# Fate and Human Agency in History of the Peloponnesian War

> Theme guide for History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.

The interplay between chance events (like the plague or storms) and deliberate human action is a recurring theme, with characters often debating whether outcomes are determined by fortune, divine will, or their own choices.

## Where it surfaces

- [The State of Greece from the Earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/i): Thucydides emphasizes human actions—migrations, alliances, naval development—over divine intervention, and critiques uncritical acceptance of tradition.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xi): Natural disasters (plague, earthquakes, tidal waves) are presented as forces beyond human control that shape the course of the war.
- [The Melian Dialogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xvii): The Melians place their hope in fortune, the gods, and Spartan intervention, while the Athenians warn against relying on hope when resources are insufficient.
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxii): The Athenians' inability to act decisively after the failed attack underscores the tension between human planning and the unfolding of events beyond their control.
- [The Final Catastrophe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxiii): The Athenians interpret thunder and rain as omens of ruin, reflecting the interplay between human decision-making and perceived divine will in the face of disaster.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/themes/fate_and_human_agency
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/themes