Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/425

 DEBATE IN THE AKANTHIAN ASSEMBLY. 403 a dangerous struggle. You will tell me to carry my propositions elsewhere, to those who can safely embrace them, but not to thrust my alliance upon any people against their own will. If this should be your language, I shall first call your local gods and heroes to witness that I have come to you with a mission of good, and have employed persuasion in vain ; I shall then pro- ceed to ravage your territory and extort your consent, thinking myself justly entitled to do so, on two grounds. First, that the Lacedaemonians may not sustain actual damage from these good wishes which you profess towards me without actually joining, damage in the shape of that tribute which you annually send to Athens. Next, that the Greeks generally may not be prevented by you from becoming free. It is only on the ground of common good, that we Lacedaemonians can justify ourselves for liberating any city against its own will ; but as we are conscious of desiring only extinction of the empire of others, not acquisition of empire for ourselves, we should fail in our duty if we suffered you to obstruct that liberation which we are now carrying to all. Con- sider well my words, then : take to yourselves the glory of begin- ning the era of emancipation for Greece, save your own prop- erties from damage, and attach an ever-honorable name to the community of Akanthus." 1 Nothing could be more plausible or judicious than this lan- guage of Brasidas to the Akanthians, nor had they any means of detecting the falsity of the assertion, which he afterwards repeated in other places besides, 2 that he had braved the forces of Athens at Nisaea with the same army as that now on the out- side of the walls. Perhaps the simplicity of his speech and manner may even have lent strength to his assurances. As soon as he had retired, the subject was largely discussed in the assem- bly, with much difference of opinion among the speakers, and perfect freedom on both sides : and the decision, not called for until after a long debate, was determined partly by the fair promises of Brasidas, partly by the certain loss which the ruin of the vine-crop would entail. The votes of the citizens present being taken secretly, a majority resolved to accede to the proposi- 1 Thucyd iv, 85, 86, 37. ? Thucyd. iv, 1(18