Today's Passage
This passage occurs in 430 BCE, during the second year of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The same summer Hagnon, son of Nicias, and Cleopompus, son of Clinias, the colleagues of Pericles, took the armament of which he had lately made use, and went off upon an expedition against the Chalcidians in the direction of Thrace and Potidæa, which was still under siege. As soon as they arrived, they brought up their engines against Potidæa and tried every means of taking it, but did not succeed either in capturing the city or in doing anything else worthy of their preparations. For the plague attacked them here also, and committed such havoc as to cripple them completely, even the previously healthy soldiers of the former expedition catching the infection from Hagnon’s troops; while Phormio and the sixteen hundred men whom he commanded only escaped by being no longer in the neighbourhood of the Chalcidians. The end of it was that Hagnon returned with his ships to Athens, having lost one thousand and fifty out of four thousand heavy infantry in about forty days; though the soldiers stationed there before remained in the country and carried on the siege of Potidæa.
After the second invasion of the Peloponnesians a change came over the spirit of the Athenians. Their land had now been twice laid waste; and war and pestilence at once pressed heavy upon them. They began to find fault with Pericles, as the author of the war and the cause of all their misfortunes, and became eager to come to terms with Lacedaemon, and actually sent ambassadors thither, who did not however succeed in their mission. Their despair was now complete and all vented itself upon Pericles. When he saw them exasperated at the present turn of affairs and acting exactly as he had anticipated, he called an assembly, being (it must be remembered) still general, with the double object of restoring confidence and of leading them from these angry feelings to a calmer and more hopeful state of mind. He accordingly came forward and spoke as follows:
Modern Translation
That same summer, Hagnon son of Nicias and Cleopompus son of Clinias, who served as colleagues of Pericles, took command of the forces Pericles had recently used and launched an expedition against the Chalcidians in Thrace and against Potidaea, which remained under siege. Upon arrival, they deployed siege engines against Potidaea and attempted every possible method to capture it, but failed both to take the city and to achieve anything worthy of their considerable preparations. The plague struck them there as well, wreaking such devastating havoc that it completely incapacitated them. Even the previously healthy soldiers from the earlier expedition became infected through contact with Hagnon's troops. Phormio and his sixteen hundred men escaped infection only because they were no longer operating near the Chalcidians. Ultimately, Hagnon sailed back to Athens, having lost one thousand and fifty men out of four thousand heavy infantry in approximately forty days. The soldiers previously stationed there remained to continue the siege of Potidaea.
Following the Peloponnesians' second invasion, the Athenians underwent a dramatic change in attitude. With their territory ravaged twice and both war and plague bearing down on them simultaneously, they turned against Pericles, blaming him as the war's architect and the source of all their suffering. They grew desperate to negotiate with Sparta and actually dispatched ambassadors there, though the mission proved unsuccessful. Now utterly despairing, they directed all their fury at Pericles. Observing their rage at current circumstances and their behavior precisely matching his predictions, he convened an assembly—still serving as general—intending both to restore their confidence and to guide them from anger toward a calmer, more optimistic mindset. He stepped forward and delivered the following speech:
Historical Context
This passage occurs in 430 BCE, during the second year of the Peloponnesian War. Athens is suffering from both the Spartan invasions of Attica and the devastating plague that has struck the city. The military expedition to Potidaea, a rebellious ally in northern Greece, has failed catastrophically due to the plague spreading to the army. The Athenian public, facing unprecedented dual crises of war and disease, has turned against Pericles' strategy of avoiding land battles while relying on naval supremacy. The failed peace embassy to Sparta represents a complete reversal of Athenian policy and confidence. Pericles, still holding the office of strategos (general), must now defend his leadership and strategy before an assembly of citizens who blame him for their suffering.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
The Plague of Athens
The plague that struck Athens in 430-429 BCE killed an estimated quarter of the population, including Pericles himself. Modern scholars debate whether it was typhus, smallpox, or another disease. Its psychological impact was as devastating as its physical toll, undermining Athenian morale and social cohesion.
Learn more →Potidaea Siege
Potidaea was a Corinthian colony that paid tribute to Athens but revolted in 432 BCE. The lengthy siege (432-429 BCE) drained Athenian resources and became a catalyst for the wider Peloponnesian War. Its strategic location on the Chalcidice peninsula made it vital for Athenian control of the region.
Learn more →Athenian Democracy in Crisis
This passage illustrates how Athenian democracy functioned under extreme stress. Despite being at war, citizens could still openly criticize leaders and reverse policy through assembly votes. Pericles' need to persuade the demos shows both the power of popular sovereignty and its potential volatility.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (34-35)
Plutarch describes the same period, emphasizing how the plague and public anger led to Pericles being fined and temporarily removed from office, providing personal details absent from Thucydides' account.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.45-46)
Diodorus covers the siege of Potidaea and the impact of the plague on Athenian military operations, though with less detail than Thucydides, offering an alternative perspective on these events.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.1)
While Xenophon begins his history where Thucydides ends, his introduction references the devastating effects of the plague and failed campaigns that weakened Athens throughout the war.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does this passage illustrate the tension between democratic decision-making and consistent strategic policy during wartime? What modern parallels can you identify?
- Why do you think Thucydides emphasizes the exact numbers of troops lost (1,050 out of 4,000)? What does this tell us about his historical method?
- How does the plague function as both a military and political factor in this passage? What does this suggest about the interconnection of public health and state power?
- What does the Athenians' attempt to make peace with Sparta reveal about the relationship between popular opinion and foreign policy in democratic Athens?