81.
"But it may be some rely on this, that we exceed them in arms and multitude of soldiers so that we may waste their territories with incursions.
[2]
But there is much other land under their dominion, and by sea they are able to bring in whatsoever they shall stand in need of.
[3]
Again, if we essay to alienate their confederates, we must aid them with shipping because the most of them are islanders.
[4]
What a war then will this of ours be?
For unless we have the better of them in shipping or take from them their revenue whereby their navy is maintained, we shall do the most hurt to ourselves.
[5]
And in this case to let fall the war again will be no honour for us when we are chiefly thought to have begun it.
[6]
As for the hope that if we waste their country, the war will soon be at an end, let that never lift us up;
for I fear we shall transmit it rather to our children.
For it is likely the Athenians have the spirit not to be slaves to their earth, nor as men without experience to be astonished at the war.
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Thucydides. Thomas Hobbes. translator. London. Bohn. 1843.
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