Diodorus Siculus

“ All these, without any cause, have they deprived of their dearest and nearest relations, who ought so much the more to hate the name of the Athenians, by how much they bore the greater love to their relations, kindred, and friends. How adsurd and unjust a thing is it, O ye Syracusans, for men voluntarily to sacrifice their lives for you, and you not to revenge their blood upon their inveterate enemies? nay, being so far from praising those who have lost their lives in defence of the common liberty, as to prefer the safety of the enemies, before the honour of those that have deserved so well. ”

“ They who even now besieged our city, and to that purpose hemmed us in with a wall, by a turn of fortune are now become our prisoners, as you all see: it is therefore our great prudence in the miseries of others, to shew compassion, if we expect to find the same ourselves in their condition. This present life is full of paradoxes and mutations; as seditions, robberies, wars, among which human nature can scarce avoid loss and prejudice: therefore, if we shut up all bowels of mercy towards the distressed and vanquished, we establish a bloody law for ever against ourselves. ”

“ For it is impossible that they who are cruel towards others, should find mercy afterwards themselves; and that they who act barbarously should be gently used; or that those who destroy so many men against the common custom of the Greeks, when a change of fortune comes, should obtain the common rights and privileges of all other men. For which of the Grecians ever put to death those that submitted and delivered up themselves upon hopes and belief of mercy from the conquerors? Or who ever preferred cruelty before mercy, or precipitation and rashness before prudence? ”