The irony of Greediness
The Hellenes and the Barbarians are tempted to turn into piracy using the influence of their powerful men. The primary motive for this move is to serve their greediness. Ironically, they say that they can serve their acquisitiveness and at the same time help the needy. Greedy individuals can even steal from the needy to fulfill their ego. Therefore, it is beyond the expectation of the reader that cupid individuals can serve the needy. The reader can interpret that they are just using the needy to attain their selfish goals of enriching themselves. The narrator writes:
“For in early times the Hellenes and the barbarians of the coast and islands, as communication by sea became more common, were tempted to turn pirates, under the conduct of their most powerful men; the motives being to serve their cupidity and to support the needy."
The Irony of Homer
The narrator understand the description of the city and he thinks that the glorification of Homer about the same city is exaggerated. He notes that it is ironic for Homer and other poets to feel entitled or licensed to exaggerate to make their poetic work attractive to readers while giving contrary opinions. Homer does not give facts to justify his assertions making it more sarcastic to feel entitled. The narrator says:
“We have therefore no right to be skeptical, nor to content ourselves with an inspection of a town to the exclusion of a consideration of its power; but we may safely conclude that the armament in question surpassed all before it, as it fell short of modern efforts; if we can here also accept the testimony of Homer's poems, in which, without allowing for the exaggeration which a poet would feel himself licensed to employ, we can see that it was far from equalling ours”
The Irony of the Invaders
The invaders are the most feared by the Hellenes because of their power and capability to destroy. The Hellenes have no walls that prevent them from the intrusion of the invaders whenever they want to strike. It is ironic that at some point the same invaders deemed powerful get difficulties of subsistence. They are forced to reduce their army and put more reliance on piracy and agriculture. The narrator writes:
“Even after the victory they obtained on their arrival—and a victory there must have been, or the fortifications of the naval camp could never have been built—there is no indication of their whole force having been employed; on the contrary, they seem to have turned to cultivation of the Chersonese and piracy from want of supplies."
The Irony of the Corcyraeans
The Corcyraeans know the history and military prowess of the Corinthians from the time immemorial. They understand that according to history, they have never defeated the Corinthians in war and there is no single time they will. Now, it becomes ironic when Corcyraeans demand that Corinth must withdraw its troops from Epidamnus before it does. It is trying to compete with its powerful rival and it is evident that it is going to lose massively. It ignores Corinth's please for peaceful coexistence. The narrator writes:
“Turning a deaf ear to all these proposals, when their ships were manned and their allies had come in, the Corinthians sent a herald before them to declare war and, getting underway with seventy-five ships and two thousand heavy infantry, sailed for Epidamnus to give battle to the Corcyraeans.”
The Irony of Athenians
The Athenians opt to lead an independent life without engaging in other people’s affairs. When their neighbors are attacked, they distance themselves. They forget that one day it will be their turn to ask for help from neighbors. It is ironic that when they face threats and danger from the Peloponnesians, they ask their allies and neighbors for help. The narrator says:
"Athenians! when a people that have not rendered any important service or support to their neighbors in times past, for which they might claim to be repaid, appear before them as we now appear before you to solicit their assistance, they may fairly be required to satisfy certain preliminary conditions.”
