I, however, take the view, in the first place, that it is no sign that we ruled badly if
 some of those who were at war with us are shown to have been severely disciplined, but
 that a much clearer proof that we administered the affairs of our allies wisely is seen in
 the fact that among the states which remained our loyal subjects not one experienced these
 disasters. In the second place, if other states had dealt more leniently with the same
 circumstances, they might reasonably censure us; but since that is not the case, and it is
 impossible to control so great a multitude of states without disciplining those who
 offend, does it not follow that we deserve praise because we acted harshly in the fewest
 possible cases and were yet able to hold our dominion for the greatest length of time?
 But I believe that all men are of the opinion that those will prove the best leaders and
 champions of the Hellenes under whom in the past those who yielded obedience have fared
 the best. Well, then, it will be found that under our supremacy the private households
 grew most prosperous and that the commonwealths also became greatest. For we were not
 jealous of the growing states, In this and the following
 paragraphs we have a summing up of the spirit of the Athenian hegemony in contrast to
 that of the Spartan supremacy described in 115 ff. Cf. Isoc. 12.59
 ff. 
 nor did we engender confusion among them by setting up conflicting polities side by side,
 in order that faction might be arrayed against faction and that both might court our
 favor. On the contrary, we regarded harmony among our allies as the common boon of all,
 and therefore we governed all the cities under the same laws, deliberating about them in
 the spirit of allies, not of masters; guarding the interests of the whole confederacy but leaving each member of it free to
 direct its own affairs; supporting the people but making war on despotic powers, ταῖς δυναστείαις means
 simply “powers” in 81, but commonly powers not responsible to the people—oligarchies as
 here or tyrannies as in 39. considering it an outrage that the many should be
 subject to the few, that those who were poorer in fortune but not inferior in other
 respects should be banished from the offices, that, furthermore, in a fatherland which
 belongs to all in common A pan-Hellenic sentiment. Cf.
 81. some should hold the place of masters, others of aliens, Citizens under oligarchies are without rights; they are like the metics in
 Athens —residents on sufferance. and
 that men who are citizens by birth By φύσις , nature. Cf. “All men are created equal.” The
 contrast between nature and convention— φύσις and
 νόμος —was a favorite topic of discussion among
 the sophists. Cf. an echo of it in Isoc. 1.10 . should
 be robbed by law of their share in the government.