of such a character that no one can point out in all history one more shameful, more
 reprehensible, more derogatory to the Hellenes, or more contradictory to what is said by
 certain eulogists of the virtue of the Lacedaemonians. For when the King had established
 them as masters over the Hellenes, they attempted to rob him of his kingdom and of all his
 good fortune, but when the King defeated them in battle on the sea and humbled them, they
 gave over to him, not a small contingent of the Hellenes, but all those who dwelt in
 Asia , explicitly writing into the treaty that
 he should do with these according to his pleasure; and they were not ashamed of entering into such covenants regarding men by whose help as
 allies they prevailed over us, became masters of the Hellenes, and expected to subdue the
 whole of Asia; on the contrary, they inscribed such covenants in their own temples See Isoc. 4.180 . and
 compelled their allies to do the same. Now others will not care, I suppose, to hear about any further deeds, but will think
 that they have learned well enough from those which I have described what has been the
 character of each of these two states in their treatment of the Hellenes. I, however, do
 not share this feeling but consider that the subject which I undertook requires still many
 other arguments, and above all such as will show the folly of those who will attempt to
 refute what I have said, and these arguments I think I shall find ready at hand. For of those who applaud all the actions of the Lacedaemonians, the best and the most
 discerning will, I think, commend the polity of the Spartans and remain of the same
 opinion about it as before, but will concede the truth of what I have said about the
 things which they have done to the Hellenes. Those, however, who are inferior not only to these but to the great majority of men and
 who could not speak tolerably about any other subject, albeit they are not able to keep
 silent about the Lacedaemonians, but expect that if they extol them extravagantly they
 will gain a reputation equal to those who are reputed abler and much better than
 themselves—