【英文原著类】onrevenues(税收)

OnRevenues1OnRevenuesbyXenophonTranslationbyH.G.DakynsOnRevenues2XenophontheAthenianwasborn431B.C.HewasapupilofSocrates.HemarchedwiththeSpartans,andwasexiledfromAthens.SpartagavehimlandandpropertyinScillus,wherehelivedformanyyearsbeforehavingtomoveoncemore,tosettleinCorinth.Hediedin354B.C.RevenuesdescribesXenophon'sideastosolvetheproblemofpovertyinAthens,andthusremoveanexcusetomistreattheAthenianallies.OnRevenues3IFormyselfIholdtotheopinionthatthequalitiesoftheleadingstatesmeninastate,whatevertheybe,arereproducedinthecharacteroftheconstitutionitself.[1][1]Likeminister,likegovernment.Forthesameideamorefullyexpressed,seeCyrop.VIII.i.8;viii.5.As,however,ithasbeenmaintainedbycertainleadingstatesmeninAthensthattherecognisedstandardofrightandwrongisashighatAthensaselsewhere,butthat,owingtothepressureofpovertyonthemasses,acertainmeasureofinjusticeintheirdealingwiththealliedstates[2]couldnotbeavoided;IsetmyselftodiscoverwhetherbyanymannerofmeansitwerepossibleforthecitizensofAthenstobesupportedsolelyfromthesoilofAtticaitself,whichwasobviouslythemostequitablesolution.Forifso,hereinlay,asIbelieved,theantidoteatoncetotheirownpovertyandtothefeelingofsuspicionwithwhichtheyareregardedbytherestofHellas.[2]Lit.thecities,i.e.ofthealliance,{tassummakhidas}.Ihadnosoonerbegunmyinvestigationthanonefactpresenteditselfclearlytomymind,whichisthatthecountryitselfismadebynaturetoprovidetheamplestresources.AndwithaviewtoestablishingthetruthofthisinitialpropositionIwilldescribethephysicalfeaturesofAttica.Inthefirstplace,theextraordinarymildnessoftheclimateisprovedbytheactualproductsofthesoil.Numerousplantswhichinmanypartsoftheworldappearasstuntedleaflessgrowthsareherefruit-bearing.Andaswiththesoilsowiththeseaindentingourcoasts,thevariedproductivityofwhichisexceptionallygreat.Againwithregardtothosekindlyfruitsofearth[3]whichProvidencebestowsonmanseasonbyseason,oneandalltheycommenceearlierandendlaterinthisland.NoristhesupremacyofAtticashownonlyinthoseproductswhichyearafteryearflourishandgrowold,butthelandcontainstreasuresofamoreperennialkind.Withinitsfoldsliesimbeddedbynatureanunstintedstoreofmarble,outofwhicharechiselled[4]templesandaltarsofrarestbeautyandtheglitteringsplendourofimagessacredtothegods.Thismarble,moreover,isanOnRevenues4obejctofdesiretomanyforeigners,Hellenesandbarbariansalike.Thenthereislandwhich,althoughityieldsnofruittothesower,needsonlytobequarriedinordertofeedmanytimesmoremouthsthanitcouldascorn-land.Doubtlessweoweittoadivinedispensationthatourlandisveinedwithsilver;ifweconsiderhowmanyneighbouringstateslieroundusbylandandseaandyetintononeofthemdoesasinglethinnestveinofsilverpenetrate.[3]Lit.thosegoodthingswhichthegodsaffordintheirseasons.[4]Or,arise,orarefashioned.IndeeditwouldbescarcelyirrationaltomaintainthatthecityofAthensliesatthenavel,notofHellasmerely,butofthehabitableworld.Sotrueisit,thatthefartherweremovefromAthensthegreatertheextremeofheatorcoldtobeencountered;ortouseanotherillustration,thetravellerwhodesirestotraversetheconfinesofHellasfromendtoendwillfindthat,whetherhevoyagesbyseaorbyland,heisdescribingacircle,thecentreofwhichisAthens.[5][5]SeeGeog.ofBrit.Isles.J.R.andS.A.Green,ch.i.p.7:London,infact,isplacedatwhatisverynearlythegeometricalcentreofthosemassesoflandwhichmakeuptheearthsurfaceoftheglobe,andisthusmorethananycityoftheworldthenaturalpointofconvergenceforitsdifferentlinesofnavigation,etc.ThenaturaladvantagesofBoeotiaaresimilarlysetforthbyEphorus.Cf.Strab.ix.2,p.400.Oncemore,thislandthoughnotliterallysea-girthasalltheadvantagesofanisland,beingaccessibletoeverywindthatblows,andcaninvitetoitsbosomorwaftfromitsshoreallproducts,sinceitispeninsular;whilstbylanditistheemporiumofmanymarkets,asbeingaportionofthecontinent.Lastly,whilethemajorityofstateshavebarbarianneighbours,thesourceofmanytroubles,Athenshasashernext-doorneighbourscivilisedstateswhicharethemselvesfarremotefromthebarbarians.OnRevenues5IIAlltheseadvantages,torepeatwhatIhavesaid,may,Ibelieve,betracedprimarilytothesoilandpositionofAtticaitself.Butthesenaturalblessingsmaybeaddedto:inthefirstplace,byacarefulhandlingofourresidentalien[1]population.And,formypart,Icanhardlyconceiveofamoresplendidsourceofrevenuethanliesopeninthisdirection.Hereyouhaveaself-supportingclassofresidentsconferinglargebenefitsuponthestate,andinsteadofreceivingpayment[2]themselves,contributingonthecontrarytothegainoftheexchequerbythesojourners'tax.[3]Nor,underthetermcarefulhandling,doIdemandmorethantheremovalofobligationswhich,whilsttheyconfernobenefitonthestate,haveanairofinflictingvariousdisabilitiesontheresidentaliens.[4]AndIwouldfurtherrelievethemfromtheobligationofservingashoplitessidebysidewiththecitizenproper;since,besidethepersonalrisk,whichisgreat,thetroubleofquittingtradesandhomesteadsisnotrifle.[5]Incidentallythestateitselfwouldbenefitbythisexemption,ifthecitizensweremoreinthehabitofcampaigningwithoneanother,ratherthan[6]shouldertoshoulderwithLydians,Phrygians,Syrians,andbarbariansfromallquartersoftheworld,whoformthestapleofourresidentalienclass.Besidestheadvant