mmons and its leaders for the time being also helped
us to maintain our independence. However, we did not expect to be able
to do so much longer, if this war had not broken out, from the examples
that we had had of their conduct to the rest.

"How then could we put our trust in such friendship or freedom as we
had here? We accepted each other against our inclination; fear made them
court us in war, and us them in peace; sympathy, the ordinary basis of
confidence, had its place supplied by terror, fear having more share
than friendship in detaining us in the alliance; and the first party
that should be encouraged by the hope of impunity was certain to break
faith with the other. So that to condemn us for being the first to break
off, because they delay the blow that we dread, instead of ourselves
delaying to know for certain whether it will be dealt or not, is to take
a false view of the case. For if we were equally able with them to
meet their plots and imitate their delay, we should be their equals and
should be under no necessity of being their subjects; but the liberty of
offence being always theirs, that of defence ought clearly to be ours.

"Such, Lacedaemonians and allies, are the grounds and the reasons of
our revolt; clear enough to convince our hearers of the fairness of our
conduct, and sufficient to alarm ourselves, and to make us turn to some
means of safety. This we wished to do long ago, when we sent to you on
the subject while the peace yet lasted, but were balked by your refusing
to receive us; and now, upon the Boeotians inviting us, we at once
responded to the call, and decided upon a twofold revolt, from the
Hellenes and from the Athenians, not to aid the latter in harming the
former, but to join in their liberation, and not to allow the Athenians
in the end to destroy us, but to act in time against them. Our revolt,
however, has taken place prematurely and without preparation--a fact
which makes it all the more incumbent on you to receive us into alliance
and to send us speedy relief, in order to show that you support your
friends, and at the same time do harm to your enemies. You have an
opportunity such as you never had before. Disease and expenditure have
wasted the Athenians: their ships are either cruising round your coasts,
or engaged in blockading us; and it is not probable that they will have
any to spare, if you invade them a second time this summer by sea and
land; but they will either offe