Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/71

 84-86] SPEECH OF BRA SID AS 63 home ; for we had hoped that, without involving 3'ou in danger, we might ourselves have made jy^ ^^^/f to you as a speedy end of the Athenians. And the liberators of Hellas: therefore let no one blame us : we have "'^•>' '^° ->"'" ^^^^^^o"'' gates against Its ? lour come as soon as we could, and with re/usaho admit us zvill your help will do our best to overthrow liave a bad effect on them. But how is it that you close """ ""'"• ^^^ " able and willing to help your gates against me, and do not greet ^^„ We were too strong my arrival ? We Lacedaemonians for the Athenians at thought that we were coming to those '^'•^^'^• who even before we came in act were our allies in spirit, and would joyfully receive us ; having this hope we have braved the greatest dangers, marching for many days through a foreign country, and have shown the utmost zeal in your cause. And now, for you to be of another mind and to set yourselves against the liberties of your own city and of all Hellas would be monstrous ! The evil is not only that you resist me yourselves, but wherever I go people will be less likely to join me ; they will take it amiss when they hear that you to whom I first came, representing a powerful city and reputed to be men of sense, did not receive me, and I shall not be able to give a satisfactory explanation, "but shall have to confess either that I offer a spurious liberty, or that I am weak^ and incapable of protecting you against the threatened attack of the Athenians. And yet when I brought assistance to Nisaea in command of the army which I have led hither, the Athenians, though more numerous, refused to engage with me ; and they are not likely now, when their forces must be conveyed by sea, to send an army against 3'ou equal to that which they had at Nisaea K And I myself, 86 why am I here ? I come, not to injure, but to emancipate the Hellenes. And I have bound the government of Lacedaemon by the most solemn oaths to respect the inde- " Or, taking innpipdv after alriau f^ai : 'but shall be deemed either to offer a spurious liberty, or to be weak.' ^ Cp. iv. 108 fin.