Today's Passage
This passage presents a Boeotian general's speech before the Battle of Delium in 424 BCE, rallying his troops to engage Athenian forces that had crossed into Boeotian territory and fortified the temple at Delium.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“Boeotians, the idea that we ought not to give battle to the Athenians, unless we came up with them in Boeotia, is one which should never have entered into the head of any of us, your generals. It was to annoy Boeotia that they crossed the frontier and built a fort in our country; and they are therefore, I imagine, our enemies wherever we may come up with them, and from wheresoever they may have come to act as enemies do. And if any one has taken up with the idea in question for reasons of safety, it is high time for him to change his mind. The party attacked, whose own country is in danger, can scarcely discuss what is prudent with the calmness of men who are in full enjoyment of what they have got, and are thinking of attacking a neighbour in order to get more. It is your national habit, in your country or out of it, to oppose the same resistance to a foreign invader; and when that invader is Athenian, and lives upon your frontier besides, it is doubly imperative to do so. As between neighbours generally, freedom means simply a determination to hold one’s own; and with neighbours like these, who are trying to enslave near and far alike, there is nothing for it but to fight it out to the last. Look at the condition of the Euboeans and of most of the rest of Hellas, and be convinced that others have to fight with their neighbours for this frontier or that, but that for us conquest means one frontier for the whole country, about which no dispute can be made, for they will simply come and take by force what we have. So much more have we to fear from this neighbour than from another. Besides, people who, like the Athenians in the present instance, are tempted by pride of strength to attack their neighbours, usually march most confidently against those who keep still, and only defend themselves in their own country, but think twice before they grapple with those who meet them outside their frontier and strike the first blow if opportunity offers. The Athenians have shown us this themselves; the defeat which we inflicted upon them at Coronea, at the time when our quarrels had allowed them to occupy the country, has given great security to Boeotia until the present day. Remembering this, the old must equal their ancient exploits, and the young, the sons of the heroes of that time, must endeavour not to disgrace their native valour; and trusting in the help of the god whose temple has been sacrilegiously fortified, and in the victims which in our sacrifices have proved propitious, we must march against the enemy, and teach him that he must go and get what he wants by attacking someone who will not resist him, but that men whose glory it is to be always ready to give battle for the liberty of their own country, and never unjustly to enslave that of others, will not let him go without a struggle.”
Modern Translation
Boeotians, the notion that we should only engage the Athenians if we encounter them within Boeotian territory is one that should never have occurred to any of us generals. They crossed our frontier to harass Boeotia and constructed a fortification on our soil; therefore, I submit, they are our enemies wherever we find them, regardless of where they originated to carry out hostile actions. If anyone has adopted this cautious view for safety's sake, it's time to reconsider. Those under attack, with their homeland at risk, can hardly deliberate on prudence with the detachment of those who enjoy security and contemplate attacking neighbors for gain. It's your ancestral custom, whether at home or abroad, to resist foreign invasion with equal determination; when that invader is Athens, your immediate neighbor, the obligation becomes doubly urgent. Among neighbors, freedom essentially means the resolve to maintain sovereignty; and with neighbors like these, who seek to subjugate both near and distant peoples, our only option is to fight to the bitter end. Consider the fate of the Euboeans and most other Greeks, and understand that while others fight their neighbors over specific boundaries, our defeat would mean a single frontier for our entire territory, beyond dispute—they would simply seize our possessions by force. This neighbor poses a far greater threat than any other. Moreover, those who, like the Athenians now, are emboldened by their power to attack neighbors, typically advance most boldly against those who remain passive, defending only within their borders, but hesitate when confronting those who meet them beyond their territory and strike preemptively when possible. The Athenians themselves have demonstrated this: our victory at Coronea, when internal discord had allowed them to occupy our land, has secured Boeotia's safety to this day. Remembering this, our elders must match their former achievements, while the young, sons of those heroes, must strive to uphold their inherited courage. Trusting in the deity whose shrine they have impiously fortified, and in our favorable sacrificial omens, we must advance against the enemy and demonstrate that while he may seek his desires by attacking those who won't resist, men whose honor lies in perpetual readiness to defend their homeland's freedom and who refuse to unjustly subjugate others will not release him without a fight.
Historical Context
This passage presents a Boeotian general's speech before the Battle of Delium in 424 BCE, rallying his troops to engage Athenian forces that had crossed into Boeotian territory and fortified the temple at Delium. The speaker, likely Pagondas, argues against the cautious view that they should only fight within Boeotian borders, emphasizing that the Athenians have already violated their sovereignty. He invokes the memory of the Boeotian victory at Coronea (447 BCE), which had expelled Athenian forces and secured Boeotian independence. The speech exemplifies classical Greek military rhetoric, combining practical strategic arguments with appeals to national pride, religious duty, and historical precedent. This battle would become one of the first major hoplite engagements of the Peloponnesian War, demonstrating new tactical innovations.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Battle of Coronea (447 BCE)
A decisive Boeotian victory that ended Athens' attempt to control central Greece after their initial success at Oenophyta. The defeat forced Athens to abandon Boeotia and contributed to the end of their land empire, marking a crucial precedent that the speaker invokes to inspire confidence.
Learn more →Delium Campaign
An ambitious Athenian strategy in 424 BCE to establish fortified positions in Boeotia, hoping to encourage democratic revolutions. The fortification of the temple at Delium was particularly provocative as it violated religious norms, giving the Boeotians both strategic and moral justification for attack.
Learn more →Greek Interstate Relations
The speech illuminates Greek concepts of sovereignty and justified warfare. The speaker distinguishes between normal border disputes and existential threats to autonomy, reflecting the Greek political ideal of eleutheria (freedom) as independence from foreign domination.
Learn more →Sacred Space in Warfare
The Athenian fortification of a temple violated Greek religious customs regarding sacred spaces. This sacrilege provided the Boeotians with divine sanction for their cause, as reflected in the speaker's reference to favorable omens and the god's anticipated support.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.69-70)
Provides an alternative account of the Delium campaign and battle, offering additional details about troop numbers and the tactical innovations employed, particularly the deepened Theban phalanx.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Alcibiades (7.1-3)
Mentions Alcibiades' participation at Delium and Socrates saving his life during the retreat, providing personal details that complement Thucydides' strategic focus.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.33-34)
Though focusing on later events, Xenophon's treatment of Boeotian-Athenian conflicts shows the lasting impact of battles like Delium on interstate relations and military thinking.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the speaker use historical memory (Coronea) to shape present action? What does this reveal about the role of collective memory in Greek political culture?
- Analyze the speaker's distinction between defensive and offensive warfare. How does he justify Boeotian aggression while maintaining moral superiority?
- What does this speech reveal about Greek concepts of sovereignty and freedom? How do these differ from modern notions?
- Examine the role of religious violation in justifying warfare. How does the speaker weaponize Athenian sacrilege?