Thucydides Translated Into English, Volume 1Clarendon Press, 1881 - Greece |
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Common terms and phrases
Acarnanians afterwards Alcibiades alliance allies Ambraciots Argives Argos arms army arrived Astyochus Athe Athenian fleet Athenian ships Athenians Athens attack Attica Barbarian battle blockade Boeotians Brasidas cavalry Chalcidians Chians Chios citizens Cleon coast command Corcyra Corcyraeans Corinth Corinthians cusans daemonians danger Decelea defeated Demosthenes enemy envoys Euboea expedition fear fight force friends garrison Gylippus hands harbour Hellas Hellenes honour hope hoplites hundred inhabitants init island join King Lace Lacedae Lacedaemon Lacedaemonians land Lesbos Mantineans Megara Megarians Miletus Mitylenaeans Mitylenè monians Naupactus nesians nians Nicias oligarchy once ourselves party peace Pelopon Peloponnesians Peloponnesus Perdiccas Pericles Persian Piraeus Plataeans ponnesians Potidaea Pylos ravaged returned revolt sailed Samos sent Sicels Sicilian Sicily Sitalces soldiers Sparta SPEECH Syra Syracusans Syracuse temple territory Thebans thought Thucydides tion Tissaphernes took treaty triremes troops truce vessels victory VIII wall whole
Popular passages
Page 117 - The great impediment to action is, in our opinion, not discussion, but the want of that knowledge which is gained by discussion preparatory to action. For we have a peculiar power of thinking before we act and of acting too, whereas other men are courageous from ignorance, but hesitate upon reflection.
Page 545 - Of all the Hellenic actions which took place in this war, or indeed of all Hellenic actions which are on record, this was the greatest — the most glorious to the victors, the most ruinous to the vanquished; for they were utterly and at all points defeated, and their sufferings were prodigious. Fleet and army perished from the face of the earth; nothing was saved, and of the many who went forth few returned home.
Page 118 - To sum up : I say that Athens is the school of Hellas, and that the individual Athenian in his own person seems to have the power of adapting himself to the most varied forms of action with the utmost versatility and grace. This is no passing and idle word, but truth and fact; and the assertion is verified by the position to which these qualities have raised the state. For in the hour of trial, Athens alone among her contemporaries is superior to the report of her.
Page 115 - But before I praise the dead, I should like to point out by what principles of action we rose to power, and under what institutions and through what manner of life our empire became great.
Page 221 - ... aristocracy ; while they made the public interests, to which in name they were devoted, in reality their prize. Striving in every way to overcome each other, they committed the most monstrous crimes ; yet even these were surpassed by the magnitude of their revenges, which they pursued to the very utmost ; neither party observing any definite limits either of justice or public expediency, but both alike making the caprice of the moment their law.
Page xix - Athenians fought against one another. He began to write when they first took up arms, believing that it would be great and memorable above any previous war. For he argued that both states were then at the full height of their military power, and he saw the rest of the Hellenes either siding or intending to side with one or other of them.
Page 135 - ... was able to control the multitude in a free spirit; he led them rather than was led by them: for, not seeking power by dishonest arts, he had no need to say pleasant things, but, on the strength of his own high character, could venture to oppose and even to anger them. When he saw them unseasonably elated and arrogant, his words humbled and awed them; and, when they were depressed by groundless fears, he sought to reanimate their confidence. Thus Athens, though still in name a democracy, was...
Page 126 - ... and of expediency. No fear of God or law of man deterred a criminal. Those who saw all perishing alike, thought that the worship or neglect of the gods made no difference. For offences against human law no punishment was to be feared; no one would live long enough to be called to account. Already a far heavier sentence had been passed and was hanging over a man's head; before that fell, why should he not take a little pleasure?
Page 119 - ... unknown chance of happiness; but in the face of death they resolved to rely upon themselves alone. And when the moment came they were minded to resist and suffer, rather than to fly and save their lives; they ran away from the word...
Page 119 - For even those who come short in other ways may justly plead the valor with which they have fought for their country; they have blotted out the evil with the good, and have benefited the state more by their public services than they have injured her by their private actions.