The Athenian Judgment in Melos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Athenian Judgment in Melos - Essay Example Melos was, however, actually under the Spartan power and this was the fact that irritated the Athenians. Soon they arrived at this small island with their power to force the Melian leader to come under their rule. Looking at the huge Athenian force that had arrived at the place it was natural for the Melians to be afraid of the situation. The Melian leaders were afraid of a different issue. Athenians were the most skillful orators and they could perform very well to move the sentiment of common people. Now, Melos had stayed as a free state for more than seven hundred remaining neutrals from all the warfare that took place earlier. It was really a matter of extreme shame for them to let freedom go out of their hand despite any of their own faults. So as a consequence, the Melian heroes and commissioners decided to meet the envoys privately. The statement, which was given from the part of the Melians, was if they would surrender to the Athenians, the latter will never lay their hands o n the Melians’ properties and freedom. We get a beautiful account of this dialogue in the work of Thucydides’ history. Athenians had the mentality that was too hard to melt. They clearly said in reply to the proposal of the Melians that they were here for the wrong treatment, which Melians had done to them being a part of the Spartan Empire. Moreover, they added that giving a long speech about the Melian freedom was useless, as they had to suffer for their own deed. Melians on the other side were also expert at law and they clearly showed what law had to say.