Today's Passage
This passage presents the desperate plea of the Plataeans before a Spartan tribunal in 427 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“Lacedaemonians, when we surrendered our city we trusted in you, and looked forward to a trial more agreeable to the forms of law than the present, to which we had no idea of being subjected; the judges also in whose hands we consented to place ourselves were you, and you only (from whom we thought we were most likely to obtain justice), and not other persons, as is now the case. As matters stand, we are afraid that we have been doubly deceived. We have good reason to suspect, not only that the issue to be tried is the most terrible of all, but that you will not prove impartial; if we may argue from the fact that no accusation was first brought forward for us to answer, but we had ourselves to ask leave to speak, and from the question being put so shortly, that a true answer to it tells against us, while a false one can be contradicted. In this dilemma, our safest, and indeed our only course, seems to be to say something at all risks: placed as we are, we could scarcely be silent without being tormented by the damning thought that speaking might have saved us. Another difficulty that we have to encounter is the difficulty of convincing you. Were we unknown to each other we might profit by bringing forward new matter with which you were unacquainted: as it is, we can tell you nothing that you do not know already, and we fear, not that you have condemned us in your own minds of having failed in our duty towards you, and make this our crime, but that to please a third party we have to submit to a trial the result of which is already decided. Nevertheless, we will place before you what we can justly urge, not only on the question of the quarrel which the Thebans have against us, but also as addressing you and the rest of the Hellenes; and we will remind you of our good services, and endeavour to prevail with you.
“To your short question, whether we have done the Lacedaemonians and allies any service in this war, we say, if you ask us as enemies, that to refrain from serving you was not to do you injury; if as friends, that you are more in fault for having marched against us. During the peace, and against the Mede, we acted well: we have not now been the first to break the peace, and we were the only Boeotians who then joined in defending against the Mede the liberty of Hellas. Although an inland people, we were present at the action at Artemisium; in the battle that took place in our territory we fought by the side of yourselves and Pausanias; and in all the other Hellenic exploits of the time we took a part quite out of proportion to our strength. Besides, you, as Lacedaemonians, ought not to forget that at the time of the great panic at Sparta, after the earthquake, caused by the secession of the Helots to Ithome, we sent the third part of our citizens to assist you.
Modern Translation
Spartans, when we surrendered our city to you, we placed our trust in your hands, expecting a trial conducted according to proper legal procedures rather than this proceeding, which we never anticipated facing. Moreover, we agreed to be judged by you and you alone, believing you would be the most likely to grant us justice—not by others, as has now happened. Given the current situation, we fear we have been deceived on two counts. We have substantial grounds to suspect not only that the stakes of this trial are the most dire imaginable, but also that you will not serve as impartial judges. We draw this conclusion from the fact that no formal charges were presented for us to answer; instead, we had to request permission to speak. Furthermore, the question posed to us is so cunningly brief that an honest answer condemns us, while a dishonest one would be easily exposed. Trapped in this predicament, our safest—indeed our only—option appears to be speaking out despite all dangers. In our position, remaining silent would only torment us with the unbearable thought that speaking might have saved our lives. We face yet another obstacle: the challenge of persuading you. If we were strangers, we might benefit from presenting unfamiliar information. As things stand, we can tell you nothing you don't already know. Our fear is not that you've already judged us guilty of failing in our obligations to you and made this our crime, but rather that we're undergoing a show trial with a predetermined outcome, staged to satisfy some third party. Despite these difficulties, we will present our legitimate arguments, addressing not only the Thebans' grievances against us but also appealing to you and all Greeks. We will recall our past services and attempt to win you over.
Regarding your brief question—whether we have rendered any service to the Spartans and their allies in this war—we respond: if you ask as enemies, then our failure to assist you constitutes no injury; if you ask as friends, then you bear greater blame for attacking us. During peacetime and in the war against Persia, we conducted ourselves honorably. We were not the first to violate the current peace, and we stood alone among the Boeotians in defending Greek freedom against the Persians. Though we are an inland city, we participated in the naval engagement at Artemisium. When battle came to our own territory, we fought alongside you and Pausanias. In every other Greek military action of that era, we contributed far beyond what our resources warranted. Furthermore, you Spartans should particularly remember that during your great crisis following the earthquake, when the Helots revolted and occupied Ithome, we dispatched a third of our citizens to your aid.
Historical Context
This passage presents the desperate plea of the Plataeans before a Spartan tribunal in 427 BCE. After a long siege, the small city of Plataea—Athens' only ally in Boeotia and a symbol of Greek resistance against Persia—had surrendered to Spartan forces. The Spartans, under pressure from their Theban allies who harbored ancient grudges against Plataea, convened a tribunal that asked the Plataeans a single loaded question: whether they had done any service to Sparta in the current war. The Plataeans recognize this as a show trial with a predetermined outcome, yet attempt to defend themselves by invoking their historic service to the Greek cause, particularly their unique role as the only Boeotian city to fight against Persia at Marathon and their assistance to Sparta during the helot revolt. This scene illustrates Thucydides' recurring theme of how power politics override justice in wartime.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Battle of Artemisium
A naval engagement fought in 480 BCE simultaneously with Thermopylae, where Greek forces attempted to prevent the Persian fleet from outflanking the land forces. Plataea's participation as an inland city demonstrates exceptional commitment to the Greek cause.
Learn more →Pausanias and Plataea
Pausanias was the Spartan regent who commanded the Greek forces at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE, where the Persians were decisively defeated. The battle took place in Plataean territory, and the city's citizens fought alongside the Spartans.
Learn more →Helot Revolt at Ithome
Following a devastating earthquake around 464 BCE, Sparta's enslaved helot population revolted and fortified themselves on Mount Ithome. Many Greek cities sent aid to Sparta, including Plataea, demonstrating the reciprocal obligations of Greek interstate relations.
Learn more →Theban-Plataean Rivalry
Thebes and Plataea had been enemies since at least the 6th century BCE, when Plataea allied with Athens to resist Theban attempts at domination. This enmity intensified when Plataea alone among Boeotian cities sided with the Greeks against Persia, while Thebes medized.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (Book 9.28-85)
Describes the Battle of Plataea where Plataeans fought alongside Spartans against Persians, the historical service they invoke in their defense.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Aristides (Chapters 11-21)
Provides another account of Plataea's role in the Persian Wars and their special relationship with Athens, explaining why they could claim to be friends deserving justice.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Bibliotheca Historica (Book 12.56)
Offers a parallel account of the siege and fall of Plataea, including details about the tribunal and its outcome, providing context for the Plataeans' desperation.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the Plataeans' recognition that their trial is predetermined reflect on the nature of justice during wartime? Is their decision to speak anyway heroic or futile?
- The Plataeans invoke past services to Sparta, particularly against Persia. To what extent should historical alliances and past good deeds influence present political decisions?
- Analyze the rhetorical strategy of the Plataeans. How do they attempt to reframe the question posed to them, and why might this be their 'only course'?
- What does this passage suggest about the tension between legal forms and political power? How do the Plataeans' expectations of 'proper legal procedures' clash with reality?