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85. These are principles which our fathers have handed down to us, and we maintain to our1 lasting benefit; we must not lose sight of them, and when many lives and much wealth, many cities and a great name are at stake, we must not be hasty, or make up our minds in a few short hours; we must take time. We can afford to wait, when others cannot, because we are strong. [2] And now, send to the Athenians and remonstrate with them about Potidaea first, and also about the other wrongs of which your allies complain. They say that they are willing to have the matter tried; and against one who offers to submit to justice you must not proceed as against a criminal until his cause has been heard. In the meantime prepare for war. This decision will be the best for yourselves and the most formidable to your enemies.

[3] Thus spoke Archidamus. Last of all, Sthenelaidas, at that time one of the Ephors, came forward and addressed the Lacedaemonians as follows:—

1 We can afford to wait, and should try arbitraion first.

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  • Commentary references to this page (13):
    • Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus at Colonus, 568
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 2, 2.5
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 6, 6.88
    • T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.5
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER CXVIII
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XIX
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XXII
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.40
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.68
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.84
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.84
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.40
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.25
  • Cross-references to this page (4):
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.pos=2.2
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.1.3
    • A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), E´PHORI
    • Smith's Bio, Sthenela'idas
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (6):
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