4 THE . ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE E GYFTIANS, CARTHAaiNIANS. ^ ASSYRIANS, BABYLONIANS, MEDES AND PERSIANS, MACEDONIANS, AND GRECIANS. BY MR. RGLLIN, LATE PRINCIPAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS, &iC. IN TEN VOLUMES. THE NINTH EDITION, Illujlrated with Copperplates, VOL, nr. LONDON. Printed for C. Bathurst, C. Nourse, T. Carnan, F. Ne\t# BERY, R. Cater, R. Brotherton, W. Johnstone, P. Valliant, N. Conant, T. Davies,L. Da' VIES, A. Millar, R. Tonson, G. KeitHj ^W. Owen, and L. Hawis. CONTENTS TO VOL. III. BOOK V. The Hiftory of the origin and firft fettlement of the feveral Itates of Greece. ARTICLE L A geographical defcription of Ancient Greece, - 2 II. DivifioB of the Grecian hiftory into four feveral ag;es, 6 III. The primitive origin of the Grecians, . . 7 IV. The different Hates into which Greece was divided, 10 V. Colonies of the Greeks fent into Afia Minor, - 16 VI. The republican form of government almolt general- ly eftablifhed throughout Greece, - - VII. The Spartan government. Laws eftablifhed by Ly- curgus, 21 1. InRitution. The fenate, „ - « „ 03 2. Inilitution. The divifion of the lands, and the pro- hibition of gold and filver money, - - 24 3. Inftitution. Of public meals, - - - 26 4. Other ordinances, - - - - - 28 Reflexions upon the government of Sparta, and upon the laws of Lycurgus, - - . ^ , ^6 1. Things commendable in the laws of Lycurgus, - ib. 2. Things blameable in the laws of Lycurgus, - 43 VIII. The government of Athens. The laws of Solon. The hiftory of that republic, from the time of So- lon to the reign of Darius the Firft, - - 47 IX. Illui>rious men who diftinguiftied themfelves in arts and fcier.ceS; - • - , - . A 2 BOOK CONTENTS. BOOK VI. Page. Chap. I. Tfce hiHory of Darius, intermixed with that of the Greeks, - - . - 94 Sect I. J)arius's marriage. The impofition of tributes. The infolence and punifliment of Intaphernes. The death of Oretes, The hiftory of Demo- cedes a phyfician. The Jews permitted to carry- on the building of their temple. The genero- iky of Sylofon rewarded, - - 94 II. Revolt and deftrudion of Babylon, - - 107 III. Darius prepares for the expedition againft the Scythians. A digreffion upon the manners and cuftoms of that nation, - - iii IV. Darius's expedition againft the Scythians, - 120 V. Darius's conquell of India, - - 131 VI. The revolt of the lonians, - - 132 VII. The expedition of Darius's armies againft Greece, - - - - 143 Vlli. Darius refolves to make war in perfon againft Egypt and againft Greece. Is prevented by death. Difpute between two of his fons con- cerning the fucceftion of the crown. Xerxes is chofen king, - « - 164 C:iAP. IL The hiftory of Xerxes, intermixed with that of the Greeks, - 170 S1.CT, 1. Xerxes, after having reduced Egypt, makes pre- parations for carrying the war into Greece. He holds a council. The wife difcourfe of Artaba- rius» War is refolved upon, - - ibid. IL Xerxes begins his march, and paffes from Afia into Europe, by crofting the Straits of the Hel- lefpout upon a bridge of boats, - - 179 III. The number of Xerxes's forces. Demaratus de- livers his fentiments freely upon that prince's enterprife. - - - - 187 IV. The Lacedemonians and Athenians fend to their allits in vain, to require fuccours frona them. The command of the fleet given to the Lacede- monians, «. 192 Sect. CONTENTS. Page, Sect. V, The battle of Thermopylae. Death of Leoni- dss, - - - - - 198 VI. Naval battle near Artemifa, - - 205 VII. The Athenians abandon their city, which is taken and burnt by Xerxes,. - - 207 VIII. The battle of Salamin. Xerxes's precipitate re- turn into Afia. The character of Themiftocles and Ariflides. The defeat of the Carthaginians in Sicily, - - - - 212 IX. The battle of Plataea, - - - 223 X. The battle near Mycale. The defeat of the Per- fians, - - 239 XI. The barbarous and inhuman revenge of Ameftris the wife of Xerxes, - 242 XII. The Athenians rebuild the walls of their city, notwithftanding the oppofition of the Lacedemo- nians, - - - - 245 XIII. The black defigns of Themiilocles rejeded una- nimoully by the people of Athens. Ariftides's condefcenfion to the people, - - - 249 XIV. The Lacedemonians iofe the chief command, through the pride and arrogance of Paufanias, 252 XV. Paufanias's fecret confpiracy with the Perfians. His death, - - - 255 XVI. Themiftocles, being purfued by the Athenians and Lacedemonians as an accomplice in Paufa- nias's confpiracy, flies for ihelt^r to king Adme- tus, ^ - : " " ^37 XVII. Ariftides'sdifinterefted adminiftrationof thepub- treafure. Plis death and eulogium, - 261 XVIII, Death of Xerxes, killed by Artabanus. His cha- radler, . - - - « 268 BOOK vn. CHAPTER I. SzcT. I. Artaxerxes ruins the fa6lion of Artabanus, and that of Hyftalpes his elder brother, - 272 H. 1 heoiiftocles flies to Artaxerxes^ - - 274 Sect. CONTENTS. Page^ Sect. III. Cimon begins to make a figure 5n Athens. Kis ^ firft atchievemcnts and double vidory over the Perflans, near the river Eurymedon. Death of Themlftocles, - - 279 IV. The Egyptians rife againft Perfia, fupported by the Athenians, - - - . 290 V. Inarus is delivered up to the king's mother, con- trary to the articles of the treaty. The afflidion of Megabyfus, who revolts, - - 293 VI. Artaxerxes fends Efdras, and afterwards Nehe- mia, to Jerufalem, - 295 VII. Charadler of Pericles. The methods employed by him to gain the affeftion of the people, - 299 VIII. An earthquake in Sparta. Infurredlion of the Helots. Seeds of divifion arife between the A- thenians and Spartans. Cimon is fent into ba- nifliment, - - - - 307 IX. Cimon is recalled. He re-eftablifhes peace be- tween the two cities. He gains fevcral viftories, which reduce Artaxerxes to the neceffity of con- cluding a treaty highly honourable to the Greeks. Cimon's death, - - 310 X. Thucydides is oppofed to Pericles. The envy raifed againft the latter. He clears himfelf, and prevails to have Thucydides bani(hed, 313 XI. Pericles changes his conduft with regard to the people. His prodigious authority. His difm- tereftednefs, - - r - 319 XII. Jealoufy and contefts arife between the Athe- thenians and Lacedemonians. A treaty of peace is concluded for thirty years, - - 324 Xin. New lubje6ls of contention between the two nations, occalioned by the Athenians laying fiege to Samos J by their fuccouring the people of Corey I a, and belieging Potidaea. An open rupture enfues, - - - 327 XIV. Troubles excited againft Pericles, He deter- mines the Athenians to engage in war againft the Lacvtd monians, - - - 35^ Chap. II, Tranfaftions of the Greeks in Sicily and Italy, 342 Sect* CONTENTS. Page^ Sect. I. The Carthaginians are defeated in Sicily. The- ron, tyrant of Agrigentum. Reign of Gelon in Syraci^fe, and his two brothers. Liberty is re- flored, - . ^ . ^ 343 IL Of fomc famous perfons and citizens in Grecia Major. Pythagoras, Charondas, Zaleucus, Milo, the Athleta, Croton, Sybaris, and Thurium, - 358 Chap. III. The war of Peloponnefus, . - 369 Sect. I. The fiege of Plataea by the Thebans, Alter- nate ravages of Attica and Peloponnefus. Ho- nours paid to the Athenians who fell in the firft campaign, ... ibid, II. The plague makes dreadful havock in Attica. Pericles is divefted of the command. The La- cedemonians addrefs the Periians for aid. Poti- daea is taken by the Athenians. Pericles is re- flored to his employment. His death, and that of Anaxagoras, - - - 38*7 III, The Lacedemonians befiege Platsea. Mytelene is taken by the Athenians, Plataea furrender- ed. The plague breaks out again in Athens, 39c IV, The Athenians poffefs themfelves of Pylus, and are afterwards befieged in it. The Spartans are Ihut up in the little ifland of Sphadteria. Cleon makes himfelf mafter of it. Artaxerxes dies, - 407 BOOK THE FIFTH. THE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE SEVERAL STATES AND GOVERNMENTS OF GREECE F all the ancient nations, fcarce have any been fo highly celebrated, or furnifiied hiftory with fo many valuable monuments and illmlrious examples as Greece^ In what light foever ftie is confidered, whether for the glory of her arms, the wifdom of her laws, or the Itudy and improvement of arts and fciences, all thefe Ihe carried to the utmoft degree of perfeftion- and it may truly be faid, that in all thefe refpefts flie has in fome meafure been the fchool of mankind. It is impoffible not to be very much affefted with the hiftory of fuch a nation ; efpecially when we confider that it has been tranfmitted to us by writers of extraordinriry merit, many of whom diftinguifhed themfelves as^miJ<61i by their fwords, as by their pens ; and were great commanders and able ftatefmen, as excellent hiftorans. I contefs, it is a vaft advantage to have fi^h men for guides ; men of an exquifite judgment and confummate prudence j of a juii and perfeft tafte in every refpecl ; and who furaifli not only the fa£ls and thoughts, as well as the exprefiiows wherewith they are to be reprefentedj but v/hat is Vox. IIL B more 3 THE HISTORY more, to furnifli all the proper reflexions that are to ac«. company thofe fafts, and which are the moft ufeful im- provements refulting from hiftory. Thefe are the rich fources from whence I lhall draw all that I have to fay, after I have previoufly inquired into the firft origin and eftablifliment of the Grecian ftates. As this inquiry mufl be dry, and not capable of affording much delight to the reader, I fliall be as brief as pofTible. But before I enter upon that, I think itneceflary to draw a kind of a fliort plan of the fituation of the country, and of the feveral parts hat compofe it. ARTICLE!. A