History of the Peloponnesian War

Archidamus delays his invasion, hoping the Athenians will seek peace to avoid seeing their land devastated, but his delays frustrate his troops, who suspect him of being “weak and sympathetic to Athens” (136). When he makes camp seven miles from the city, the Athenians forget Pericles’ advice and want to meet the Spartans in a battle. To avoid a vote on taking this action, Pericles refuses to call an assembly, fearing the people will make bad decisions while in such a charged emotional state. The Peloponnesians lay waste to the surrounding areas then leave. The Athenian fleet conducts a series of attacks in Peloponnesian territory. Skirmishes break out between Sparta and Athens’ allies.

Athens secures alliances with the kings of Thrace (Sitalces) and Macedonia (Perdiccas). Its navy captures Peloponnesian territory before returning to Athens. Commanded by Pericles, the Athenians invade and devastate Megara. Thucydides says Athens is at the height of her power.

Thucydides reproduces Pericles’ speech to honor the war dead. Pericles begins by saying men’s actions on the battlefield speak for themselves and should not be tied to “the goodness or badness of one man’s speech” (144). He praises Athens’ uniquely meritocratic government,which insists all are equal before the law, respects the rules of law, enjoys “contests and sacrifices,” and delights in “beauty and good taste” (146). He contrasts Athenians’ natural “courage and loyalty” against Spartans’ “laborious training” (146). Athens, Pericles says, “deserves to be admired” and provides “an education to Greece” (146-47). The men who died in battle, though they inevitably had faults, have compensated for those faults through their “service to the commonwealth” (148). Pericles asks his audience to fix their eyes “on the greatness of Athens” and to “fall in love with her” (149). He reminds them that the city’s greatness grew from the actions of men who had “a spirit of adventure,” “knew their duty,” and “were ashamed to fall below a certain standard” (149). Famous men, he adds, have not only physical memorials, but their excellent deeds remain in people’s hearts. Finally, he addresses grieving families, encouraging them to have more children and acknowledging the difficulty of being a surviving brother, since the dead are remembered only for their heroism.

Plague breaks out in Athens. Thucydides describes the symptoms vividly, saying he too suffered from it but survived. No consistent treatment exists, and it affects equally the weak and the strong, those who pray to the gods and those who do not. People become indifferent to law and morality. It is “terrible,” Thucydides says, to see those who contract the plague lose hope, to see those who nurse others die because they made it “a point of honor to act properly,” and to see people die alone because no one wanted to nurse them (154). Lack of sufficient housing to accommodate refugees aggravates conditions. People argue about prophecies and their interpretation, with people adapting their “memories” of an oracle “to suit their sufferings” (156). Thucydides notes that the plague is concentrated in Athens and other “densely populated” towns (156). Meanwhile, the Peloponnesians continue to destroy local lands.

Pericles, still opposed to meeting the Spartans in battle, raids the Peloponnese. Meanwhile, in Attica, the Peloponnesians conclude a forty-day invasion, possibly fearing being infected by the plague. The Athenians lose many troops in a failed attempt to capture Potidaea and begin to blame Pericles for involving them in the war. He calls an assembly, encouraging the Athenians to strengthen their resolve and put “the common safety” above their private concerns (159). He reminds them of their navy’s excellence and cautions them that they cannot “enjoy the privileges” of Athens’ “imperial dignity” unless they are also willing to “shoulder the burdens of empire” (161). Thucydides asserts that the city was strongest under Pericles. He accurately assesses what his city needs to do to win the war: be patient, fortify its navy, avoid building the empire during the war, and prioritize the city’s safety. Thucydides concludes that Athens lost the war because of its own “internal strife” (164).

The Peloponnesians destroy much of the Zacynthian countryside then return home. The Spartans send envoys to Persia, but Athenians intercept them and put them to death without trial. In Potidaea, unable to repel the siege, the Potidaeans come to terms with Athens. Athens permits the Potidaeans to leave the city with some possessions and money then sends colonists to resettle the area.

The Peloponnesians invade Plataea. Archidamus attempts to come to terms with them, but they remain loyal to Athens. The Peloponnesians attempt to drive out the Plataeans by burning down the city, but a thunderstorm and heavy rains “put out the fire” (173). The Spartans then decide to siege the city.

Athenians battle Boeotians and Chalcidians in Thrace. The Acarnanians defeat a Peloponnesian fleet. Athenian leader Phormio battles a Peloponnesian fleet on the open sea. A favorable wind helps him disrupt his combatant’s formation, and Athenians capture twelve of the Peloponnesians’ ships. Peloponnesian commanders blame their defeat on cowardice. Prior to the next battle, Phormio and Spartan general Brasidas rouse their troops with speeches. In the battle, Sparta’s strategy initially succeeds, but their mistakes and disorder allow a productive Athenian counterattack. Sparta considers raiding Piraeus, which the Athenians have left unguarded, but fear “the danger involved” and the unfavorable wind conditions (185). Thucydides says the wind would not have stopped the Spartans “if they had managed to overcome their apprehensions” (186).

Sitalces, leader of Thrace, marches against Perdiccas of Macedonia. After being unable to achieve his goals for the invasion, Sitalces retreats. In Naupactus, Phormio leads an expedition into Acarnania to secure its loyalty but elects not to march on Oeniadae due to unfavorable weather conditions. Phormio returns to Athens with prisoners and ships he has captured.