History of the Peloponnesian War

and such men must either, the first day they land, be at once masters of the country, or know that if they fail to do so, they will find every thing opposed to them.

For myself then, being afraid of this, and knowing that on many points we must take good counsel, and on still more have good luck, (and that is difficult for such as are but men,) I wish to sail from home committing myself as little as possible to fortune, and secured against failure by our preparations, according to all reasonable hopes.