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 proposition and defence of the Plateans before the Lacedemonyans. ☞The .ix. Chapter.

FOr the fayth and confydence, that we haue had in youe, Lordes La∣cedemonyans, we haue commytted oure cytye and our parsones into youre power. Not lokynge, for suche iudgemente of youe, as we per∣ceyue, that m••n wolde do vnto vs, but some other more cyuile and more gentle. And also we loked to haue other iudges than you. And specially we hoped, y^t it shuld haue bene liefull for vs to dyspute & debate oure reasone & our cause. But we doubte greatly that we haue ben deceyued of both our thoughtes. For we feare & not w^tout cause, that thys disceptacion & debatyng be vpon our lyfe. And that youe comme not to iudge of our case by reasone. Wherof we see an euydent tokenne, by thys, that there is no accusation proponed agaynst vs, whe∣rin we maye defende vs. But at oure request, lycence is graunted vs to speake, and your interrogation hath bene very brief. Wherevnto, yf we wolde aunswere accordyng to the trouthe, oure aunswere shalbe contrarye and ennemye to oure cause. And yf we aunswere contrary to trouthe, it maye be condempned, as faul∣se. And notwithstandynge that we see our ••ase in daunger and perplexitye on a•• sydes, yet be we cōstrained to speake. And also it semeth vnto vs better to incurre the daungier by sayinge some thynge, than vtterly to kepe scilence, and to speake nothynge. For yf they, that be in suche case, speake not that they myght say, they haue alwayes the harte dyspleased, and they thy••ke, that yf they had spoken, i•• shulde haue bene cause of theyr welthe. But nowe it is to vs (ouer and aboue al the other dyffyculties) a thinge ryght dyffycyle and harde to perswade you that, whiche we woll speake. For that, that yf we dyd not knowe the one the other, we coulde cause thynges to be wytnes vnto youe whereof youe had not not know layge. But we speake before youe, that knowe the trouth of the hoole. And we fea••e not that youe wyll impute it vnto vs for offence, that oure vertues be lesse than yours, insomuche as youe knowe vs, but we greatly feare, lest for to please other, a subda••ne iudgement shall be pronounced agaynste vs, which is already determyned. Thys notwithstandynge, yet woll we parforce our selues, to shewe you the reasone and the ryght, that we haue agaynste the ennemitie of the The∣bayns and agaynst you and the other Grekes, puttinge youe in remembraunce of oure seruyces and good dedes. And for to aunswere vnto the ryghte brief in∣terrogacy••, y^t is made vnto vs, whyder duryng thys warre we haue in any thing meryted well towardes the Lacedemonyans and theyr confederates, we aun∣swere youe, that yf you demaunde vs as ennemies, we haue done you no iniurie though we haue done you no pleasure. But yf you aske vs, as frendes, we thinke y^t you haue more offēded vs, than we haue offēded youe. For that, y^t we haue not begonne the warre, althoughe that we haue ••ot in any thynge yet broken peace wyth youe. And in tyme of the warre wyth the Medes, we alone of all the Be∣otyans came to assaulte the sayde Medes w^t the other Grekes for to defende the

