Notes on chapter 1 of On the Origins of War

• Epidamnus is were trouble began, Origins, 37 - Corinthians involved with both Epidamnus and Corcyra.
• So you have Epidamnus, in which there is an internal strife. Corcyra (who had founded Epidamnus), was sought for help by aristo's who had lost the fight in Epidamnus. Corinth had founded Corcyra, but they didn't like that, and had been fighting that idea with many little wars. Corcyra refused to help Epidamnus, however, so Epidamnus went to Corinth, who seized upon the opportunity, saying, "Say, we can help them, thus spiting the Corcyra who started that island, hehe. It will give us the upper hand." Then Corcyra gets involved with Epidamnus (out of honour). They rule the sea. They send ships to Epidamnus and siege it. Thucydides says that reason Corinth agreed to help Epid. was because they didn't like the Corcyra's saying that they had founded it. So now you have Corinth pitted against Corcyra over the Epidamnus issue.
• Corinth (who was rich in allies) attacked full force Corcyra, and Corcyra got worried. (At his point, it's a local faction, not involving big powers, but as soon as Corcyra got Athenian help, and Corinth, Spartan & Peloponnesian league help, you have a "World War". ) o Well, the Corcyra & Corinthians tried negotiation, but nothing really came of it. Then Corinth sent 75 ships to Epidamnus, but the fleet was met by 80 ships of Corcyra, and Corcyra annihilated the Corinthian fleet. Humiliated Corinth. o Corinth prepares big time. ? Corcyra worried, now openly goes to Athens, and begs Alliance with them. Oh Boy, the big guns... Biggest argument of the Corcyra: "Three powers at sea right now. You, us, and Corinth with Peloponnesian. Take us, and thus add us to your fleet, or refuse us, and have us added to your enemies’ fleet. We tip the balance either way. Choose us. You WILL be fighting the Peloponnesians anyway." o Athens wanted to stay neutral, but not accepting this would mean that they would no longer be superpower on the seas, thus endangering their very lives. So, after much deliberation, Athens decides to (for the first time ever) take a defensive approach in a matter. They would help Corcyra only defensively. This was Pericles idea.
• Potidaea comes in: Athens asked them to tear down walls. (They were Corinthian colony; this was a type of retribution for Corinthians capture of an island). Again, they were hesitant to actually attack, but Athens was still walking on egg shells trying not to involve the Peloponnesian league. They were happy to keep their fight only with Corinth. HERE IS SPARTAN INVOLVMENT: the Potidaeans send a secret delegation to Sparta, and Sparta says it will invade ATTICA if Athens attacks the island of Potidaea. (related to Magarian Decree.) Again, Athens is trying neutrality, attacking where they think it will keep from major outbreak of war. the above promise to invade Attica was a secret to the Potidaeans, which encouraged them to rebel against Athens. Corinth, eager to get at Athens, sent "volunteers" to Potidaea (for it would have breached 30 years alliance to go outright against Athens.)
• Corinth was the ones breaching the “letter of the law” concerning the 30 years peace, and when deliberation was brought amongst the Delian League allies, Corinth played down recent conflicts, and pointed at the growing power of Athens, saying it was dangerous to the Peloponnesians.
• Spartans were hesitant of openly going against Athens, (Athens had jus argued that their power was legit), but the Corinthians said that they need to help Potidaea as a matter of helping an ally. Corinthians pushed strongly for IMMEDIATE war, while Sparta wanted to talk to Athens. The three insignificant incidents (Magera, Corcyra, and Potidaea) had created (with Corinthian rhetoric) a "strong, imperialistic, to-be-destroyed, power, and as taking more, and more, and more land and power."
• Fear, honour, and interest - are Spartan reason for attacking.
• Spartans demand reversal of Megarian Decree.
• In the day, everyone viewed the cause of ware as the Magarian Decree, (and held Pericles responsible, for he was the one behind the decree), but Thucydides shows that it was the rise of Athenian power that was making Spartans and company nervous.