History of the Peloponnesian War

"For from putting up with less than we might have had in contract-suits with the allies, and from having made our decisions in our own courts on the footing of equal laws, we are thought to be litigious.

And none of them considers why this reproach is not brought against those who have empire in any other quarter also, and are less moderate towards their subjects than we have been: for those who can act with violence have no need besides to act with justice.

But they, from being accustomed to have intercourse with us on a fair footing, if contrary to their notions of right they have been worsted in any thing, either by a legal judgment or by the power of our empire, even in any degree whatever; they feel no gratitude for not being deprived of the greater part [of their possessions], but are more indignant for what is lost than if from the first we had laid aside law, and openly taken advantage of them.

In that case not even they themselves would have denied that it was right for the weaker to yield to the stronger. But when injured it seems men are more angry than when treated with violence: for the one case is regarded as an advantage taken by their compulsion by their superior.

At least they endured much harder treatment than this at the hand of the Medes; whereas our rule is thought to be severe; and naturally so;

for their present condition is always irksome to subjects. You, at any rate, should you subdue us and possess an empire, would quickly lose the good-will which you have enjoyed through their fear of us; if you have the same views now as you gave symptoms of then, when you led then against the Mede for a short time. For you have institutions by yourselves, distinct from the rest of the world; and moreover, each individual of you, on going abroad., neither acts according to these, nor to those which the rest of Greece recognises.