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The Peloponnesian wars

Characters: Admes, Adonis, Pericles, Sailor, Barber and Ajax

Pericles: My declaration is that we, Athens shall become the sole ruler of the Mediterranean.

Admes: …And how do you plan to do this?

Pericles: I believe if we take out our major rival Sparta who the only other power is competing for control of the Mediterranean.

Adonis: I think that we should vote on it, it would only be fair. We can vote in two days once the word goes out.

Pericles: Yes, we shall vote in two days.

Two days later

Ajax: You shall vote will the drop of a stone into these pots.    A white stone for yes and black stone for no.

Crowd: (starts putting stones in pots)

Hours later after the count is done

Ajax: (to Pericles) we have finished the count sir.

Pericles: what are the results?

Ajax: it seems that the people support our going to war. But we have gotten a message to aid another city in the fight against one of the Spartans allies.

Pericles: Then we shall aid them but only for their help in our own battle against Sparta.

Ajax: I send word to the troops.

Months later

Sailor: (to barber) They were waiting for us, they knew we were coming. It was a massive slaughter. I’d say we lost 50,000 men either to death or capture.

Barber: oh my goodness that sounds horrible

Sailor: I know, and the worst part is we are basically defenseless now.

Barber:  do you think we should tell anyone?

Sailor: no I think people will then try to get rid of Pericles; I don’t think anyone will attack us.

Barber: Yeh it could cause riots.

Weeks later

Adonis: sir there are Persian ships blockading the harbor!

Pericles: Ahhh they took advantage of our loss in Sicily.

Adonis: what should we do we can’t get out of the city and we can get on our boats.

Pericles: there’s nothing we can do…

About a week later

Ajax :( to a crowd) I am sorry to announce that our leader, Pericles has died of the plague just like many of the other citizens in this once great city. We suggest that you stay far away from any people contracted with the disease and to keep away from the bodily wastes.

Crowd member: We should just surrender

Rest of crowd: yeah!

Ajax: yes, that seems to be the only logical option.

After telling the Spartans of their surrender

Spartan commander: We will leave on one condition.

Ajax: whatever it is we’ll do it.

Spartan commander: you must tear down your walls and burn you’re few remaining ships.

Ajax: sir that’s a very heavy price to pay...

Spartan commander: not as heavy as starving to death or dying of the plague.

Ajax: ok, ok well do it.

Narrator: the great Athens never was the ruler of the Mediterranean and it has never been as powerful as it was before the Peloponnesian wars.