History of the Peloponnesian War

As they decide by acclamation and not by vote, he said that he did not distinguish on which side the acclamation was greater; but wishing to instigate them the more to war [*]( Because individuals might be afraid of openly opposing the popular wish, which was decidedly for the war.) by their openly expressing their views, he said,

Whoever of you, Lacedaemonians, thinks the treaty to have been broken, and the Athenians to have been guilty, let him [*]( For another instance of a compound of ἵστημι used in the same pregnant manner as ἀναστήτω is here, see I. 101. 2. ἐς Ἰθώμην ἀπέστηταν) rise and go yonder

and whoever does not think so, let him go to the other side.

They arose and divided, and there was a large majority who thought that the treaty had been broken.

And having summoned the allies, they told them that their own opinion was that the Athenians were in the wrong; but that they wished to summon all the allies also, and to put it to the vote; that after general consultation they might declare war, if they thought fit.

They then, after having settled this, returned home; as did the ambassadors of the Athenians afterwards, when they had despatched the business they had gone on.

This decision of the assembly, that the treaty had been broken, was made in the fourteenth year of the continuance of the thirty years' truce, which had been concluded after the war with Euboea.

Now the Lacedaemonians voted that the treaty had been broken, and that war should be declared, not so much because they were convinced by the arguments of the allies, as because they were afraid that the Athenians might attain to greater power, seeing that most parts of Greece were already under their hands.

For it was in the following manner that the Athenians were brought to those circumstances under which they increased their power.