Geographical Defcription of Ancient Greece. A NCIENT Greece, which is now the fouth pa^t of Turkey in Europe, was bounded on the eaft by the iEgean fea, now call the Archipelago ; on the fouth by the Cretan, or Candian fea ; on the well by the Ionian fea; and on the north by lUyria and Thrace. The conftituent parts of ancient Greece are, Epirus, Peloponnefus, Greece properly fo called, Theflaly, and Macedonia. Epirus. This province is lituate to the weft, and divided from Theflfaly and Macedonia by mount Pindus and the Acroceraunian mountains. The moft remarkable inhabitants of Epirus are, the MoLOSSiANS, whofe chief city is Dodona, famous for the temple and oracle of Jupiter. The Chaonians, *^'^hofe principal city is Oricum. The Thesprotian?, whofe qity is Buthrotum, where was the palace and refi- dence of Pyrrhus. The Acaknanians, whofe city was Ambracia, which gives its name to the gulf. Near to this flood Aclium, famous for the victory of Auguftus Caefar, who built over againft that city, on the other fide of the gulf, a city named Nicopolis. There were two little rivers in Epirus, very famous in fabulous ftory, Cocytus and Acheron. Epirus O F G R E E C E. 3 Eplrus muft have been very well peopled in former times ; as («) Polybius relates, that Paulus j^lmilius, af- ter having defeated Perfeus, the laft king of Macedonia, deftroyed feventy cities in that country, the greatcft part of which belonged to the Moloflians ; and that he carried away from thence no lefs than a hundred and fifty thou- fand prifoners. Peloponnesus. This is a peninfula, now called the Morea, joined to the reft of Greece only by the Ifthmus of Corinth, that is but fix miles broad. It is well known that feveral princes have attempted in vain to cut through this Ifthmus. The parts of Peloponnefus are, Achaia, properly fo called, whofe chief cities are Corinth, Sicyon, Patrae, &:c. ELib, in which is ©lympia, otherwife called Pifa, feated on the river Alpheus, upon the banks of which the Olym- pic games ufed to be celebrated. Cyllene, the country of Mercury. Messenia, in v^^hich are the cities of Mef« fene, Pylos, in the laft of which Neftor was born, and Corona. Arcadia, in which flood the cities of Tegea^ Stymphalos, Mantinea, and Megalopolis, Poly bius's na- tive place. Laconia, wherein flood Sparta, or Lacede-. mon, and Amyclse ; mount Taygetus ; the river Euro- tas, and the cape of Tenarus. Argolis, in which was the city of Argos, called alfo Hippium, famous for the tem- ple of Juno ; Nemea, Mycenae, Nauplia, Troezen, and pidaurus, wherein was the temple of ^fculapius. GREECE, properly fo called. The principal parts of this country were, uSliOLlA in which were the cities of Chalcis, Calydon and Old nus. Doris, Locris, inhabited by the Ozol^. Nau- paftum, now called Lepanto, famous for the defeat of the Turks in 1571. Phocis. Antycyra. Delphos at the foot of mount Parnaflus, famous for the oracles delivered there. In this country alfo was mount Helicon. Beotia. ^ Orchomenos. {a) Apud Strab. I. vii. p. 3^2 4 THE HISTORY Orchomenos. Thefpia. Cheronea, Plutarch's native country. Platea, famous for the defe^ of Maidonius. Thebes. Aulis, famous for its port, from whence the Grecian armj fet fail for the fi(-ge of Froj. Leu6tra, celebrated for the viftorj of Epaminondas Attica. Megara. Eleufis. Decelia. Marathon, where Milci -des defeated the Perfian army Athens, whole ports were piraeeus, Munichia, and Phalerus; and mountains Hy- mettus and Githaeron. LocRis. Thessaly. The moft re aarkable towns of this pro- vince were, Gomphi, Pharfalia, near which Julius C^far defeated Pompey. Magnelia. Methone, at the liege bf which Philip loft his eye ihermopylae, a narrow llrait, famous for the defeat of Xerxes's numerous army by the vigorous refiftance of three hundred Spartans. Phthia. Thebes. Larifla. Demetrias. The delightful vallies of Tempe. near the banks of the river Peneus. Olym- pus, Pelion, and OiTa, three mountains celebrated in fa^ bulous flory for the battle of the giants. Macedonia. I Ihall only mention a few of the prin- cipal towns of this country. Epidamnus, or Dyrrachium, now called Durazzo. Appollonia. Pella, the capital of the country, and the native place of Philip and of his fon Alexander the Great, i^gea. ^delTa. Pallene. Olyn- 4:has, from whence the Olynthiacs of Demofthenes took their name. Torone. Arcanthus^ ThefTalonica, now called Saloniclii. ^tagira, the place of Ariftotle's birth. AmphipoHs. Philippi, famous for the victory gained there by Auguftus and Antony over Brutus and CaffiuSo Scotuffa. Mount Athos j and the river Strimon* Yhe Grecian IJes. There is a great number of iflands contiguous to Greece, that are very famous in hiftory. In the Ionian fea. Cor- cvra with a town of the fame name, now called Corfu* (lephalene and Zacynthus, now Cephalona and Zant. Ithaca, the country of Ulyfles, and Duiichium. Near OFGREECE. 5 the promontory Malea, over-againfl: Laconia, is Cithera. In the Saronic^ulf, are i^gina and Salamine, fo fa- mous for the nawl battle between Xerxes and the Gre- cians. Between Greece and Alia lie the Sporades ; and the Cjclades, the mofl: noted of which are Andros, De- los, and Parens, anciently famous for fine marble. Higher up in the ^gean fea is Euboea, now Negropont, fepa- rated from the main land by a fmall arm of the fea, call- ed Euripus. The moft remarkable city of this ifle was Chaicis. Towards the north is Cyrus, and a good deal higher Lemnos, now called Stalimene ; and ftill farther Samothrace. Lower down is Lefbos, whofe principal city was Mitylene, from whence the ifle ha? fince taken the name of Metelin. Chios, Scio, renowned for excellent wine y and, laftly, Samos. Some of thefe laft mention- ed ifles are reckoned to belong to Afia. The ifland of Crete, or Candia, is the largeft of all the ifles, contiguous to Greece. It has to the north the ^gean fea, or the Archipelago ; and to the fouth the African ocean. Its principal towns were, Gortyna, Cy- don, Gnoflus ; its mountains, Di£la, Ida, and Corycus.. Its labyrinth is famous all over the world. The Grecians had colonies in moft of thefe ifles. They had likewife fettlements in Sicily, and in part o£ Italy towards Calabria (3) which places are for that rea- fon called Grsecia magna, (r) But their grand fettlement was in Afia Minor, and particularly in iEolis, Ionia, and Doris. I'he principal towns of TEolis are, Cum^, Phocaea, Elea. Of lonia^ Smyrna, Clazomene, 1 eos, Lebedus, Colophon, and Ephe- fus. Of Doris, Halicarnaflus and Cnidos- They had alfo a great number of colonies difperfed up and down in different parts of the world, whereof J fliail give fome account as occafion flriall ofFer. B3 ARTICLE {.') Strab. I. vii. ^. ^53. (c) PUn. 1. vl c, a. 6 THE HISTORY ARTICLE Il|(| Bhi/lon of the Grecian Hijlory into Four fever al Ages. ^T^HE Grecian hiftory may be divided into four dif- ^ ferent ages, all noted by fo many memorable epo- chas, all which together include the fpace of 2154 years. The firft age extends from the foundation of the feveral petty kingdoms of Greece (beginning with that of Sicyone, which is the moft ancient), to the fiege of Troy, and comprehends about a thomfand years, namely, from the year of the world 1820 to the year 2820. The fecond begins from the taking of Troy to the reign of Darius, the fon of Hyftafpes, at which period the Grecian hifliory begins to be intermixed with that of the Perfians, and contains the fpace of fix hundred and fixty- three years, from the year of the world 2820 to the year 3483. The third is dated from the beginning of the reign of Darius to the death of Alexander the Great, which is the fineft part of the Grecian hiftory, and takes in the term of one hundred and ninety-eight years, from the year of the world 3483 to the year 3681. The fourth and laft age commences from the death of Alexander, at which time the Grecians began to de- cline, and continues to their final fubjeclion by the Ro- mans. The epocha of the utter ruin and downfal of the Greeks may be dated, partly from the taking and de- ftrLiflion of Corinth by the conful L. Mummius in 3858, partly from the extinftion of the kingdom of the Seleuci- ties in Afia by Pompey, in the year of the world 3939, and of the kingdom of the Lagides in Egypt by Augultus, anno mun. 3974. This laft age includes in all two hun- dred and ninety- three years. Of thefe four diftinft ages, I fliall in this place only tC'^ich upon the two fiift, in a very fuccincl manner jufl OFGREECE. 