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37.
Our constitution does not copy the laws of
neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves.
Its administration favors the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy.
If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private
differences; if to social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for
capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able to serve the state, he
is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition.
[2]
The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary
life.
There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do
not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes,
or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be
offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty.
[3]
But all this ease in our private relations does not make us lawless as
citizens. Against this fear is our chief safeguard, teaching us to obey the
magistrates and the laws, particularly such as regard the protection of the
injured, whether they are actually on the statute book, or belong to that
code which, although unwritten, yet cannot be broken without acknowledged
disgrace.
Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War. London, J. M. Dent; New York, E. P. Dutton. 1910.
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References (58 total)
- Commentary references to this page
(13):
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone, 454
- W. W. How, J. Wells, A Commentary on Herodotus, 3.80
- E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 6, 6.4
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.38
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.53
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.68
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER LXIV
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.18
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.29
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.32
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.81
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.89
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.9
- Cross-references to this page
(5):
- Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges, ADVERBIAL COMPLEX SENTENCES (2193-2487）
- A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), NOMOS
- William Watson Goodwin, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb, Chapter IV
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Selections from the Attic Orators, §§ 36 — 55.
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Selections from the Attic Orators, 7.40
- Cross-references in notes to this page
(4):
- Demosthenes, Funeral Speech, Dem. 60 26
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 1.70
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 6.40
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 7.69
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(36):
- LSJ, ἄγραφ-ος
- LSJ, ἀξί-ωμα
- LSJ, ἀφα?́ν-εια
- LSJ, ἀκρό-α_σις
- LSJ, ἀνεπαχθής
- LSJ, ἀχθ-ηδών
- LSJ, ἀζήμιος
- LSJ, διά
- LSJ, διάφορ-ος
- LSJ, ἐπιτήδ-ευμα
- LSJ, εἰς
- LSJ, εὐδοκι^μ-έω
- LSJ, ἡδονή
- LSJ, ἡμέρα
- LSJ, ἴδιος
- LSJ, κατά
- LSJ, κεῖμαι
- LSJ, κωλύω
- LSJ, λυ_π-ηρός
- LSJ, μέρος
- LSJ, μέτειμι
- LSJ, μι_μ-έομαι
- LSJ, ὄνομα
- LSJ, ὄψις
- LSJ, οἰκέω
- LSJ, παρανομ-έω
- LSJ, πλείων
- LSJ, πολι_τ-εία
- LSJ, πολι_τεύω
- LSJ, πρός
- LSJ, προσομι_λ-έω
- LSJ, προστίθημι
- LSJ, προτι_μ-άω
- LSJ, τις
- LSJ, ὑπ-οψία
- LSJ, ζηλ-όω
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