The hystory writtone by Thucidides the Athenyan of the warre, whiche was betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenyans, translated oute of Frenche into the Englysh language by Thomas Nicolls citezeine and goldesmyth of London

The naration and answere of the Corintiahns to that same of the Corcyriens. The .iiii. Chapter.

FOrsomuche as thies Corcyriens here, haue not onely spoken of thai•• case for to be receyued to your allyaunce, but also of vs, saying that we haue vniustely bigonne warre vpon them, it is necessary for vs to make mention of bothe. and afterwardes to shewe youe, that youe ought to admit our demaunde (which is very reasonale) and to reiect the prouffites, that they here do presente youe against reasone. They furst say, that by modestie they neuer haue made allyance wyth any cytye. But trulye y^t hath not bene, neyther for modestye nor for vertue, but throughe noughtynes, for that, that they woulde not haue any compaignyon nor wytnes to theyr my∣scheues and yll dedes, that myght rebuke nor warne them of theyr shame. Also the situatyon of theyr towne, is mete to make, that they maye be arbyters of the oultrages that they commyt wythout commynge into any iudgemente of rea∣sone. For that they wente not muche into other Regyons, but the other nations came to them for marchaundyse. And so that, whiche they pretende for theyr glory, not to haue wylled to make allyance wyth other people, hath not bene

to that intent, that they had not bene partakers and felowes of the vyolences & iniuryes that the other commytted lyke as they say: but to the ende that of those crymes that they dyd perpetrate, there shulde be no arbitratours nor wytnes. And where they were strongest, myght wrong the other, thinking that so much they made theyr proffit the more, that their pyllage was more secrete, and also hadde therm the lesse shame. And yf they were so honnest people, as they saye, they shulde shewe more theyr vertue and wysdome, in geuyng and receyuynge thinges raysonnable. which they haue not done towardes other, and lesse to∣wardes vs. For albeyt that they be oure burgeoses, and that we haue foun∣ded and established them, yet notwythstandynge before thys tyme, they be departed from vs, and nowe they warre agaynste vs. And where they saye, that we haue not sent them from our cytye to inhabyte there for to be euyll in∣treated or wronged by vs, we aunswere them, that we also haue not lodged thē there, to receyue oultrages and vilanyes of them, but for to be alwaies theyr su∣periours. And that they shulde honour vs so, as reasone woll, and as they do, y^t we haue sente to other Colonies. All the which beare vs singulier loue and reue∣rence. Whereby it may suffyciently appeare, that inasmuche as we be agreable to all the other, whiche be in greater nomber: they heare do wrongfully hate vs. and yf we haue warred agaynste them, it hath not bene wythoute reason, nor for a small cause. And in so muche as we haue done them good for a small oc∣casyon, raysone wolde that they shuld haue endured and borne with our angre, and so we shulde haue had regarde to theyr pacience & modestie. But they, tru∣stynge in theyr ryches, after many insolencies, that they had vsed agaynst vs, ca∣mero take and occupye the towne of Epydanne. which is of our iurisdictiō. And also they toke it not than, whan it was trauailed by w••rre of straungers, but at that tyme, when we came to succour it. And they yet w^tholde it by force. And it auayleth not to saye, that before they had done it, they were willing to submyt it to tryall and iudgemen••, for this is not to purpose whan a man hath occupyed & holden a thinge frō another, to appeale it into iudgement, but men shulde pre∣sent suche partes before they come by force. which they haue not done. but they offred vs the waye of iustyce onely at that tyme, whan they helde the towne as∣sieged, and that they sawe vs ready to come to succour it. And not content with that, they arne come hyther towardes you, to requyre, that you wolle receyue them vnto your allyance, and to be theyr compaignyons. And that not onely to the warre, but also to theyr vyolences and vnryghtuousnes, beynge oure enne∣myes. which thing they shuld rather haue demaunded, whan they had nothing done vnto vs, and not nowe, that they haue wronged vs, and see themselues in daunger and sithens that you haue had no partycypatyon wyth them, nor re∣ceyued any saruyce of them than, whan they were wythout busynes, you ought not nowe at thys presente, to communycate to them your power. But rather, as youe haue not bene parttakers of theyr offences, so oughte youe to kepe your selues from incurrynge for theyr cause, into any faulte towardes vs. For it is to them, which haue in tymes passed communycated theyr force w^t their frendes, that men ought, whan the case requyreth it, to render the lyke. But youe that haue not in anye thynge particypated of the crymes and vyolen∣ces of these here vnto thys presente, haue no occasyon to entermedle of their affayres for the tyme to comme. Nowe we haue declared to youe, and do∣ne to be knowen (as it apperteygneth) that we be grounded in good reasone, & equitie agaynste them here, and that they haue oultraged vs, by their violence & couetyce. It nowe resteth to cause it to appeare, that you may not w^t reasone

