[48]
In those days, when they manned their triremes, they put on board crews of foreigners and slaves but sent out citizens to fight under heavy arms. Now, however, we use mercenaries as heavy-armed troops but compel citizens to row the ships,1 with the result that when they land in hostile territory these men, who claim the right to rule over the Hellenes, disembark with their cushions2 under their arms, while men who are of the character which I have just described take the field with shield and spear!
1 See Isoc. 7.54, note.
2 Pads for the rowers' benches.
Isocrates. Isocrates with an English Translation in three volumes, by George Norlin, Ph.D., LL.D. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1980.
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