7 to give the reader fome general notion of that obfcure period; bccaufg|hofe times, at leaft a great part of them have more of falfe in them than of real hiftory, and are wrapped up in fuch darknefs and obfcurity, as are very hard, if not impofTible to penetrate : And I have often de- clared already, that fuch a dark and laborious inquiry, though very ufeful for thofe that are for going to the - bottom of hiftory, does not come within the plan of my defign, ARTICLE III. The primitive Origin of the Grecians, IN order to arrive at any certain knowledge concerning the firft of the Grecian nations, we muft necefiarily have recourfe to the accounts we have of it in holy fcrxp- ture. (d) Javan or Ion (for in the Hebrew the fame letters differently pointed formthefe two different names) the fon S of Japhet, and grandfon of Noah, was certainly the father of all thofe nations, that went under the general denomination of Greeks, though he has been looked upon as the father of the lonians only, which were but one particular nation of the Greeks. But the Hebrews, the Chaldeans, Arabians and others, give no other appellation to the whole body of the Grecian nations, than that of lonians. ( rival of Ceres in Attica, after the rape of her daugh- ter proferpine, as alfo for the inftitution of the myfteries at Eleufis. (r^ The reign of ^GEUS, the fon of Pandion, is the moft illuilrious period of the hiitory of the Heroes, In his time are placed the expedition of the Argonauts ; the celebrated labours of Hercules j the war of Minos, fe-» cond king of Crete, againft the Athenians ; the llory of Thefeus and Ariadne. Theseus fucceeded his father iEgeus. Cecrops had divided Attica into twelve boroughs, or twelve diftri£ls, feparated from each other. Thefeus brought the people to underfland the advantages of common go'vernment, and united the twelve boroughs into one city or body po- litic, in which the whole authority was united. CoDRUS was the laft king of Athens ; he devoted him- felf to die for his people. (j") After him the title of king was extinguifhed among the Athenians. Medon, his fon, was fet at the head of tin commonwealth with the title of Archon,. that is to fay, preiident or governor. The firft Archontes were for life ; but the Athenians, growing weary of a govern-? ment, which they itill thought bore too great a refem- blance to royal power, made their Archontes eieftive every ten 3^ears> and at lafl reduced it to an annual oihce, Thebes, (^t^ Cadmus, who came by fea from the Goait of Phoenicia, that is, from about Tyre and Siclon, feized upon that part of the country, which was after- wards called Boeotia» He built there the city of 1 hebcs^, or at leaft a citadel, which from his own name he called Cadm.aea, and there fixed the feat of his power and do- minions.. The (/•) A. M. 2720. Ant. J. C. 1284. (j-) A. M. 2934. Ant J. C. 1070. (J) A.M. 2^45.. Ant. J. C. J4^i. 14 THE HISTORY The fatal misfortune of Laius, one of his fucceflors^ and of Jocafta his wife, of Oedipus their fon, of Eteo- cles and Polyaices, who were born of the inceftuous mar- riage of Jocaila with Oedipus, have furnifhed ample mat- ter for fabulous narration and theatrical reprefentations, Sparta, or Lacedemon. It is fuppofed, that Le- LiMf the firll king of Laconia, began his reign about 1 516 ye-ars before the Chriftian era. Tyndarus, the ninth king of Lacedemon, had, by Leda, Caflor and Pollux, who were twins, befides He- lena, and Clitemneftra, the wife of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. Having furvived his two fons, the twins, he began to think of chooling a fuccelTor, by looking out • for a hufband for his daughter Helena. All the pretenders to this princefs bound themfelves by oath, to abide by, and entirely fubmit to, the choice which the lady herfelf Ihould make, who determined in favour of Menelaus* She had not lived above three years v/ith her hufband, be- fore Ibe was carried off by Alexander Paris, fon of Priam, king of the Trojans; which rape was the caufe of the Trojan war. Greece did not properly begin to know or experience her united ftrength, till the famous fiege of that city, where the Achillefes, the Ajaxes, the Neftors, and the Ulyffefes, gave Alia fufficient reafons to forbode her future fubjeftion to their pofterity. The Greeks toSk Troy, after a ten years liege, much about the time that Jephtha governed the people of God, that is, according to Bifliop UiTicr, in the year of the world 2820, and 1184 years before Jefus Chrift. This epocha is famous in hif- tory, and fliould carefully be remembered, as well as that of the Olympiads. An Olympiad is the revolution of four complete years from one celebration of the Olympic games to another. We fliall elfewhere give an account of the inftitution of thefe games, which were celebrated every four years, near the town of Pifa, otherwife called Olympia. The common era of the Olympiads begins in the (um^ mer of the year of the world 3228, 776 years before Jefus Chrift, from the games in- which Corebus won the prize ia the races, Fourfc-ore OF GREE CE. IS Fourfcore years after the taking of Troy, the Heraclidce re-entered the Peloponnefus, and feized Lacedemon, where two brothers, Euryfthenes and Procles, fons of Arifto- demus, began to reign together, and from their .time the fceptre always continued jointly in the hands of the defcendants of thofe tw^o families. Many years after this, Lyciirgus inftituted that body of laws for the Spar- tan ftate, w^hich rendered both the legiflature and the re^ public fo famous in hiftory : I fliall fpeak of them at large in the fequel. Corinth, (z/) Corinth began later, than the other cities I have been fpeaking of, to be governed by particular kings. It was at firft fubjeft to thofe of Argos and My- cenae ; at laft Sifyphus, the fon of -^olus, made himfelf mafter of it. But his defcendants were difpoffeffed of the throne by the Heraclidae, about no years after the fiege of Troy. The regal power after this came to the defcendants ©£ Bacchis, under whom the monarchy was changed into an ariflocracy, that is, the reins of the government were in the hands of the elders, who annually chofe from among them- felves a chief magillrate whom they called Prytanis. At lad Cypfelus having gained the people, ufurped the fu- preme authority, which he tranfmitted to his fon Perian- d'i^; who was ranked among the Grecian fages, on ac- count of the love he bore to learning, and the proteftion and encouragement he gave to learned men. Macedonia. (a?) It was a Jong time before the Greeks had any great regard to Macedonia. Her kings, living retired in woods and mountains, feemed not to be confidered as a part of Greece. They pretended, that their kings, of whom Caranus w^as the firft, were de~ fcended from Hercules. Philip and his fon Alexander raifed the glory of this kingdom to a very high pitch. If had fubfifted 471 years before the death of Alexander, and continued 155 more, till Perfeus was beaten and taken by the Romans j in all 626 years, ARTICLE M /t. M. i6%$. Ant/ J. €. 1375. (x) A, M. 3191. Ant. J. C. 183 1. l6 THE HISTORY ARTICLE V. Colonies of the Greeks fent into AJia Minor, 'tTT'E have already obferved, that fourfcore years after ^ ^ the taking of Troy, the HeracHdae recovered Pelo- ponnefus, after having defeated the Pelopidae, that is, Ti- famenes and Penthilus, fons of Oreltes ; and that they divided the kingdoms of Mycenae, Argos, and Lacede- mon among them. So great a revolution as this almoft changed the face of the country, and made way for feveral very famous tranf- migrations ; which the better to underftand, and to have the clearer idea of the fituation of the Grecian nations^ as alfo of the four dialects, or different idioms of fpeech that prevailed among them, it will be neceffary to look a little farther back into hiftory. (j/; Deucalion, who reigned in ThefTaly, and under whom happened the flood that bears his name, had by Pyrrha his wife, two fons, Helenus and Amphiftyon. This laft, hrt.ving driven Cranaus out of Athens, reigned there in his place. Helenus, if we may believe the hif- torians of his country, gave the name of Helenes to the Greeks : He had three fons, /liolus, Dor us, and Xu- thus. • , /Eolus, who was the eldeft, fucceeded his father, and \ befides ThefTaly had Locris and Boeotia added to his do- minions. Several of his defcendants went into Pelopon- nefus with Pelops, the fon of Tantalus, king of Phrygia^^ from whom Peloponnefus took its name, and fettled them- feives in Laconia. The country contiguous to Parnaffus, fell to the fliare of Dorus, and from him was called Doris. Xuthus, compelled by his brothers, upon fome parti- cular difguft, to quit his country, retired into Attica, where he married the daughter of Evechtheus, king of the Athenians, by whom he had two fons, Acheeus and Ion» Au (j) Strab. 1. viii» p. 383, Favifan. I. vii- p. 396, ^; OF GREE CE. 17 An involuntary murder, committed by Achaeus, obli- ged him to retire to Peloponnefus, which was then called Egialaea, of which one part was from him called Achaia* His defcendants fettled at Lacedemon. Ion, having fignalized himfelf by his viftories, was in- rited by the Athenians to govern their city, and gave the country his name ; for the inhabitants of Attica were likewife called loiiians. The number of the citizens in- creafed to fuch a degree, that the Athenians were obliged to fend a colony of the lonians into Peloponnefus, who likewife gave the name to the country they pofiefled. Thus all the inhabitants of Peloponnefus, though cbm- pofed of different people, were united under the names of Achaeans and lonians. The Heraclidce, fourfcore years after the taking of Troy, refolved ferioufly to recover Peloponnefus, which of right belonged to them. They had three principal leaders, fons of Ariftomachus, namely, Timenes, Cref- phontes, and ArifLodemus ; the lafl: dying, his two fons, Euryfthenes and Procles, fucceeded him. The fuccefs of their expedition was as happy as the motive was jult, and they recovered the poffeflion of their ancient dominion, Argos fell to Timenes, Meffenia to Crelphontes, and La^ conia to the two fons of Ariftodemus. Such of the Achseans as were defcended from JEolus, and had hitherto inhabited Laconia, being driven from thence by the Dorians, who accompanied the Heraclidae into Peloponnefus, after fome wandering, fettled in that part of Alia Minor, which from them took the name of i?].olis, where tbey founded Smyrna, and eleven other ci- ties ; but the town of Smyrna came afterwards into the hands of the lonians. I'he ^olians became likewife poffeffed of feveral cities of LcAdos. As for the Achaeans of Mycene and Argos, being com- pelled to abandon their country to the Heraclidae, thgy