A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

2i6
The Peloponnesian War
however trivial, seeing that if he succeed, he will be free,
and if he fail, no irreparable evil will follow? We in the
meantime shall have to risk our lives and our fortunes
against every one in turn. When conquerors we shall
recover only a ruined city, and for the future, the revenues
which are our strength will be lost to us. But if we fail,
the number of our adversaries will be increased. And
when we ought to be employed in repelling our regular
enemies, we shall be wasting time in fighting against our
own allies.
Make an ex- "jn one word, if you do as I say, you will do what is
them. just to the Mytilenasans, and also what is expedient for
lb. 40.
yourselves; but if you do take the opposite course, they will
not be grateful to you, and you will
be self-condemned.
For if they were right in revolting, you must be wrong in
maintaining your empire. But if right or wrong you are
resolved to rule, then rightly or wrongly they must be
chastised for your good. Otherwise you must give up
your empire, and when virtue is no longer dangerous, you
may be as virtuous as you please. Punish them as they
would have punished you ; let not those who have escaped
appear to have less feeling than those who conspired
against them.
Consider: what might not they have been
expected to do if they had conquered?—especially since
they were the aggressors.
For those who wantonly attack
others always rush into extremes, and sometimes, like
these Mytilenaeans, to their own destruction. They know
the fate which is reserved for them if their enemy is
spared; when a man is injured without a cause he is more
dangerous if he escape than the enemy who has only
suffered what he has inflicted. Be true then to yourselves,
and recall as vividly as you can what you felt at
the time; think how you would have given the world to