Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.89.1

Athenians on Justice and the Reality of Might and Weakness

Passage 589 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenians propose to discard deceptive justifications of justice and speak on realistic terms, asserting that justice is only a factor between equals, while the powerful do what they can and the weak must accept it.

§5.89.1ΑΘ. ἡμεῖς τοίνυν οὔτε αὐτοὶ μετ’ ὀνομάτων καλῶν, ὡς ἢ δικαίως τὸν Μῆδον καταλύσαντες ἄρχομεν ἢ ἀδικούμενοι νῦν ἐπεξερχόμεθα, λόγων μῆκος ἄπιστον παρέξομεν, οὔθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦμεν ἢ ὅτι Λακεδαιμονίων ἄποικοι ὄντες οὐ ξυνεστρατεύσατε ἢ ὡς ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἠδικήκατε λέγοντας οἴεσθαι πείσειν, τὰ δυνατὰ δ’ ἐξ ὧν ἑκάτεροι ἀληθῶς φρονοῦμεν διαπράσσεσθαι, ἐπισταμένους πρὸς εἰδότας ὅτι δίκαια μὲν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρωπείῳ λόγῳ ἀπὸ τῆς ἴσης ἀνάγκης κρίνεται, δυνατὰ δὲ οἱ προύχοντες πράσσουσι καὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ξυγχωροῦσιν.

ATHENIANS 'For our part, then, we will not make a long and untrustworthy speech with fine phrases—claiming either that we rule justly because we overthrew the Persians, or that we are now attacking you because we are being wronged; nor do we expect you to think that you will persuade us by saying either that you did not join our campaign because you are colonists of Lacedaemon, or that you have done us no wrong. Rather, let us accomplish what is possible on the basis of what we both truly think, knowing as well as we do that, in human relations, justice is only agreed upon when there is equal necessity, while the powerful do what they can and the weak acquiesce.'

Notes

5.89.1μετ’ ὀνομάτων καλῶν, ὡς — The ὡς clause (or the following participles) serves to explain the concrete content of the preceding phrase μετ’ ὀνομάτων καλῶν ('with fine phrases'), implying 'using the beautiful pretexts that...'.
5.89.1οὔθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦμεν... οἴεσθαι πείσειν — The structure is οὔτε... ἀξιῶ ὑμᾶς + infinitive (οἴεσθαι). Literally 'we do not expect you to think...', which functions as a strong negative demand: 'we ask you not to think that you will persuade us'. πείσειν is a future infinitive indicating the prospect of persuasion.
5.89.1τὰ δυνατὰ δ’... διαπράσσεσθαι — The conjunction δέ introduces a strong contrast to the preceding double negatives with οὔτε ('neither... nor... but rather...'). The infinitive διαπράσσεσθαι is governed by the main verb ἀξιοῦμεν ('we expect/demand') or functions as an infinitivus imperativus. It urges accomplishing what is actually possible based on what both parties truly think (ἀληθῶς φρονοῦμεν).
5.89.1ἐπισταμένους πρὸς εἰδότας — The objective participle ἐπισταμένους (accusative plural) agrees with the implied subject of the infinitive, ὑμᾶς (or both parties). The phrase πρὸς εἰδότας means 'to those who [already] know'. It emphasizes that both sides are fully aware of the reality, urging a realistic discussion without patronizing or redundant explanations.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.89.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.89.1

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