The Mytilene Debate and Athenian Debate

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The book written by Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, contains two controversial debates between distinguished speakers of Athens. The two corresponding sides produce convincing arguments which can be taken as if produced as an honest opinion or out of self-interest. The two debates must be analyzed separately in order to conclude which one and which side was speaking out of honest opinion or self-interest, as well as which speakers are similar to each other in their approach to the situation. In the Mytilene Debate the two speakers are Creon, presenting the side in favor of killing the people, and Diodotus, on the opposing side. The two speakers present their opinions on the best way to deal with the Mytilenean people as a consequence after their revolt, as well as actions that should overall be taken in the future if history were to repeat itself. The two sides differ in that Creon wants justice for the revolt by completely terminating the Mytilenean men, whereas Diodotus considers the fact that the revolt might have been an Aact of calculated aggression@ and is willing to spare the lives of the Mytileneans. Creon accuses Athens as being weak if they forgive them, he stresses that if the Mytileans are not killed other cities will not fear the possibility of revolting against Athens: Afor it is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well and look up to those who make no concessions. Let them therefore have the punishment which their crime deserves.@ (p. 215, 38) He also argues that the same punishment should be enlisted on all the cities that betray Athens so that a consistency is apparent so that no city will think that they may escape the wrath of Athens that follows such a cr... ... middle of paper ... ...t their best interest is in the well-fair of Athens. Both these debates have a background question at hand, whether or not the speakers were presenting their opinions out of honest opinion for the well-being of Athens or self-interest. Out of the four speakers two (Nicias and Diodotus) honestly cared for the future of Athens and did not act on the slightest bit for their self-interest. Cleon also cared about the well-being of Athens but merely gave out the immoral and haste answer to a problem that obviously needed more thought to it. Alcibiades stands alone on this one, being the only one to have acted out of self-interest who only spoke to protect his name and gain a few points of honor here and there. Within the same book Thucydides presents two debates that ask the same question of the speakers where the answer apparently depends on the debate and the text.

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