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87.
‘Peloponnesians, the late
engagement which may have made some of you afraid of the one now in
prospect, really gives no just ground for apprehension.
[2]
Preparation for it, as you know, there was little enough; and the object of our voyage was not so much to fight at sea as an
expedition by land.
Besides this, the chances of war were largely against us; and perhaps also inexperience had something to do with our failure in our
first naval action.
[3]
It was not, therefore, cowardice that produced our defeat, nor ought the
determination which force has not quelled, but which still has a word to say
with its adversary, to lose its edge from the result of an accident; but admitting the possibility of a chance miscarriage, we should know that
brave hearts must be always brave, and while they remain so can never put
forward inexperience as an excuse for misconduct.
[4]
Nor are you so behind the enemy in experience as you are ahead of him in
courage; and although the science of your opponents would, if valor accompanied it,
have also the presence of mind to carry out at an emergency the lesson it
has learnt, yet a faint heart will make all art powerless in the face of
danger.
For fear takes away presence of mind, and without valor art is useless.
[5]
Against their superior experience set your superior daring, and against the
fear induced by defeat the fact of your having been then unprepared;
[6]
remember, too, that you have always the advantage of superior numbers, and
of engaging off your own coast, supported by your heavy infantry; and as a rule, numbers and equipment give victory.
[7]
At no point, therefore, is defeat likely; and as for our previous mistakes, the very fact of their occurrence will
teach us better for the future.
[8]
Steersmen and sailors may, therefore, confidently attend to their several
duties, none quitting the station assigned to them;
[9]
as for ourselves, we promise to prepare for the engagement at least as well
as your previous commanders, and to give no excuse for any one misconducting
himself.
Should any insist on doing so, he shall meet with the punishment he
deserves, while the brave shall be honored with the appropriate rewards of
valor.’
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References (39 total)
- Commentary references to this page
(10):
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone, 670
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Ajax, 1143
- E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.2
- E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 7, 7.4
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.87
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER CXXVI
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XXXII
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.75
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.9
- Basil L. Gildersleeve, Pindar: The Olympian and Pythian Odes, 1
- Cross-references to this page
(3):
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.pos=2.1
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.5.2
- William Watson Goodwin, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb, Chapter V
- Cross-references in notes to this page
(2):
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 6.11
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 6.72
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(24):
- LSJ, ἀμβλ-ύνω
- LSJ, ἀντιλογ-ία
- LSJ, ἀντιτάσσω
- LSJ, ἀπαρά-σκευος
- LSJ, ἀποβαίνω
- LSJ, ἐκφοβ-έω
- LSJ, ἐνδίδωμι
- LSJ, κα^κία
- LSJ, κολάζω
- LSJ, μάλα
- LSJ, ὁ
- LSJ, οὐδέ
- LSJ, περιγίγνομαι
- LSJ, που
- LSJ, πρόφα^σ-ις
- LSJ, προβάλλω
- LSJ, προλείπω
- LSJ, προστάσσω
- LSJ, σφάλλω
- LSJ, τέκμαρ-σις
- LSJ, τι_μάω
- LSJ, τολμ-ηρός
- LSJ, ὠφελ-έω
- LSJ, χώρα
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