1. When was the Peloponnesian war? Who were the chief warring parties? What were the core issues at stake? Who was Thucydides?
The Peloponnesian war was started in 431 BC and ended in 404 BC, the Greeks empire and the Spartan allies were the chief warring parties in the war. The core issues at stake in the war were the security and land ownership especially in the expansion of boundaries by the warring parties. Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote about the historic war between the Athenians and the Peloponnesians.
2. Who was Alcibiades?
Alcibiades was a famous public official and a General in the Athenian military. He was also a member of the aristocratic family and a well-known orator.
3. What was the name of the Athenian “league” or alliance? Approximately how many cities and islands did the league control?
The Athenian alliance was known as the Delian League. It consisted of approximately one hundred and seventy city-states.
4. Approximately how large is the island of Melos in square kilometers? Approximately how large was its population at this time?
Melos Island covers an area of approximately one hundred and sixty square kilometers. Melos Island had an approximate population of eighteen thousand people.
5. Lacedaemon (or Laconia) is another name for
Lacedaemon is another name for Sparta.
6. Why do you think the Melian leadership wished to avoid a public debate with the Athenian envoys?
The Melian leadership avoided public debate since they were independent and had a set of rules to govern them, which was controlled by the magistrates. They directed the Athenians to the magistrates who were knowledgeable about the rules of power. In addition, they had the responsibility to protect and ensure the safety of their people through negotiations that follow the rules of the state.
7. Why do the Athenians understand that they are allowed only to address “the few” (i.e. the Melian leadership)?
The Athenians understood that they were allowed to address the few because they had similar rules and procedures to be followed in negotiations.
8. What does the show of Athenian force mean to the Melians?
The show of Athenian force is a clear picture to the Melians that the Athenians are prepared for war and ready to fight to conquer them should they not submit to the Athenian demands.
9. Who were the Medes? How long before this conversation on Melos, had the Greeks fought them? Why do the Athenians refer to this, or why is this relevant to the present question?
The Medes were the original inhabitants of Persia and had fought with the Greeks for a period of seven years in 460 BC. The Athenians referred to the war to show the Melians that they would triumph over them since they managed to defeat the Medes.
10. What does the clause right as the world goes only in question between equals in power. While the strong do, what they can and the weak suffer what they must mean?
The clause means that only states that are equal in terms of power can negotiate on the channels to use and decide on the possible ways to avoid them entering onto war with each other. In addition, it implies that the weaker states must automatically heed and follow the rules of the super powers without any resistance.
11. Restate and expand on the above clause.
According to the clause, Superior States should exercise power and control over the weaker.
12. What is the Melian argument here about when justice and right can be included in discussions about international relations?
The Melians arguments are that the rights of each state should be respected for peace to prevail in the world. That is each powerful states should not use their power to oppress the weaker states; justice should be followed while handling international issues in orders to promote peace across the world.
13. What are the Athenian envoys proposing to demonstrate to the Melian leadership?
The Athenian envoys proposed to demonstrate to the Melians leadership that they are ready for war in order to expand their territory and that the Melian leadership is obliged to conform to their demands in order to protect their people from war. In addition, the Athenians propose to the Melians that the takeover will benefit the two states.
14. Why can the Athenians not simply allow the Medians to remain neutral?
The Athenians cannot allow the Medians to remain neutral since they believe that their neutrality is in opposition of their power. In addition, the Athenians want to conquer as many States as possible in their effort to prevent themselves from the antagonistic powers.
15. What characterizes the Athenian colonies that they are able to have greatest degree of independence?
“As far as right goes they think that one has much of it as the other and that if any maintain independence it is because they are strong”. By this statement, the Athenians imply it is correct for the powerful States to exercise authority over the weaker States.
The Athenian colonies followed the Athenian rules. However, they were allowed to govern themselves in lower administration levels.
16. What does the Melian leadership fear from their subjects? What easy way out for the Melian leadership are the Athenians pointing out here?
The Melian leadership fears that their subjects will accuse them of cowardice and despair for not resisting the Athenians. According to the article, the Athenians proposed that the Melians should submit to them in order to prevent their people. They proposed submission to the Melian leaders as a way of preserving their dignity by avoiding defeat since they could not triumph over the Athenians considering they were a weaker state with inferior weapons.
17. What people can afford to have hope? What do the Athenians mean by “abundant resources”?
According to the article, the people who can afford to have hope are the strong people. By “abundant resources”, the Athenians imply that they have superior and powerful weapons to fight the Melians.
18. Why do the Melians mention the gods? Do the gods always favor those with justice on their side?
The Melians believe that the gods will grant them power to overcome the Athenians since the Athenians invasion on their land is unjustified. According to the article, the gods always work in favor of those with justice and gives them power to triumph over their enemies.
19. How do the Athenians answer the Melians “trust in the gods”?
The Athenians told theMelians that they did not fear the gods and that there invoke on thbe gods would not weaken their power.
20. Why or why not should the Melians count on assistance from their kinsmen the Lacedaemonians?
The Melians should count on the Lacedaemonians assistance because they were their colonizers and owed them allegiance of protection from unwarranted invasion by the enemies. In addition, the Lacedaemonians would assist them to protect to gain their support.
21. What criticism do the Athenians make of the Melanians’ argument?
The Athenians criticism to the Melanians argument was their weapons ware inferior and that their allies would not offer them substantial support.
22. How do the Athenians attempt to give the Melian leaders a way out of here?
The Athenians promise the Melians that submission will guarantee their security since submission will avoid war between them.
23. What is the Melian leadership’s decision?
The melians leadership decision was that they would not submit to the Athenians since this would deprive them their freedom.
24. In brief, what was the Melian’s fate? Did they do the right thing? In what sense did they make the wrong decision? In what sense might one argue that they made the right decision? What other option might they have had? Is there anything different they might have done during the decades prior to these terrible events and to avoid this outcome?
The Melians fate was that they would be made captives after surrendering to the Athenians and the Athenians would control their land. The Melians made a wrong decision in rebelling against the Athenians since they had inferior weapons to fight back. However, their decision was right considering that the Athenians were invading on their land in an unjustified manner. The other option that the Melians would have used was pacification using avenues such as mediation. The Melians had remained neutral and this made them avoid conflicts with other states.