feized upon that of the lonians, who dwelt at that time in a part of Peloponnefus. The latter fled at firft to Athens their original country, from whence they fometmie after- wards departed under the conduct of Nileus and Andro- cles^ i8 THE HISTORY cles, both fons of Codrus, and feized upon that part of the coaft of Afia Minor, which lies between Caria and Lydia, and from them was named Ionia ; here they built twelve cities, Ephefus^ Clazomenae, Samos, &c. (^z) The power of the Athenians, who had then Codrus for their king, being very much augmented by the great number of refugees that were fled into their country, the Heraclidae thought proper to oppofe the progrefs of their power, and for that reafon made war upon them. The latter were worfted in a battle, but ftill remained matters of Megaris, where they built Megara, and fettled the Dorians in that country in the room of the lonians. (^a^ One part of the Dorians continued in the country after the death of Codrus, another went to Crete ; the greateft number fettled in that part of Afia Minor which from them was called Doi'is, where they built Halicarnaf- fu3, Cnidus, and other cities, and made themfelves niaf- ters of the ifland of Rhodes, Cos, &.c. ^he Grecian Diale&s* It will now be more eafy to underfland what we have to fay concerning the feveral Grecian dial efts. Thefe were four in number; the Attic, the Ionic, the Doric, and the iEolic. They were in reality four different lan- guages, each of them perfedl in its kind, and ufed by a diftinft nation ; but yet all derived from, and grounded upon the fame original tongue. And this diverfity of languages can nowife appear wonderful in a country, where the inhabitants confifted of different nations, that did not depend upon one another, but had each its parti- cular territories, 1. The Attic dialed is that which was ufed in Athens and the country round about. This diale£l has been chiefly ufed by Thucydides, Ariflophanes, Plato, Ifocra- iE^f Xenophon, and Demoflhenes. 2. The Ionic dialed was almofl the fame with the ancient Attic ; but after it had palTed into feveral towns («) Strab p- 393. («) Idem, p. 653. or GREE CE. 19 of Afia Minor, and into the adjacent iflands, which wervS colonies of the Athenians, and of the people of Achaia, it received a fort of new tinfture, and did not come up to that perfe£b delicacy, which the Athenians afterwards attained to. Hippocrates and Herodotus writ in this dia- ka. _ 3. The Doric was firft in ufe among the Spartans and the people of Argos ; it pafled afterwards into Epirus, Lybia, Sicily, Rhodes, and Crete. Archimedes and The- ocritus, both of them Syracufans, and Pindar, followed this dialeft. 4. The -^olic dialeft was at firft ufed by the Boeo- tians and their neighbours, and then in i^lolls, a country in Afia Minor, between Ionia and Mjfi, which contained ten or twelve cities, that were Grecian colonies. Sap- pho and Alcs2us, of wliofe w^brks very little remains, wrote in this dialieft. We find alfo a mixture of it in the writings of Theocritus, Pindar, Homer, and many o* thers. ARTICLE VI. ^he Republican Form of Government aim oJ{ generally eJJa* hlyhed throughout Greece^ 'T~^HE reader may have obferved in the little Ihavefaid about the feveral fettlements of Greece, that the primordial ground of all thofe different ftates was monar- chical government, which was themoft ancient of all forms, the moft univerfally received and eftablilhed, the moft proper to maintain peace and concord; and which, as (V) Plato obferves, is formed upon the model of paternal au- thority, and of that gentle and moderate dominion, which fathers exercife over their families. But, as the ftate of things degenerated by degrees, through the injuftice of ufurpers, and feverity of lawful matters, the infurreftions of the people, and a thoufand accidents and revolutions that happened in thofe ftates ; a different {}) Plat, 1. x;i. de Leg. p. ( go 20 THE HISTORY different fpirit feized the people which prevailed over all Greece, kindled a violent defire of liberty, and brought about a general change of government every where, ex- cept in Macedonia 5 fo that monarchy gave way to a re- publican government, which however was diverfified into almoft as many various forms as there were different ci- ties, according to the different genius and peculiar charac- ter of each people. However, there ftill remained a kind of tinfture or le- ven of the ancient monarchical government, which fre- quently inflamed the ambition of private citizens, and made them defire to become mafters of their country. In almoft every ftate of Greece, fome private perfons arofe, who, without any right to the throne, either by birth, or eleftion of the citizens, endeavoured to advance them- felves to it by cabal, treachery, and violence ; and who, w^ithout any refpeft for the laws, or regard to the public good, exercifed a fovereign authority, with a defpotic em- pire and arbitrary fway. In order to fupport their un- juft ufurpations in the midft of diftrufts and alarms, they thought themfelves obliged to prevent imaginary, or to fupprefs real confpiracies, by the moft cruel profcriptions ; and to facrifice to their own fecurity all thofe, whom me- rit, rank, wealth, zeal for liberty, or love of their coun- try, rendered obnoxious to a fufpicious and un fettled go- vernment, which found itfelf hated by all, and was fenfi.- ble it deferved to be fo. It was this cruel and inhuman treatment, that rendered thefe men fo odious, and brought upon them the appellation of * Tyrants, and which fur- nifned fuch ample matter for the declamation of orators, and the tragical reprefentations of the theatre. All thefe cities and diftrids of Greece that feemed fo entirely different fronj one another, in their laws, cuicoms, and interefts, were nevcrthelefs formed and combined into one fole, entire, and united body ; whofe ftrength increafed to fuch a degree as to make the formidable power * This nuord originally fgnijied no more than kingy and ivas anciently the title of lauf ul ^ri?ic^s» O F G R E E C E. ix power of the Perfians under Darius and Xerxes tremble; and which even then, perhaps, woukl have entirely over- thrown the Perfian greatnefs, had the Grecian Itates been 4^ wife enough to have preferved that union and con- cord among themfelves, which afterwards rendered them invincible. This is the fcene which I am now to open, and which certainly merits the reader's whole attention. We fliall fee, in the following volumes, a fmall nation, confined within a country not equal to the fourth part of France, difputmg empire with the moft powerful throne then upon the earth ; and we lliall fee this handful of men, not only making head againft the innumerable army of the Perfians, but difperfing, routing, and cutting them to pieces, and fometimes reducing the Perfian pride fo low, as to make them fubmit to conditions of peace, as ihameful to the conquered as glorious for the con- jquerors. ' Among all the cities of Greece, there were two that particularly diftinguiihed themfelves, and acquired an authority and a kind of fuperiority over the reft, by the mere dint of their merit and condiifl ; thefe two were Lace- demon and Athens. As thefe cities make a confide rable figure, and acl an iiluftrious part in the enfuing hiftory, before I enter upon particulars, I think I ought firft to give the reader fome idea of the genius, character, manners, and govern raent of their refpeftive inhabitants. Plutarch, in the lives of Lycurgus and Solon, will furnifli me with the greateft part of what I have to fay upon this head. ARTICLE VIL ^he Spartan Governments Laws efiallijl-ed hy Lycurgus* nnHERE is perhaps nothing in profane hiftory better ^ attefted, and at th^i fame time more incredible, than what relates to the government of Sparta and their -difcipline eftablifhed in it by Lycurgus.. {c) This le- giflator was the fon of Eunomus, one of the two kin^s who Plut. in vit. Lyc. p. 40, ^1 THE HISTORY who reigned together in Sparta. It would have been eafy for Lyciargus to have afcended the throne after the death of his eldeft brother, who left no fon behind him ; and in effefl: he was king for fome days. But as foon as his fifter-in-law was found to be with child, he declared, that the crown belonged to her fon, if Ihe had one ; and from thenceforth he governed the kingdom only as his guardian. In the mean time, the widow fent to him underhand, that if he would promife to marry her when he was king, flie would deftroy the fruit of her v^omb. So deteftable a propofal ftruck Lycurgus with horror ; however, he concealed his indignation, and amufing the woman with different pretences, fo managed it, that fhe went out her full time, and was delivered. As foon as the child was born, he proclaimed him king, and took care to have him brought up and educated in a propet manner. This prince, on account of the joy which the people .teftified at his birth, was named Charilaus. {d) The ftate was at this time in great diforder ; the authority, both of the kings and the laws, being abfolutely defpifed and unregarded. No curb was ftrong enough to reftrain the audacioufnefs of the people, which every day increafed more and more. Lycurgus was fo courageous as to form the defign of toaking a thorough reformation in the Spartan govern- ment ; and to be the more capable of making wife regu- lations, he thought fit to travel into feveral countries, in order to acquaint himfelf with the different manners of other nations, and to confult the moll able and experi- enced perfons he could meet with in the art of govern- ment. He