Athenian Thesis and Socratian Answer.

Machiavelli, when writing to the Prince of Florence, once said that the purpose of politics is 'acquisition and maintenance'. A perfect example of this comes in the Speech of the Corinthians (1.69). When speaking of the growing Athenian aggression, the Corinthians accuse the Spartans of allowing the Athenians to gain the power that they've come to gain. " For all this you are responsible. You it was who first allowed them to fortify their city... you, Spartans, …

…constant pursuant of self gratification, their stability as a nation would probably be much stronger, but Socrates would say their stability of longevity wouldn't be important in this world, but would they continue on to the afterlife? The Athenians were capable of being a just nation, but with men as rulers, and the power of temptation just too strong to resist, things happened as they will, and Athenians took the easier of the two options.