Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/130

 H THE PERSIAN WAR [I 19 20 revolted from the King as those who formed the original confederacy^', took different sides and became the aUies either of the Athenians or of the Lacedaemonians ; for these were now the two leading powers, the one strong by land and the other by sea. The league between them was of short duration ; they speedily quarrelled and, with their respective allies, went to war. Any of the other Hellenes who had differences of their own now resorted to one or other of them. So that from the Persian to the "] Peloponnesian War, the Lacedaemonians and the Athe- / nians were perpetually fighting or making peace, either with one another or with their own revolted allies ; thus they I attained military efficiency, and learned experience in the  school of danger. •«" The Lacedaemonians did not make tributaries of those •'s Different character^ who acknowledged their leadership, the Athenian aiidspar- but, took care that they should be tan league. governed by oligarchies in the ex- clusive interest of Sparta. The Athenians, on the other hand, after a time deprived the subject cities of their ships and made all of them pay a fixed tribute, except Chios and Lesbos ^ And the single power ^of Athens^ at the beginning of this war was greater than that of Athens and Sparta together at their greatest, while the confederacy remained intact. Such are the results of my enquiries, ^ though the early history of Hellas is of a kind ti ga> eiiois. which forbids implicit reliance on every particular of the evidence °. Men do not discriminate, and are too ready to receive ancient traditions about their own as well as about other countries. For example, most 'either of Athens or Sparta.' " Or (i), ' Though they may not obtain entire credit, even when the proofs of them are all set down in order.' Or (2), ' Though they will not readily be believed upon a bare recital of all the proofs of them.' Or (3), 'Though it is difficult to set down all the proofs in order, so as to make the account credible.'
 * Cp. i. 96, 99; iii. 39 init. ; vi. 85 med. ; vii. 57 init. •> Or,