But in order that I may not appear to be dwelling at length on the details when I have
 proposed to speak on the general subject nor to be extolling the city for these
 accomplishments because I lack ground for praising her conduct in war, let what I have
 said suffice for those who glory in such services. But I think that honor is due to our
 ancestors no less for their wars than for their other benefactions; for not slight, nor few, nor obscure, but many and dread and great, were the struggles
 they sustained, some for their own territories, some for the freedom of the rest of the
 world; for at all times, without ceasing, they have offered the city as a common refuge
 and as a champion to the Hellenes whenever oppressed. On
 Athens as a refuge for the oppressed see
 the words of Procles in Xen. Hell. 6.5.45 . Cf. Isoc. 8.138 . 
 And it is for this very reason that we are sometimes charged with adopting a foolish
 policy in that we are accustomed to cultivate the weaker peoples Andocides, Isoc. 8.28 , speaks of the “habitual
 bane” of Athens —that of throwing away her
 stronger friends and choosing the weaker. Cf. Plat. Menex.
 244e , and Dem. 20.3 . —as though such charges
 do not support those who desire to sing our praises. For it was not because we failed to
 appreciate how much more advantageous great alliances are in point of security that we
 pursued this policy in regard to the weak; no, although we realized much more exactly than
 our rivals the consequences of such a course, we nevertheless preferred to stand by the
 weaker even against our interests rather than to unite with the stronger in oppressing
 others for our own advantage. The character and power of Athens may be judged from the appeals which sundry people
 have in times past made to us for our help. Those of recent occurrence or for
 insignificant ends I shall omit; but long before the Trojan War (for it is only fair that
 those who dispute about immemorial rights should draw their arguments from that early
 time) there came to us the sons of Heracles Heracles had
 been during his life a slave to the commands of Eurystheus, king of Mycenae . After the death of Heracles and his
 apotheosis, his sons were driven by Eurystheus out of the Peloponnesus . In the course of their wanderings they found refuge in
 Athens , where Theseus, the king,
 championed their cause against their oppressor. Eurystheus was killed in battle by
 Hyllus, one of the sons of Heracles. See Grote, Hist. i. p. 94. Adrastus,
 king of Argos , was the leader ot he
 expedition known in story as that of the Seven against Thebes . They were defeated by the Thebans
 and were not even allowed to recover their dead for burial. Adrastus fled to Athens and there was given refuge and aid to avenge
 himself on the Thebans. See Grote, Hist. i. p. 277. Both of these
 episodes are commonplaces in panegyrics on Athens . Cf. Isoc. 6.42 ; Isoc. 12.168-171 ; Lys. 2.7-16 —a
 close parallel to Isocrates; Plat. Menex. 239b ff. ;
 Dem. 60.8 , 27; Lyc. 1.98 ; Xen. Hell. 6.5.46 . and, a little before them,
 Adrastus, Talaus’s son, king of Argos . Adrastus, on his return from the expedition against Thebes where he had met with disaster and had not by his own efforts been
 able to recover the bodies of those who had fallen under the Cadmean fortress, called upon
 our city to lend aid in a misfortune which was of universal concern, and not to suffer
 that men who die in battle be left unburied nor that ancient custom and immemorial
 law The dead had a divine right to burial. See Isoc. 12.169 and Soph. Ant. 
 be brought to naught.