The ancient Greek historians (Harvard lectures) by J. B. Bury.

IV

THUCYDIDES

139

should be ruled by the stronger. Now this is
nothing more than what had already been said by
Hermocrates and the Athenian envoy at Sparta.
The attitude of the Athenians on this occasion is
exactly the same as that of Diodotus in arguing
for leniency towards Mytilene. Both alike are
ruthlessly realistic; both alike refuse to consider
any reason but reason of state. The conscience
and feelings of the readers of Thucydides have
been shocked by the tone of the Athenians
at Melos because they sympathize with Melos;
whereas they are not shocked by Diodotus because
they sympathize with Mytilene. Yet Diodotus in
427 B.C. regarded Mytilene just as Athens in
416 B.c. regarded Melos, merely as a pawn in the
game of empire. It is also important to observe
that the discussion in the Melian council-chamber
before the siege has nothing to do with the rigorous
treatment of the people after the capture of the
city. A few years before, Athens had meted out
the same treatment to Scione; all the adult males
were killed, the women and children enslaved.
Thucydides makes no comment in either case.
But if Athens had contented herself with reducing
Melos to the condition of a tributary, the notorious
dialogue would have been equally to the point.
The policy of annexing Melos was one thing, the
policy of punishing was another; Thucydides does
not express his views on either. But it has been
supposed by various critics that he introduced a
cynical dialogue for the purpose of holding up to