History of the Peloponnesian War

I certainly all along remember from the beginning to the end of the war its being commonly declared that it would last thrice nine years.

I lived through the whole of it, being of an age to comprehend events, and giving my attention to them in order to know the exact truth about them. It was also my fate to be an exile from my country for twenty years after my command at Amphipolis; and being present with both parties, and more especially with the Peloponnesians by reason of my exile, I had leisure to observe affairs somewhat particularly.

I will accordingly now relate the differences that arose after the ten years' war, the breach of the treaty, and the hostilities that followed.