History of the Peloponnesian War

Our fleet, too, caused them a degree of fear, lest by uniting together, and joining either you or any other power, it might some time bring them into danger.

And again, to a certain extent we preserved ourselves by paying court to their commons, and to those who from time to time took the lead of them.

We did not, however, expect to be long able to do so, if this war had not broken out; looking to the examples they had given in their dealings with the rest.