Melian Dialogue: Athenians vs. Melians

In ancient time, after the Athenians attacked the neutral state Melos , the Melians tried to negotiate a peace that they claimed to the Athenians "we will be your friend and no ones enemy". The Athenians didn't want to lose face and be considered weak as leading state, so they kept with their old deal to the Melians: "Surrender and pay tribute to Athens or be destroyed". The Melians argued that the Gods were on their side and that their Spartan kin would help protect their State. The Athenians countered by saying Gods and Humans alike respect strength over moral arguments. Overall the Athenians said "the strong will do what they do and the weak shall suffer what they must"and also saying "there is no shame in surrendering to a stronger enemy". The Melians rejected and were subjected to a siege and were eventually taken over. All adult men were killed and women and children were sold into slavery. This is a example of Realism in International Relations because the order of Nations had to build upon the relative strength. The weak has to obey the strong.