receyue them into your amytie and allyance. For albeit that it be sayde by oure treatie of peace, that it is laufull for all the cytyes of Grece, that were not of your alliance, nor of ours, to ioygne them to which of vs they wolde, that is not to be vnderstanded, that they maye do it to the preiudice of the other partie. but it is ment for them, that haue nede of ayde, and demaunde it. Wythoute that, y^t they, of whome they demaunde it, shulde depart from the allyance of the other. And not for them, that vnder colour of bringyng and requyrynge peace, shulde procure warre agaynst the frendes of them, of whome they demaunde it. Which thynge woll presently chaunce, yf you regarde not that, which we woll say vn∣to you. For yf you receyue these here, you shall not onely be theyr allyes, but you shall also becōme of our frendes, our ennemyes. And therfor yf you be w^t them, it shall iustely force vs in reuēgyng o••r selues on thē, also to reuenge our selues on you. Wherfore you shulde do wyselye, and accordynge to raysone, not to take theyr partye, and better shulde you do, yf you toke ours (who be your allyes and confederates) agaynste them that neuer had allyance nor treues wyth you. ••nd you ought not to begynne to make a newe lawe, that thone of the partyes may receyue to hys allyance the rebelles of the other. For we haue not done the lyke towardes you. But than, whan the Samyans rebelled agaynste you, and that the other Peloponesyans were in contentyon and dyuers opynyons, whyder they ought to be ayded or not, we iudged not against youe. For it semed also vn∣to vs to be agaynst reasonne, to prohibyte anny parsonne to chastice hys subiec∣tes. And yf that ye woll retire, wythdrawe and defende our subiectes, that shall haue commytted any ••ryme or offence, youe maye well knowe, that we wol•• do the lyke vnto yours. And by thys meane you shall make a lawe, that shall re∣dounde more to your dommage, than to ours. For that, that youe haue grea∣ter nomber of subiectes, than we. To conclude, we thinke that we haue shewed and suffyciently declared before you accordyng to the lawes of Grece, our right, and that whiche raysonne wolleth. and that whiche we shall hereafter shewe, is in manner by exhortacyon and requeste. And also we woll not demaunde any thynge of youe, as youre ennemyes to hurt you, nor yet as your frendes to abuse you, but for to be vsed accordynge to raysonne. and also we thinke that youe ought to do it, for that, that in that tyme, that you had warre agaynste the Ege∣nytes before the warre of the Medyans,* 1.1 at which tyme youe had no great ship∣pes: the Corynthyens leante you, twenty. By meanes of whiche seruice, you had the victorie agaynst the sayde Egynetes. and by meanes of this, that the other Peloponesians dyd for oure loue, not geue any succour vnto the Samyans, you toke vengeance on them at youre wille. And that was done in tyme of one so greate a warre, that the people, for the desyre that they had to vainquyshe their ennemy, regarded none other thynge. But helde for frende all men that ayded them at that theyr busynes, though that before they had bene theyr ennemyes, and for ennemy, euery man that was on the other parte, although he had bene before, their frende. For also they left theyr particular and domestycal affayres, wythout geuing order therin, for the desyre and obstinacye that they had to reuenge them on theyr enemyes. Wherfore those amonge you, that haue re∣membraunce of the sayd pleasures and seruyces, and the other yonger men, that haue harde it spoken by youre auncyentes, ought to be of opinion, that mē shuld recompence them by lyke meanes. And yf it shulde be sayde that that, which we speake is very reasonable, but that that, which the other present, shulde be more profytable, yf there be warre, we aunswere you, that howe muche the more, that men procede iustely in theyr causes, so much the greater profyt doth. comonlye

followe. And the warre, wherof the Corcyryens do put you in fears, and for doubte therof, do persuade you to do vnreasonable actes, is not yet certayne that it shall fortune. And therefore it is not reasonable, that for suspytyone of a warre incertayne, youe shulde take the quarell presented by the Corcyryens a∣gaynst vs, your frendes and allyes. And yf youe haue any Imagynation of the sayde warre for suspycyon that is chaunced betwene vs, by meanes of them of Megare, youe ought by your wyttes and prudence nowe to dymynyshe and as∣swage it, rather, than to encrease it. For a good saruyce done in seasone, though i•• be lesse, may refrayne and appease a faulte and ennemytie goynge before, muche greater than the saruyce. And you shulde not be moued for the offer that they make you of theyr shyppes, for it is greater suertie for you not to take quarelle agaynst youre frendes egall vnto you, than to gett greate thynges of people pu∣fled vp wyth pryde, for a lytle presente prosperytie, with the daunger, that may chaunce by meanes of them. Furthermore we, that be in the same fortune that we were, whan we requyred the Lacedemonians, do make vnto you the selfe re∣queste, trustyng to obteigne it of you, as we haue of them. to wytt, that it maye be laufull for euery of vs, to punyshe and correcte hys burgeoses and subiectes. And that in stede to haue bene ayded agaynst yours, through meane of our opy∣nyon and decre, youe woll not hurte vs agaynst ours, by your sentence, but ra∣ther render the lyke vnto vs. and consyder that nowe is the tyme, that he that shall serue, shalbe holden for euer for a trewe frende. and he that shall deserue, for a greate ennemye. And for conclusyon that youe receyue not these Corcyryens here to your amytie and allyance agaynste oure wylle, nor geue them any ayde agaynst vs. In whiche doynge you shall do youre dutye, and that, that apper∣teygneth to youre osfyce, and also shall do the thynge, that shalbe profytable for you. S••che was the speakynge of the Corinthyans.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eginete