Thucydides
Thucydides monitored and recorded events of the Peloponnesian War.
Most likely born in Athens, he supported the Athenian cause and wanted to help; however, he caught the Plague "sometime between 430 and 427 BC and initially was prevented from joining the war effort. Upon his recovery, he was appointed general and given command of a small squadron of ships." It was quite exceptional for him to survive such a deadly disease. Thucydides fell out of favour with the Athenians, and was exiled in 424 BC, which allowed him plenty of time to write about the ongoing Peloponnesian War. Thucydides' high social status and family wealth granted him the leisure needed to work on writing the History of the Peloponnesian War.
Thucydides writes that the two sides held a meeting where they presented their arguments for and against the invasion. This was held between "the governing body and the few," not before the people, leading the Athenians to imply that the Melian elite was afraid that the people might support the Athenian position. Many political philosophers have interpreted the dialogue, as written in the History, as reflecting Thucydides' personal views concerning the attack on Melos, whether or not it accurately reports the specific speeches delivered at the meeting.
Read more about this topic: Melian Dialogue