Today's Passage
This passage describes a crucial moment in 424 BCE during the Peloponnesian War when the Spartan general Brasidas confronted Athenian forces near Megara.
Crawley Translation (1910)
After this Brasidas and the army came nearer to the sea and to Megara, and taking up a convenient position, remained quiet in order of battle, expecting to be attacked by the Athenians and knowing that the Megarians were waiting to see which would be the victor. This attitude seemed to present two advantages. Without taking the offensive or willingly provoking the hazards of a battle, they openly showed their readiness to fight, and thus without bearing the burden of the day would fairly reap its honours; while at the same time they effectually served their interests at Megara. For if they had failed to show themselves they would not have had a chance, but would have certainly been considered vanquished, and have lost the town. As it was, the Athenians might possibly not be inclined to accept their challenge, and their object would be attained without fighting. And so it turned out. The Athenians formed outside the long walls and, the enemy not attacking, there remained motionless; their generals having decided that the risk was too unequal. In fact most of their objects had been already attained; and they would have to begin a battle against superior numbers, and if victorious could only gain Megara, while a defeat would destroy the flower of their heavy soldiery. For the enemy it was different; as even the states actually represented in his army risked each only a part of its entire force, he might well be more audacious. Accordingly, after waiting for some time without either side attacking, the Athenians withdrew to Nisaea, and the Peloponnesians after them to the point from which they had set out. The friends of the Megarian exiles now threw aside their hesitation, and opened the gates to Brasidas and the commanders from the different states—looking upon him as the victor and upon the Athenians as having declined the battle—and receiving them into the town proceeded to discuss matters with them; the party in correspondence with the Athenians being paralysed by the turn things had taken.
Modern Translation
Following these events, Brasidas advanced his forces closer to the coast and to Megara itself. After occupying a strategically advantageous position, he arranged his troops in battle formation and waited, anticipating an Athenian assault while fully aware that the Megarians were watching to determine the outcome. This tactical stance offered dual benefits. By avoiding the role of aggressor and not deliberately courting the risks of combat, they nonetheless demonstrated their willingness to engage, thereby claiming the moral victory without enduring the actual fighting. Simultaneously, this approach effectively advanced their objectives regarding Megara. Had they failed to make an appearance, they would have forfeited any opportunity for success and would have been deemed defeated by default, resulting in the loss of the city. As matters stood, there remained the possibility that the Athenians might decline to accept their implicit challenge, allowing them to achieve their goals without bloodshed. Events unfolded precisely as anticipated. The Athenians deployed outside the long walls, but when no attack materialized from the enemy, they too remained stationary. Their commanders had concluded that the risks were disproportionate to the potential gains. They had already accomplished most of their objectives, and initiating battle against numerically superior forces would mean that victory would yield only Megara, while defeat would annihilate their elite heavy infantry. The calculus differed for their opponents; since each allied state in Brasidas's coalition risked only a fraction of its total military strength, they could afford greater boldness. After both armies had maintained their positions for some time without engaging, the Athenians withdrew to Nisaea, and the Peloponnesians returned to their starting point. The Megarian faction supporting the exiles now abandoned their previous caution and opened the gates to Brasidas and the allied commanders—regarding him as the victor and the Athenians as having refused battle. They welcomed them into the city and began negotiations, while the pro-Athenian faction found themselves neutralized by this unexpected turn of events.
Historical Context
This passage describes a crucial moment in 424 BCE during the Peloponnesian War when the Spartan general Brasidas confronted Athenian forces near Megara. The Athenians had recently captured Nisaea (Megara's port) and were attempting to take Megara itself, which would have given them control of the strategically vital Megarid region between Athens and the Peloponnese. Brasidas had marched rapidly from the north with a mixed force to prevent this. The standoff described here represents a masterful example of psychological warfare: by simply appearing ready to fight, Brasidas achieved his objective without battle. The Megarians, caught between two powers, ultimately chose to admit the Peloponnesians, seeing them as the de facto victors. This event marked a significant check to Athenian expansion and demonstrated Brasidas's tactical brilliance.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Brasidas as Military Commander
Brasidas was one of Sparta's most innovative generals, known for combining military skill with diplomacy. Unlike typical Spartan commanders, he understood psychological warfare and often achieved objectives through positioning and negotiation rather than direct combat. His campaigns in Thrace would later prove devastating to Athenian interests.
Learn more →Megara's Strategic Importance
Megara controlled the land route between Athens and the Peloponnese. Its possession by either side could significantly impact trade and military movements. The Megarian Decree, which banned Megara from Athenian markets, had been a contributing factor to the war's outbreak.
Learn more →Greek Heavy Infantry (Hoplites)
The 'heavy soldiery' mentioned refers to hoplites, citizen-soldiers who formed the backbone of Greek armies. For Athens, these were valuable citizens whose loss would be both militarily and politically devastating, explaining the Athenian generals' caution about risking them in uncertain battle.
Learn more →Risk Assessment in Ancient Warfare
This passage illustrates sophisticated military thinking about risk versus reward. Both sides calculated potential gains against losses, considering not just immediate tactical outcomes but broader strategic implications. Such rational calculation was characteristic of Greek military thought.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6.1-3)
Plutarch describes Nicias's cautious military leadership and his tendency to avoid risks, which parallels the Athenian generals' decision-making in this passage about whether to engage Brasidas.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.66-67)
Diodorus provides an account of the same Megarian campaign, offering a different perspective on the strategic calculations made by both sides during this confrontation.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.1-10)
Though describing later events, Xenophon's account of standoffs between opposing forces shows similar patterns of psychological warfare and strategic positioning without actual combat.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Brasidas's strategy of 'winning without fighting' reflect broader principles of ancient Greek warfare and diplomacy?
- What does this passage reveal about how ancient commanders calculated risk versus reward in military decision-making?
- How might the outcome have differed if either commander had chosen to attack? Consider both immediate and long-term consequences.
- What role did the Megarian citizens play as 'audience' to this military theater, and how did their perception shape the outcome?