79. That thing, however, was very bad and ill-natured in him, when not being able to persuade us openly, and being ashamed to use force like a tyrant,⁶³ he disguised the foe in the lion's skin, or if you like it better, he disguised in the mask of Menos, a measure most unjust. What is the proper name for it? He forced with gentleness. The rest I shall leave to such as choose to inquire into or to write about him, as my discourse is hastening to its conclusion, since I think that many, to whom it will seem a pious deed to cast a word at a sinner, will be interested in what I know not whether to call the tragedy or the comedy of that season, in order that a fact of such importance, and by no means deserving of oblivion, may be handed down to those who come after us. But instead of telling all, I will mention one or two things as a specimen, for the benefit of those who so greatly admire his conduct, that they may be convinced they are endeavouring to praise a person for whom it is not even possible to find censure equal to his deserts.

ΟΘʹ. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἤδη καὶ λίαν πονηρὸν καὶ κακόηθες, ὅτι, τὸ μὲν φανερῶς πείθειν οὐκ ἔχων, τὸ δὲ βιάζεσθαι τυραννικῶς αἰσχυνόμενος, τῇ λεοντῇ τὴν κερδαλῆν ἐγκρύπτων, εἰ βούλει δὲ, τῷ Μίνωος προσωπείῳ τὸν ἀδικώτατον (πῶς ἂν εἴποιμι κυρίως;) ἐπιεικῶς ἐβιάζετο. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα τοῖς βουλομένοις ἱστορεῖν τε καὶ γράφειν παρήσω, τοῦ λόγου σπεύδοντος: πολλοῖς δὲ οἶμαι σπουδασθήσεσθαι τοῦ τότε καιροῦ τὴν εἴτε τραγῳδίαν χρὴ λέγειν, εἴτε κωμῳδίαν, οἷς μέρος εὐσεβείας δόξει λόγῳ βάλλειν τὸν ἀλιτήριον: ὡς καὶ τοῖς ἔπειτα παραδοθῆναι πρᾶγμα τοσοῦτον, καὶ ἥκιστα τοῦ λαθεῖν ἄξιον: αὐτὸς δὲ ἀντὶ πάντων ἓν ἢ δύο δείγματος ἐρῶ χάριν τοῖς σφόδρα τὰ ἐκείνου θαυμάζουσιν, ἵν' εἰδῶσι τοῦτον ἐπαινεῖν ἀξιοῦντες, οὗ μηδὲ ψόγον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἄξιον.