... But the leaders of Melos were braver than me. They chose to fight. The result? The men were slaughtered, the women and children were enslaved, and the island was colonized. Were they heroes or fools? If you think of them as heroes, you are a liberal internationalist, who believes that peace and security depend on just governments that abide by enlightened rules. If you think they were fools, you’re a realist.

i used to think boudica was a great example of prevailing sentiments at how we see realism and idealism. in the past she was as regarded as a example of the price you pay for liberal idealism, like melos; but now she's regarded as an inspiring story that typifies the idealism that drives our world today.