History of the Peloponnesian War

"We will first discuss the question of justice and rectitude, especially as we are seeking an alliance, for we know that neither does friendship between men prove lasting, nor does a league between states come to aught, unless they comport themselves with transparent honesty of purpose towards one another and in general are of like character and way of thinking;

for differences in men's actions arise from the diversity of their convictions. "Now between us and the Athenians an alliance was first made when you withdrew from the Persian war but they remained to finish the work.

We became allies, however, not to the Athenians for the enslavement of the Hellenes, but to the Hellenes for their emancipation from the Persians. And as long as they maintained their hegemony on terms of equality we heartily followed their lead;