Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/341

57, 5S] SPEECH OF THE PLATAEANS 225 whole people from the Hellenic world ? For to this wc have come at last. When the Persians conquered our land, we were all but ruined; and now, when we plead before you, who were once our dearest friends, the The- bans have prevailed against us. We have had to meet two terrible trials, the danger first of starvation, if we had not given up the city; and secondly, of condemnation to death. The Plataeans, who were zealous in the cause of Hellas even beyond their strength, are now friendless, spurned and rejected by all. None of our old allies will help us, and we fear that you, O Lacedaemonians, our only hope, are not to be depended upon. ' Yet once more for the sake of those Gods in whose 5^ name we made a league of old, and for , ^ r TT 11 Do not bring infamy our services to the cause of Hellas, uponyoursdvcsbysiay- relent and change your minds, if the i^^g suppliants. Your Thebans have at all influenced you : "'""^^'^^^ '"^ *«"'^^ '" a in return for the wicked request which honoured them by year- they make of you, ask of them the right- b s'fis- ^vm you give eous boon that you should not slay us '{""' "^ * """'- ,. , T-. , . dercrs and enslave the to your own dishonour Do not bring ,„,,„i,y ,-,, j,,/„-,/, //,, upon yourselves an evil name merely freedom of Hellas was to gratify others. For, although you ^°"-^ may quickly take our lives, you will not so easily obliterate the infamy of the deed. We are not enemies whom you might justly punish, but friends who were compelled to go to war with you ; and therefore piety demands that you should spare our lives. Before you pass judgment, con- sider that we surrendered ourselves, and stretched out our hands to you ; the custom of Hellas does not allow the suppliant to be put to death. Remember too that we have ever been your benefactors: Cast your eyes upon the sepulchres of your fathers slain by the Persians and buried in our land, whom we ha^-e honoured by a yearly public a Or, 'ask of them the boon that you should not kill those whom you ought not, and receive an honest gratitude from us, instead of a dis- graceful gratitude from them.' VOL. I, Q