Today's Passage
This passage comes from the Mytilenean Debate in 427 BCE, where the Athenian assembly reconsidered its decision to execute all male citizens of Mytilene after their failed revolt.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“In order to keep you from this, I proceed to show that no one state has ever injured you as much as Mitylene. I can make allowance for those who revolt because they cannot bear our empire, or who have been forced to do so by the enemy. But for those who possessed an island with fortifications; who could fear our enemies only by sea, and there had their own force of galleys to protect them; who were independent and held in the highest honour by you—to act as these have done, this is not revolt—revolt implies oppression; it is deliberate and wanton aggression; an attempt to ruin us by siding with our bitterest enemies; a worse offence than a war undertaken on their own account in the acquisition of power. The fate of those of their neighbours who had already rebelled and had been subdued was no lesson to them; their own prosperity could not dissuade them from affronting danger; but blindly confident in the future, and full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition, they declared war and made their decision to prefer might to right, their attack being determined not by provocation but by the moment which seemed propitious. The truth is that great good fortune coming suddenly and unexpectedly tends to make a people insolent; in most cases it is safer for mankind to have success in reason than out of reason; and it is easier for them, one may say, to stave off adversity than to preserve prosperity. Our mistake has been to distinguish the Mitylenians as we have done: had they been long ago treated like the rest, they never would have so far forgotten themselves, human nature being as surely made arrogant by consideration as it is awed by firmness. Let them now therefore be punished as their crime requires, and do not, while you condemn the aristocracy, absolve the people. This is certain, that all attacked you without distinction, although they might have come over to us and been now again in possession of their city. But no, they thought it safer to throw in their lot with the aristocracy and so joined their rebellion! Consider therefore: if you subject to the same punishment the ally who is forced to rebel by the enemy, and him who does so by his own free choice, which of them, think you, is there that will not rebel upon the slightest pretext; when the reward of success is freedom, and the penalty of failure nothing so very terrible? We meanwhile shall have to risk our money and our lives against one state after another; and if successful, shall receive a ruined town from which we can no longer draw the revenue upon which our strength depends; while if unsuccessful, we shall have an enemy the more upon our hands, and shall spend the time that might be employed in combating our existing foes in warring with our own allies.
Modern Translation
To prevent you from being swayed by such arguments, I will demonstrate that no state has ever wronged you as severely as Mytilene. I can understand and forgive those who revolt because they find our rule unbearable, or those who are compelled to rebel by enemy pressure. But consider the Mytileneans: they inhabited a fortified island, vulnerable to enemies only by sea, where they maintained their own fleet for protection. They enjoyed independence and received the highest honors from you. Their actions cannot be called a revolt—for revolt implies oppression. This was calculated, unprovoked aggression; an attempt to destroy us by allying with our most bitter enemies—a crime worse than waging war for their own gain. The fate of their neighbors who had rebelled and been crushed taught them nothing. Their prosperity failed to restrain them from courting disaster. Blindly overconfident about the future, filled with hopes that exceeded their capabilities though not their ambitions, they declared war. They chose to attack not because of any provocation, but simply because the moment seemed advantageous. The truth is that sudden, unexpected good fortune tends to make people arrogant. Generally, it's safer for humans to achieve moderate success than extraordinary prosperity; people find it easier to endure hardship than to handle abundance wisely. Our error was treating the Mytileneans with special distinction. Had we treated them like our other subjects from the beginning, they would never have become so presumptuous—human nature being inevitably corrupted by special treatment while responding to firm control. Therefore, let them now receive the punishment their crime deserves. Don't condemn only the oligarchs while pardoning the common people. This much is certain: they all attacked you unanimously, though they could have defected to our side and regained their city. Instead, they considered it safer to support the aristocracy and joined the rebellion. Think about this: if you impose the same punishment on allies forced to rebel by enemies and those who rebel freely, which city won't revolt at the slightest excuse? Success means freedom; failure brings no truly terrible consequences. Meanwhile, we must risk our resources and lives fighting one state after another. Victory brings us only a ruined city that can no longer provide the tribute our power depends upon. Defeat adds another enemy to our list and forces us to spend time fighting our own allies instead of combating existing foes.
Historical Context
This passage comes from the Mytilenean Debate in 427 BCE, where the Athenian assembly reconsidered its decision to execute all male citizens of Mytilene after their failed revolt. The speaker is Cleon, Athens' most influential demagogue after Pericles' death, arguing against clemency. Mytilene, despite being a privileged ally with unusual autonomy, had attempted to defect to Sparta during the Peloponnesian War. Cleon's harsh rhetoric emphasizes the dangers of showing mercy to rebellious allies, arguing that Mytilene's privileged status made their betrayal especially heinous. This debate showcases Athenian imperial anxieties and the tension between pragmatic policy and emotional justice in democratic decision-making.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Empire
Athens ruled over numerous allied city-states through the Delian League, which had transformed from a defensive alliance into an empire. Most allies paid tribute and had limited autonomy, but Mytilene was one of the few that retained its own fleet and greater independence, making their revolt particularly shocking to Athens.
Learn more →Cleon the Demagogue
Cleon was Athens' most prominent politician after Pericles, known for his harsh rhetoric and populist appeals. Ancient sources, including Thucydides and Aristophanes, portray him negatively as violent and crude, though modern historians debate whether this characterization reflects elite bias against a successful non-aristocratic politician.
Learn more →Greek Naval Warfare
Naval power was crucial in the Peloponnesian War. Islands like Mytilene were nearly impregnable to land forces but vulnerable to naval blockade. Mytilene's own fleet made it one of Athens' most powerful allies, explaining both its special status and why its defection was so threatening.
Learn more →Hubris in Greek Thought
Cleon invokes the Greek concept of hubris—excessive pride leading to downfall. His argument that prosperity made Mytilene arrogant reflects common Greek beliefs about the dangers of excessive good fortune and the gods' tendency to punish overconfidence.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Aristotle: Politics (Book 5, 1304a-1304b)
Aristotle discusses how both harsh and lenient treatment of subjects can lead to revolution, supporting Cleon's argument about the dangers of special treatment while also suggesting moderation.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 2.2.3)
Describes Athens' harsh treatment of rebellious allies later in the war, showing the continued relevance of debates about imperial clemency versus severity throughout the conflict.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.55)
Provides an alternative account of the Mytilenean revolt and debate, offering different details about the deliberations and emphasizing the role of mercy in Athenian decision-making.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Cleon's distinction between forced and voluntary rebellion reflect broader questions about moral responsibility in international relations?
- What does this passage reveal about the relationship between democracy and empire in classical Athens?
- How might Cleon's argument about the corrupting effects of special treatment apply to modern international relations or domestic politics?
- Is Cleon's logic about deterrence through harsh punishment convincing, or does it contain fatal flaws?