began with the ifland of Crete, whofe hard and auftere laws were very famous : from thence he paifed into Afia, where quite different cuftoms prevailed j and, laft of all, he went into Egypt, which was then the feat of fcience, wifdom, and good counfels. C^) His long abfence only made his country the more defirous of his return ; and the kings themfelves impor- tuned him to that effefl:, being fenfible hov/ much they flood (i) Plut. in vlt» Lyc. p. 41. (e) Ibid. p. 4S. O F G R E E C E. 23 iftood in need of his authority to keep the people within bounds, and in fome degree of fubjeftion and order. "When he came back to Sparta, he undertook to change the whole form of their government, being perfuaded that a few particular laws would produce no great elFe<3:. But before he put this delign in execution, he went to Delphos to confult the oracle of Apollo j where, after having offered his facrifice, he received that famous an- fwer, in which the prieftefs called him A friend of the gods, and rather a god than a man. And as for the favour he defired of being able to frame a fet of good laws for his country, fhe told him, the god had heard his prayers, and that the commonwealth he was going to ellablilh would be the moft excellent ftate in the world. On his return to Sparta the firft thing he did, was to bring over to his defigns the leading men of the city, whom he made acquainted with his views ; when he was aflured of their approbation and concurrence, he went into the public market-place, accompanied with a num- ber of armed men, in order to aftonilh and intimidate thofe who might defire to oppofe his undertaking. The new form of government, which he introduced into Sparta, may properly be reduced to three principal inilitutions. I. Institution. The Senate. (/*) Of all the new regulations or inftitutions made by Lycurgus, the greatell and moll confiderable was that of the fenate ; which, by tempering and balancing, as Plato, obferves, the too abfolute power of the kings by an authority of equal weight and influence with theirs, became the principal fupport and prefervation of that ftate. For whereas before it v/as ever unfteady, and tending one while towards tyranny, by the violent proceeding of the kings ; at other times towards democracy, by the excef- five power of the people ; the fenate ferved as a kind of counterpoife to both, which kept the ftate in a due equili- brium, and preferved it in a firm and fteady fituation \ the twenty- (/) Plut, in vlt. Lycur. p. 4s. 24 THE HISTORY twenty-eight * feaators, of which xt coafilled, Cding with the kiag, when the people ^\ere grafping at too much power, and on the other huiid, tfpoufiiig the interells of the people whenever the kings attempted to carry their authority too far. Lycurgus havitig thus tempered the government, thofe who came after him thought the power of the thirty, th^ compofed the fenate, ftill too ftrong and abfolute ; and therefore, as a check upon them, they devifed the autho- rity of the t Ephori, about an hundred and thirty years after Lycurgus. The Ephori were live in number, and remained but one year in office. They were all chofen out of the people ; and in that refped confiderably refem- bled the tribunes of the peopie among the Romans. Their authority extended to the arrefting and imprifoning the perfons of their kings, as it happened in the cafe of Paufanias. The inftitution of the Ephori began in the reign of Tbeopompus ; whofe wife reproaching him, that he would leave his children the regal authority in a worfe condition than he had received it ; on the contrary, faid he, I iliall leave it them in a much better condition, as it will be more permanent and lafting. The Spartan government then was not purely monar- chical. The nobility had a great lhare in it, and the peo- ple were not excluded. Each part of this body politic, in proportion as it contributed to the public good, found in it their advantage ; fo that in fpite of the natural reft- leffnefs and inconftancy of man's heart, which is always thirfting after novelty and change, and is never cured of its difguil to uniformity, Lacedemon perfevered for above feven hundred years in the exad obfervance of her laws. 2. IkstiTUTION. The Dhi/ion of the Lands y and the Prohibition of Gold and Silver Money. (^g) The fecond and the boldeft inftitution of Lycurgus> was the divifion of the lands, which he looked upon as abfolutely neceffary for ellablilhing peace and good orUer in (^) Plut. in vit. Lyc. p. 44. * nh council co?iJiJled (/ thirty pcrjuis^ luclndin^ the tivo ki?i^s^ t ^ he "Lvord JlgJiijits comptroller or inipecftor. 7 OF GPvEE C E. 25 In the commonwealth. The major part cf the people were fo poor, that they had not one inch of land of theit own, whilft a fmall number of particular perfons were pofTeffed of all the lands and wealth of the country ; iii order therefore to banifli infolence, envy, fraud, luxury and two other diftempers of the ftate, ftill greater and more ancient than thole, I mean extreme poverty, and exceflive wealth, he perfuaded the citizens to give up all their lands to the commonwealth, and to make a new divifion of them, that they might all live toge- ther in a perfeft equality, and that no pre-eminences or honours fliould be given but to virtue and merit a- lone. This fcheme,v as extraordinary as it was, was immedi-. jately executed. Lycurgus divided the lands of Laconis. into thirty thoufand parts, which he diftributed among the inhabitants of the country ; and the territories of Sparta into nine thoufand parts, which he diftributed among an equal number of citizens. It is faid, that fome years after, as Lycurgus was returning from a long jour- tiey, and paffing through the lands of Laconia, in the time of harveft, and obferving, as he went along, the perfeti: equality of the reaped corn, he turned towatds thofe that were with him, and faid fmiling, Does not Laconia look like the pojfejjion of feveral brother who have ji/Ji been dividing their inheritance a?nongJl them f After having divided their immoveables, he undertook likewife to make the fame equal divifion of all their moveable goods and chattels, that he might utterly banifti from among them all manner of inequality. But per- ceiving that this 'would go more againil the grain, if he went openly about it, he endeavoured to effed it, by Tapping the very foundations of avarice. For, iirft he cried down all gold and filver money, and ordained^ that no other fhould be current than that of iron ; which he made fo very heavy, and fixed at fo low a rate, that a cart and two oxen were neceffary to carry home a fum of ten * minas, and a whole chamber to keep it in. Vol, III. C The Tiie hundred Irurcs Trench^ abcut ZngliJ}j> 26 THE HISTORY The next thing he did, was to banifli all ufelefs and fuperiluous arts from Sparta. But if he had not done this, moil of them would have funk of themfelves, and difappeared with the gold and filver money ; becaufe the tradefmen and artificers would have found no vent for their commodities : and this iron money had no currency among any other of the Grecian ftates, who were fo far from efteemiiig it, that it became the fubjett of their ban- ter and ridicule. 3. INSTITUTION. Of Public Meals. 'Lycurgus, being defirous to make a yet more eiFeftual war upon foftnefs and luxury, and utterly to extirpate the love of riches, made a third regulation, which was that of public meals, (c) That he might entirely fupprefs all the magnificence and extravagance of expenfive tables, he ordained, that all the citizens fhould eat together of the fame common viftuals, which the law prefcribed, and exprefsly forbade all private eating at their own houfes. E7 this fettlenient of public and common m.eals, and this frugality and limplicity in eating, it may be fuid, that he made riches in fome meafure change their very nature, by putting them out of a * condition of being defired or ftolen, or of enriching their poflelfors : For, there was no way left for a man to ufe or enjoy this opulence, or even to make any Ihow of it ; lince the poor and the rich eat together in the fame place, and none were allowed to appear at the public eating-rooms, after hav- ing taken care to fill themfelves with other diet ; becaufe every body prefent took particular notice of any one that did not eat or drink, and the whole company was fure to reproach him v/ith the delicacy and intemperance that made him defpife the common food and public table. The rich were extremely enraged at this regulation ; and it was upon this occafion, that in a tumult of the pec: pie, a young (y ■P.rvMv (^uIaXgv, cc^'^^XoV) Kcci .^T^v aTraoyc^Tscrc^ O F G R E E C E. 27 a Toung fellow, named Alexander, ftruck out one of Ly- curgus's eyes. The people, provoked at fuch an out- rage, delivered the young man into Lycurgus's hands, ■who knew how to revenge himfelf in a proper manner : For, by tlie extraordinary kindnefs and gentleneis with which he treated him, he made the violent and hot-headed young man in a little time become very moderate and .wife. The tables confifted of about fifteen perfons each ; where none could be admitted but with the confent of the whole company. Each perfon furnifhed every month a bufhel of flour, eight meafures of wine, five pounds of cheefe, two pounds and a half of figs, and a fm.all fum of money for preparing and cooking the victuals. Every one, without exception of perfons, was obliged to be at the common meal : And a long time after the making of thefe regulations, king Agis. at his return from a glo- rious expedition, having taken the liberty to difpenfe with that law, in order to eat with the queen . his wife^ was re- primanded and puniflied. The very children eat at thefe public tables, and were carried thither as to a fchool of wifdom and temperance. There they were fure to hear grave difcourfes upon go- vernment, and to fee nothing but v/hat tended to their inftruclion and improvement. 