400 BOOK FIVE The Median Dietingue 416/5 4101

complaints against Perdiceas were that he had sworn alliance with interruption an argument ftom us which is both persuasive and
Argos and Sparta, and that he had failed in his duty as an ally of incontrovertible, and should so be led astray. This, we realize, is
Athens at the time when the Athenians had prepared an expedition your motive in bringing us here to speak before the kw. Now sup -
against the Chalcidians in Thrace and against Amphipolis, under pose that you who sit here should make assurance doubly sure.
the command of Nicias, the son otNieeratus; this expedition had Suppose that you, too,should refrain front dealing with every point
had to be broken up chiefly because. Perdiccas hail not played his in detail in a set speech, and should instead interrupt us whenever
part. He was therefore declared an enemy. we say something controversial and deal with that befoie going
So this winter ended, and so mkt] the fifteenth year of the on to the next point? Tell its first whether you approve of this
war. suggestion of ours.'
86 Council of the Mr lians replied as fidlows:
' No One c:111 Object to each of putting forward our own views

itttt IVIEL►AN ALOCUI319 in •4111 a rmos[there. That is }sake' ly reasonable. W hat is scarcely
consistent: With such a proposal is the present threat, indeed the
84 Next summer Alcibiades sailed to illgos with twenty ships and
certainty, of yom making war on us. We see that you have come
seized 300 A rgive citizens who were still suspected of being pro - prepared to judge the argument yourselves, and that the likely end
Spartan. These were put by the Athenians into the nearby islands of it all will be either war, if we prove that we are in the right, and
under Athenian control. so rang: to surrender, or else slavery.'
The Athenians also made an expedition against the island of 87 ,Athenians; If you are going to spend the time in enumerating
Melos. They had thirty of their own ships, six from Chios, and your suspicions about the future, or if you have met here for any
two from Lesbos; 1,200 hOplittn, 300 archers, and twenty mounted other reason except to look the facts in the face and on the basis
archers, all from Athens; and about 1,500 hophtes from the allies of these facts to consider how you eau save your city from des-
and the islanders. truction, there is no point in our going on with this discussion. lf,
The Melians arc a colony front Sparta. They had refused to join however, you will do as we suggest, then we will speak. on.
the Athenian empire like the other islanders, and at first had re- 88 414dions: It is natural and understandable that people who are
mained neutral without helping either side; but afterwards, when placed as we are should have recourse to all kinds of arguments and
the Athenians had brought force to bear On them by laying waste different points of view. However, you arc right in saying that we
their land, they had become open enemies of Athens. ate met together here to discuss the safety of our country anti, if
Now the generals Cleomedes, the. son of Lyeomedes, and Tisias, you will have it so, the discussion shall proceed on the lines that
the son of Tisimachus, encamped with the above force in M ilan you have laid down.
territory and, before doing any harm to the laud, first of all sent 89 Athenians: Then we on our side will use no fine phrases saying,
representatives to negotiate. The Melians did not invite these for example, that we have a right to our empire because we de-
representatives to speak before the people, but asked them to make feated the Persiatis, or that we have come against you now because
the statement for which they had come in front of the governing of the injuries you have done us -- a great mass of words that
body and the few. The Athenian representatives then spoke as nobody would believe. And we ask you on your side not to im-
follows: agine that you will influence us by saying that you, though a colony
R5 'So we arc not to speak before the people, no doubt in case the of Sparta, have not joined Sparta in the war, or that you have never
mass of the people should hear once and for all and without done its any harm. instead we recommend that you should try
40. Scc Appendix 3. to get what it is possible for you to get, taking into consideration
MN CM MI MI BM al MI MI tt MI MI i al i MI MI
1102 1100K FIVE Dialogue 4i h/5 403
what we both really do think; since you know as well as we du 96 Mellow: Is that your subjects' idea of fair play that no distinc-
that, when these matters are discussed by practical people, the
tion should be made between people who are quite unconnected
standard of justice depends on the equality of power to compel with you and people who are mostly your own colonists or else
and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and rebels whom you have conquered?
the weak accept what they have to accept. 97 Athel►idEs: So far as right and wrong are concerned they think
90 Melians: Then in our view (since you force us to leave justice that there is no difference between the two, that those who still
out of account and to confine ourselves to self-interest) in our preserve their independence do so because they are strong, and
view it is at any rate useful that you should not destroy a principle that if we fail to attack them it is because we arc afraid. So that by
that is to the general good of all men - namely, that in the case of conquering you we shall increase not only the size but the se-
all who fall into danger there should be such a thing as fair play curity of our empire. We rule the sea and you arc islanders, and
and just dealing, and that such people should be allowed to use weaker islanders too than the others; it is therefore particularly
and to profit by arguments that fall short of a mathematical important that you should not escape.
