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The Melian Dialogue is part of Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War. It documents

the exchange between the Athenians and the people of Melos, a small Greek island in the

Aegean Sea. It reveals the imperial focus of the Athenian Empire.

The Melian people did not favor Sparta or Athens but remained neutral. The Athenians

demand the submission of Melos. In the dialogue, Athens frankly notes that the powerful

conquer the weak (see paragraph 89). Even though the Melians claim they are not a threat,

the Athenians argue that if they do not conquer Melos, they will appear weak (see paragraph

95).

Ultimately, Melos refused to submit. Athens invaded the island. They killed every man on the

island. They enslaved all the women and children. They repopulated the island as an Athenian

colony.

The Melian Dialogue

[Excerpted from Thucydides, Benjamin Jowett, tr. A. P. Peabody, ed. (Boston: D.

Lothrop & Co., 1883), bk. 5]

86.Melians: The Melian representatives answered: "The quiet interchange of explanations is a reasonable thing, and

we do not object to that. But your warlike movements, which are present not only to our fears but to our eyes, seem

to belie your words. We see that, although you may reason with us, you mean to be our judges; and that at the end of

the discussion, if the Justice of our cause prevail and we therefore refuse to yield, we may expect war; if we are

convinced by you, slavery." [essentially, the Melians must accept war or slavery from the Athenians]

87. Athenians: Nay, but if you are only going to argue from fancies about the future, or if you meet us with any

other purpose than that of looking your circumstances in the face and saving your city, we have done; but if this is

your intention we will proceed.

88. Melians: It is an excusable and natural thing that men in our position should have much to say and should

indulge in many fancies. But we admit that this conference has met to consider the question of our preservation; and

therefore let the argument proceed in the manner which you propose.

89. Athenians: Well, then, we Athenians will use no flue [fancy] words; we will not go out of our way to prove at

length that we have a right to rule, because we overthrew the Persians; or that we attack you now because we are

suffering any injury at your hands. We should not convince you if we did; nor must you expect to convince us by

arguing that, although a colony of the [Spartans], you have taken no part in their expeditions, or that you have never

done us any wrong. But you and we should say what we really think, and aim only at what is possible, for we both

alike know that into the discussion of human affairs the question of justice only enters where the pressure of

necessity is equal, and that the powerful exact what they can, and the weak grant what they must [the powerful

conquer the weak]…

And we will now endeavour to show that we have come in the interests of our empire, and that in what we are about

to say we are only seeking the preservation of your city. For we want to make you ours with the least trouble to

ourselves, and it is for the interests of us both that you should not be destroyed.

92. Melians: It may be your interest to be our masters, but how can it be ours to be your slaves?

93. Athenians: To you the gain will be that by submission you will avert the worst; and we shall be all the richer for

your preservation.

94. Melians: But must we be your enemies? Will you not receive us as friends if we are neutral and remain at peace

with you?

95. Athenians: No, your enmity is not half so mischievous to us as your friendship; for the one is in the eyes of our

subjects an argument of our power, the other of our weakness.