Bret Devereaux

1/6 Have been thinking about Thucydides "Fear, Honor, and Interest" quote. Poked around the Greek a bit, but I'm not an expert by any means in Ancient Greek, and would like others to comment. But some thoughts.

2/6 Fear, as my colleague Bret Devereux reminded me, is not the knee-jerk flail, so much as a decent respect for the possibility of attack by others. A pre-emptive weather eye, if you will. Not a big surprise.

3/6 Honor is partly "esteem"--how one is seen in the eyes of others, but it is even more "reputation." That is, do you fulfill your obligations and take necessary revenge. Reputation is part of how you manage how many other states you have to fear! Better reputation--Less fear.

4/6 Interest is where it gets interesting. It's often viewed as "Power-seeking" or profits seeking. It is in our "interest" to expand; to be powerful, and therefore we do. But the word "ophelias" is most often used in Thucydides to imply "help" or "aid" esp. in war.

5/6 Is it possible that Thucydides here meant that one of the 3 main reasons one went to war was in aid of others? of allies? And thereby you helped your honor/reputation? Greek specialists dig in! Thuc. 1.75.3 and 1.76.2 (interest as used at 1.75.5 is a whole other word)

In Polybius ὠφέλεια can mean 'spoils' or 'loot' which would seem to run the other way (though Polybius is much later, of course).