Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/201

17. i8] SPEECH OF ALCIBIADES I93 rated them, for there will be many barbarians who, through fear of the Syracusans, will join us in attacking them. And at home there is nothing which, viewed rightly, need interfere with the expedition. Our forefathers had the same enemies whom we are now told that we are leaving behind us, and the Persian besides; but their strength lay in the greatness of their navy, and by that and that alone they gained their empire. Never were the Pelopon- nesians more hopeless of success than at the present moment ; and let them be ever so confident, they will only invade us by land, which they can equally do whether we go to Sicily or not. But on the sea they cannot hurt us, for we shall leave behind us a navy equal to theirs. 'What reason can we give to ourselves for hesitation ? 18 what excuse can we make to our allies jyi,^ fj,^,i jjfsitate? for denying them aid ? We have sworn For an imperial power to them, and have no right to argue the true policy of defence , , • 1 1 T . is to attack. IVe cannot that they never assisted us . In seekmg /^^^ „,,^ ^, ^/,„// ^,.^. their alliance we did not intend that babiy become masters they should come and help us here, but o//A//rt6. Let young ., , 1111 • • (f>'d old act tosrethcr that they should harass our enemies in ^„^ „^, ^^^^ ^Z,, ,/„/, Sicily, and prevent them from coming to rust from ivant of hither. Like all other imperial pxpwers, energy. we have acquired our dominion by our readiness to assist any one, whether Barbarian or Hellene, who may have invoked our aid. If we are all to sit and do nothing, or to draw distinctions of race when our help is requested, we shall add little to our empire, and run a great risk of losing it altogether. For mankind do not await the attack of a superior power, they anticipate it. We cannot cut down an empire as we might a household ; but having once gained our present position, we must, while keeping a firm hold upon some, contrive occasion against others ; for if we are not rulers we shall be subjects. You cannot afford to regard inaction in the same light as others might, unless " Cp. vi. 88 init., 98 init., 103 med. Cp. iv. 61 med.