Xenophon: The virtuous prefer untroubled security to sovereignty won by war

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

Greek and Roman writers on war and peace

Xenophon: Selections on war and peace

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Xenophon
Memorabilia
Translated by E. C. Marchant

(Socrates) “Some elements in man’s nature make for friendship: men need one another, feel pity, work together for their common good, and, conscious of the facts, are grateful to one another. But there are hostile elements in men….Nevertheless through all these barriers friendship slips, and unites the gentle natures. For thanks to their virtue these prize the untroubled security of moderate possessions above sovereignty won by war….”

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(Socrates) “I feel sure you…know how many of the garrisons are well placed and how many are not, and how many of the guards are efficient and how many are not; and you will propose to strengthen the well-placed garrisons and to do away with those that are superfluous.”

(Glaucon) “No, no: I shall propose to do away with them all, for the only effect of maintaining them is that our crops are stolen.”