be required to satisfy certain
preliminary conditions. They should show, first, that it is expedient
or at least safe to grant their request; next, that they will retain a
lasting sense of the kindness. But if they cannot clearly establish any
of these points, they must not be annoyed if they meet with a rebuff.
Now the Corcyraeans believe that with their petition for assistance they
can also give you a satisfactory answer on these points, and they have
therefore dispatched us hither. It has so happened that our policy as
regards you with respect to this request, turns out to be inconsistent,
and as regards our interests, to be at the present crisis inexpedient.
We say inconsistent, because a power which has never in the whole of her
past history been willing to ally herself with any of her neighbours,
is now found asking them to ally themselves with her. And we say
inexpedient, because in our present war with Corinth it has left us in
a position of entire isolation, and what once seemed the wise precaution
of refusing to involve ourselves in alliances with other powers, lest we
should also involve ourselves in risks of their choosing, has now proved
to be folly and weakness. It is true that in the late naval engagement
we drove back the Corinthians from our shores single-handed. But they
have now got together a still larger armament from Peloponnese and the
rest of Hellas; and we, seeing our utter inability to cope with them
without foreign aid, and the magnitude of the danger which subjection
to them implies, find it necessary to ask help from you and from every
other power. And we hope to be excused if we forswear our old principle
of complete political isolation, a principle which was not adopted with
any sinister intention, but was rather the consequence of an error in
judgment.

"Now there are many reasons why in the event of your compliance you will
congratulate yourselves on this request having been made to you. First,
because your assistance will be rendered to a power which, herself
inoffensive, is a victim to the injustice of others. Secondly, because
all that we most value is at stake in the present contest, and your
welcome of us under these circumstances will be a proof of goodwill
which will ever keep alive the gratitude you will lay up in our hearts.
Thirdly, yourselves excepted, we are the greatest naval power in Hellas.
Moreover, can you conceive a stroke of good fortune more rare in
itself, or more di