Today's Passage
This passage presents the opening of the Corcyraean ambassadors' speech to the Athenian assembly in 433 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“Athenians! when a people that have not rendered any important service or support to their neighbours in times past, for which they might claim to be repaid, appear before them as we now appear before you to solicit their assistance, they may fairly be required to satisfy certain preliminary conditions. They should show, first, that it is expedient or at least safe to grant their request; next, that they will retain a lasting sense of the kindness. But if they cannot clearly establish any of these points, they must not be annoyed if they meet with a rebuff. Now the Corcyraeans believe that with their petition for assistance they can also give you a satisfactory answer on these points, and they have therefore dispatched us hither. It has so happened that our policy as regards you with respect to this request, turns out to be inconsistent, and as regards our interests, to be at the present crisis inexpedient. We say inconsistent, because a power which has never in the whole of her past history been willing to ally herself with any of her neighbours, is now found asking them to ally themselves with her. And we say inexpedient, because in our present war with Corinth it has left us in a position of entire isolation, and what once seemed the wise precaution of refusing to involve ourselves in alliances with other powers, lest we should also involve ourselves in risks of their choosing, has now proved to be folly and weakness. It is true that in the late naval engagement we drove back the Corinthians from our shores single-handed. But they have now got together a still larger armament from Peloponnese and the rest of Hellas; and we, seeing our utter inability to cope with them without foreign aid, and the magnitude of the danger which subjection to them implies, find it necessary to ask help from you and from every other power. And we hope to be excused if we forswear our old principle of complete political isolation, a principle which was not adopted with any sinister intention, but was rather the consequence of an error in judgment.
Modern Translation
Athenians! When a state that has never before provided significant aid or support to its neighbors—service for which they might now claim repayment—comes before them as we do today seeking assistance, they can reasonably be expected to meet certain prerequisites. They must demonstrate, first, that granting their request would be advantageous or at minimum not harmful; second, that they will remember this favor with genuine gratitude. If they fail to establish these points convincingly, they should not take offense at rejection. The Corcyraeans believe that in petitioning for your help, they can adequately address these concerns, which is why they have sent us here. As it happens, our traditional policy toward you regarding this request now appears contradictory, while our current interests prove unfortunately ill-timed. We call it contradictory because a state that throughout its entire history has steadfastly refused to form alliances with any neighbor now finds itself soliciting those very alliances. We call it ill-timed because our present conflict with Corinth has left us completely isolated, and what once appeared to be prudent caution—avoiding entanglement in alliances that might drag us into others' conflicts—has revealed itself as foolishness and vulnerability. True, we recently repelled the Corinthian fleet from our shores without assistance. However, they have now assembled an even more formidable force from the Peloponnese and throughout Greece. Recognizing our complete inability to resist them alone, and understanding the terrible consequences of falling under their control, we find ourselves compelled to seek aid from you and indeed from any willing power. We trust you will forgive us for abandoning our long-standing policy of political isolation—a policy never intended maliciously, but rather born from what we now see was an error in judgment.
Historical Context
This passage presents the opening of the Corcyraean ambassadors' speech to the Athenian assembly in 433 BCE. Corcyra (modern Corfu), traditionally neutral and isolationist, faces invasion from Corinth over their dispute regarding Epidamnus. The ambassadors must overcome Athenian skepticism about allying with a state that has never helped Athens before. This diplomatic mission proves pivotal in Thucydides' narrative, as Athens' decision to support Corcyra becomes one of the immediate causes of the Peloponnesian War. The speech demonstrates the tension between traditional policies and immediate survival needs, while showcasing the sophisticated rhetorical strategies employed in Athenian democratic decision-making. The Corcyraeans' acknowledgment of their past isolationism and current desperation reflects the brutal realism that characterizes Thucydidean diplomacy.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Corcyraean Neutrality
Corcyra maintained a policy of strict neutrality throughout the 5th century BCE, avoiding the alliance systems that dominated Greek politics. This isolation allowed them to build substantial naval power (second only to Athens) but left them without allies when threatened by Corinth.
Learn more →Athenian Assembly
The ekklesia was Athens' principal democratic institution where citizens debated and voted on major policy decisions. Foreign ambassadors could address the assembly to seek alliances or aid, as the Corcyraeans do here, making their case directly to the voting citizenry.
Learn more →Naval Power in Classical Greece
Naval supremacy was crucial for trade, defense, and power projection in the Greek world. Corcyra possessed the second-largest fleet after Athens, making them an attractive but also potentially threatening ally. Control of sea routes often determined the outcome of conflicts.
Learn more →Causes of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides identifies the Corcyraean affair as one of the immediate causes of the war, though he distinguishes between immediate pretexts and the underlying cause—Spartan fear of growing Athenian power. This episode demonstrates how local conflicts could escalate into general war.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.30-33)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of the Corcyraean appeal to Athens, emphasizing the strategic importance of Corcyra's naval power and location on the route to Italy and Sicily.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Pericles (29.1-2)
Plutarch describes Pericles' role in persuading Athens to aid Corcyra with a limited defensive alliance, highlighting the political debates and the attempt to avoid provoking Sparta.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.1.1-2)
Though Xenophon begins his history where Thucydides ends, he references the Corcyraean alliance as a crucial early mistake that entangled Athens in conflicts ultimately leading to its defeat.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the Corcyraean admission of their past isolationism strengthen or weaken their diplomatic position? Consider the role of honesty versus rhetoric in political persuasion.
- What does this passage reveal about the tension between traditional policies and immediate necessities in international relations? Are there modern parallels?
- Analyze the three conditions the speakers acknowledge for receiving aid. How do these reflect Greek values and practical politics?
- How might the Athenian audience have received this frank admission of Corcyra's desperate situation? Does vulnerability enhance or diminish credibility in diplomatic appeals?