When Plato was a child, the war into which he had been born turned its brazen face to the insignificant little island of Melos, which had been colonized by Spartan colonists who, by definition, owed their allegiance to Sparta. These colonists, who were governed by an oligarchy, had steadfastly tried to maintain their neutrality during the struggle to the death between the two great powers of Athens and Sparta. The story of tiny Melos, related by Thucydides in his Peloponnesian War, may be compressed in American English into a précis, which is my simple intent. It is my hope that any reader might take himself or herself to Thucydides’ book itself for the wisdom and pathos it exhibits. The story of Melos is a melancholy footnote in mankind’s tragic history.
In 416 b.c., an Athenian fleet augmented by allies from Chios and Lesbos attacked the people on the island of Melos. The Athenians maintained that it was not their intent to ravage the island; instead they wanted to court its allegiance to their cause; hence, before the Athenians devastated the island, they talked to the Melians.
The Athenians said that they knew why the Melian leaders would not let the Athenians talk to the whole populace; it was because the people would see that they were hopelessly outnumbered, and that they had no chance. So, the Athenians said, we are not here to deliver any sort of speech. We are here to ask you people some questions to which you had better give the correct answers.
The Melians said that they understood that they had two chances: slim and none; and that the outcome of the talk would be that they were to be slaves or to be dead.
The Athenians said that the Melians would do well to worry about the present and not borrow trouble worrying about the future. The Melians responded by saying that people facing death or slavery often have dreams of salvation.
The Athenians said that they knew that the Melians were Spartans, and that it was no good pretending that the Melians had not already been involved in the war, because of the simple fact that they were Spartans. And, they said, the Melians should not expect justice, because justice existed only between equals: The truth of the world is that the strong take what they want and the weak give up what they must.
The Melians replied that the Athenians might find themselves facing the same unhappy truth; if Sparta won the war, would she not pay back Athens for what she was about to do to Melos? The Athenians replied that it was known that Sparta did not ravage states whom she conquered; besides, they said, our purpose here is to save you, not destroy you. We need your city.
