"I have often on other occasions thought a democracy incapable
of dominion over others, but most of all now for this your
repentance concerning the Mytilenaeans. For through your own
mutual security and openness, you imagine the same also in your
confederates and consider not that when at their persuasion you
commit an error or relent upon compassion, you are softened thus
to the danger of the commonwealth not to the winning of the
affections of your confederates; nor do you consider that your
government is a tyranny and those that be subject to it are
against their wills so and are plotting continually against you,
and obey you not for any good turn, which to your own detriment
you shall do them, but only for that you exceed them in
strength, and for no good will. But the worst mischief of all is
this, that nothing we decree shall stand firm and that we will
not know that a city with the worse laws, if immoveable, is
better than one with good laws when they be not binding, and
that a plain wit accompanied wi