§1.81.1τάχ’ ἄν τις θαρσοίη ὅτι τοῖς ὅπλοις αὐτῶν καὶ τῷ πλήθει ὑπερφέρομεν, ὥστε τὴν γῆν δῃοῦν ἐπιφοιτῶντες. §1.81.2τοῖς δὲ ἄλλη γῆ ἐστὶ πολλὴ ἧς ἄρχουσι, καὶ ἐκ θαλάσσης ὧν δέονται ἐπάξονται. §1.81.3εἰ δ’ αὖ τοὺς ξυμμάχους ἀφιστάναι πειρασόμεθα, δεήσει καὶ τούτοις ναυσὶ βοηθεῖν τὸ πλέον οὖσι νησιώταις. §1.81.4τίς οὖν ἔσται ἡμῶν ὁ πόλεμος;
Perhaps someone might take courage in the fact that we surpass them in arms and numbers, so that we can invade and ravage their land. But they have much other land which they rule, and they will import what they need from the sea. And if, on the other hand, we try to make their allies revolt, we shall also have to aid them with ships, since they are mostly islanders. What then will our war be?
εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἢ ναυσὶ κρατήσομεν ἢ τὰς προσόδους ἀφαιρήσομεν ἀφ’ ὧν τὸ ναυτικὸν τρέφουσι, βλαψόμεθα τὰ πλείω. §1.81.5κἀν τούτῳ οὐδὲ καταλύεσθαι ἔτι καλόν, ἄλλως τε καὶ εἰ δόξομεν ἄρξαι μᾶλλον τῆς διαφορᾶς. §1.81.6μὴ γὰρ δὴ ἐκείνῃ γε τῇ ἐλπίδι ἐπαιρώμεθα ὡς ταχὺ παυσθήσεται ὁ πόλεμος, ἢν τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν τέμωμεν.
For unless we either master them with our ships or deprive them of the revenues from which they maintain their navy, we shall suffer the greater damage. And in this situation it would no longer even be honorable to make peace, especially if we are thought to have begun the quarrel rather than they. For let us not be buoyed up by that hope, at least, that the war will quickly end if we ravage their land.
δέδοικα δὲ μᾶλλον μὴ καὶ τοῖς παισὶν αὐτὸν ὑπολίπωμεν· οὕτως εἰκὸς Ἀθηναίους φρονήματι μήτε τῇ γῇ δουλεῦσαι μήτε ὥσπερ ἀπείρους καταπλαγῆναι τῷ πολέμῳ.
Indeed, I fear rather that we may leave it as a legacy even to our children; so likely is it that the Athenians, with their high spirit, will neither be enslaved to their land nor be terrified by the war like inexperienced men.