Who would not censure us if, while the Messenians withstood siege for twenty years in order to retain Messene,In the first Messenian war, 743-724 B.C. Paus. 4.13.4. we should so quickly withdraw from it under a treaty and should take no thought of our forefathers, but should allow ourselves to be persuaded by words to throw away this territory which they acquired by dint of struggles and wars?