Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/180

 172 THE MELIAN CONTROVERSY [v loi Ath. ' Not so, if you calmly reflect : for you are not TJiere is no coward- ^ghting against cquals to whom you ice in yielding to cannot yield without disgrace, but you supenor force. ^j.^ taking counsel whether or no you shall resist an ov^erwhelming force. The question is not one of honour but of prudence.' 102 Md. ' But we know that the fortune of war is sometimes But we hope that impartial, and not always on the side fortune may befriend of numbers. If we yield now, all is "*• over; but if we fight, there is yet a hope that we may stand upright,' 103 Ath. ' Hope is a good comforter in the hour of danger, ..., and when men have something else to nope IS a great de- ° ceiver; and is only de- depend upon, although hurtful, she IS fected w/ien wen are not ruinous. But when her spend- already mined. ^j^^j^^ ^^^^^^ j^^g induced them to Stake their all, ''they see her as she is in the moment of their fall, and not till then. While the knowledge of her might enable them to be ware of her, she never fails ^ You are weak and a single turn of the scale might be your ruin. Do not you be thus deluded ; avoid the error of which so many are guilty, who, although they might still be saved if they would take the natural means, when visible grounds of confidence fiorsake them, have recourse to the invisible, to prophecies and oracles and the like, which ruin men by the hopes which they inspire in them.' 104 Mel. 'We know only too well how hard the struggle must be against your power, and acrainst Heaven ivill protect -^ 1 1 ^1 tUc tight and the Lace- fortune, if she docs not mean to be daemonians will sue- impartial. Nevertheless we do not '"'^"'' "^* despair of fortune ; for we hope to stand as high as you in the favour of heaven, because we are righteous and you against whom we contend are un- wards, when she is known and they might be ware of her, she leaves tht-m nothing worth savin[^.'
 * Or, ' they see her as she is in the moment of their fall ; and after-