(28) μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθε τοὺς κριοὺς μηδὲ τὰς ἑλεπόλεις καὶ τὰς ἄλλας μηχανὰς 
οὕτως ἀνατρέπειν ὡς τρυφήν, εἴτε ἄνδρα βούλεταί τις πεπτωκότα ἰδεῖν
 εἴτε πόλιν. οὐ ποταμός ἐστιν οὐδὲ πεδίον οὐδὲ λιμὴν ὁ ποιῶν εὐδαίμονα πόλιν 
οὐδὲ χρημάτων πλῆθος οὐδὲ οἰκοδομημάτων οὐδὲ θησαυροὶ θεῶν, οἷς οὐδὲν 
προσέχει τὸ δαιμόνιον· οὐδ´ ἂν εἰς τὰς πόλεις τινὲς μεταφέρωσι τὰ ὄρη καὶ τὰς 
πέτρας ξὺν πολλῇ ταλαιπωρίᾳ  καὶ πόνοις καὶ μυρίοις ἀναλώμασιν· ἀλλὰ 
σωφροσύνη καὶ νοῦς ἐστι τὰ σῴζοντα. ταῦτα ποιεῖ τοὺς χρωμένους μακαρίους,
 ταῦτα τοῖς θεοῖς προσφιλεῖς, οὐχὶ λιβανωτὸς οὐδὲ σμύρνα· πόθεν;  οὐδὲ ῥίζαι καὶ 
δάκρυα δένδρων οὐδὲ τὰ Ἰνδῶν καὶ Ἀράβων φρύγανα.

(28) For think not that rams and siege-towers  and the other engines of war are as 
ruinous as luxury, whether it is a man whom one wishes to see prostrate or a city. 
No, it is not river or plain or harbour that makes a city prosperous, nor quantity of 
riches or multitude of houses or treasuries of the gods—objects to which deity pays 
no heed—nay, not even if some people do transport to their cities the mountains and 
rocks  at the cost of great physical pain and labour and untold expense, does that 
bring happiness; instead it is sobriety and common sense that save. These make 
blessed those who employ them ; these make men dear to the gods, not frankincense 
or myrrh, God knows, nor roots and gum of trees or the fragrant herbs of India and 
Arabia.

Trad. anglaise : J.W. COHOON - H. Lamar CROSBY, Dio Chrysostom.  
Vol. III. London, Heinemann, 1940