Therefore, the Ionians deserve to be commended because, when their sanctuaries had been
 burned, they invoked the wrath of Heaven upon any who should disturb the ruins or should
 desire to restore their shrines as they were of old; There
 is no other authority for this oath of the Ionians. A similar oath is, however,
 attributed by Lyc. 1.81 , to the collective Greeks before the
 battle of Plataea . and they did
 this, not because they lacked the means to rebuild them, but in order that there might be
 left a memorial to future generations of the impiety of the barbarians, and that none
 might put their trust in men who do not scruple to commit such sins against our holy
 temples, but that all might be on their guard against them and fear them, seeing that they
 waged that war not against our persons only, but even against our votive offerings to the
 gods. Of my own countrymen also I have a similar tale to tell. For towards all other peoples
 with whom they have been at war, they forget their past enmities the moment they have
 concluded peace, but toward the Asiatics they feel no gratitude even when they receive
 favors from them; so eternal is the wrath which they cherish against the barbarians. See Plat. Rep. 470c ; Livy 31.29 , “cum barbaris omnibus Graecis bellum est
 eritque.” Again, our fathers condemned many to death See Hdt. 9.5 ; Lyc.
 1.122 ; Dem. 19.270 . for defection to the
 Medes; in our public assemblies even to this day, before any other business is transacted,
 the Athenians call down curses The custom is attributed to
 Aristeides by Plut. Arist. 10 . upon any citizen
 who proposes friendly overtures to the Persians; and, at the celebration of the Mysteries,
 the Eumolpidae and the Kerykes, The priests at Eleuis
 belonged to families traditionally descended from Eumolpus and Keryx. because of
 our hatred of the Persians, give solemn warning to the other barbarians also, even as to
 men guilty of murder, that they are for ever banned from the sacred rites. See Hdt. 8.65 ; Lobeck,
 Aglaophamus , i. p. 15. 
 So ingrained in our nature is our hostility to them that even in the matter of our
 stories we linger most fondly over those which tell of the Trojan and the Persian
 wars, Cf. Isoc. 9.6 . 
 because through them we learn of our enemies’ misfortunes; and you will find that our
 warfare against the barbarians has inspired our hymns, while that against the Hellenes has
 brought forth our dirges; “Victories over the barbarians
 call for hymns, but victories over the Hellenes for dirges,” said Gorgias in his
 Epitaphios , and Isocrates may have had his words in mind. The Gorgias
 fragment is quoted by Philostr. Lives of the Sophists, 493. and
 that the former are sung at our festivals, while we recall the latter on occasions of
 sorrow. Moreover, I think that even the poetry of Homer has won a greater renown because he has
 nobly glorified the men who fought against the barbarians, and that on this account our
 ancestors determined to give his art a place of honor in our musical contests and in the
 education of our youth, See Plat. Hipparch. 228b ; Plat. Rep. 606e , and
 Aristoph. Frogs 1035 . in order that we,
 hearing his verses over and over again, may learn by heart the enmity which stands from of
 old between us and them, and that we, admiring the valor of those who were in the war
 against Troy , may conceive a passion for like
 deeds. So it seems to me that the motives which summon us to enter upon a war against them are
 many indeed; but grief among them is the present opportunity, which we must not throw
 away; for it is disgraceful to neglect a chance when it is present and regret it when it
 is past. Indeed, what further advantage could we desire to have on our side when
 contemplating a war against the King beyond those which are now at hand?