Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/212

 96 SPEECH OF PERICLES [l B.C. 432. The movement of events is often as wayward and in- 01. 87. comprehensible as the course of human thought ; and this is why we ascribe to chance whatever belies our calculation. "^^^ 'For some time past the designs of the Lacedaemonians ^, J J f ,1 have been clear enough, and they are The (ieniands of the o ' •' Lacedaemomans may Still clearer now. Our agreement says scan triJJing, but sub- that when differences arise, the two '"f'7 ^''^'"^f parties shall refer them to arbitration, oiiiy provoke Jresh ae- ^ niands and implies the and in the mean time both are to retam loss of our indepen- vvliat they have. But for arbitration "' they never ask ; and when it is offered by us, they refuse it' They want to redress their grievances by arms and not by argument ; and now they come to us, using the language, no longer of expostulation, but of command. They tell us to quit Potidaea, to leave Aegina independent, and to rescind the decree respecting the Megarians. These last ambassadors go further still, and announce that we must give the Hellenes indepen- dence. I would have none of you imagine that he will be fighting for a small matter if we refuse to annul the Megarian decree, of which they make so much, telling us that its revocation would prevent the war. You should have no lingering uneasiness about this ; you are not really going to war for a trifle. For in the seeming trifle is involved the trial and confirmation of your whole pur- pose. If you yield to them in a small matter, they will think that you are afraid, and will immediately dictate some more oppressive condition ; but if you are firm, you will prove to them that they must treat you as their equals. 141 Wherefore make up your minds once for all, either to give way while you are still unharmed, or, if we are going to war, as in my judgment is best, then on no plea small or great to give way at all ; we will not condescend to possess our own in fear. Any claim, the smallest as well » Cp. i. 78.