Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/332

 2l6 SPEECH OF DIODOTUS [ill under the sway of some mighty and fatal power, lure men through their passions to destruction. Desire and hope are never wanting, the one leading, the other following the one devising the enterprise, the other suggesting that fortune will be kind ; and they are the most ruinous, for, being unseen, they far outweigh the dangers which are seen. Fortune too assists the illusion, for she often presents herself unexpectedly, and induces states as well as individuals to run into peril, however inadequate their means; and states even more than individuals, because they are throwing for a higher stake, freedom or empire, and because when a man has a whole people acting with him, '^ he magnifies himself '"^ out of all reason. In a word then, it is impossible and simply absurd to suppose that human nature when bent upon some favourite project can be restrained either by the strength of law or by any other terror. aQ 'We ought not therefore to act hastily out of a mistaken ^, ,,, , reliance on the security which the lite threat of severe -' piimshment ivill make penalty of death affords. Nor should rebels fight to the last, we drive our rebellious subjects to and, if we sucieed, ive a • ,i . ^ ^.i • i ^.i ^ , ,, J . '. , despair ; they must not think that shall only gain a I'utnea ^ _ •' city. Otir true policy is there is no place for repentance, or prevention, not punish- that they may not at any moment give up their mistaken policy. Consider : at present, although a city may actually have revolted, when she becomes conscious of her weakness she will capitulate while still able to defray the cost of the war and to pay tribute for the future ; but if we are too severe, will not the citizens make better preparations, and, when besieged, resist to the last, knowing that it is all the same whether they come to terms early or late ? Shall not we ourselves suffer ? For we shall waste our money by sitting down before a city which refuses to surrender ; when the place is taken it will be a mere wreck, and we shall in Or, reading avTwv, ' he exaggerates the importance of his aims.'