Diodorus Siculus

“ 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? ”

“ You that are the orators and men of learning of this city, you, I say, have compassion on them, whose country is the nursery of all learning and honourable education. All you who are initiated into the holy mysteries, spare and save those by whom you were instructed. You who have reaped any advantage by ingenious education, now be grateful for that advantage. You who hereafter hope for improvement thence, debar not yourselves by your cruelty now. ”

“ All mankind indeed agree in this, to destroy an enemy in fight by all ways imaginable; but yet to spare those who submit and yield up themselves. For in the one case obstinacy is corrected, and in the other mercy is exercised. For our rage is naturally cooled, when we see him that was an enemy, upon change of his fortune, now lie at our foot, submitting himself to the will and pleasure of the conqueror: especially men of mild and good tempers are touched with a sense of compassion, through affection to the same common nature with themselves. ”

“ I can never be persuaded that the Athenians, who bear such an inveterate hatred, will ever continue long to be your friends. Whilst they cannot hurt you, so long they will make a shew of kindness; but they think they have power enough, then they will execute what before they long designed. To conclude, I earnestly beseech thee, O Jupiter! and all the gods, that the enemies be not spared, that the confederacy be not deserted, and that another danger of ruin be not brought upon the country. ”

“ It will ill become us to give occasion to those that envy us, to say that we used our success and prosperity unworthily. How desirable a thing is it, when we are in affliction, to have some to sympathise with us, and when we are in prospery to have others to rejoice with us? Victory is many times gained by fortune and chance, but humanity and mercy in a time of success, are clear instances of the virtue of the conqueror. ”

“ As long as these men who have yeilded up themselves to our mercy, suffer nothing sad and doleful from us, all the nations will blame the Athenians: but when they hear that you have destroyed the prisoners, against the law of nations, all the shame and disgrace will fall upon yourselves. And if there be any regard to desert, we may consider that the glory of the city of Athens is such, that all acknowledge themselves bound to be grateful for the benefits and advantages reaped from thence. ”

“ Many times a small occasion, and a little turn of fortune, has given a check to the insolencies of the proudest of men. And if you purpose at any time to put an end to the war, (which is probable) , how can you have a better opportunity than this, in which, by your mercy and clemency towards the conquered, you lay the foundations of peace and amity? Do you think the Athenians, by this loss in Sicily, have no more forces left, who are lords almost of all the islands of Greece, and of the sea coasts of Europe and Asia? ”

“ Wherefore envy not your country this honour, whereby they will be famous all the world over, when it shall be said that it did not only overcome the Athenians by arms, but by mercy and humanity. And hence it will appear that they who engross to themselves all the praise and commendation due to mercy and generosity, are far outgone by your lenity and compassion. And that they who first dedicated an altar to mercy, may find the very same in the city of Syracuse. And it will be a convincing argument to all mankind, that they were most justly cut off, and we most deservedly crowned with success ”

“ Certainly, they who are so cruel towards their own confederates, would have invented something more vile and horrid to have executed upon strangers. By all the rules of law and justice, therefore, there is no mercy remains for these men, who have debarred themselves of all pity and compassion in their present calamities. For whether can they fly? To the gods; whose worship according to the laws of the country they endeavoured to root up? To men, whom with all their might they were studying aad contriving to make slaves? ”

“ It is the special property of covetousness not to be content with its present condition, but violently to lust after things remote, and what is not our own; which is most notoriously done by these men: for though they were the most happy and prosperous of all the Grecians, yet not being able to bear the weight of their own greatness, they thirsted after Sicily, (though separated from them by so large a sea) , to divide it by lot amongst themselves. A most horrid and wicked thing it is to make war upon them, who never gave any occasion or provocation: and this these men have done. ”

“ For where shall strangers be instructed in the liberal arts, if Athens be destroyed? Some short resentment indeed they do deserve for their present offence, but their many good acts may justly challenge returns of kindness and good will. Besides this merit of the city, if any do but consider the private circumstances of the prisoners, there will be just cause and ground found to shew them mercy. For the confederates, being under the command of their superiors, are forced to be engaged in the same war with them. ”

“ Certainly it is a great piece of pride and presumption to forejudge the events of a war, and to order and determine the punishment of an enemy before the conquest: and this they did not omit; for before they came into Sicily, it was enacted in their common assemblies__That the Syracusans and Selinuntines should be made slaves, and all the rest be brought under tribute. And now, when so many complicated vices center in these men, as insatiable covetousness, fraud, and treachery, insufferable pride and insolency, what man in his wits can shew them mercy? ”

“ Yet by Jupiter, I confess, it is a very wicked thing to perpetuate enmities and differences: but is not the due punishment of those that violate the peace, the most natural way to put an end to hostilities? It is certainly most unjust, when it is apparent, if they had been conquerors, they would have made the conquered all slaves, to spare them now they are conquered, as if they had done nothing amiss: for thus getting their necks out of the halter, they will speak you fair for a time, and perhaps remember the kindness so long as it is for their advantage, but no longer. ”

