History of the Peloponnesian War

This is shown by the practice, even at the present day, of some of the peoples on the mainland, who still hold it an honour to be successful in this business, as well as by the words of the early poets, who invariably ask the question of all who put in to shore, whether they are pirates,[*](cf. Homer, Od. 3.73 ; 252.) the inference being that neither those whom they ask ever disavow that occupation, nor those ever censure it who are concerned to have the information.