Thucydides Daily Reader

As for me, although I represent a powerful city—as I mentioned earlier—and although I could focus on attacking others rather than defending myself, I am willing to make concessions in anticipation of these dangers. I have no intention of destroying myself merely to harm my enemies, nor am I so consumed by hatred that I imagine I can control both my own plans and the unpredictable forces of fortune. Instead, I am prepared to surrender whatever is reasonable. I urge the rest of you to follow my example voluntarily, rather than waiting until the enemy forces you to do so. There is no shame in kinsmen yielding to one another—Dorian to Dorian, or Chalcidian to fellow Chalcidians. More importantly, we are all neighbors, inhabitants of the same land, surrounded by the same sea, and united under the common name of Sicilians. We will undoubtedly wage war again when circumstances demand it, and we will make peace among ourselves through future negotiations. But if we are wise, we will always stand united against foreign invaders, recognizing that harm to one threatens us all. Never again should we invite outsiders to our island, whether as allies or arbitrators. By taking this course, we perform a double service for Sicily: we simultaneously free ourselves from the Athenians and from civil war. In the future, we shall enjoy freedom in our own land and face less danger from foreign threats.

After Hermocrates delivered this speech, the Sicilians accepted his counsel and agreed among themselves to end the conflict. Each party retained its current possessions, with the Camarinaeans receiving Morgantina in exchange for payment to Syracuse. The Athenian allies summoned their commanders and informed them of their decision to make peace, noting that Athens would be included in the treaty. With the generals' consent, the peace was finalized, and the Athenian fleet subsequently departed from Sicily. When they returned to Athens, the citizens exiled Pythodorus and Sophocles, while fining Eurymedon, accusing them of accepting bribes to leave when they could have conquered Sicily. Such was the extent of Athens' current success that the citizens believed nothing could resist them. They thought they could accomplish anything—whether feasible or impossible, regardless of whether their resources were sufficient or inadequate. This delusion stemmed from their remarkable string of victories, which led them to conflate their actual power with their boundless ambitions.