Today's Passage
This passage comes from a speech by Hermocrates of Syracuse at the Congress of Gela in 424 BCE, during a lull in the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“If I now address you, Sicilians, it is not because my city is the least in Sicily or the greatest sufferer by the war, but in order to state publicly what appears to me to be the best policy for the whole island. That war is an evil is a proposition so familiar to every one that it would be tedious to develop it. No one is forced to engage in it by ignorance, or kept out of it by fear, if he fancies there is anything to be gained by it. To the former the gain appears greater than the danger, while the latter would rather stand the risk than put up with any immediate sacrifice. But if both should happen to have chosen the wrong moment for acting in this way, advice to make peace would not be unserviceable; and this, if we did but see it, is just what we stand most in need of at the present juncture.
“I suppose that no one will dispute that we went to war at first in order to serve our own several interests, that we are now, in view of the same interests, debating how we can make peace; and that if we separate without having as we think our rights, we shall go to war again. And yet, as men of sense, we ought to see that our separate interests are not alone at stake in the present congress: there is also the question whether we have still time to save Sicily, the whole of which in my opinion is menaced by Athenian ambition; and we ought to find in the name of that people more imperious arguments for peace than any which I can advance, when we see the first power in Hellas watching our mistakes with the few ships that she has at present in our waters, and under the fair name of alliance speciously seeking to turn to account the natural hostility that exists between us. If we go to war, and call in to help us a people that are ready enough to carry their arms even where they are not invited; and if we injure ourselves at our own expense, and at the same time serve as the pioneers of their dominion, we may expect, when they see us worn out, that they will one day come with a larger armament, and seek to bring all of us into subjection.
Modern Translation
Sicilians, I address you now not because my city is the smallest in Sicily or has suffered most from this war, but to publicly present what I believe is the best course for our entire island. That war is evil is such a commonplace truth that elaborating on it would be tiresome. No one engages in war through ignorance, nor does fear prevent anyone from fighting if they believe there's something to gain. Those who start wars think the potential gains outweigh the dangers, while those who defend themselves prefer to face risks rather than accept immediate losses. But when both sides have mistimed their actions, advice to make peace becomes valuable—and this is precisely what we most need right now.
I assume no one will deny that we initially went to war to serve our individual interests, and that we're now, with those same interests in mind, discussing how to achieve peace. If we leave this conference without securing what we consider our rights, we'll simply return to war. Yet as sensible men, we must recognize that this congress concerns more than just our separate interests: we must consider whether there's still time to save Sicily itself, which I believe is entirely threatened by Athenian ambition. The very name of Athens should provide more compelling arguments for peace than any I can offer, especially when we observe the leading power in Greece watching our disputes with the small fleet they currently have in our waters, using the pretense of alliance to exploit our natural divisions. If we continue fighting and invite in those who are eager to intervene even without invitation; if we harm ourselves at our own cost while simultaneously preparing the ground for their empire, we should expect that once they see us exhausted, they'll return with a larger force and attempt to subjugate us all.
Historical Context
This passage comes from a speech by Hermocrates of Syracuse at the Congress of Gela in 424 BCE, during a lull in the Peloponnesian War. The various Sicilian cities had been fighting among themselves, with some allied to Athens and others to Syracuse. Athens had sent a small fleet to support their allies, ostensibly to help but actually to scout the possibility of conquering the entire island. Hermocrates, recognizing the danger, argues that the Sicilians should unite against the external threat of Athenian imperialism rather than continue their internecine conflicts. This speech successfully convinced the Sicilian cities to make peace with each other and dismiss the Athenian forces, temporarily thwarting Athens' ambitions in the west.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Imperialism
Athens' empire grew from the Delian League, originally formed to fight Persia. By 424 BCE, Athens controlled much of the Aegean and sought expansion westward. Sicily's wealth, especially its grain production, made it an attractive target for Athenian ambitions.
Learn more →Sicilian Greek Cities
Greek colonization of Sicily began in the 8th century BCE. By the 5th century, powerful city-states like Syracuse, Gela, and Leontini dominated the island, often fighting among themselves while maintaining connections to mainland Greek politics.
Learn more →Ancient Greek Rhetoric
Hermocrates employs classic rhetorical techniques, including appeals to common sense, fear of external threats, and the unity principle. His speech exemplifies the sophisticated political oratory that characterized Greek diplomatic negotiations.
Learn more →The Congress of Gela
This diplomatic conference in 424 BCE brought together warring Sicilian cities. Hermocrates' successful argument for Sicilian unity against Athens marked a significant moment in Greek interstate relations and temporarily preserved Sicilian independence.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.54)
Diodorus provides another account of the Congress of Gela and Hermocrates' speech, emphasizing the theme of Sicilian unity against foreign intervention.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (Chapter 12)
Plutarch discusses the Athenian expedition to Sicily and mentions the earlier diplomatic efforts that temporarily prevented Athenian expansion into Sicily.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.1.27-31)
Though later in time, Xenophon describes similar themes of Greek cities choosing between alliance with Athens or resistance to Athenian hegemony.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Hermocrates' argument about the timing of war relate to modern theories of conflict prevention and intervention?
- What rhetorical strategies does Hermocrates use to unite his audience against a common threat? Are these techniques still effective today?
- How does the concept of 'natural hostility' between neighboring states compare to modern regional conflicts and the role of external powers?
- Is Hermocrates' warning about Athens 'speciously seeking to turn to account' local conflicts an early recognition of divide-and-conquer imperial strategies?