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What happened in the Mytilene debate described by Thucydides?

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Thucydides Thucydides manuscript, 3rd century bc (Hamburg, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek, P. Hamburg 163).

The "Mytilene debate" refers to a pivotal decision-making process in the Athenian Assembly in 427 BCE, following the surrender of Mytilene after its failed revolt against the Athenian Empire.12

Initially, the Athenian Assembly, influenced by the politician Cleon, voted to execute the entire male population of Mytilene and enslave the women and children as punishment for their rebellion. However, many Athenians soon experienced second thoughts, feeling that the original decree was excessively bloodthirsty.12

The following day, a second debate was held to reconsider the sentence. During this session, the Assembly ultimately voted to rescind the initial order, narrowly saving the Mytileneans from wholesale execution and enslavement. Thucydides records these events as a significant moment in the Peloponnesian War, highlighting the internal moral conflict within the Athenian democracy regarding the treatment of its subjects.12