Today's Passage
In 424 BCE, the Spartan general Brasidas led an audacious campaign through northern Greece, attempting to undermine Athenian control by liberating their subject cities.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The same summer, without loss of time, Brasidas marched with the Chalcidians against Acanthus, a colony of the Andrians, a little before vintage. The inhabitants were divided into two parties on the question of receiving him; those who had joined the Chalcidians in inviting him, and the popular party. However, fear for their fruit, which was still out, enabled Brasidas to persuade the multitude to admit him alone, and to hear what he had to say before making a decision; and he was admitted accordingly and appeared before the people, and not being a bad speaker for a Lacedaemonian, addressed them as follows:
“Acanthians, the Lacedaemonians have sent out me and my army to make good the reason that we gave for the war when we began it, viz., that we were going to war with the Athenians in order to free Hellas. Our delay in coming has been caused by mistaken expectations as to the war at home, which led us to hope, by our own unassisted efforts and without your risking anything, to effect the speedy downfall of the Athenians; and you must not blame us for this, as we are now come the moment that we were able, prepared with your aid to do our best to subdue them. Meanwhile I am astonished at finding your gates shut against me, and at not meeting with a better welcome. We Lacedaemonians thought of you as allies eager to have us, to whom we should come in spirit even before we were with you in body; and in this expectation undertook all the risks of a march of many days through a strange country, so far did our zeal carry us. It will be a terrible thing if after this you have other intentions, and mean to stand in the way of your own and Hellenic freedom. It is not merely that you oppose me yourselves; but wherever I may go people will be less inclined to join me, on the score that you, to whom I first came—an important town like Acanthus, and prudent men like the Acanthians—refused to admit me. I shall have nothing to prove that the reason which I advance is the true one; it will be said either that there is something unfair in the freedom which I offer, or that I am in insufficient force and unable to protect you against an attack from Athens. Yet when I went with the army which I now have to the relief of Nisaea, the Athenians did not venture to engage me although in greater force than I; and it is not likely they will ever send across sea against you an army as numerous as they had at Nisaea. And for myself, I have come here not to hurt but to free the Hellenes, witness the solemn oaths by which I have bound my government that the allies that I may bring over shall be independent; and besides my object in coming is not by force or fraud to obtain your alliance, but to offer you mine to help you against your Athenian masters. I protest, therefore, against any suspicions of my intentions after the guarantees which I offer, and equally so against doubts of my ability to protect you, and I invite you to join me without hesitation.
Modern Translation
That same summer, Brasidas wasted no time in marching with the Chalcidians against Acanthus, an Andrian colony, arriving just before the grape harvest. The citizens were split into two factions regarding whether to receive him: those who had joined with the Chalcidians in inviting him, and the democratic party opposed to his presence. However, anxiety about their still-unharvested grapes allowed Brasidas to convince the majority to admit him alone, so he could present his case before they reached any decision. He was accordingly admitted and addressed the assembly. Despite being a Spartan—a people not known for their eloquence—he proved himself a capable speaker and spoke as follows:
"Citizens of Acanthus, the Spartans have dispatched me and my forces to fulfill the promise we made when we initiated this war—namely, that we were fighting the Athenians to liberate Greece. Our delayed arrival stems from miscalculations about the war at home, where we hoped to defeat Athens swiftly through our own efforts alone, without endangering you. You should not hold this against us, for we have come as soon as we could, ready to join with you in subduing them. I am therefore bewildered to find your gates barred against me and to receive such an unwelcoming reception. We Spartans believed you would be allies eager for our arrival, that you would welcome us in spirit even before our physical presence. This belief motivated us to risk a journey of many days through foreign territory—such was our commitment to your cause. It would be catastrophic if you harbor different intentions and choose to obstruct both your own liberation and that of all Greece. Your opposition affects not just yourselves but my entire mission; wherever I go, people will be more reluctant to join me when they learn that Acanthus—a significant city populated by sensible citizens—was the first to reject me. I will have no way to demonstrate that my stated purpose is genuine. People will conclude either that the freedom I promise conceals some deception, or that I lack the strength to defend you against Athenian retaliation. Yet when I led this same army to relieve Nisaea, the Athenians, though outnumbering us, dared not engage. It's highly unlikely they would send a fleet against you with forces comparable to what they had at Nisaea. As for myself, I have come not to harm but to liberate the Greeks. I can point to the sacred oaths that bind my government, guaranteeing that any allies I win over will maintain their independence. Moreover, I seek not to force or trick you into alliance, but rather to offer Spartan alliance to help you resist your Athenian overlords. I therefore reject any suspicions about my motives, given the assurances I provide, and equally any doubts about my capacity to protect you. I urge you to join me without reservation."
Historical Context
In 424 BCE, the Spartan general Brasidas led an audacious campaign through northern Greece, attempting to undermine Athenian control by liberating their subject cities. Acanthus, located on the Chalcidice peninsula, was strategically important as a prosperous city controlling valuable agricultural resources. Brasidas arrives at a critical moment—just before the grape harvest—when the citizens are most vulnerable economically. The city is divided between oligarchic elements who invited Brasidas and democratic factions loyal to Athens. This speech represents a crucial moment in Spartan strategy: rather than relying solely on military force, Brasidas employs sophisticated rhetoric to win allies. His success here would inspire other cities to defect from Athens, significantly weakening their empire in the crucial northern theater of the war.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Spartan Rhetoric
Thucydides' comment that Brasidas was 'not a bad speaker for a Lacedaemonian' reflects the stereotype that Spartans were poor orators, valuing brevity over eloquence. Brasidas's exceptional rhetorical ability made him uniquely effective as a diplomat-general, combining military prowess with persuasive speech—a rare combination in Spartan culture.
Learn more →Greek Colonization
Acanthus was founded by Andros, illustrating the complex network of mother cities (metropoleis) and colonies throughout the Greek world. These relationships created divided loyalties during the Peloponnesian War, as colonies might support their founders, their current hegemon (Athens), or seek independence.
Learn more →Agricultural Warfare
The timing of Brasidas's arrival 'just before vintage' was strategically calculated. The grape harvest was economically crucial for many Greek cities. Threatening unharvested crops was a common military tactic, as it could force capitulation without siege or battle.
Learn more →Autonomy in Greek Politics
Brasidas's promise of 'independence' (autonomia) for allied cities was a powerful propaganda tool. While Athens demanded tribute and political conformity from its allies, Sparta positioned itself as a liberator, though in practice Spartan 'liberation' often meant installing oligarchic governments favorable to Sparta.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6.1-2)
Plutarch describes how Brasidas's northern campaign caused panic in Athens, leading to criticism of Nicias's cautious strategy. This provides the Athenian perspective on the threat Brasidas posed.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.67-68)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of Brasidas's Thracian campaign, emphasizing his personal charisma and the speed with which cities defected from Athens after his initial successes.
Read passage →Aristotle: Politics (5.1303b)
Aristotle mentions Acanthus as an example of how external intervention could trigger internal political revolution, noting how fear of crop destruction influenced political decisions.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Brasidas balance threats and promises in his rhetoric? What does this reveal about the nature of diplomatic persuasion in wartime?
- What role does economic vulnerability (the unharvested grapes) play in political decision-making? How might this dynamic apply to modern contexts?
- Compare Brasidas's promise of 'liberation' with Athens's role as imperial hegemon. Were the Acanthians truly choosing freedom, or simply selecting a different master?
- How does Thucydides's characterization of Brasidas as an unusually eloquent Spartan shape our interpretation of this speech and its effectiveness?