lybertye of Grece. And notwythstandynge that we were people of mayne lande, yet dyd we fyght with them nygh to Artenusus by sea. And afterwardes whan they dyd fyght in oure lande, we were there wyth Pausanias. And of all the o∣ther thynges, that were done by the Grekes in greate daunger, we were partta∣kers further than ower puyssance stretched. And in partyculer, to you other La∣cedemonyans, youre cytye of Sparte, beynge in great drede and feare, after the earthequake, whan the bonde men dyd flye frome Ithomus, we dyd sende the thyrde parte of oure people to youre succoure. Of whiche saruices to haue none remembraunce, shulde be a thynge to dyffycyle. Suche were our workes in the begynnynge. And yf sence, we haue bene ennemyes, that hath bene through your defaulte. For whan we were inuaded by the Thebayns, perseuerynge in amytye and allyaunce, we had furst recours vnto youe, and youe repoulsed vs, saiynge that youe were to farre frome vs, and shewed vs that we shulde haue recourse to the Athenians, whiche were oure nyghe neyghbours. Lyke as neuer by warre youe suffred any oultrage, so arne youe not to suffre for vs. And yf we hadde not bene wyllynge to haue departed frome the Athenyans, yet had we not done you iniurye. For consydered, that they had ayded vs agaynste the Thebayns, there where it was not youre commodytye to do it, it had not bene honnestye for vs, to caste them vp and forsake them, seynge chiefly, that they at oure requeste had receyued vs into theyr allyaunce. And also we haue receyued greate benefittes of them, and they receyued vs as theyr burgeoses. Wherfore it was reasonable y^t we shulde obey them wyth our power. And yf youe and they (whiche be dukes & capytains of youre partyes, haue done any euyll thynge) hauynge your allyes in your compaignie, the same ought not to be imputed to thē, that haue followed you, but to the Capytaynes, that haue conducted them to do it. And as touching the Thebayns, besydes many oultrages, that they had done before, they dyd cō∣mytt the last agaynst vs, which hath bene cause of all these euylls, as youe do knowe. For they came in tyme of peace, vpon the daye of the solempne feaste, for to inuade our cytye. Wherby they receyued suche punyshment, as they deserued. Lyke as it was laufull for vs, and permytted by the commone lawe and gene∣rall saufgarde, vsed amonge all people. By whiche it is laufull for euery man to sley hym, that commeth to assaulte hym, as ennemye. Wherfore yf you woll pu∣nyshe vs for that cause, that shulde be agaynste all iustyce. And youe shulde de∣clare youre selfe euyll iudges, yf that to make youre proffyte of them, because y^t. they be youre allyes in thys warre, youe woll do iustice at theyr pleasure. And haue more regarde vnto youre proffyte, than to reasone. And howesoeuer that ye woll haue regarde vnto youre vtilitie, and consyder these here, to haue bene proffytable vnto youe in thys affayre, yet haue we bene muche more. And that not onelye vnto you, but to all Grece, whan that youe were in muche grea∣ter dangier. For at thys presente, youe haue bothe harte and puyssance for to as∣saulte the other, but than, the stranger kinge dyd laye the yoake of bondage to al the Grekes, hauynge these here on hys partye. Whereby, reason wolde well, that youe shulde laye to the contrary of thys our mysdede (yf there be anye thynge mysdone) the seruyce that oure cytezeins dyd for youe. And the affectyon y^t they maye shewe vnto youe, whiche you shal fynde muche greater than the mysdede. And so muche the more, that at that same tyme there were few Grekes founde, that wolde put theyr vertue in daunger agaynste the forces of Xerxes. And they were hyghly praysed, who beynge assawlted a••d assieged, had no regarde to their welthe, not her to conserue theyr parsonnes and theyr goodes, but delyghted more wyth greate daunger to enterpryse thynges worthy of memorye, among

whome we were reputed and honnored as the principalleste. whereby we haue great feare to be destroyed and to perishe at this present, for hauynge wylled to do the lyke, to wyt, for followyng the Athenians iustly and according to rayson, rather than youe cautelously and by deceitte. And neuerthelas it is conueniente that one self iudgement be always geuen vpon one selfe cause. And not to place nor establishe proffytt in any other thinge, but only in fay the & loiaultie of fren∣des & allyes. For in knowing alwais their vertue, y^t they haue shewed in thinges passed, you may establishe yours proffitablie, being present. Consider moreouer that a great parte of Grekes do at this presente day, esteme and repute youe to be the true example and the mirrour of vertue & wysdom. wherfore you ought well to feare to geue an wrongful sentence against vs. For in that doinge (which cannot be hydde) ye shall purchase great blame, hauinge determyned and iudged of vs, y^t be good people, otherwyse than accordyng to reason. euen youe that arne reputed the beste, and to haue sett in your temples the spoiles of them, that haue so well meryted towardes all Grece. And also yt shalbe alwayes greately impu∣ted vnto you, to haue at the appetite and pleasure of the Thebains, vtterly de∣stroyed the cytie of Platee. The name wherof, and for greate honnour and in re∣membrance of his cytezeins: your fathers dyd graue at the aulter of Apollo Del∣phicus. For we arne come to suche calamyte and perplexitie, that if the Medes hadde vainquishedde, we hadde bene destroyed: and hauynge hadde the victorye agaynste theym, we be at this presente vainquished towardes youe, that be oure greate frendes, through the Thebains. And so we haue incurredde two extreme daungers and calamytes, to wytt, to dye for hunger than, in resistinge to yelde vs at the wyll of the straungers, and nowe to defende oure lyfe in iudgemente. And we that haue more hartely tendredde the honnour of Grece, than our force mighte susteigne, be habandonned, dispysed and for sakenne of all. And there ys not one onely of all the Grekes, that were than presente, oure allyes, that maye ayde vs. And specially we feare greatly, that you other lordes Lacedemonyans, in whome wee haue putte oure pryncipalle truste, be not stable and constante inough in thys matter. Therefore we praye you for the honnour and reuerence of the Goddes, whych were than fauourers of oure societie and fellishipp, and in remembrance of all the seruices and merittes towardes all the Grekes: that you wylle appease and mytigate youre hartes towardes vs. And if youe haue at the persuation of the Thebains, determyned any thynge agaynste vs, to reuoke yt. And the pleasure, that youe haue graunted them, to slaye vs all, repeale it for to saulue vs. In whiche doinge, youe shalle purchase an glorious and honnora∣ble grace, in stede of an cruell naughtynes. And also yt shall not be youre shame, for to geue ioye and pleasure to an othere. For it is ryght easye for youe to slaye vs, but yt shalbe very harde afterwardes, to abolish the infamye, that youe shall incurre by that deede, for to slaye vs vniustely, that be your frendes, & not your ennemyes, but throughe necessitie. And in effecte, if you delyuer vs oute of the daunger and frome the feare wherin we be, youe shall iudge iustely. Forsomuche specially, as we be yeldedde wyllingely into your power, commynge vnto youe, oure handes holdenne vp (in whiche case the lawes of Grece defende that men shulde be slayne) and also that wee haue alwayes and at all tymes, desarued well towardes youe. And that yt so is, biholde in oure lande the tombes of your cytezeins, that were slayne by the Medes, whych be by vs honnored euery yeare openly. And that not onely wyth vulgare and comon honors, but wyth n••we ha¦billementes and wyth all the frutes of oure lande, whyche we offer vnto them, as people, that be of one lande, that ys youre frende, & hath bene your con••ederate

