Diodotus (son of Eucrates)

Diodotus, son of Eucrates^[1] was an opponent to the proposal of Cleon - leader of the aggressive faction in Athens - in 427 BC to kill all adult Mytilenean males and to enslave their women and children after the defeat of Mytilene ^[2] (see also Mytilenean revolt). He represented the moderate faction in Athens (in favour of Pericles' policy)^[3].

Diodotus' proposal won in the assembly^[4], so that in the end only Cleon's next proposal was executed: to punish by death those Mytileneans who were sent by Paches to Athens^[5] (which were a little over a thousand; this was probably about 10% of the adult male population of the rebelling cities on Lesbos^[6]). The execution took place without proper trial^[7].

Diodotus' one speech in Thucydides is all we know of him.

References

1. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 41. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
2. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 36. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
3. ^ Donald Kagan, The Peloponnesian War: Athens and Sparta in Savage Conflict 431-404 BC, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003 (First published in the USA by Penguin Putnam 2003), page 109.
4. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 49. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
5. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 50. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
6. ^ Donald Kagan, The Peloponnesian War: Athens and Sparta in Savage Conflict 431-404 BC, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003 (First published in the USA by Penguin Putnam 2003), page 111.
7. ^ Donald Kagan, The Peloponnesian War: Athens and Sparta in Savage Conflict 431-404 BC, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003 (First published in the USA by Penguin Putnam 2003), page 111.