THUCYDIDES: In my book I invented the Melian Dialogue as a cautionary tale
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
The Melian Dialogue has a similar role to the Clausewitz quote about “politics by other means” - it exists to give a bit of frisson and even sexual pleasure to morons who have never read those quotes in context but who are still desperate to sound smart.
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
January 7, 2026 at 4:12 AM
THUCYDIDES: In my book I invented the Melian Dialogue as a cautionary tale
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ ⚔️
Artist: Cristian Melian C 🖤
Artist: Cristian Melian C 🖤
September 1, 2026 at 6:46 PM
‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ ⚔️
Artist: Cristian Melian C 🖤
Artist: Cristian Melian C 🖤
Realists: The Melian Dialogue demonstrates the logic of realism.
December 1, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Realists: The Melian Dialogue demonstrates the logic of realism.
"Legends of the Quendi", from J.R.R. Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Pen and ink, watercolor, 24 K gold. Private commission. Gandalf/Olorin, Cirdan, Celembribor, Gil Galad, Melian, Elrond, Galadriel, Arwen, the Elven rings, Elessar, and symbolic Belt of Melian.
March 13, 2024 at 1:04 AM
"Legends of the Quendi", from J.R.R. Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Pen and ink, watercolor, 24 K gold. Private commission. Gandalf/Olorin, Cirdan, Celembribor, Gil Galad, Melian, Elrond, Galadriel, Arwen, the Elven rings, Elessar, and symbolic Belt of Melian.
Thucydides did not write the Melian Dialogue for people to forget Athens lost the Peloponnesian War.
January 6, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Thucydides did not write the Melian Dialogue for people to forget Athens lost the Peloponnesian War.
melian the maia —— for @meladriel.bsky.social ✧
October 23, 2025 at 1:38 PM
melian the maia —— for @meladriel.bsky.social ✧
'Melian Refugee'?
Sounds like someone failed to turn the next page of the book they were reading because it is kind of a significant deal that there were no Melian refugees.
Sounds like someone failed to turn the next page of the book they were reading because it is kind of a significant deal that there were no Melian refugees.
November 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
'Melian Refugee'?
Sounds like someone failed to turn the next page of the book they were reading because it is kind of a significant deal that there were no Melian refugees.
Sounds like someone failed to turn the next page of the book they were reading because it is kind of a significant deal that there were no Melian refugees.
You don't see chuds posting about the Melian Dialogue much anymore
August 8, 2026 at 4:48 PM
You don't see chuds posting about the Melian Dialogue much anymore
The Globe just went full Melian Dialogue.
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 AM
The Globe just went full Melian Dialogue.
Reminding people again that the Melian Dialogue is part of a broader narrative where the ‘strong do what they will’ people get wrecked by their own hubris
Venezuela 1 was a stupid idea that they got away with.
August 15, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Reminding people again that the Melian Dialogue is part of a broader narrative where the ‘strong do what they will’ people get wrecked by their own hubris
Not a single one of these people could tell you about anything that happened in the Peloponnesian War outside of the Melian Dialogue
October 2, 2026 at 2:19 AM
Not a single one of these people could tell you about anything that happened in the Peloponnesian War outside of the Melian Dialogue
Melian put forth her power and fenced all that dominion round about with an unseen wall of shadow and bewilderment. 😶🌫️
The Girdle of Melian, that none thereafter could pass against her will. ✨🙅♀️
📸 peterhannaphotography (Insta)
The Girdle of Melian, that none thereafter could pass against her will. ✨🙅♀️
📸 peterhannaphotography (Insta)
March 19, 2026 at 1:52 AM
Melian put forth her power and fenced all that dominion round about with an unseen wall of shadow and bewilderment. 😶🌫️
The Girdle of Melian, that none thereafter could pass against her will. ✨🙅♀️
📸 peterhannaphotography (Insta)
The Girdle of Melian, that none thereafter could pass against her will. ✨🙅♀️
📸 peterhannaphotography (Insta)
I need to stop taking on new projects so I have enough time to write the "stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context" piece I think I promised @beijingpalmer.bsky.social when the earth was young.
But, you know, stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context.
But, you know, stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context.
February 11, 2026 at 3:40 PM
I need to stop taking on new projects so I have enough time to write the "stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context" piece I think I promised @beijingpalmer.bsky.social when the earth was young.
But, you know, stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context.
But, you know, stop misreading the Melian Dialogue by taking it out of context.
Queen Melian ⭐️
October 21, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Queen Melian ⭐️
4. The Mytilene Debate is far more interesting and important than the Melian Dialogue.
July 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
4. The Mytilene Debate is far more interesting and important than the Melian Dialogue.
and ofc the athenians went on to get their shit rocked, not bc they were woke nerds but bc they alienated their former allies by indiscriminate use of force to get what they wanted. at long last, we are doing the melian dialogue from thucydides's classic historical work Don't Do The Melian Dialogue.
February 16, 2026 at 6:45 PM
and ofc the athenians went on to get their shit rocked, not bc they were woke nerds but bc they alienated their former allies by indiscriminate use of force to get what they wanted. at long last, we are doing the melian dialogue from thucydides's classic historical work Don't Do The Melian Dialogue.
November 16, 2024 at 8:36 PM
— Melian before being stabbed
October 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
— Melian before being stabbed
Call me Melian the Maia because I’m about to show you the Thousand Caves of Menegroth
November 21, 2024 at 11:42 AM
Call me Melian the Maia because I’m about to show you the Thousand Caves of Menegroth
Legends of the Quendi. Private Lord of the Rings commission. Pen and ink with gold and watercolor. Melian, Celebrimbor, Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-Galad, Cirdan, Gandalf, Arwen #lotr #lordoftherings #penandink
April 14, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Legends of the Quendi. Private Lord of the Rings commission. Pen and ink with gold and watercolor. Melian, Celebrimbor, Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-Galad, Cirdan, Gandalf, Arwen #lotr #lordoftherings #penandink