And Hiero replied: Thus far you reason prettily, methinks, Simonides; but about these mercenary troops have you aught to say? Can you suggest a means to avoid the hatred of which they are the cause? Or will you tell me that a ruler who has won the affection of his subjects has no need for body-guards?
Nay, in good sooth (replied Simonides), distinctly he will need them none the less. I know it is with certain human beings as with horses, some trick of the blood they have, some inborn tendency; the more their wants are satisfied, the more their wantonness will out. Well then, to sober and chastise wild spirits, there is nothing like the terror of your men-at-arms.[1] And as to gentler natures,[2] I do not know by what means you could bestow so many benefits upon them as by means of mercenaries.
[1] Lit. "spear-bearers"; the title given to the body-guard of kings and tyrants.
[2] Lit. "the beautiful and good," the {kalois kagathois}. See "Econ."vi. 11 foll.
Let me explain: You keep them, I presume, in the first instance, for yourself, as guards of your own person. But for masters, owners of estates and others, to be done to death with violence by their own slaves is no unheard-of thing. Supposing, then, the first and foremost duty laid on mercenary troops were this: they are the body-guards of the whole public, and bound as such to come to the assistance of all members of the state alike, in case they shall detect some mischief brewing[3] (and miscreants do spring up in the hearts of states, as we all know); I say then, if these mercenary troops were under orders to act as guardians of the citizens,[4] the latter would recognise to whom they were indebted.
[3] "If they become aware of anything of that sort." Is not this modelled on the {krupteia}? See Pater, "Plato and Platonism," ch.
viii. "Lacedaemon," p. 186.
[4] Or, "as their police." {toutous}, sc. "the citizens"; al. "the evil-doers." If so, transl. "to keep watch and ward on evil-doers; thecitizens would soon recognise the benefit they owe them forthat service."But in addition to these functions, such a body might with reason be expected to create a sense of courage and security, by which the country labourers with their flocks and herds would greatly benefit, a benefit not limited to your demesne, but shared by every farm throughout the rural district.
Again, these mercenaries, if set to guard strategic points,[5] would leave the citizens full leisure to attend to matters of more private interest.
[5] Or, "as garrisons of critical positions," like Phyle or Decelia near Athens.
And again, a further function: Can you conceive a service better qualified to gain intelligence beforehand and to hinder the secret sudden onslaughts of a hostile force, than a set of troopers always under arms and fully organised?[6]
[6] Or, "trained to act as one man." See Sturz, s.v.
Moreover, on an actual campaign, where will you find an arm of greater service to the citizens than these wage-earning troops?[7] than whom, it is likely, there will none be found more resolute to take the lion's share of toil or peril, or do outpost duty, keeping watch and ward while others sleep, brave mercenaries.
[7] The author is perhaps thinking of some personal experiences. He works out his theory of a wage-earning militia for the protection of the state in the "Cyropaedia." See esp. VII. v. 69 foll.
And what will be the effect on the neighbour states conterminous with yours?[8] Will not this standing army lead them to desire peace beyond all other things? In fact, a compact force like this, so organised, will prove most potent to preserve the interests of their friends and to damage those of their opponents.
[8] Or, "that lie upon your borders," as Thebes and Megara were "nigh- bordering" to Athens. Cf. Eur. "Rhes." 426; Soph. "Fr." 349.
And when, finally, the citizens discover it is not the habit of these mercenaries to injure those who do no wrong, but their vocation rather is to hinder all attempts at evil-doing; whereby they exercise a kindlyprovidence and bear the brunt of danger on behalf of the community, I say it must needs be, the citizens will rejoice to pay the expenses which the force entails. At any rate, it is for objects of far less importance that at present guards[9] are kept in private life.
[9] "Police or other."
