History of the Peloponnesian War

"But neither will you break the treaty with the Lacedaemonians by receiving us, who are allies of neither party.

For it is mentioned in it, that whichever of the Grecian states is in alliance with no other, it has permission to go to whichever side it may please.

And it is hard if these shall be allowed to man their ships both from the confederates, and moreover from the rest of Greece also, and especially from your subjects, while they will exclude us both from our proposed alliance, and from assistance from any other quarter; and then consider it an injustice if you are persuaded to what we request. But much greater fault shall we find with you, if we do not persuade you.