meet together for united action, for the sea lies between them, and
the dominant power is master of the sea. And even if it were possible
for them to assemble in some single island unobserved, they would only
do so to perish by famine. And as to the states subject to Athens
which are not islanders, but situated on the continent, the larger are
held in check by need[3] and the small ones absolutely by fear, since
there is no state in existence which does not depend upon imports and
exports, and these she will forfeit if she does not lend a willing ear
to those who are masters by sea. In the next place, a power dominant
by sea can do certain things which a land power is debarred from
doing; as for instance, ravage the territory of a superior, since it
is always possible to coast along to some point, where either there is
no hostile force to deal with or merely a small body; and in case of
an advance in force on the part of the enemy they can take to their
ships and sail away. Such a performance is attended with less
difficulty than that experienced by the relieving force on land.[4]
Again, it is open to a power so dominating by sea to leave its own
territory and sail off on as long a voyage as you please. Whereas the
land power cannot place more than a few days' journey between itself
and its own territory, for marches are slow affairs; and it is not
possible for an army on the march to have food supplies to last for
any great length of time. Such an army must either march through
friendly territory or it must force a way by victory in battle. The
voyager meanwhile has it in his power to disembark at any point where
he finds himself in superior force, or, at the worst, to coast by
until he reaches either a friendly district or an enemy too weak to
resist. Again, those diseases to which the fruits of the earth are
liable as visitations from heaven fall severely on a land power, but
are scarcely felt by the navel power, for such sicknesses do not visit
the whole earth everywhere at once. So that the ruler of the sea can