Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/187

 PAN-HELLENIC PATRIOTISM. 165 toiu. that the Methymntean and Athenian prisoners should he sold also. But Kallikratidas peremptorily refused compliance, and set them all free the next day ; declaring that, so long as he was in command, not a single free Greek should be reduced to slavery if he could prevent it. 1 No one, who has not familiarized himself with the details of Grecian warfare, can feel the full grandeur and sublimity of this proceeding, which stands, so far as I know, unparalleled in Grecian history. It is not merely that the prisoners were spared and set free ; as to this point, analogous cases may be found, though not very frequent. It is, that this particular act of generosity was performed in the name and for the recommendation of Pan-Hel lenic brotherhood and Pan-Hellenic independence of the foreigner: m comprehensive principle, announced by Kallikratidas on pre- vious occasions as well as on this, but now carried into practice "ander emphatic circumstances, and coupled with an explicit de- tlaration of his resolution to abide by it in all future cases. It vs, lastly, that the step was taken in resistance to formal requisi Uon on the part of his allies, w r hom he had very imperfect means either of paying or controlling, and whom therefore it was so much the more hazardous for him to offend. There cannot be any doubt that these allies felt personally wronged and indignant t the loss, as well as confounded with the proposition of a rule )f duty so new, as respected the relations of belligerents in Greece ; against which too, let us add, their murmurs would not be without some foundation : " If we should come to be Konon's prisoners, he will not treat us in this manner." Reciprocity of deal- ing is absolutely essential to constant moral observance, either pub- lic or private ; and doubtless Kallikratidas felt a well-grounded con- fidence, that two or three conspicuous examples would sensibly modify the future practice on both sides. But some one must begin by setting such examples, and the man who does begin 1 Xcnoph. Hcllcn. i, 6, 14. Kat K&SVUVTUV rtiv v/ifiuxuv uTrofiocr&ai nai vf JArj'dvfivaiovf, OVK Ityii tavrov ye upyovrof oideva 'EA/;/vuv if TOVKEIVOV Compare a later declaration of Agesilaus, substantially to the same pur pose, yet delivered under circumstances far le>s emphatic, in Xenophon, Agesilaus, vii 6