History of the Peloponnesian War

On the contrary, even if they were guilty, you ought to pretend not to notice it; that the only class still allied with us may not become hostile to us.

And this I consider far more beneficial towards retaining our empire—that we should voluntarily be treated with injustice—than that with justice we should put to the sword those whom we ought not. And so the identity of the justice and expediency of the punishment, which Cleon asserts, is found impossible to exist therein.