“ No man is so subtle as to he able to baffle fate; who, as it were, sporting herself with men's miseries, oftentimes, on a sudden, draws a blaek cloud over their posperity. And here, perhaps, some may say__The Athenians have most unjustly committed many slaughters among us, and now we have power to take full revenge. Have not the Athenians suffered already above the degree and measure of their offence? Have ye not sufficiently punished the prisoners? Consider, when they delivered up themselves with their arms into your hands, they did it relying on the mercy of the conquerors. ”

“ For they who are driven to obedience through fear, are ready to execute their hatred when they see their opportunity to rebel. But they love those that rule them with gentleness and moderation, and do all they can to advance and strengthen their interest. What overthrew the empire of the Medes, but their cruelty to their subjects? ”

“ Demosthenes was of opinion without delay to return to Athens, saying it was far more commendable to ventsure their lives for their country against the Lacedæmonians, than to lie still in Sicily doing nothing. But Nicias said it was base and dishonourable to leave the siege when they were so plentifully supplied both with shipping, men, and money. And moreover, that they should be involved in great danger by those whose common practice it was to asperse the generals, if they should make peace with the Syracusans, and return to their country without the order and command of the people. ”

“ Event the Athenians in the Peloponnesian war, when they took many of the Lacedæmonians in the Sphacteriæ islands, yet restored them to the Spartans upon ransom. The Lacedæmonians, likewise, when many of the Athenians and their confederates fell into their hands, used the like clemency; and it was honourably done of them both: for Grecians should lay aside their enmity after conquest, and forbear punishment after the enemy is subdued. He that revenges himself upon the conquered, after he hath submitted to mercy, punishes not an enemy, but rather wickedly insults over the weakness of mankind. ”

“ God is certainly good in this, in bringing those into misery and distress, who, not contented with their own abundance, fall, by an unjust war, upon others. Who would ever have thought that the Athenians, who had brought over ten thousand talents from Delos, and invaded Sicily with a fleet of two hundred sail, and with an army of forty thousand men, should have been brought so low, into such calamities as now they are? ”

“ So that these two sorts of people, when they fell into the cruel hands of the Athenians, were so totally destroyed, that there was none left to bury the dead. They who acted these things, are not Scythians, but a people who boast of humanity and mercy above all others. ”

“ But Gylippus, the Laconian, burning with implacable hatred against the Athenians, ascends the tribual, and speaks thus__I am in great admiration, O ye Syracusans, to see you led aside by enticing words, even while you are under the smart of the miserable butcheries you really groan under. If in the very height of danger you are so cool in your revenge towards them who came hither on purpose to ruin your country, why do we contend if we are not at all injured? I entreat you by the gods, O ye Syracusans, to give me leave, while I freely declare unto you my opinion ”

“ To speak plainly, it would be the most unjust thing in the world, to give thanks to the people for all the good and advantage we at any time reap, and execute revenge upon the orators for all the injuries we suffer. ”

“ But to continue hatred and discord for ever, and entail them to posterity, is neither just nor safe. For sometimes it falls out that they who now seem to be more potent than the other, in a moment are brought lower than those they formerly overcame: which is clearly evinced to us by the event of the present war. ”

“ But nothing being determined, they lay idle without any action.
In the mean time, great aids and supplies came to them of Syracuse from the Siculi, Selinuntines, Gelians, Himerians, and Camarinians, which encouraged them as much as it discouraged the Athenians. And besides, the plague so raged and increased, that a great part of the army perished, which caused them all to repent that they had not returned before. The Athenian army therefore being in a tumult, and crowding to their ships, Nicias himself was forced to a compliance. ”

“ The courtesy and winning behaviour of the man, gained upon every person, especially his tenderness towards them that were in distress, Therefore, guided by this example, (at a time when this our city nil over all Sicily) , let us not slight that which was so commendable in our ancestors, nor behave ourselves like beasts, fierce and inexorable towards men in misery. ”

“ Hereupon the chiefest of the officers, and best and most expert soldiers embarked, and manned an hundred and fifteen gallies. The rest of the army they placed in order upon the shore. On the other hand the Syracusans (being furnished with land soldiers for the defence of their walls) fitted out seventy-four gallies, attended by many of the young boys of the city, (not yet of full age) , in other ships as auxiliaries to be ready to aid and assist their parents. The walls of the harbour and every high place within the city were filled with multitudes of spectators. ”

“ In the mean time, the masters of the ships were amazed to see the confusion and disorder of the fight, seeing nothing but tumult and horror about them, one ship often set upon by many, and what was commanded not regarded, and the advice to one disagreeable to the circumstances of another ”

“ Certainly he is no good man, that so far forgets the death of his nearest relations, as to judge it fit and just to spare them who were their most bitter and implacable enemies. How many are here present now in this great assembly, who are lamenting for the death of their children? ”

“ Certainly they that are implacable and obstinate in their hatred, will fight it out to the last; but these, instead of enemies, gave up themselves to you as suppliants. For they that render their bodies to the enemy in time of the battle, undoubtedly do it in hopes of preservation ”