1 he converfation was of- ten enlivened with ingenious and fprightly raillery, but never intermixed v/ith any thing vulgar or fliocking ; and if their jefting feemed to make any perfon uncaiy, they never proceeded any farther. Here their chikiren were likewife trained up and accuttomed to great fecrecj^: As foon as a young man came into the dining-room, the oldeft perfon of the company ufed to. fay to him, pointing to the door, Nothiiig fpohcn here^ muj} ever go out there. (d) The moil exquinte of all th-eir eatables v/as w^hat they called their blac^ hroth ; and the old men preferred it before all that was fet upon the table, l3ionjfius tli.e •tyraiit, when he v/as at one of thefe meals, V'as not of the fame ooinion ; and what was a ragoo to thei:i VvT.s G 2 f) (^0 Cic. Tufb. Qna^a. lib. V. n. 98. ^8 THE HISTORY to him very infipid. I do not wonder at it, faid the cook, for the feafoning is wanting. What feafoning ? replied the tyrant. Running, fweating, fatigue, hunger and thirft ; tliefe are the ingredients, fays the cook, with w^hich we feafon all our food. 4. Other Ordinances. {e) When I fpeak of the ordinances of Lycurgus, I do not mean written laws : He thought proper to leave very few of that kind, being perfuaded that the moft powerful and efFeftual means of rendering communities happy, and people virtuous, is by the good example, and the impreffion made on the mind by the manners and praftice of the citizens : For the principles thus implanted by education remain firm and immoveable, as they are rooted in the will, which is always a ftronger and more durable tie than the yoke of neceffity ; and the youth that have been thus nurtured and educated, become laws and legif- lators to themfelves. Tbefe are the reafons why Ly- curgus, inftead of leaving his ordinances in writing, en- deavoured to imprint and enforce them by praftice and example. He looked upon the education of youth as the greateft and moft important objeft of a legiflator's care. His grand principal w^as, that children belonged more to the ilate than to their parents ; and therefore he would not have them brought up according to their humours and fancies, but would have the ftate intrulled with the ge- neral care of their education, in order to have them form- ed upon conftant and uniform principles, which might infpire them betimes with the love of their country and of virtue. (y) As foon as a boy was born, the elders of each tribe vifited him ; and if they found him well-made, ftrong, and vigorous, they ordered him to be brought up, and affigned him one of the * nine thoufand portions of land for (0 Plut. vit. Lycarg. p. 47- (/) P- 4?. ' ^ I do not comprehend horo they could ojjipi to every one of thefi chiU dren one of the nine thoufand ^ortions^ a^ypropriated to the city^ for his inherit OF GREECE. 2^ for his inheritance ; if, on th^^ contrary, they found him to be deformed, tender, and weakly, fo that they could not expe£l that he would ever have a ftrong and healthful conftitution, they condemned him to periili, and caufed tlie infant to be expofed. Children were accuftomed betimes not to be nice or difficult in their eatings not to be afraid in the dark, or when they were left alone ; not to give themfelves up to peevifhnefs and ill- humour, to crying and bawling ; (gy to walk bare-foot, that they might be inured to fatigue ; to lie liard at nights ; to wear the fame clothes wiriter and fummer, in order to harden them agaiuft cold and heat. (^) At the age of feven years they were put into the' clalTes, where they were brought up altogether undt r th^' fame difcipline. Their educati:)n, pro 'eriy fpeaking^ was only an apprenticefliip of obedience. The legiflator having rightly confidered, that the fureft way to have citizens fubmiffive to the law and to the magift rates (in which the good order and happinefs of a flate chiefly con- lifts) was to teach children early, and to accuftom them from their tender years to be perfe£lly obedient to their mailers and fuperiors. (z) While they were at table, it was ufual for the matters to inftru6l the boys by propofiag them queftio^is. They would aik them, for example, wh j js the hoiufteft man in the town ? What do you think of fuch or fuch an adion ? The boys were obliged to give a quick and ready anfwer, which was alfo to be accompanied v^^ith a reafon and a proof, both couched in few words : For they were accuftomed betimes to the Laconic ftyle, that is, to a clofe and concife way of fpeaking- and writing. Lycurgus was for having the money bulky, heavy, and of little value, and their language, on -the contrary, very C 3 pithy hiheritance. Was the number of cifiizens ahuays the fame P Lid it iiei^cr exL-eed 7i}?ie tf)oufa?id It is notfaid in. this cafe, as i?z zhe dh'ijiv'i of the holy land, that V?e pQriihns allotted to a faintly always continue :' m it.ajid could not be ennre'v <'lie'?fitcd. (g) Xen. de Lac rep. p 677. (/,) Plat, in Lyc, p. 50. (/) Flu*. iuLyc. p 51. ^ ^ 30 THE HTSTOPvY pilhj and fliort , a great deal of fenfe comprifed in few words. f i) As for literature, they only learned as much as was iieceiTary. A.11 the iciences were baniflied out of tqcir country : Their ftudy only tended to know how to obey^ to bear hardfliip and fatigue, and to conquer in battle. The fuperintendant of their education was one of the inofl honourable men of the city, and of the firft rank and condition, who appomted over every clafs of boys, mafters of the moft approved wifdoni-and probity, (/) There was one kind of theft only (and that too more a nominal than a real one) which the boys v/ere allowed, '..nd even ordered to praclife. They v/ere taii^^ht to flip, as cunningly and cleverly as they could into the gardens and t^ublic halls, in order to Ileal away herbs or meat ; and if iiey were caught in the fa£l they were puniilied for their waul of dexterity. We are told, that one of them, having ilolen a young fox, hid it under his robe, and furTered the animal to gnaw into his belly, and tear out his very bowels, till he fell dead upon the fpot, rather than be difcovered. This kind of theftj^as 1 have faid, v/as but nominal, and not properly a robbery 3 fince it was authorized by the law and the confent of the citizens. The intent of the legiflator in allowing it, vv^as to infpire the Spartan youth, who were uil de^':giiedfor v/ar, with ti)e greater boldnefs^ fubtilty, ?dnd addi cfs; to inure them betimes to the life of afoldiei"; to teach tiiem to live upon a little, and to be able to fcift :^br themfelves. But I have already given an account of tills matter more at large in another treatife. (m) The patience and conftancy of the Spartan youth, molt corifpicucunyappeared in a certain feilivai, celebrated in honour of Diana, furnamed Orthia, where the chil- dren, before the eyes of their parents, and in prefence of the whole city, (^n) fuiTcred themfelves to be v/liipnc ], till the blood ran down upon the altar of tliis cruel god- defs, where iometimes they expired under the il rokes, and all this without uttering the leaft cry, or fo much as a groan, (^) P'ut.. in I>yc, p 52. - (/) Plut. vit. p. 50. iJcm inftiMit. Lacon. p. \ f/A'} Man. d^Etud. Tome HI. p. 47I. ( .) Cic. Tuk- qu-:t. lie. ii. n. 34. OF GREE CE. 31- groan, or a ligh : And even their own fatlicrs, v>'lien they faw them covered with blood and wounds, and ready to expire, exhorted them to perfevere to. the end with con- ftancy and refolution. Plutarch aiTures us, that he had feen with his own eyes a great many children lofe their lives on thefe cruel occalions. Hence it is, that (0) Horace gives the epithet of patient to the city of Lacede- rnon, Patie?is Lacedemon ; and another author makes a man, who had received three ftrokes of a ftick without complaining, fay, T^res plagas Spar'tanci 7iohilitate conC 'Xi. (^p^ The moll ufual occupation of the Lacedemonians was hunting, and other bodily exerciles. They were forbid to exercife any mechanic art. The Elotae, who were a fort of fiaves, tilled their land for them, for v/hicls they paid them a certain revenue. (.^) Lycurgus would have his citizens enjoy a gr€k^ deal of leifure : They had large common halls, where the people ufed to meet to converfe together : And though their difcourfes chiefly turned upon grave and ferious topics, yet they feafoned them with a mixture of wit and facetious humour, both agreeable and inftruftive. They pafied little of their time alone, being accuflomed to live like bees, ahvays together, alv/aj^s about their chiefs and leaders. The love of their country and of the public good w^as their predominant paffion : They did not ima- gine they belonged to themfelves, but to their country. Pedaretus having miffed the honour of being chofen one of the three hundred v/ho had a certain rank of diltinc- tion in the city, went home extremely pleafed and fatis- iied, faying, He zuas overjoyed there were three hundred men^ in Sparta more honourable a?id worthy than hi?;if't^IJ\ (r) At Sparta every thing tended to iofpire the love of virtue, and the hatred of vice ; the aclioris of the citi- zens, their converfations, public monuments, and iis- fcriptions. It was hard for men brought up in the midlh of fo many living precepts and examples, not to btcome virtuous, as far as heathens were capable of virtue. It was to preferv© thefe happy difpofilions, that LycurguG C 4 ■ did (y) Ode. vii lib. i. ( p) Plut. in vlt. Lycurg p, 54. {^l) ibid. p. jj. (/-) Ibid. p. J 6. . 