[24]
“Must we then,” you ask,
“do as we are told for fear of the consequences? Do you of all men
advise that?” Far from it. No, I think we ought so to act as to do
nothing unworthy of Athens and yet
avoid war; we ought to show to all men our good sense and the justice of our
claims. To those who think we ought boldly to risk everything, and who do not
foresee the inevitable hostilities, I suggest the following consideration. We
are allowing the Thebans to keep Oropus; and if anyone should ask us to tell him
candidly why we do so, we should have to answer, “In order to avoid
war.”
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