[3,40] εἰ δὲ φιλήδονος καὶ φιλοχρήματος καὶ ὑβριστὴς καὶ παράνομος, αὑτὸν 
 οἰόμενος αὔξειν μόνον, ὡς ἂν πλεῖστα μὲν χρήματα κεκτημένος, μεγίστας
 δὲ καὶ πλείστας καρπούμενος ἡδονάς, ῥᾳθύμως δὲ διάγων καὶ ἀπόνως· τοὺς δὲ 
ὑπηκόους ἅπαντας ἡγούμενος δούλους καὶ ὑπηρέτας(41) τῆς αὑτοῦ τρυφῆς, οὐδὲ 
ποιμένος ἐπιεικοῦς ἔχων ἦθος, σκέπης καὶ νομῆς προνοούμενος τοῖς αὑτοῦ 
κτήνεσιν, ἔτι δὲ θῆρας ἀπαμύνων καὶ φῶρας προφυλάττων, ἀλλ´ αὐτὸς πρῶτος 
διαρπάζων τε καὶ φθείρων καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτρέπων, καθάπερ, οἶμαι, πολεμίων 
λείαν, οὐκ ἄν ποτε εἴποιμι τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄρχοντα ἢ αὐτοκράτορα ἢ βασιλέα, πολὺ 
δὲ μᾶλλον τύραννον καὶ λευστῆρα, ὥς  ποτε προσεῖπεν ὁ Ἀπόλλων τὸν 
Σικυώνιον τύραννον, εἰ καὶ πολλὰς μὲν ἔχοι τιάρας, πολλὰ δὲ σκῆπτρα 
ὑπακούοιεν αὐτῷ.

[3,40] If, on the other hand, he loves pleasure and wealth, is overbearing and lawless, 
and is minded to exalt himself alone to the end that he may get the most wealth and 
enjoy the most and greatest pleasures, leading an idle and effortless life and looking 
upon his subjects one and all as but slaves and ministers to his own luxury ; if he 
lacks even the quality of a good shepherd, who takes thought for the shelter and 
pasturing of his own flock, and, besides, keeps off wild beasts and guards it against 
thieves ; nay, if he is the very first to plunder and destroy them and to grant the same 
privilege to others as though they were veritable spoil of the enemy- never should I 
style such a ruler either emperor or king. Much rather should I call him a tyrant and 
oppressor, as Apollo once called the tyrant of Sicyon —yea, even though he had 
many tiaras, many sceptres, and many obeyed his behests."

Trad. anglaise : J.W. COHOON - H. Lamar CROSBY, Dio Chrysostom.  
Vol. I. London, Heinemann, 1932