Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/334

 2l8 SPEECH OF DIODOTUS [m all that the innocent and the guilty will share the same fate. Even if they were guilty you should wink at their conduct, and not allow the only friends whom you have left to be converted into enemies. Far more conducive to the maintenance of our empire would it be to suffer wrong willingly, than for the sake of justice to put to death those whom we had better spare. Cleon may speak of a punish- ment which is just and also expedient, but you will find that, in any proposal like his, the two cannot be combined. 48 'Assured then that what I advise is for the best, and „, , yielding neither to pity nor to lenity. Pass sentence at -^ ® r ./ -j ' leisure on the prisoners for I am as unwilling as Cleon can be sent hither by Paches, that you should be influenced by any and spare the rest. ^^^^ motives, but simply weighing the arguments which I have urged, accede to my proposal: Pass sentence at your leisure on the Mytilenaeans whom Paches, deeming them guilty, has sent hither ; but leave the rest of the inhabitants where they are. This will be good policy for the future, and will strike present terror into your enemies. For wise counsel is really more formidable to an enemy than the severity of unreasoning violence.' 49 Thus spoke Diodotus, and such were the proposals on The motion of Dio- either side which most nearly repre- dotiis is just carried, sentcd the Opposing parties. In spite A trircne is despatched, ^^ ^j^^ reaction, there was a struggle tvhich by great e.verttons ' ^^ ariives in time to save between the two Opinions ; the show Mytilene. of hands was very near, but the motion of Diodotus prevailed. The Athenians instantly des- patched another trireme, hoping that, if the second could overtake the first % which had a start of about twenty-four hours, it might be in time to save the city. The Myti- lenaean envoys provided wine and barley for the crew, and promised them great rewards if they arrived first. And such was their energy that they continued rowing " Reading StvTt'pas.