To Arms or Not to Arms Against Corcyra essays

To Arms or Not to Arms Against Corcyra essays Attention! Attention! Is it time for taking up arms or not? The Corcyraeans and Corinthians are debating here in Athens to persuade us on our participation in the upcoming war. Do we join Corcyra; the city that started the colony of Epidamnus, or do we join the original colonizing city of Corinth? To fully understand the potential of war, Athens must understand both sides and therefore we, Athens, will be able to decide on the stance we must take. Do we go to war with the Corcyraeans (those that have remained neutral in the past) or do we remain neutral as asked by the Corinthians (those that have served with us in the past)? Should Athens help defend the Corcyraeans even when they admit that they have failed to be part of any alliances in the past? As a colony that has been set apart by their own actions comes running when they cant even work out their own problems wants, nay, needs Athens help. The Corcyraeans stated to the Athenian assembly that they themselves chose not to have alliances by stating when a people that have not rendered any important service or support to their neighbors in times past (1.32.1). These representatives from Corcyra believe that their past isolation has helped their growth. Now once their growth has expanded beyond their ability to be able to control the interests of the government they come crying to us to help with the situation. These representatives even state that they can not fix the problem by stating: seeing our utter inability to cope wit them without foreign aid, and the magnitude of the danger which subjection to them implies, find it necessary to ask h elp from you and from every other power (1.32.5). Because of Corycras isolation from past political alliances, they have been put into a situation where they can not defend themselves and they must come crawling to Athens for assistance; and quite possibly survival from Corinth. Th...