It was normal—expected, in fact—for the healthy to aid the sick. Those who tried, however, could catch the disease themselves. Athenians had to decide: Should they nurse their friends and relatives and risk becoming ill, “dying like sheep”? Or should they turn coldly away and attempt to save themselves? The answer, for the frightened Athenians, was obvious. People began holing up in their homes, afraid to visit friends, relatives, or neighbors. The sick began to perish from neglect.