accuracy. And this is a principle which affects you as nuich as 98 Melons: But do you think there is no security for you in what
anybody, since your own fall would be visited by the most we suggest? .For here again, since you will not let us mention
terrible vengeance and would be an example to the world. justice, but tell us to give in to your interests, we, too, must tell
91 Athenians: As for us, even assuming that our empire does come you what our interests arc and, if yours and ours happen to coin-
to an end, we are not despondent about what would happen next. cide, we must try to persuade you of the fact. Is it not certain that
r
One is not so much frightened of being conquered by a powe you will make enemies of all states who arc at present neutral,
ed
which rules over others, as Sparta does (not that we are concern when they see what is happening here and naturally conclude that
with Sparta now), as of what would happen if a ruling power is in course of time you will attack them too? Does not this mean
is
attacked and defeated by its own subjects. So far as this point that you arc strengthening the enemies you have already and arc
What
concerned, you can leave it to us to face the risks involved. forcing others to become your enemies even against their intentions
od wn
WC shall do now is to show you that it is for the go of our O and their inclinations?
n of your
empire that we arc here and that it is for the preservatio 99 Athenians: As a matter of fact we arc not so much frightened of
not want
city that we shall say what we arc going to say. We do states on the continent. They have their liberty, and this means that
we want you to
any trouble in bringing you into our empire, and it will be a long time before they begin to take precautions against
of ourselves.
be spared for the good both of yourselves and us. We arc more concerned about islanders like yourselves, who
e slaves
9.t il•elinns: And how could it be just as good for us to be th arc still unstibdued, or subjects who have already become embit-
as for you to be the masters? tered by the constraint which our empire imposes on them. These
n
93 Athenians: Yon, by givi g in , would save yourselves limn dis- are the people who arc most likely to act in a reckless manner and
aster; we, by not destroying you, would be able to profit from
to bring themselves and us, too, into the most obvious danger.
you.
utral, friends too Melians: Then surely, if such hazards arc taken by you to keep
94 Mclians: So you would not agree to our king ne
instead of enemies, but allies of neither side?
hostility that your empire and by your subjects to escape from it, we who arc
95 Athenians: No, because it is not so much your
friendly terms still free would show ourselves great cowards and weaklings if
injures us; it is rather the case that, if we were on
n of weakness in we failed to face everything that comes rather than submit to
with you, our subjects would regard that as a sig
r. slavery.
us, whereas your hatred is evidence of our powe
Hu Athenians: No, not if you are sensible. This is no fair fight, with
honour on one side and shame on the other. it is rather a question
 404 1500K FIVE! hTe /I fella Dialogue 4 i 6[5 105

of saving your lives and not resisting those who are far too strong in existence, and we shall leave it to exist for ever among those
for you. who come after us, W e arc merely acting in accordance with it,
age, we how that you or anybody else with the same power as
102 Mdians: Yet we know that in war fortune sometimes makes the
ours .would be acting in precisely the saute way. And therefore,
odds more level than could be expected from the difference in mini- so far as the gods are concerned, we sec no good reason why we
bus oldie two sides. And if we surrender, then all our hope is lost should fear to beat a disadvantage. Ilia with regard to y our views
at once, whereas, so long as we remain in action, there is still a
hope that we may yet stain) upright,
about Sparta and your confidence that she, out of a sense or hon-

our, will collie to your aid, we must say that we congratulate

103 Athenians: Hope, that comforter in danger! If one already has
you on your simplicity but do not envy you your folly. In matters
solid advantages to fall back upon, one can indulge in hope. It may that concern themselves or own constitution the Spartans
do harm, but will not destroy one. Dot hope is by nature an ex- are quite remarkably good; as for their relations with others,
that is a !mg story, but it eau be expressed shortly and clearly by
pensive commodity, and those who are risking their all on one
saying dial of all people we know the Spartans are most conspic-
cast find out what it means only when they arc already ruined; it uous for helieving that what they like doing is honourable and
never fails them in the period when such a knowledge would What suits their interests is just. And this kind of attitude is not
going to be of much help to you in your absurd quest for sakty
enable them to take precautions. Do not let this happen to you, at the moment.
you who arc weak and whose fate depends on a single movement
of the scale. And do not be like those people who, as so commo nly to6 Alehouse But this is the vet y point where we can feel most sure.
