Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.109

[1] Ath. The security of such as are at wars consisteth not in the good will of those that are called to their aid, but in the power of those means they excel in. And this the Lacedaemonians themselves use to consider more than any; and therefore, out of diffidence in their own forces, they take many of their confederates with them, though to an expedition but against their neighbours. Wherefore it is not likely, we being masters of the sea, that they will ever pass over into an island.

Athener: „Was aber denen, die im Kampfe den
Andern beistehen sollen, Vertrauen einflößt, ist nicht die wohlwollende
Gesinnung der Hülfesuchenden, sondern thatsächliche große
Ueberlegenheit an Macht; und darauf sehen die Lakedämonier noch mehr
als Andere. Im Mißtrauen auf ihre eigene Macht bedienen sie sich
sogar auch der Hülfe zahlreicher Bundesgenossen, wenn sie Andere
angreifen, und es ist also nicht wahrscheinlich, daß sie auf eure Insel
übersetzen werden, während wir die See beherrschen."

CIX. L es A théniens. « La raison déterminante pour ceux dont on réclame le concours à la guerre n’est pas la reconnaissance de l’obligé, mais bien la supériorité de ses forces réelles. C’est là une considération dont les Lacédémoniens tiennent compte, et plus encore que d’autres : défiants de leurs propres forces, ils n’attaquent leurs voisins qu’assistés de nombreux alliés; il n’est donc guère vraisemblable qu’ils passent dans une île quand nous avons l’empire de la mer.

Les Athéniens. Pour ceux dont on réclame le concours, e meilleur gage n’est pas la sympathie qu’on a, mais les forces lont on dispose. C’est là ce que les Lacédémoniens envisagent ivant tout. Se défiant de leurs propres ressources, ils n’atta-juent jamais qu’à grand renfort d’alliés. Il est donc peu pro-Dable qu’ils passent dans une île, quand nous avons l’empire le la mer.

[1] ATH. “But for men who are about to take part in a struggle, that which inspires their confidence is clearly not the good will of those who call them to their aid, but such marked superiority in actual power of achievement as they may possess; and to this superiority the Lacedaemonians give heed rather more than do the rest of mankind. At any rate, they so mistrust their own resources that they always associate themselves with many allies when they attack their neighbours; so that it is not likely they will ever cross over to an island while we are masters of the sea.”

[1] Ath.

[1] Ath. At quid tutum sit, illi, qui suppetias laturi eunt, non pro benevolentia eorum, a quibus evocati fuerint, judicant, sed pro potentia, qua quis ad res gerendas est instructior; id quod Lacedaemonii multo etiam magis quam ceteri spectare solent. Atque ideo apparatus domestici diffidentia et cura magnis sociorum copiis finitimos invadunt : ut non verisimile sit, eos in insulam certe, nobis maris imperium obtinentibus, trajecturos.

Aten. «Bene! ma quei che sieno per prender parte ai cimenti non contano certamente sulla benevolenza di chi T invita, ma ognuno guarda se è manifestamente superiore di forze per riuscire negl’ impegni ; e a questo più degli altri badano i Lacedemoni. Ed invero non per altro si uniscono con molti alleati ad assaltare i vicini se non perchè si fidano poco delle proprie milizie ; talché non è certamente da credere che padroni noi del i^iare, vogliano essi tragittare in un’ isola ».