Today's Passage
This passage comes from Hermocrates' speech at the Congress of Gela in 424 BCE, during the Athenian expedition to Sicily.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“And yet as sensible men, if we call in allies and court danger, it should be in order to enrich our different countries with new acquisitions, and not to ruin what they possess already; and we should understand that the intestine discords which are so fatal to communities generally, will be equally so to Sicily, if we, its inhabitants, absorbed in our local quarrels, neglect the common enemy. These considerations should reconcile individual with individual, and city with city, and unite us in a common effort to save the whole of Sicily. Nor should any one imagine that the Dorians only are enemies of Athens, while the Chalcidian race is secured by its Ionian blood; the attack in question is not inspired by hatred of one of two nationalities, but by a desire for the good things in Sicily, the common property of us all. This is proved by the Athenian reception of the Chalcidian invitation: an ally who has never given them any assistance whatever, at once receives from them almost more than the treaty entitles him to. That the Athenians should cherish this ambition and practise this policy is very excusable; and I do not blame those who wish to rule, but those who are over-ready to serve. It is just as much in men’s nature to rule those who submit to them, as it is to resist those who molest them; one is not less invariable than the other. Meanwhile all who see these dangers and refuse to provide for them properly, or who have come here without having made up their minds that our first duty is to unite to get rid of the common peril, are mistaken. The quickest way to be rid of it is to make peace with each other; since the Athenians menace us not from their own country, but from that of those who invited them here. In this way instead of war issuing in war, peace quietly ends our quarrels; and the guests who come hither under fair pretences for bad ends, will have good reason for going away without having attained them.
Modern Translation
Yet surely, as rational men, when we invite allies and embrace danger, it should be to gain new territories for our respective states, not to destroy what we already have. We must understand that the internal conflicts that typically destroy communities will equally destroy Sicily if we inhabitants, preoccupied with our petty disputes, ignore our common threat. These reflections should reconcile person with person, city with city, uniting us in a joint effort to preserve all Sicily. No one should think that only the Dorians are Athens' enemies while the Chalcidian peoples are protected by their Ionian kinship. This invasion isn't motivated by ethnic hatred between two races, but by desire for Sicily's wealth, which belongs to us all. The Athenians' response to the Chalcidian invitation proves this: an ally who has never provided them any help whatsoever immediately receives from them almost more than their treaty requires. That Athens harbors such ambitions and pursues such policies is entirely understandable; I don't condemn those who seek to rule, but rather those too eager to submit. It's as natural for humans to dominate those who yield as to resist those who attack them; both impulses are equally constant. Meanwhile, those who recognize these dangers yet fail to prepare adequately, or who came here without accepting that our primary obligation is unity against the common threat, are gravely mistaken. The fastest way to eliminate this danger is to make peace among ourselves, since Athens threatens us not from their homeland but from the territory of those who summoned them. Thus, instead of war breeding more war, peace will quietly resolve our conflicts; and these guests who arrived with noble pretexts but wicked intentions will have good cause to depart empty-handed.
Historical Context
This passage comes from Hermocrates' speech at the Congress of Gela in 424 BCE, during the Athenian expedition to Sicily. Hermocrates, a prominent Syracusan statesman, is addressing representatives from various Sicilian cities who are engaged in local conflicts while Athens exploits their divisions to expand its influence. The Athenians had been invited by Leontini and other Chalcidian cities to help them against Syracuse and its Dorian allies. Hermocrates argues that ethnic loyalties (Ionian vs. Dorian) are irrelevant - Athens seeks to dominate all of Sicily regardless of ethnic ties. This speech represents a crucial moment of pan-Sicilian consciousness and resistance to Athenian imperialism, foreshadowing the later, disastrous Sicilian Expedition of 415-413 BCE.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Dorian-Ionian Ethnic Division
The Greek world was traditionally divided between Dorian peoples (including Sparta, Syracuse) and Ionian peoples (including Athens). These ethnic identities often influenced alliance patterns, but Hermocrates argues that Athens' imperial ambitions transcend such divisions.
Learn more →Athenian Imperialism
By 424 BCE, Athens had transformed the Delian League into an empire, extracting tribute and interfering in local affairs throughout the Greek world. Sicily represented a wealthy target for expansion, offering grain and strategic position.
Learn more →Congress of Gela
This peace conference in 424 BCE brought together warring Sicilian cities. Hermocrates successfully argued for Sicilian unity against Athens, leading to a general peace that forced Athenian withdrawal - a rare diplomatic defeat for Athens.
Learn more →Natural Law in Greek Thought
Hermocrates' observation that humans naturally rule those who submit reflects a key theme in Greek political philosophy, later developed by Plato and Aristotle. This 'might makes right' principle appears throughout Thucydides.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.54)
Diodorus provides an alternative account of the Congress of Gela, emphasizing Hermocrates' role in achieving Sicilian unity and describing the terms of the peace settlement.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (Chapter 12)
Plutarch discusses Athenian ambitions in Sicily and references the earlier expedition, providing context for understanding why Athens persistently sought to control the island.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.1.27-31)
Xenophon describes later Syracusan resistance to Athens under Hermocrates' leadership, showing the long-term success of his policy of Sicilian unity.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Hermocrates' argument about ethnic solidarity versus political reality apply to modern international relations?
- Is Hermocrates' acceptance of the 'natural' tendency to dominate a realistic assessment or a dangerous rationalization?
- What does this speech reveal about the effectiveness of 'divide and conquer' as an imperial strategy?
- How might history have changed if Sicilian unity had been maintained after this congress?