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I presume； is more required of a guard than that of faithfulness； and yet
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one faithful man is a commodity more hard to find than scores of
workmen for any sort of work you like to name；＇12＇ and the more so；
when the guards in question are not forthcoming except for money's
sake；＇13＇ and when they have it in their power to get far more in far less
time by murdering the despot than they can hope to earn by lengthened
service in protecting him。
＇10＇ Or； 〃beyond the sentinels themselves is set the outpost of the
laws； who watch the watch。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃ten…day labourers in harvest…time。〃
＇12＇ Or； 〃but to discover one single faithful man is far more
difficult than scores of labourers in any field of work you please。〃
＇13＇ Or； 〃are merely hirelings for filthy lucre's sake。〃
And as to that which roused your envyour ability； as you call it； to
benefit our friends most largely； and beyond all else； to triumph over our
foeshere； again； matters are not as you suppose。
How； for instance； can you hope to benefit your friends； when you may
rest assured the very friend whom you have made most your debtor will be
the happiest to quit your sight as fast as may be？ since nobody believes
that anything a tyrant gives him is indeed his own； until he is well beyond
the donor's jurisdiction。
So much for friends； and as to enemies conversely。 How can you say
〃most power of triumphing over our enemies；〃 when every tyrant knows
full well they are all his enemies； every man of them； who are despotically
ruled by him？ And to put the whole of them to death or to imprison them
is hardly possible； or who will be his subjects presently？ Not so； but
knowing they are his enemies； he must perform this dexterous feat：＇14＇ he
must keep them at arm's length； and yet be compelled to lean upon them。
＇14＇ Lit。 〃he must at one and the same moment guard against them；
and yet be driven also to depend upon them。〃
But be assured； Simonides； that when a tyrant fears any of his citizens；
he is in a strait； it is ill work to see them living and ill work to put them to
the death。 Just as might happen with a horse； a noble beast； but there is
that in him makes one fear he will do some mischief presently past
curing。＇15＇ His very virtue makes it hard to kill the creature； and yet to
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turn him to account alive is also hard； so careful must one be； he does not
choose the thick of danger to work irreparable harm。 And this； further；
doubtless holds of all goods and chattels； which are at once a trouble and a
benefit。 If painful to their owners to possess； they are none the less a
source of pain to part with。
＇15＇ Lit。 〃good but fearful （i。e。 he makes one fear）； he will some day
do some desperate mischief。〃
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VII
Now when he had heard these reasonings； Simonides replied： O Hiero；
there is a potent force； it would appear； the name of which is honour； so
attractive that human beings strain to grasp it；＇1＇ and in the effort they will
undergo all pains； endure all perils。 It would further seem that even you；
you tyrants； in spite of all that sea of trouble which a tyranny involves；
rush headlong in pursuit of it。 You must be honoured。 All the world shall
be your ministers； they shall carry out your every injunction with
unhestitating zeal。＇2＇ You shall be the cynosure of neighbouring eyes； men
shall rise from their seats at your approach； they shall step aside to yield
you passage in the streets。＇3＇ All present shall at all times magnify you；＇4＇
and shall pay homage to you both with words and deeds。 Those； I take it；
are ever the kind of things which subjects do to please the monarch；＇5＇ and
thus they treat each hero of the moment； whom they strive to honour。＇6＇
＇1＇ Lit。 〃that human beings will abide all risks and undergo all pains
to clutch the bait。〃
＇2＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 iii。 8； VIII。 i。 29。
＇3＇ Cf。 〃Mem。〃 II。 iii。 16； 〃Cyrop。〃 VII。 v。 20。
＇4＇ ｛gerairosi｝； poetic。 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 i。 39； 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 33；
〃Econ。〃 iv。 8； 〃Herod。〃 v。 67； Pind。 〃O。〃 iii。 3； v。 11； 〃N。〃 v。 15；
〃Od。〃 xiv。 437； 441； 〃Il。〃 vii。 321； Plat。 〃Rep。〃 468 D； quoting 〃Il。〃
vii。 321。
＇5＇ Reading ｛tois turannois｝； or if ｛tous turannous｝； after Cobet；
〃That is how they treat crowned heads。〃
＇6＇ Cf。 Tennyson； 〃Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington〃：
With honour； honour； honour to him； Eternal
honour to his name。
Yes； Hiero； and herein precisely lies the difference between a man and
other animals； in this outstretching after honour。＇7＇ Since； it would seem；
all living creatures alike take pleasure in meats and drinks； in sleep and
sexual joys。 Only the love of honour is implanted neither in unreasoning
brutes＇8＇ nor universally in man。 But they in whose hearts the passion for
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honour and fair fame has fallen like a seed； these unmistakably＇9＇ are
separated most widely from the brutes。 These may claim to be called
men；＇10＇ not human beings merely。 So that； in my poor judgment； it is but
reasonable you should submit to bear the pains and penalties of royalty；
since you are honoured far beyond all other mortal men。 And indeed no
pleasure known to man would seem to be nearer that of gods than the
delight＇11＇ which centres in proud attributes。
＇7＇ Or； 〃in this strong aspiration after honour。〃 Holden aptly cf。
〃Spectator；〃 No。 467： 〃The love of praise is a passion deeply fixed in
the mind of every extraordinary person； and those who are most
affected with it seem most to partake of that particle of the divinity
which distinguishes mankind from the inferior creation。〃
＇8＇ ｛alogous｝； i。e。 〃without speach and reason〃； cf。 modern Greek ｛o
alogos｝ = the horse （sc。 the animal par excellence）。 See
〃Horsemanship；〃 viii。 14。
＇9＇ ｛ede｝； 〃ipso facto。〃
＇10＇ See 〃Anab。〃 I。 vii。 4； Frotscher ap。 Breit。 cf。 Cic。 〃ad Fam。〃 v。
17。 5； 〃ut et hominem te et virum esse meminisses。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃joyance。〃
To these arguments Hiero replied： Nay； but； Simonides； the honours
and proud attributes bestowed on tyrants have much in common with their
love…makings； as I described them。 Like honours like loves； the pair are of
a piece。
For just as the ministrations won from loveless hearts＇12＇ are felt to be
devoid of grace； and embraces forcibly procured are sweet no longer； so
the obsequious cringings of alarm are hardly honours。 Since how shall we
assert that people who are forced to rise from their seats do really rise to
honour those whom they regard as malefactors？ or that these others who
step aside to let their betters pass them in the street； desire thus to show
respect to miscreants？＇13＇ And as to gifts； it is notorious； people
commonly bestow them largely upon those they hate； and that too when
their fears are gravest； hoping to avert impending evil。 Nay； these are
nothing more nor less than acts of slavery； and they may fairly be set down
as such。
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＇12＇ Or； 〃the compliance of cold lips where love is not reciprocated
is 。 。 。〃
＇13＇ Or； 〃to rank injustice。〃
But honours have a very different origin；＇14＇ as different to my mind
as are the sentiments to which they give expression。 See how； for instance；
men of common mould will single out a man； who is a man；＇15＇ they feel；
and competent to be their benefactor； one from whom