History of the Peloponnesian War

With regard to myself, too, I have come to you, not for the injury, but for the liberation of the Greeks-having bound the Lacedaemonian authorities by the most solemn oaths, that such as I win over shall assuredly be independent confederates-nor, again, that we may have allies whom we have got by violence or deceit, but, on the contrary, prepared to act as allies to you, who are enslaved by the Athenians. I claim, therefore, neither to be suspected myself, since I have given the strongest pledges for my honesty, nor to be considered a powerless avenger; and I call on you to come over to me with confidence.

"And if any one be backward to do so, from being personally afraid of some individual or other, lest I should put the city into the hands of a particular party, let him above all others feel confidence. For I am not come to be a partisan; nor am I minded to bring you a doubtful liberty, as I should do, if, disregarding your hereditary constitution, I should enslave the many to the few, or the few to the many.

For that would be more grievous than foreign dominion;