32 THE HISTORY did not allow all forts of perfons to travel, left they inould bring home foreign manners, and return infedled. Vr'ith the licentious cuftoms of other countries, which would .neceffariiy create, in a little time, an averfion for the life and maxims of Lacedemon. On the other hand, he would fuffer no ft rangers to remain in the city, who did not come thither to fome ufeful or profitable end, or out of mere curiofitj ; being afraid they lliould bring a- long With them the defefts and vices of their own conn- tries ; and being perfuaded, at the fame time, that it was more important and neceiiary to Ihut the gates of the town- againft depraved and corrupt manners, than againft infec- tious diftempers. Properly fpeaking, the very trade and bunnefs of the Lacedemonians was war : Every thing with tif^m tended that way : Arms were their only exercife and employment : Their life much lefs hard and auftere in the camp, than in the city ; and they were the only people in the world, to whom the time of war was a time of eafe and refreikment ; bet^anfe then the reins of that llrick and fevere difcipline, which prevailed at Sparta, w^ere fomewhat relaxed, and the men were indulged in a little more liberty, (j) With them the firft and moft in- violable law of w^ar, as Demaratus told Xerxes, was ne- ver to fly, or turn their backs, whatever fuperiority of numbers the enemy's army might confifl: of ; never to quit their poll; never to deliver up their arms j in a word, either to conquer, or die on the fpot. (^f) This mu:5vina was fo important and eflential in their opinion, that when the poet Archilochus came to Sparta, they obliged him to leave their city immediately ^ becaufe they underftood, that, in one of liis poems, he had faid, It was better for a man to throw down his arms^ than to expofe })lmfelf to he killed. Hence it is, that a mother recommended to her fon, who was going to make a campaign, that he fliovild re- tiirn either with or upon his fliield ; And that another, hearing (j) Herod. 1. vii. cap. 104. (?) Plut. in Lacon. inflitut. p. 239. Xlxvov {{(pn) n 'r«i!., iTiT^;. Plut. in Lacon. apopthem. p. 24!- ^c/ue-' times they that Hjucrejlaui were brought home 2as tub at the Spartans of ths: fame fix^c njuith that OJinvhich railed a icy t^il^f a thong of leather the thong ^wus twif.ed a?id ivrit or parch7iicn^, ^ivhicb they tuuijied upon, wrapt it. round that fa f In "'ound a fiajfinfich a map.ncr, that the fame uumner^ aud^ by that means, ihcre was no ^vacancy or void fpa'.e fonad out the connexion a?id the right .^■ft uDon it. They writ upon this placing of the letters, which other-- •jong, and when they had writ, they wife were fo^ difplaced and out cj .mtwilted it, and fe fit it to the ge- order, that there was no potfihility ?ieral. for whom it was intended, of their being read, Plut in vit. 'This general^ 5 had another facJi hji. p. 444.. OF GREECE. 37 upon that leglflator. He there fays, that Plato, Diogenes, Zeno, and all thole who have treated of the eilablifli- ment, of a political ftate or government, took their plans from the republic of Lycurgus; with this dif- ference, that they confined themfelves wholly to words and theory; but Lycurgus, without dwelling upon ideas and theoretical fyftems, did really and efFedlually inftitute an inimitable polity, and form a whole city of philofo- phers. In order to fucceed in this undertaking, and to efla^ bliih the moil perfeft form of a commonwealth that could be, he melted down as it were, and blended together what he found beft in every kind of government, and moll conducive to the public good; thus tempering one fpe- cies with another, and balancing the inconveniences to which each of them in particular is fubjeft, with the ad-, vantages that refult from their being united together. Sparta had fomething of the monarchical form of govern- ment, in the authority of her kings. The council of thirty, otherwife called the fenate, was a true ariilocracy ; and the power vefted in the people of nominating the fenators, and of giving fanftion to the laws, refembled a democratical government. Tlie creation of the Ephori afterwards ferved to re£lify what was amifs in thofe pre- vious eitablilhments, and to fupply w^hat was defe£live. Plato, in more places than one, admires Lycurgus 's wif- dom, in his inilitution of the fenate, v/hich was equally advantageous both to the king and the people; *bccaufe by this means the law became the only fupreme miitrefs of the kings, and the kings never became tyrants over the lawa : he defign formed by Lycurgus of mak- z E^ialuhi- ing an eqaai diitribution of the la ' ^qoiL^ ^ hrids : the citizens, and of entirtly ban jiu y-^ arjfd'usr opartaaliiuxury, avarice, [aw-iu;i n- iioMS, by aboluhing the uie of go.' woula ap^jear to us a fcheme oi oiiV/ealth finely con- N5«^); i'fnih'o xvoio^ lyiviro ^c:ft>.iv$ rm -^^ly^i: i-.j.'.. ^» clyC^^'^oi ra^c^y^ w »Y5wv. Plat, lipiil. viii. 58 THE HISTORY conceived for fpeculation, but utterly incapable of exe- cution, did not hiftorj aiTure us, that Sparta aftuallj fub- fifted In that condition for many ages. When I place the tranfaftion I am now fpeaking of among the laudable parts of Ljcurgus's laws, 1 do not pretend it to be abfolutely unexceptionable; for I think it can fcarce be reconciled with that general law of nature, which forbids the taking away of a man's property to give it to another; and yet this is what was really done upon this occafion. Therefore in this aifair of dividing the lands, I confider only fo much of it, as was truly commendable in itfelf, and worthy of admiration. Can we poffibly conceive, that a man could perfuade the richeft and moft opulent inhabitants of a city to refign all their revenues and eftates, in order to level and con- found themfelves with the pooreft of the people ; to fub- je£l themfelves to a new way of living, both fevere in itfelf, and full of reftraint; in a word, to debar themfelves of the ufe of every thing, wherein the happlnefs and comfort of life is thought to confiil: And yet this is what Lycurgus aftually efFefted in Sparta. Such an inftitutlon as this would have been lefs won- derful, had it fubfifted only during the life of the legif- iator ; but we know that it lafled many ages after his deceafe. Xenophon in the encomium he has left us of Ageiilaus and Cicero, in one of his orations, obferves, Lacedemon was the only city in the world that prefer ved her difclpline and laws for fo confiderable a term of years unaltered and inviolate, (ss) .^oZ/jfaid the latter, in fpeaking of the Lacedemonians, toto orbe terrarum jeptingentos ja?n aiiiios amplhis unis nicrihus nuncjuam 77iutatis legibm W« vant^ I believe though th^ t in Cicero's time the difcipline o[ Sparta, as well as her power, was very much relaxed and diminlfhed: But, however, all hiftorians agree, that it v/as maintained in all its vigour till the reign of Agls,, under whom Lyfander, though incapable himfelf of being blinded or corrupted with gold, filled his country with luxury and the love of riches, by bringing into it imrncnji- iurns (iz) Pro Flac. num. Ixiii. O F G R E E C E. 39 fums of gold and filver, which were the fruits of his viclories, and thereby fubverting the laws of Ljcurgus* But the introduftion of gold and filver money was not the firll wound given by the Lacedemonians to the infti- tution of the legiflator. It was the confequence of the violation of another law ftill more fundamental. Am*, bition was the vice, that preceded, and made way for avarice. The defire of conquefts drew on that of riches without which they could not propofe to extend their dominions. The main defign of Lycurgus, in the efta- blilhing his laws, and efpecially that which prohibited the uie of gold and iilver, was, as (^) Polybius and Plu- tarch have judicioufly obferved, to curb and reflrain the ambition of his citizens ; to difable them from making conquefts, and in a manner to force them to confine themfelves v/ithin the narrow bounds of their ovv^n coun- try, without carrying their views and pretenfions any farther. Indeed the government, which he eftabliflied was fufficient to defend the frontiers of Sparta, but was not calculated for the raifing her to a dominion over other cities. (5) The defign then of Lycurgus was not to make the Spartans conquerors. To remove fuch thoughts from his fellow-citizens, he exprefsly forbid them, though they inhabited a country furrounded with the fea, to meddle in maritime .^iiairs ; to have any fieets, or even to fight upori the fea. They were religious obfervers of this prohi- bition for many ages, and even till the defeat of Xerxes : But upon that occafion they began to think of making themfelves mafters at fea, that they might be able to keep that formidable enemy at the greater diftance. But hav- ing foon perceived, that tliefe maritime, remote com- mands, corrupted the manners of their generals, they laid that projeft afide without any difficulty, as v/e fliall obferve, when we come to fpeak of king Paufanias. {c) When Lycurgus armed his fellow-citizens v/ith fliields and lances, it was not to enable them to commit wrongs (d) p.;lyl). I. vi. p 49T. (5; Flut. in moribus Laced, p. 239, PiUt. in vit. Lycur. p. 59. 