79.
"Perhaps, upon fear, you mean to deal evenly between us both and allege your league with the Athenians.
You made no league against your friends, but against your enemies, in case any should invade you;
and by it you are also tied to aid the Athenians when others wrong them;
but not when, as now, they wrong their neighbour.
For even the Rhegians, who are also Chalcideans, refuse to help them in replanting the Leontines, though these also be Chalcideans.
[2]
And then it were a hard case if they, suspecting a bad action under a fair justification, are wise without a reason;
and you, upon pretence of reason, should aid your natural enemies and help them that most hate you to destroy your more natural kindred.
"But this is no justice;
[3]
to fight with them is justice, and not to stand in fear of their preparation.
Which, if we hold together, is not terrible, but is, if contrarily (which they endeavour) we be disunited.
For neither when they came against us, being none but ourselves, and had the upperhand in battle, could they yet effect their purpose;
but quickly went their ways.
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Thucydides. Thomas Hobbes. translator. London. Bohn. 1843.
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