Phalaris (2.8-2.9)

Let the situation of others be as it may: we, in my opinion, must needs realize our own situation— what it was of old, what it is now, and what we can do to better it. That we live on crags and cultivate

rocks is something we need not wait for Homer to tell us—anyone can see it for himself.[*] As far as the land is concerned, we should always be cheek by jow] with starvation: the temple, the god, the oracle, the sacrificers and the worshippers—these are the grain-lands of Delphi, these are our revenue, these are the sources of our prosperity and of our subsistence. We-should speak the truth among ourselves, at any rate! “Unsown and untilled,”[*] as the poets say, everything is grown for us with the god for our husbandman. Not only does he vouchsafe us the good things found among the Greeks, but every product of the Phrygians, the Lydians, the Persians, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Italians and even the Hyperboreans comes to Delphi. And next to the god we are held in honour by all men, and we are prosperous and happy. Thus it was of old, thus it has been till now, and may we never cease leading this life!

Never in the memory of any man have we taken avote on a gift, or prevented anyone from sacrificing or giving. For this very reason, I think, the temple has prospered extraordinarily and is excessively rich in gifts. Therefore we ought not to make any innovation in the present case and break precedents by setting up the practice of censoring gifts and looking into the pedigree of things that are sent

here, to see where they come from and from whom, and what they are: we should receive them and dedicate them without officiousness, serving bothparties, the god and the worshippers.