Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/165

 71, 72] SPEECH OF THE CORINTHIANS 49 ment should be observed : but when circumstances arc changing and men are compelled to meet them, much originality is required. The Athenians have had a wider' experience, and therefore the administration of their state unlike yours has been greatly reformed. But here let 3'our procrastination end ; send an army at once into Attica and assist your allies, especially the Potidaeans, to whom your word is pledged ^ Do not betray friends and kindred into the hands of their worst enemies ; or drive us in despair to seek the alliance of others; in taking such a course we should be doing nothing wrong either before the Gods who are the witnesses of our oaths, or before men whose eyes are upon us. For the true breakers of treaties^ are not those who, when forsaken, turn to others, but those who forsake allies whom they have sworn to defend. We will remain your friends if you choose to bestir yourselves ; for we should be guilty of an impiety if we deserted you without cause ; and we shall not easily find allies equally congenial to us. Take heed then : you have inherited from your fathers the leadership of Peloponnesus; see that her greatness suffers no diminution at your hands.' Thus spoke the Corinthians. Now there happened to 72 be staying at Lacedaemon an Athenian ^^^^^^ ,^^^^^,^^.^^^ ^.^^ embassy which had come on other -uoys ivho happen to be business, and when the envoys heard «' Spmia iksi,e to ad- ... /-. • ,1 • 11 -J ,1 dress the assembly. what the Corinthians had said, they felt bound to go before the Lacedaemonian assembly, not with the view of answering the accusations brought against them by the cities, but they wanted to put the whole question before the Lacedaemonians, and make them understand that they should take time to deliberate and not be rash. They also desired to set forth the greatness of their city, reminding the elder men of what they knew, and informing the younger of what lay beyond their " Cp. i. 58 med. *" Cp. i. 123 fin. VOL. I. E