Laudator Temporis Acti

Procopius, History of the Wars 8.12.4-6 (tr. H.B. Dewing):

[4] This man then came up close to the fortress and spoke as follows: "Most noble Persians, what has come over you that you are stubbornly holding to this course of destruction, bending your energies with unreasonable zeal to accomplish a certain death and conspicuously dishonouring the practice of valour? For it is not a manly thing to array oneself against the inevitable, nor a wise thing to refuse to bow to those who have won the mastery; nor, on the other hand, is it inglorious to live by falling in with the situation chance has brought. [5] For man, in the grip of necessity which is relieved by no hope of rescue, is thereby justly acquitted of the charge of dishonour, even if he is involved in the most shameful actions; for evil, when it is unavoidable, is naturally followed by forgiveness. [6] Do not, therefore, emulate madmen in the midst of obvious danger, and do not barter your safety for wanton folly, but rather call to mind that it is impossible for the dead to come to life, while the living can destroy themselves at a later time, if indeed this seems best."

[4] Καὶ ὃς ἀγχοτάτω γενόμενος ἔλεξε τοιάδε· "Τί πεπονθότες ἐφ᾿ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, ὦ βέλτιστοι Πέρσαι, τὸν ὄλεθρον διατείνεσθε τοῦτον, ἐπιτηδεύοντες τὰ θανάσιμα σπουδῇ ἀλογίστῳ καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα διαφανῶς ἀτιμάζοντες; οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνδρεῖον τὸ τοῖς ἀμηχάνοις ἀντιστατεῖν, οὐδὲ ξυνετὸν τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαι τοῖς κεκρατηκόσιν ὑπείκειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἄδοξον τὸ τύχῃ τῇ παρούσῃ ἑπομένους βιῶναι. [5] ἀνάγκη γὰρ οὐδὲ ἀγαθῆς τινὸς ἐλπίδος τυχοῦσα τὴν ἀτιμίαν ἐκφεύγει δικαίως, ἢν καὶ τῶν ἔργων περιβάλληται τὰ αἰσχρότατα· κακῷ γὰρ τῷ ἀμηχάνῳ τὸ σύγγνωμον ἕπεσθαι πέφυκε. [6] μὴ τοίνυν τὴν ἀπόνοιαν ἐν προὔπτῳ ζηλοῦτε κινδύνῳ, μηδὲ τῆς σωτηρίας τὴν ἀλαζονείαν ἀλλάξασθε, ἀλλ᾿ ἐνθυμεῖσθε ὡς ἀναβιώσεσθαι μὲν τοὺς τετελευτηκότας ἀδύνατον, οἱ δὲ περιόντες καὶ χρόνῳ διαχρήσονται σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ὕστερον, ἤν γε τοῦτο κρεῖσσον εἶναι δοκῇ."