai el fiEvroi, [tfy aei Tie, tivayKfj KOI rifuv per' 1 kxeivuv