History of the Peloponnesian War

"Perhaps some one might feel confident because we excel them in heavy-armed troops, and in numbers, so that we might invade and ravage their land.

But they have other land in abundance, over which they rule, and will import what they want by sea.

If, again, we shall attempt to make their allies revolt from them, we shall have to assist these also with ships, as they are generally islanders.

What then will be the character of our war? For if we do not either conquer them by sea, or take away the revenues with which they maintain their fleet, we shall receive the greater damage;

and at such a time it will no longer even be honourable to make peace; especially if we are thought to have begun the quarrel more than they.

For let us now not be buoyed up with this hope, at any rate, that the war will soon be ended, if we ravage their land. Rather it even to our children: so probable is it that the Athenians would neither be enslaved [*]( Compare II. 61. 3. δουλοῖ γὰρ φρόνημα τὸ αἰφνίδιον. κ. τ. λ.) in spirit to their land, nor, like inexperienced men, be panic-stricken by the war.