happens, miss the chance of saving themselves in a human and
Their ',Wit self-interest will make them refuse to betray their own
practical way, and, when every clear and distinct hope has left colonists, the W hom. for that would mean losing the confidence
them in their adversity, turn to what is blind and vague, to of their friends among the klellencs and doing good to their
prophecies and oracles and such things which by encouraging enemies.
hope had men to ruin. 107 Abell i€1111: You seem to forget that if one follows one's self-
ma Mellitus: It is difficult, and you may be sure that we know it, for
interest one wants to be safe, whereas the path of justice and
us to oppose your power and fortune, unless the terms be equal. honour involves one in danger. And, where danger is concerned,
Nevertheless we trust that the gods will give us fortune as good as
the Spartans are not, as a rule, very venturesome.
yours, because we arc standing for what is right against what is 108 Melians: But we think that they would even endanger them-
wrong; and as for what we lack in power, we trust that it will be
selves for our sake and count the risk more worth taking than in
made up for by our alliance with the Spartans, who are bound,
the case of-others, because we are so close to the. Peloponnese that
if for no other reason, then for honour's sake, and because we arc
they could operate more easily, and because they can depend on us
their kinsmen, to conic to our help. Our confidence, therefore , is
more than on others, since we are of the same race and share the
not so entirely irrational as you think.
same feelings.
sets Athenians: So far as the favour of the gods is concerned, we toy Athenians: Goodwill shown by the party that is asking for help
think we have as much right to that as you have. Our aims and our
does not mean security for the prospective ally. W hat is looked for
actions arc perfectly consistent with the beliefs men hold about the is a positive preponderance of power in action. And the Spartans
gods and with the principles which govern their own cond uct. Our
pay attention to this point even more than others do. Certainly
opinion of die gods and our knowledge of men lead us to con clude
they distrust their own native resources so much that when they
that it is a general and necessary law of nature to rule whatever
attack a neighbour they bring a great army of allies with them.
one can. This is not a law that we made ou rselves, nor were
we the first to act upon it when it was made. We fo und it already

zt
AIM APE MN JIIII IL:6"J7* all ilM1 MI all al III Mil ill Ili MI ill tit
406 1100K 1,1171i .11w Mellon Dialogue 41615 407
It ishardly likely therefore that, while we are in control oldie sea, insensitively arrogant as to make the wrong choice. This is the
they will cross over to an island. safe rule •- to stand up to one's equals, to behave with deference
Ito Malan:: But they still might send others. The Cretan sea is a towards one s superiors, and to treat one's inferiors with modera-
wide one, and it is harder for those who control it to intercept tion. 'Think it over again, then, when we have withdrawn front
others than for those who want to slip through to do so safely. the meeting, and let this be a point that constantly recurs to your
And even if they were to fail in this, they would turn against your minds - that you are discaissing the law of your country, that you
own land and against those of your allies left unvisited by Brasidas. have only one country, and that its future fin: good or ill depends
So, instead of troubling about a country which has nothing to do on this one single decision which you arc going to make.
with you, you will find trouble nearer home, among your allies, n: The Athenians then withdrew from the discussion. The Melians,
and in your own country. left to themselves, reached a conclusion which was much the same
Athenians: It is a possibility, something that has in fact happened as they had indicated in their previous replies. Their answer was
before. It may happen in your case, but you are well aware that as follows:
the Athenians have never yet relinquished a single siege operation 'Our decision, Athenians, is just the same as it was at first. We
through fear of others. But we are somewhat shocked to find that, arc not prepared to give up in a short moment the liberty which
though you announced your intention of discussing how you our city has enjoyed lions its foundation for 700 years. We put our
could preserve yourselves, in all this talk you have said absolutely trust in the fortune that the gods will send and which has saved its
nothing which could justify a man in thinking that he could be up to now, and in the help of men - that is, of the Spartans; and
preserved. Your chief points are concerned with what you hope so we shall try to save ourselves. But we invite you to allow us to
may happen in the future, while your actual resources are too be friends of yours and enemies to neither side, to make a treaty
scanty to give you a chance of survival against the forces that arc which shall be agreeable to both you and us, and so to leave our
opposed to you at this moment. You will therefore be showing ar country.'
extraordinary lack of common sense if, after you have asked us to tta The Niehaus made this reply, and the Athenians, just as they
retire from this meeting, you still fail to reach a conclusion wiser were breaking off the discussion, said:
titan anything you have mentioned so far. Do not be led astray by 'Well, at any rate, judging .froth this decision of yours, you
a false sense of honour a thing which often brings men to ruin seem to us quite unique in your ability to consider the future as
when they arc faced with an obvious danger that somehow affects something more certain than what is before your eyes, and to sec
their pride. For in many cases men, have still been able to sec the uncertainties as realities, simply because you would like them to
dangers ahead of them, but this thing called dishonour, this word, be so. As you have staked most on and trusted most in Spartan;
by its own torte of seduction, has drawn them into a state where luck, and hopes, so in all these you will find yourselves most
they have surrendered to an idea, while in fact they have fallen completely &hided.'
