85.
'Now to a tyrant or to an imperial city1 nothing is inconsistent which is expedient, and2 no man is a kinsman who cannot be trusted. In each case we must make friends or enemies according to circumstances, and here our interest requires, not that we should weaken our friends, but that our friends should be too strong for our enemies. Do not mistrust us.
[2]
In Hellas we act upon the same principle, managing our allies as our interest requires in their several cases. The Chians and Methymnaeans furnish us with ships, and are their own masters; the majority are less independent, and pay a tribute; others, although they are islanders and might be easily conquered, enjoy complete freedom, because they are situated conveniently for operations about Peloponnesus3.
[3]
So that in Sicily too our policy is likely to be determined by our interest, and, as I was saying, by our fear of the Syracusans. For they desire to be your masters, but first they must unite you in a common suspicion of us, and then either by force, or through your isolation, when we have failed and retired, they will dominate Sicily. This is inevitable if you now join them. Your united power will be4 more than we can manage, and the Syracusans, when we are gone, will be too much for you.
1 Cp. 2.63; 3.37 init.
2 We act upon principle, and that principle requires a different policy in different cases.
4 You told us that Syracuse would rule Sicily, and we give you back your words. You have nothing to fear from us, who are at a distance, but much to fear from the Syracusans, who are your neighbours and can always get at you. You ill b sorry some day that you have lost us.
Thucydides translated into English; with introduction, marginal analysis, notes, and indices. Volume 1. Thucydides. Benjamin Jowett. translator. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1881.
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