History of the Peloponnesian War

For many measures, though badly planned, have yet succeeded, through [*]( See note on I. 32. 3.) the adversary being still worse advised; and still more have there been which, though seeming to be well arranged, have on the contrary come to a disgraceful issue. For no one [*]( I have followed Göller's reading of ὁμοία; Arnold prefers ὁμοῖα considering it as dependent on the two verbs ἐνθυμεῖται and ἐπεξέρχεται. What we speculate on in our expectations, and what we accomplish in our practice, are wholly different from each other. My chief reason for preferring the former interpretation is, that the article is only used with πίστει, and not with both nouns, as I think it usually is in other passages, where there is so marked an opposition between them: e. g. I. 71. 1. οἵι ἄν τῇ μὲν παρασκευῇ δίκαια πράσσωσι, τῇ δὲ γνώμῃ κ. τ. λ. II. 11. 6. τῇ δὲ ἀεὶ ἐν τῇ πολεμία, τῇ μὲν γνώμῃ θαρσαλέους στρατεύειν, τῷ δὲ ἔργῳ δεδιότας παρασκευάζεσθαι. Unless it is omitted in both cases, as I. 85. 5. τὰς τῶν πολεμίων παρασκευὰς λόγῳ καλῶς μεμφόμενοι ἀνομοίως ἔργῳ επεξιέναι. For other instances of ὁμοῖος with the force here given to it, see note on ch. 30. 5.) conceives his plans with [only] the same degree of confidence as he carries them out in action; but we form our opinions in security, [and therefore with assurance;] whereas we fail in action through fear.

"Now as for ourselves, we are at the present time preparing for war because we are injured, and have sufficient grounds of complaint;

and when we have avenged ourselves on the Athenians, we will lay it down again in good time. And for many reasons it is likely that we should have the advantage; first, as we are superior in numbers and military experience;