and some tyme accompaignedde too the warre. whereunto youe shall doo the hoole contrary through euill counsaille, if youe woll slaye vs. For youe oughte to consyder that Pausanias buryed them in this lande, as in the lande of fren∣des, and amonge his allyes. wherfore if youe slaye vs and geue our lande to the Thebayns, what other thinge shall youe do, but depryue vs, youre ancesters & parentes of the honnors that they haue, and leue them in the lande of theire en∣nemyes that haue slayne them? And moreouer bringe into seruytude that land, in the whiche the Grekes haue recoueredde their lybertie. And also you shall leue the temples of the goddes desart and not inhabyted, wherin they haue made the vowes, by vertue wherof, they haue vainquishedde the Medes. And youe shalle take the furste aulters from them, that haue founded and edified them. whiche shalbe certaynely (lordes Lacedemonyans) a thynge abatinge and farre inconue∣nyent vnto youre glory, to manners, and common lawes of Grece. For the me∣mory of youre progenytours and oure saruyces and merytes•• to haue slayne vs, wythoute beynge by vs offended, through the hatred of othere. And yt shulde be muche more conuenable for youe to pardone vs, and aswaginge your angre and displeasure, to suffre yourself to ouercome by a modestuous mercy. Conside¦ringe and settinge bifore youre eyes, what euills youe shall do and to what sort of people. And that suche calamyttes do very often chaunce to people, that haue not deserued them. wherfore we praye you (lyke as bicommeth vs and as neces∣sitie constrayneth vs) callynge to our aide the goddes of our particuler temples and those that be comon to all Grece: that youe vouchesaulfe to receue vs frende∣lye and to cease youre displeasure at oure requestes and declaratyons and haue remembraunce of youre auncesters. For whose memorye and sepulcres, we re∣quyre youe, callynge theyme vnto oure ayde, euenne deade, as they be that you wyll not to putte vs into the subiectyon of the Thebayns, nor delyuer your an∣cyente frendes into the handes of youre naturall ennemys. Aduertysinge youe, that the selfe daye, wherein we were in daunger to suffre extreme euyll, ys that same onely, wherein we dydde so manye fayre actes wyth your ancestres. But forsomuche, as, to a people that be in suche myserye and necessytye as we bee, it ys a myserable thynge to make an ende of theire speakynge, thoughe that yt preuayleth nott to vse yt by necessytye, insomuche as afterwardes, whan they haue donne, they attende and looke for the extremytie of deathe: yet in ceasynge too speake, wee saye to youe, that we haue not rendredde oure cytie vnto the Thebayns. For rathere we woulde haue enduredde to dye by famyne, or by othere shamefull death. But it is to youe (lordes Lacedemonyans) for trouthe, to whome we be rendredde, puttynge oure truste in youre faythe. Wherefore if wee cannot obteygne oure requeste, reasonne wylle, that ye serte vs agayne in that state, wherin we were, to wytt, in daunger of that, which might chaunce vs, puttynge youe agayne in remembrance, that frome youre handes youe doo, not cōmytt into the same of the Thebayns, oure mortall ennemyes, vs the Pla∣teens, whyche haue bene alwayes affectyonedde to all the Grekes and that haue rendredde themselfe vnder youre parte, and to youre mercye. Butt rathere to be authors of oure weale, to the ende that men may not say, that you that pretēde to putte all the Grekes in libertie, haue vtterlye abolyshedde and extinguishedde vs. In suche manner spake the Plateens. Than the Thebayns, fearynge lest the Lacedemonyans shulde be mouedde wyth their speakynge to graunte theyme somme thynge, demaundedde to be lykewyse hearde. For somuche, that in theire opynyonne, to muche audyence and too longe delaye was grauntedde

to the sayd Plateens for to aunswere to the interrogation, that was made vnto them. And after that lycence was grauntedde them to speake, they beganne in this manner.