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11. 'Had all the allies retained their independence, we should have had better assurance that they1 would leave us as we were; but when the majority had been subjugated by them, they might naturally be expected to take offence at our footing of equality; they would contrast us who alone maintained this equality with the majority who had submitted to them; they would also observe that in proportion as their strength was increasing, our isolation was increasing too. [2] Mutual fear is the only solid basis of alliance; for he who would break faith is deterred from aggression by the consciousness of inferiority. And why were we left independent? [3] Only because they thought that to gain an empire they must use fair words and win their way by policy and not by violence. On the one hand, our position was a witness to their character. [4] For, having an equal vote with them, we could not be supposed to have fought in their wars against our will, but those whom they attacked must have been in the wrong. On the other hand, they were thus enabled to use the powerful against the weak; they thought that they would leave us to the last; [5] when the lesser states were removed, the stronger would fall an easier prey. But if they had begun with us while the power of the allies was still intact, and we might have afforded a rallying-point, they would not so easily have mastered them. [6] Besides, our navy caused them some apprehension; they were afraid that we might join you, or some other great power, and that the union would be dangerous to them. [7] For a time, too, we saved ourselves by paying court to the people and to the popular leaders of the day. [8] But we were not likely to have survived long, judging by the conduct of the Athenians towards others, if this war had not arisen.

1 We were an offence to them, but they left us free because (1) our voluntary adherence was a testimony to their character, (2) they wanted to use the strong against the weak, and so isolated us, (3)they feared our navy, (4) we paid court to their demagogues.

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  • Commentary references to this page (34):
    • Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus, 1-150
    • Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus at Colonus, 1331
    • Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone, 298
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.12
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.13
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.20
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.28
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.30
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.38
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.39
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.44
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.53
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.55
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.62
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.72
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.81
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XIX
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER II
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER LXXIII
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER LXXXVI
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.43
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.62
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.10
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, Speech of the Corinthian envoys. Chaps. 120-124.
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.123
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.65
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.77
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.8
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.83
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.89
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.91
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.57
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.63
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.67
  • Cross-references to this page (5):
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.4.2
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.1.3
    • William Watson Goodwin, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb, Chapter III
    • Basil L. Gildersleeve, Syntax of Classical Greek, The Article
    • Basil L. Gildersleeve, Syntax of Classical Greek, Forms of the subject.
  • Cross-references in notes to this page (1):
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (18):
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