voluntarily into irrevocable disaster, in dishonour that is all the 114 The Athenian representatives then went back to the army, and
more dishonourable because it has come to them from their own the Athenian generals, finding that the Melians would not submit,
folly rather than their misfinamte. You, if you take the right view, immediately commenced hostilities and built a wall completely
will be careful to avoid this. You will see that there is nothing round the city of Melt is, dividing the work our among the various
disgraceful in giving way to the greatest city in Hellas when she is states. Later they left behind a garrison of some of their own and
offering you such reasonable terms -. alliance on a tribute-paying sonic allied troops to blockade the place by land and sea, and with
basis and liberty to enjoy your own property. And, when you arc the greater part of their army returned home. The f orce left
allowed to choose between war and safety, you will not be so behind stayed on and continued with the siege.
 408 BOOK PIVE
were am-
IIS About the same time the Argives invaded Phliasia and
Argos, losing about
bushed by the Phliasians and the exiles from
eighty men.
Then, too, the Athenians at Pylos capture
d a great quantity of BOOK SIX
his did the Spar-
plunder from Spartan territory. Not even after t
y issued a procla-
tans renounce the treaty and snake war, but the
wished to do so were
mation saying that any of their people who SICILIAN ANTIQUITIES
inthians also made
free to snake raids on the Athenians. The Cor
private quarrels of their
some attacks on the Athenians because of IN the same winter the Athenians resolved to sail again against
et.
own, but the rest of the Peloponnesians stayed qui Sicily with larger forces than those which Lathes and Eurymedon
ttack and captured the had commanded, and, if possible, to conquer it. They were for the
Meanwhile the Melians made a night a
rket-place. They killed most part ignorant of the size of the island and of the numbers of
part of the Athenian lines opposite the ma
corn and everything its inhabitants, both Hellenic and native, and they did not realize
some of the troopS, and then, after bringing in
s on, retired again and • that they were taking on a war of almost the same magnitude as
else useful that they could lay their hand
took measures to their war against the Peloponnesians.
made no further move, while the Athenians
ure. So the summer came
snake their blockade more efficient in fut The voyage round Sicily takes rather tinder eight days in a mer-
to an end. chant ship, yet, in spite of the size of the island, it is separated from
ed to invade the
sus In the following winter the Spartans plann a the mainland only by two miles of sea. The settlement of the place
r crossing the frontier
territory of Argos, but when the sacrifices fo in ancient times and the peoples who inhabited it arc as follows:
xpedition. The fact
turned out unfavourably, they gave up the e It is said that the earliest inhabitants of any part of the country
rgives suspect certain
that they had intended to invade made the A were the Cyclopes and Laestrygonians. I cannot say what kind of
arrested, though others
people in their city, some of whom they people these were or where they came from or where they went in
succeeded in escaping. the end. On these points we must be content with what the poets
captured another part have said and what anyone else may happen to know. The next
About this same time the Melians again
e only a feW of the garrison settlers after them seem to have been the Sicanians, though ac-
of the Athenian lines where there wer
orce came out afterwards cording to the. Sicanians themselves they were there first and were
on guard. As a result of this, another f
f Philocrates, the son of De- the original inhabitants of the country. The truth is, however,
from Athens under the command o
d on vigorously and, as that they were Iberians who were driven out by the Ligurians from
meas. Siege operations were now carrie
ide, the Melians surrendered the district of the river. Sicanus in Iberia. The island, which used
- there was also some treachery from ins
t to death all the men of to be called Trinacria, was in their time called Sicania after them,
unconditionally to the Athenians, who pu
d the women and children and they still live up to the present time in the western part of
military age, whom they took, and sol as
r for themselves, sending out Sicily.
slaves. Wks itself they took ove later
hr
a colony of soo men After the fall of Troy, some of the Trojans escaped from the
vors, who were restored by Lysander at Achacans and came in ships to Sicily, where they settled next to
41. That there were Metian survi
(lidimica, it, 2, 9). the Sicanians and were all called by the name ofElyini. Their cities
thc end of the war, is stated by Xenophon
were Eryx and Egesta, and there also came to live in these settle-
ments some of the Phocians who had been carried by storms on
their way from Troy first to Libya and afterwards to Sicily.