Today's Passage
This passage comes from the Corinthian speech at Sparta in 432 BCE, just before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“We hope that none of you will consider these words of remonstrance to be rather words of hostility; men remonstrate with friends who are in error, accusations they reserve for enemies who have wronged them. Besides, we consider that we have as good a right as any one to point out a neighbour’s faults, particularly when we contemplate the great contrast between the two national characters; a contrast of which, as far as we can see, you have little perception, having never yet considered what sort of antagonists you will encounter in the Athenians, how widely, how absolutely different from yourselves. The Athenians are addicted to innovation, and their designs are characterized by swiftness alike in conception and execution; you have a genius for keeping what you have got, accompanied by a total want of invention, and when forced to act you never go far enough. Again, they are adventurous beyond their power, and daring beyond their judgment, and in danger they are sanguine; your wont is to attempt less than is justified by your power, to mistrust even what is sanctioned by your judgment, and to fancy that from danger there is no release. Further, there is promptitude on their side against procrastination on yours; they are never at home, you are never from it: for they hope by their absence to extend their acquisitions, you fear by your advance to endanger what you have left behind. They are swift to follow up a success, and slow to recoil from a reverse. Their bodies they spend ungrudgingly in their country’s cause; their intellect they jealously husband to be employed in her service. A scheme unexecuted is with them a positive loss, a successful enterprise a comparative failure. The deficiency created by the miscarriage of an undertaking is soon filled up by fresh hopes; for they alone are enabled to call a thing hoped for a thing got, by the speed with which they act upon their resolutions. Thus they toil on in trouble and danger all the days of their life, with little opportunity for enjoying, being ever engaged in getting: their only idea of a holiday is to do what the occasion demands, and to them laborious occupation is less of a misfortune than the peace of a quiet life. To describe their character in a word, one might truly say that they were born into the world to take no rest themselves and to give none to others.
Modern Translation
We hope none of you will interpret these words of warning as hostile rhetoric. After all, one corrects friends who have gone astray; accusations are reserved for enemies who have inflicted harm. Moreover, we believe we have every right to highlight our neighbors' shortcomings, especially when we observe the stark contrast between your two national temperaments—a contrast which, as far as we can tell, you barely comprehend, having never truly considered what kind of opponents you'll face in the Athenians, how profoundly and utterly they differ from you. The Athenians are obsessed with change, and their plans are marked by speed in both design and implementation. You, however, excel at preserving what you possess, coupled with a complete absence of creativity, and when circumstances force you to act, you invariably fall short. Furthermore, they venture beyond their capabilities and dare beyond rational calculation, remaining optimistic even in peril. Your habit is to attempt less than your strength allows, to doubt even your soundest judgments, and to believe that danger offers no escape. They act with urgency while you procrastinate; they're constantly abroad while you never leave home—for they expect through absence to expand their dominions, while you fear that advancing might jeopardize what remains behind. They rapidly exploit victories and slowly retreat from defeats. They sacrifice their bodies freely for their city's benefit; their minds they carefully preserve for her service. An unaccomplished plan represents actual loss to them, a successful venture merely relative disappointment. They quickly compensate for failed enterprises with renewed aspirations; uniquely, they can consider hopes as achievements through their rapid execution of decisions. Thus they labor through hardship and peril throughout their lives, rarely pausing to enjoy their gains, perpetually focused on acquisition. Their sole concept of leisure is fulfilling necessity's demands, and they consider exhausting work less unfortunate than peaceful inactivity. To summarize their nature concisely: one could accurately claim they were born to deny rest both to themselves and to everyone else.
Historical Context
This passage comes from the Corinthian speech at Sparta in 432 BCE, just before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. The Corinthians, allies of Sparta, are attempting to persuade the Spartan assembly to take action against Athens' growing power. They contrast the dynamic, restless nature of the Athenians with the conservative, cautious character of the Spartans. This rhetorical masterpiece serves both as a warning about Athenian imperialism and as criticism of Spartan inaction. The speech represents a crucial moment when Greek city-states were choosing sides in the impending conflict between Athens' maritime empire and Sparta's land-based alliance system. Thucydides uses this speech to establish fundamental themes about power, national character, and the inevitability of conflict between opposing systems.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Imperial Character
The Corinthians describe Athens as inherently expansionist and innovative, reflecting the reality of their naval empire. This restless energy drove Athens to transform from a minor polis to the dominant maritime power in Greece within fifty years after the Persian Wars.
Learn more →Spartan Conservatism
Sparta's conservative nature stemmed from their unique social system based on enslaved Helots. Their military excellence paradoxically made them reluctant to engage in distant campaigns, fearing rebellion at home. This tension between capability and caution defined Spartan foreign policy.
Learn more →National Character in Ancient Historiography
Ancient historians frequently analyzed conflicts through the lens of national character. Thucydides pioneered this approach, seeing political culture as destiny. This deterministic view influenced how Greeks understood interstate relations and continues to shape political analysis today.
Learn more →Rhetoric and Persuasion
This speech exemplifies classical rhetoric's power in political decision-making. The Corinthians use antithesis, vivid characterization, and emotional appeals to overcome Spartan reluctance. Such speeches were crucial in ancient democracy and diplomacy.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (Book 7.102)
Demaratus explains Spartan character to Xerxes, emphasizing their discipline and conservatism. Like the Corinthian speech, this passage contrasts Greek (especially Spartan) values with foreign ones, showing how national character determines military behavior.
Read passage →Aristotle: Politics (Book 2.1271a-b)
Aristotle analyzes Spartan constitution and character, noting their military focus but criticizing their narrow education. His assessment echoes the Corinthian critique of Spartan limitations and inability to adapt.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Pericles (Chapter 11-12)
Plutarch describes Pericles' building program and Athenian energy, illustrating the restless innovation the Corinthians describe. Shows how Athenian character manifested in peacetime through constant activity and creation.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does this characterization of Athens and Sparta help explain the inevitability of the Peloponnesian War? Could different national characters have coexisted peacefully?
- To what extent do you think national or cultural 'character' determines political behavior? How might modern nations be characterized similarly?
- The Corinthians present Athenian restlessness negatively, but could these same traits be viewed positively? How does perspective shape such descriptions?
- What are the strengths and dangers of each approach to power (Athenian dynamism vs. Spartan conservatism)? Which proved more successful historically?