Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/21

 15-17] THE TRUCE 13 upon the fort either by sea or land. The Athenians shall permit the Lacedaemonians on the mainland to send to those on the island a fixed quantity of kneaded flour, viz. two Attic quarts'^ of barley-meal for each man, and a pint of wine, and also a piece of meat ; for an attendant, half these quantities ; they shall send them into the island under the inspection of the Athenians, and no vessel shall sail in by stealth. The Athenians shall guard the island as before, but not land, and shall not attack the Pelopon- nesian forces by land or by sea. If either party violate this agreement in any particular, however slight, the truce is to be at an end. The agreement is to last until the Lacedaemonian ambassadors return from Athens, and the Athenians are to convey them thither and bring them back in a trireme. When they return the truce is to be at an end, and the Athenians are to restore the ships in the same condition in which they received them.' Such were the terms of the truce. The ships, which were about sixty in number, were given up to the Athenians. The ambassadors went on their way, and arriving at Athens spoke as follows : — 'Men of Athens, the Lacedaemonians have sent us to 17 negotiate for the recovery of our We use fezv or „nmy countrymen in the island, in the hope words as the occasion that you may be induced to grant us '?'""- ^''^^ ^'"'!' ... . . now a great opportunity terms such as will be at once advan- qJ piacin<r yourselves tageOUS to you and not inglorious to us above the chances of in our present misfortune. If we speak f'^' '•""'• at length, this will be no departure from the custom of our country. On the contrary, it is our manner not to say much where few words will suffice, but to be more liberal of speech ^ when something important has to be said and words are the ministers of action ^. Do not receive what " The choenix was about two pints, dry measure ; the cotyl6 about half a pint. '' Or, talking A.0701J with SiSdff/coi'Tas : ' when some weighty communi- cation has to be made by words, if anything is to be really done.'