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33.
‘Although I shall perhaps be no
better believed than others have been when I speak upon the reality of the
expedition, and although I know that those who either make or repeat
statements thought not worthy of belief not only gain no converts, but are
thought fools for their pains, I shall certainly not be frightened into
holding my tongue when the state is in danger, and when I am persuaded that
I can speak with more authority on the matter than other persons.
[2]
Much as you wonder at it, the Athenians nevertheless have set out against
us with a large force, naval and military, professedly to help the
Egestaeans and to restore Leontini, but really to conquer Sicily, and above
all our city, which once gained, the rest, they think, will easily follow.
[3]
Make up your minds, therefore, to see them speedily here, and see how you
can best repel them with the means under your hands, and do not be taken off
your guard through despising the news, or neglect the common weal through
disbelieving it.
[4]
Meanwhile those who believe me need not be dismayed at the force or daring
of the enemy.
They will not be able to do us more hurt than we shall do them; nor is the greatness of their armament altogether without advantage to us.
Indeed, the greater it is the better, with regard to the rest of the
Siceliots, whom dismay will make more ready to join us; and if we defeat or drive them away, disappointed of the objects of their
ambition (for I do not fear for a moment that they will get what
they want), it will be a most glorious exploit for us, and in my
judgment by no means an unlikely one.
[5]
Few indeed have been the large armaments, either Hellenic or barbarian,
that have gone far from home and been successful.
They cannot be more numerous than the people of the country and their
neighbours, all of whom fear leagues together; and if they miscarry for want of supplies in a foreign land, to those
against whom their plans were laid none the less they leave renown, although
they may themselves have been the main cause of their own discomfort.
[6]
Thus these very Athenians rose by the defeat of the Mede, in a great
measure due to accidental causes, from the mere fact that Athens had been
the object of his attack; and this may very well be the case with us also.
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References (29 total)
- Commentary references to this page
(7):
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.92
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.96
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER X
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER CXXV
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XXVI
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.16
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.77
- Cross-references to this page
(4):
- Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges, THE CASES
- Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges, INDIRECT (DEPENDENT) QUESTIONS
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.pos=2.2
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.6.1
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(18):
- LSJ, ἄφρακτος
- LSJ, ἀνέλπιστ-ος
- LSJ, ἀνωφελ-ής
- LSJ, βλάπτω
- LSJ, ἔχω
- LSJ, καταφοβ-έω
- LSJ, κινδυν-εύω
- LSJ, ὁρμάω
- LSJ, πείθω
- LSJ, περί
- LSJ, πεζ-ικός
- LSJ, πεζός
- LSJ, πρόφα^σ-ις
- LSJ, πταίω
- LSJ, στρα^τιά
- LSJ, συμβαίνω
- LSJ, ὑπάρχω
- LSJ, ὑπό
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