History of the Peloponnesian War

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.

Being convinced then that this is the better course, and not allowing too much weight either to pity or to lenity (for neither do I, [any more than Cleon,] wish you to be influenced by these,) but judging from the advice itself which is given you, be persuaded by me to try calmly those of the Mytilenaeans whom Paches sent off as guilty, and to allow the rest to live where they are.

For this is both profitable for the future, and terrible to your enemies at the present moment; since whoever takes good advice against his adversaries is stronger than one who recklessly proceeds against them with violence of action.

To this effect spoke Diodotus. These being the views that were expressed in most direct opposition to one another, the Athenians, notwithstanding [their wish to reconsider the question], came to a conflict of opinion respecting them, and were nearly matched in the voting, though that of Diodotus prevailed.

And they immediately despatched another trireme with all speed, that they might not find the city destroyed through the previous arrival of [*]( The common reading δευτέρας is abandoned by all the best editors; and therefore it is not without great diffidence that I confess my inability to understand why it need be so. The sense of the passage would be equally good if it were translated, that by the previous arrival of the second, they might avoid finding the city ruined : and I cannot but think such a method borne out by many other passages of our author; e. g. II. 3. 3, ξυνελέγοντο ... ὅπως μὴ διὰ τῶν ὁδῶν φανεροὶ ὦσιν ἰόντες. And again in the next section, ἐχώρουν ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς, ὅπως μὴ κατὰ φῶς φαρσαλεωτέροις οὖσι προσφέρωνται, κ. τ. λ.) the first; which had the start by a day and a night.

The Mytilenaean ambassadors having provided for the vessel wine and barley-cakes, and promising great rewards if they should arrive first, there was such haste in their course, that at the same time as they rowed they ate cakes kneaded with oil and wine; and some slept in turns, while others rowed.

And as there happened to be no wind against them, and the former vessel did not sail in any haste on so [*]( Literally, monstrous. ) horrible a business, while this hurried on in the manner described; though the other arrived so much first that Paches had read the decree, and was on the point of executing the sentence, the second came to land after it, and prevented the butchery. Into such imminent peril did Mytilene come.

The other party, whom Paches had sent off as the chief authors of the revolt, the Athenians put to death, according to the advice of Cleon, amounting to rather more than one thousand. They also dismantled the walls of the Mytilenaeans, and seized their ships.