History of the Peloponnesian War

We know not how such a course can be acquitted of one of the three gravest errors, stupidity or cowardice, or carelessness. For I cannot suppose that, escaping those errors, you have reached that most fatal spirit of proud disdain[*](καταφρόνησις is that proud and haughty spirit which precedes and invites a fall. It seems impossible to reproduce in English the assonance of the words καταφρόνησις ἀφροσύνη Thucydides was fond of paronomasia; cf. Thuc. 1.33.4.) which has ruined so many men that it has taken on a new name, that of despicable folly.

"With regard, however, to what is past and done, what need is there to find fault at length, except in so far as that is profitable for what is present? But with a view to what shall be hereafter, we should devote every effort to the task in hand—for to win virtue[*](Or, the rewards of virtue--honour, renown.) by toils is our heritage—and make no change of custom because you now have a slight superiority in wealth and power; for it is not right that attributes which have been won through poverty should be lost through prosperity. Nay, you should go into the war with confidence, and for many reasons: the god has spoken through his oracle and promised that he himself will help you; all the rest of Hellas will join you in the struggle, partly through fear and partly through self-interest;

and, finally, you will not be the ones to break the treaty, inasmuch as the god, in bidding you go to war, considers it to have been transgressed already, but you will be going to the defence of a treaty that has been violated. For it is not those who fight in self-defence that break a treaty, but those who attack others unprovoked.