Today's Passage
This passage captures the final diplomatic exchange before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
With this brief speech dismissing the assembly, Archidamus first sent off Melesippus, son of Diacritus, a Spartan, to Athens, in case she should be more inclined to submit on seeing the Peloponnesians actually on the march. But the Athenians did not admit into the city or to their assembly, Pericles having already carried a motion against admitting either herald or embassy from the Lacedaemonians after they had once marched out.
The herald was accordingly sent away without an audience, and ordered to be beyond the frontier that same day; in future, if those who sent him had a proposition to make, they must retire to their own territory before they dispatched embassies to Athens. An escort was sent with Melesippus to prevent his holding communication with any one. When he reached the frontier and was just going to be dismissed, he departed with these words: “This day will be the beginning of great misfortunes to the Hellenes.” As soon as he arrived at the camp, and Archidamus learnt that the Athenians had still no thoughts of submitting, he at length began his march, and advanced with his army into their territory. Meanwhile the Boeotians, sending their contingent and cavalry to join the Peloponnesian expedition, went to Plataea with the remainder and laid waste the country.
Modern Translation
After this brief address to dismiss the assembly, Archidamus first dispatched Melesippus, son of Diacritus, a Spartan, to Athens, hoping that the Athenians might be more willing to negotiate when they saw the Peloponnesian forces actually advancing. However, the Athenians refused him entry to either the city or the assembly, as Pericles had already passed a decree forbidding the admission of any Spartan herald or embassy once their army had mobilized. The herald was therefore sent away without a hearing and ordered to cross the border that very day. They warned that in future, if the Spartans wished to make proposals, they must withdraw to their own territory before sending ambassadors to Athens. Guards escorted Melesippus to ensure he spoke with no one. When he reached the frontier and was about to be dismissed, he departed with these prophetic words: 'This day will mark the beginning of great calamities for all Greece.' When he returned to camp and Archidamus learned that the Athenians remained unwilling to yield, he finally commenced his march, leading his army into Attic territory. Meanwhile, the Boeotians sent their assigned troops and cavalry to join the main Peloponnesian force, while their remaining forces advanced on Plataea and began devastating the countryside.
Historical Context
This passage captures the final diplomatic exchange before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE. King Archidamus of Sparta, leading the Peloponnesian invasion force, makes one last attempt at negotiation by sending the herald Melesippus to Athens. However, Pericles has already convinced the Athenians to adopt a strict policy of non-negotiation once Spartan forces are mobilized, reflecting Athens' determination to stand firm. Melesippus's prophetic warning about 'great misfortunes' proves tragically accurate, as this moment marks the beginning of a devastating 27-year conflict. The simultaneous Boeotian attack on Plataea, Athens' ally, demonstrates the war's immediate expansion beyond a simple Sparta-Athens conflict. This scene illustrates the point of no return in Greek interstate relations and the failure of diplomacy to prevent catastrophic war.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Periclean Strategy
Pericles' refusal to negotiate once Sparta mobilized reflects his broader defensive strategy: avoid land battles, rely on naval supremacy, and let the enemy exhaust themselves ravaging the countryside while Athens remains secure behind its walls. This policy required extraordinary discipline and went against traditional Greek military values.
Learn more →Greek Heralds
Heralds (kerykes) were sacred figures in Greek warfare, traditionally granted safe passage even between enemies. Athens' harsh treatment of Melesippus, while not violating his immunity, demonstrates the breakdown of diplomatic norms and the hardening of positions that preceded the war.
Learn more →Plataea's Significance
Plataea held special significance as Athens' loyal ally since the Persian Wars, when it was the only city to aid Athens at Marathon. The Boeotian attack on Plataea while negotiations continued elsewhere shows how local conflicts could escalate into general war.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (33.4-6)
Plutarch describes Pericles' policy of refusing negotiation and his speech convincing Athenians to abandon their fields and trust in the city's walls and naval power.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.42)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the war's outbreak, including the final embassy and the beginning of hostilities, though with less detail than Thucydides.
Read passage →Aristophanes: Acharnians (lines 524-534)
This comedy, produced in 425 BCE, satirically references the Megarian Decree and the breakdown of negotiations that led to war, providing contemporary Athenian perspective.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- Was Pericles' refusal to negotiate once the Spartans had mobilized strategically sound, or did it eliminate the last chance for peace?
- How does Melesippus's prophecy about 'great misfortunes' function as a literary device? What effect would this have on Thucydides' original audience?
- What does the treatment of the herald reveal about the breakdown of traditional Greek diplomatic customs during crisis?
- How might the war have developed differently if Athens had agreed to receive Melesippus and hear Sparta's final terms?