Today's Passage
This passage presents Pericles' final pre-war speech to the Athenian assembly, responding to Spartan ultimatums in 432 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“I have many other reasons to hope for a favourable issue, if you can consent not to combine schemes of fresh conquest with the conduct of the war, and will abstain from wilfully involving yourselves in other dangers; indeed, I am more afraid of our own blunders than of the enemy’s devices. But these matters shall be explained in another speech, as events require; for the present dismiss these men with the answer that we will allow Megara the use of our market and harbours, when the Lacedaemonians suspend their alien acts in favour of us and our allies, there being nothing in the treaty to prevent either one or the other: that we will leave the cities independent, if independent we found them when we made the treaty, and when the Lacedaemonians grant to their cities an independence not involving subservience to Lacedaemonian interests, but such as each severally may desire: that we are willing to give the legal satisfaction which our agreements specify, and that we shall not commence hostilities, but shall resist those who do commence them. This is an answer agreeable at once to the rights and the dignity of Athens. It must be thoroughly understood that war is a necessity; but that the more readily we accept it, the less will be the ardour of our opponents, and that out of the greatest dangers communities and individuals acquire the greatest glory. Did not our fathers resist the Medes not only with resources far different from ours, but even when those resources had been abandoned; and more by wisdom than by fortune, more by daring than by strength, did not they beat off the barbarian and advance their affairs to their present height? We must not fall behind them, but must resist our enemies in any way and in every way, and attempt to hand down our power to our posterity unimpaired.”
Such were the words of Pericles. The Athenians, persuaded of the wisdom of his advice, voted as he desired, and answered the Lacedaemonians as he recommended, both on the separate points and in the general; they would do nothing on dictation, but were ready to have the complaints settled in a fair and impartial manner by the legal method, which the terms of the truce prescribed. So the envoys departed home and did not return again.
These were the charges and differences existing between the rival powers before the war, arising immediately from the affair at Epidamnus and Corcyra. Still intercourse continued in spite of them, and mutual communication. It was carried on without heralds, but not without suspicion, as events were occurring which were equivalent to a breach of the treaty and matter for war.
Modern Translation
I have numerous other reasons to be optimistic about our success, provided you can agree not to pursue new conquests while conducting this war, and provided you refrain from deliberately creating additional dangers for yourselves. In truth, I fear our own mistakes more than I fear the enemy's strategies. However, I will address these concerns in detail at a later time, as circumstances demand. For now, dismiss these envoys with this response: We will permit Megara to use our markets and harbors when the Spartans cease applying their laws against foreigners to exclude us and our allies—since nothing in our treaty forbids either action. We will respect the independence of cities if they were independent when we signed the treaty, and when the Spartans allow their own subject cities genuine independence based on each city's own preferences rather than Spartan interests. We are prepared to submit to arbitration as our agreements require. We will not initiate hostilities but will defend ourselves against any aggressor. This response upholds both Athens' legal rights and her honor. We must clearly understand that war has become inevitable; however, the more willingly we embrace it, the less enthusiastic our enemies will be. Moreover, from the greatest perils, both states and individuals win the greatest renown. Remember how our ancestors confronted the Persians—not merely with inferior resources, but after abandoning even those resources they possessed. Through intelligence more than luck, through courage more than military might, they defeated the invaders and elevated our city to its current greatness. We must not prove inferior to them. We must oppose our enemies by every possible means and strive to transmit our empire intact to future generations.
Thus spoke Pericles. The Athenians, convinced by his reasoning, voted according to his recommendations. They replied to the Spartans exactly as he advised, addressing both specific grievances and general principles: they would not submit to demands but stood ready to resolve disputes through the fair and impartial arbitration that their agreements prescribed. The ambassadors then returned home and sent no further delegations.
These were the accusations and disputes between the two powers before the war began, stemming directly from the incidents at Epidamnus and Corcyra. Despite these tensions, interaction between the cities continued, and they maintained diplomatic contact. This communication proceeded without formal heralds, though not without mutual distrust, as the unfolding events effectively violated their treaty and provided grounds for war.
Historical Context
This passage presents Pericles' final pre-war speech to the Athenian assembly, responding to Spartan ultimatums in 432 BCE. The Spartans had demanded that Athens lift its economic embargo on Megara, grant independence to its allied cities, and essentially dismantle its empire. Pericles advocates rejecting these demands while proposing arbitration according to existing treaties. His speech emphasizes Athenian legal rights, invokes the memory of victory over Persia, and prepares the citizens psychologically for the inevitable war. This moment represents the final diplomatic breakdown before the Peloponnesian War, with Pericles establishing Athens' moral and legal position while acknowledging that conflict has become unavoidable. The passage demonstrates Thucydides' interest in how democratic deliberation shapes foreign policy and how historical memory influences present decisions.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
The Megarian Decree
The Megarian Decree was an economic embargo imposed by Athens around 432 BCE, banning Megarians from Athenian markets and harbors. This became a major grievance leading to war, as Megara was a Spartan ally. Pericles' refusal to revoke it without reciprocal concessions shows how economic warfare functioned in ancient Greek interstate relations.
Learn more →Athenian Democracy and War
This passage illustrates how Athenian democracy functioned in foreign policy crises. Pericles must persuade the assembly through reasoned argument, showing how democratic deliberation shaped military decisions. His speech demonstrates the rhetorical strategies needed to maintain public support for potentially unpopular policies.
Learn more →Persian War Memory
Pericles invokes the Persian Wars (490-479 BCE) to inspire Athenian resolve. This historical memory served as a foundational myth for Athenian imperial ideology, justifying their leadership of the Delian League and their right to rule over other Greeks who had been liberated from Persian control.
Learn more →Greek Arbitration
The reference to 'legal satisfaction' and arbitration reflects the Greek practice of third-party mediation in interstate disputes. Treaties often included arbitration clauses, though they frequently failed when power politics intervened. Pericles' insistence on legal remedies positions Athens as law-abiding while anticipating their rejection.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (29-32)
Plutarch provides additional details about Pericles' response to Spartan demands, including the famous anecdote about the 'little decree' that would lead to great war, offering personal insights into Pericles' motivations.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.39-40)
Diodorus presents an alternative version of the pre-war negotiations, suggesting different motivations for the Megarian Decree and providing a more pro-Spartan perspective on the diplomatic breakdown.
Read passage →Aristophanes: Acharnians (lines 515-539)
This comedy, produced in 425 BCE, satirizes the causes of the war, particularly the Megarian Decree, offering a contemporary Athenian perspective that questions official narratives about the war's origins.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Pericles balance legal arguments with power politics in his response to Sparta? What does this reveal about the relationship between justice and force in international relations?
- Why does Pericles invoke the memory of the Persian Wars? How does collective memory shape political decision-making in democratic societies?
- Pericles claims to fear Athenian mistakes more than Spartan strategies. What does this suggest about the vulnerabilities of democratic foreign policy?
- Is Pericles' insistence on arbitration genuine or merely a diplomatic tactic? How can we evaluate sincerity in political rhetoric?