Melian
noun
a person from or inhabitant of Melos.
Melians
-
pluralof Melian.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After the Melians fail to talk themselves out of their weakness, the Athenian assembly talk themselves into the Sicilian Expedition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
Thucydides had the strutting Athenians sneer at the vanquished Melians that “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must”.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 4, 2017
But just as the Melians had predicted, the cruelty and arrogance of Athens aroused opposition against it.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 12, 2012
The Melians were basically trying to get the Athenians to recognize the logic of the golden rule: If you treat others fairly, you are more likely to be treated fairly yourself.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 12, 2012
But the case of Melos was different, for that island had never been included in the Athenian alliance, and the Melians had done nothing to provoke an attack.
From Stories from Thucydides by H. L. (Herbert Lord) Havell
