The Melian Dialogue and the Revolution at Corcyra by Thucydides - Assignment Example

The Athenians claimed that if they accept the Melians’ plea to be free from invasion and their claim to being neutral, that they would appear weak in the sights of their foes and their sovereignty would be questioned and nations would begin to doubt the depth of their strength as they would attribute their decision to free the Melians to them not being strong enough (Strassler). The Melians, however, argue that an invasion by the Athenians would do nothing but to alert the other neutral Greek states and would make them unfriendly to the Athenians and they could likely fear that they would also be overrun by the Athenians and this could make them take up arms against the Athenians, hence changing their neutrality.

The Athenians argue that the neutral Greek states on the mainland would not act in this manner and that it is the unstable Greek states on the Island and the regions that have already been defeated by the Athenians that would likely do as the Melians said. The Melians, however, argued that it would be foolish and ignoble for them to surrender without struggling. The Athenians, however, replied by stating that the argument is not about nobility, but about maintaining ones’ sovereignty. The Melians further argued that the fact that they are weaker does not mean that they would lose easily to the stronger Athenian forces as they still stood a chance of winning the fight.

The Athenians on their own part claimed that the pendulum of victory would swing to their side as they are the only ones that have the right to hope on winning the war (Strassler).