History of the Peloponnesian War

In reply to the curt inquiry of yours, whether we have rendered any good service to the Lacedaemonians and their allies in this war, if you ask us as enemies, we say that you are not wronged if you did not receive benefit at our hands; but if in asking it you regard us as friends, we reply that you yourselves rather than we are at fault, in that you made war upon us.

But in the war against the Persians and during the peace which followed we have proved ourselves good and true men; we have not now been the first to break the peace, and then we were the only Boeotians[*](Rhetorical inaccuracy, for the Thespians did the same (Hdt. 7.132; Hdt. 7.202).) who rallied to defend the freedom of Hellas.

For though we are an inland people, we took part in the sea-fight at Artemisium; in the battle that was fought here in our own land[*](The battle of Plataea, 479 B.C. See Hdt. IX. lxii. ff.) we stood side by side with you and Pausanias; and whatever perils arose to threaten the Hellenes in those days, we bore our part in them all beyond our strength.

And to you in particular, Lacedaemonians, at that critical moment when after the earthquake Sparta was encompassed by a mighty terror owing to the revolt of the Helots and their occupation of Ithome, we sent a third part of our citizens to bring aid. These are things you ought not to forget.

"Such was the part we were proud to play in the great actions of the past. It was not until later that we became your enemies, and for this you yourselves were to blame; for when the Thebans oppressed us and we sought alliance with you, you rebuffed us and bade us apply to the Athenians, because they were near, whereas you lived far away.