Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/339

 54-56] near, whereas you were at a distance. Yet even in this war you have neither suffered nor were ever likely to

suffer anything very atrocious at our hands. If we refused to revolt from - the Athenians at your bidding, we were quite right; for they assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task ; and after this it would have been dishonourable to betray them. They had been our benefactors ; we had been at our own request admitted to their alliance, and we shared the rights of citizenship with them. How could we refuse to respond loyally to their call ? When you or they in the exercise of your supremacy have acted, it maybe, wrongly and led your allies into evil courses, the leaders and not the followers are to be blamed.

'The Thebans have inflicted many injuries upon us,

and their latest crime, as you are well aware, is the cause of our present mis- fortunes. They came, not only in time of peace, but at a holy season, and attempted to seize our city; we righteously and in accordance with univeral law defended ourselves and punished the aggressor; and there is no made us refuse to leave reason why we should now suffer for their satisfaction. If you take your own present advan- tage and their present hatred to be the measure of justice, you will prove yourselves, not upright and impartial judges, but the slaves of expediency. The Thebans may appear serviceable now, but of far greater service to you were we and the other Hellenes when you were in far greater danger. For now you invade and menace others, but in those days the Barbarian was threatening to enslave us all, and they were on his side. May we not fairly set our former patriotism against our present offence, if indeed we have offended ? You will find that the one more than