History of the Peloponnesian War

Again, they say that when the barbarians came against Hellas they were the only Boeotians who did not medize, and for this especially they plume themselves and abuse us.

We say, however, that the only reason they did not medize was because the Athenians also did not, and that, moreover, on the same principle, when the Athenians afterwards assailed all Hellas, they were the only Boeotians who atticized.[*](Ever since the Persian war medize and medium had been terms of bitter reproach in Hellas; in the mouths of the Thebans atticize and atticism have a like invidious meaning.) And yet consider the circumstances under which we each acted as we did.