40 - THE HISTORY wrongs and outrages with impunity, but only to defend themfelves againft the invafions and injuries of others. He made them indeed a nation of warriors and foldiers 5 but it was only that under the lhadow of their arms they might live in liberty, moderation, juftice, union, and peace, by being content with their own territories, without ufurping thofe of others, and by being perfuaded, that no city or ftate, any more than a lingle perfon, can ever hope for folid and lafting happinefs, but from virtue only. (^) Men of a depraved tafte (fays Plutarch further on the fame fubjed), who think nothing fo defirable as riches^ ajid a large extent of dominion, may give preference to thofe vaft empires, that have fubdued and enflaved the world by violence : Bat Lycurgus was convinced, that a city had occafion for nothing of that kind in order to be happy. His policy, v^/hich has juftly been the admiration cf all ages, had no further views, than to eftabliih equitj^, moderation, liberty, and peace ; and was an enemy to all injuftice, violence, and ambition, and the paffion of reigning and extending the bounds of the Spartan com- monwealth. Such reflections as thefe, which Plutarch agreeably interfperfes in his Lives, and in which their ^reateil and moll ellential beauty confifts, are of infinite ufe towards the giving us true notions of things, and making us un- derftand^ wherein confifts the folid and true glory of a ftate that is really happy ; as alfo to correal thofe falfe ideas we are apt to form of the vain greatnefe of thofe empires which have fwallowed up kingdoms, and of thofe celebrated conquerors, who owe all their fame and gran- deur to violence and ufurpation. The long duration of the laws eftabliftied Z^TheexceU "by Lycurgus, is ccrtaiulv very wonderful : . lent ediiration ^ \ ^ ^ , 1 r r r 1 of their youth. -J^ut the meaus he made ule or to lucceed , therein are no lefs v/orthy of admiration.. The principal of thef^ was the extraordinary care he tookr to nave the Spartan youth brought up in an exa£l and fevere difcipiine : For (as Plutarch obfervesj) tlie religious {d) Ibidem 5c in vit. Agefil. p. 0i'4v., O F G R E E C E. 41 religioas obligation of an oath, which he exa<£i:ed from the citizens, would have been a feeble tie, had he not by education infufed his laws, as it w^ere, into the minds and manners of the children, and made them fuck in al- moft with their mother's milk, an affeftion for his infti- ^utions. This w^as the reafon why his principal ordi- nances fubfifted above five hundred j^ears, having funk into the very temper and hearts of the people, like a * ftrong and good dye that penetrates thoroughly. Cicera makes the fame remark, and afcribes the courage and vir- tue of the iSpartans, not fo much to their own natural difpofition, as to their excellent education : (e) Cujus cu vitatis fpeBata ac nobilitata virtus^ no7i folum naturd cor^ roborataj verum etiain difciplind piitatur. All this fhows of what importance it is to a ftate to take care that their youth be brought up in a manner proper to inipire them with a love for the lav/s of their countryx (y) The great maxim of Lycurgus, which Ariftotle repeats in exprefs terms, was, that as children belong to the ftate, their education ought^o be direfted by the ftate, and the views and interefts of the ftate only confidered therein. It was for this reafon he delired they ftiould be educated all in common, and not left to the humour and caprice of their parents, who generally, through a foft and blind indulgence, and a miftaken tendernefs, enervate at once both the bodies and minds of their children. At Sparta, from their tendercft years, they were inured to labour and fatigue by the exercifes of hunting and racing, and aceuftomed betimes to endure hunger and thirft, heat and cold ; and, what is difficult to make mothers be- lieve, all thefe hard and laborious exercifes tended to pro- cure them health, and make their conftitutions the more vigorous and robuft, able to bear the hardftiips and fa- tigues of war ; the thing for which they were all defigned from their cradles. But the moft excellent thing in the Spartan 4. Obedi" education, was its teaching young people ^n^^^* fa • ''flr^re^ (lei(pr,i ux^urv Kxt i(rx^y^(x>s Kotrce^'CcyAviis Plat. Ep. iii. {e) Oral, pro Flac. n. 63, (/) Poiyb. I, "viii. Pulitic. 42 THE HISTORY fo perfeftly well hew to obey. It is from hence the poet Siuionides gives that citj fuch a ^ magnificent epi-" thet, which denotes, that they alone knew how to fub- due the paffions of men, and to render them pliant and fubmiffive to laws, in the fame mapner as horfes are taught to obey the fpur and the bridle, by being broken and managed, while they are young. For this reafon, Agefilaus advifed Xenophon to fend his children to Spar- ta, f that they might learn there the nobleil and greateft of all fciences, that is, how to command, and how to obey. 5 Rcfpea to- One of the leiTons ofteneft and moll ftrong- nvarcU the aged \j inculcated UDon the Lacedemonian youth, was, to bear a great reverence and refpeft to old men, and to give them proofs of it upon all occafions, by faluting them, by making way for them, and giving them place in the ftreets, (^g) by rifing up to fhow them honour in all companies and public alTemblies ; but above all, by re- ceiving their advice, and even their reproofs, with doci- lity, and fubmiffion : By thefe charadteriftics, a Lacede- monian was knov/n wherever he came ; if he had behav- ed otherwife, it would have been looked upon as a re- proach to himfelf, and a diflioaour to his country. An old man of Athens going into a theatre once to fee a play, none of his own countrymen offered him a feat ; but when he came near the place where the Spartan ambalTa- dors, and the gentlemen of their retinue were fitting, they all rofe up out of reverence to his age, and feated him in the midfl of them. % Lyfander, therefore, had reafon to fay, that old age had no where fo honourab'e an abode as in Sparta ; and that it was an agreeable thing to grow old in that city. things (g) Plut. in Lacon. Tnftltut. p. 2137. * d.x(Ay.ffu.^oaro?jljat is to fay, Tdimtr of men. \ Lyfandrum Lacedemoniuni dicere aiunt folitum : LacedtMu;ne eilc boncRiffinnim domiciliu'U fenedlutis. Cic de t'en. 11. 63, ''£f AxKi}u.ifj.s^i ^zA/jry^ y'/!Ms-i, Plut, in mor. p. 795, OF GREECE. 43 2. Things hlameahle in the Laws oyLYCURGUS. In order to perceive the defects in the laws of Ly- curgus, we ihould onlj corupaie them wilD thofe of Mi'fe^, which we know were cVictr-ted b more than human wifUom. But my defign in. lihis u": tc ? i:cl "Lo enter into an exa£l examination of tlic ■ .v , .:;-v5^ v/htreia the laws and inflitutions of Ljcurgns aie Ici^Jty : I ihall i" co.itcnt myfelf with ma^lil:g ibme i]:gb:- reii^^Ccions only, w i^x'h probably may hav^. airea.lj occured to the reader* in the perufal of thofi vjrdi^i-ances, a; :a ^ ^-hich there are fome that he will be julily oiiendc on the firfl reading. To-begi-n for inftance. vvlth tliat ordinance i- "^htchol a relatins^ to the choice;, they made of thch -'^^--- cuiidren, as which 01 iriei-ri were to be oroug , up, and which expoffcid to T^erilh; wJic wci^i: Lr^iv't up or noc be fliocked at the U ij-'t and inL-.tman r'^''- cultom-o£^oronounci':.: icrn. ce of d^^ath uwn a;] fuch ■ infants as had the mi:- 'o-. iu :c to be ;:on: v. ith a cojiituurvja that appeared too w.x'^^ to undei :io the fatigUi^s anu ex- erciies to which the commonwcaka deitined all her fuojeeh? Is it then impoffible, and without example^ th-c cnildren, who are tender and weak in their infancy fli. vj.d ever alter as tliey grow up, and become in tirne or a robufl and vigorous coaipiexion ? Or fuppoie it w^ere fo,can a man no w^ay ferve his country, but by the ftrength of his body? Is tnere no account to be made of his wif- do ..a, prudence, coiiicil, generohtT, courage, magnanimity, > and, in a word, cA all the qualities that depend upon the miiid iiid the intellrcVaal facultres ? (J?) Ommno iilud honejium quod ex ainri'i exce^Jo ?nagnificoque cjucerimus animi ejjicltii} ^ noil cof^poris Dii ihiis, Did Lycurgus himfelf render lefs fervice, or do lefs honour to Sparta, by efta- bliiliing iiis laws, than the greated generals did by their victories? . .geiilaus was of fo frnall a ftature and fo meaa a figure of his perfon, that at the firil fight of him the Egyptians i^h) Cicer. L i. de oflic. n 79. Ibid. n. 76. 44 THE HISTORY Egyptians could not help laughing; and yet, as little as he was, he made the great king of Perfia tremble upon the throne of half the world. But, what is yet ftronger than all I have faid, has any other perfon a right or power over the lives of men, fave he from v/hom they received them, even God himfelf ? And does not a legiflator vifibly ufurp the authority of God, whenever he arrogates to himfelf fuch a power without his commlffion? That precept of the decalogue, Vvhich w^as only a renovation of the law of nature^. T^hou Jha^t not kill^ univerfally condemns all thofe among the ancients, who imagined they haJ a power of life and death over their flaves, and even over their own children. 2 Their care * great dcfcfl in Lycurgus's laws ( as ctrijincd onl' to Flato and Ariftotle have obferved) is, that he body. ^\-^Qy Q^^\y tended to form a warlike and martial people. All that legiflator's thoughts feemed wholly bent upon the means of ftrengthening the bodies of the people, without any concern for the cultivation of their minds. Why fliould he banifli from his com- monw^ealth all arts and fciences, which, befides many other * advantages, have this moft happy efFed:, that they foften our manners, polifh our underftandings, im- pi?ove the heart, and render our behaviour civil, courteous, gentle, and obliging; fuch, in a word, as qualines us for company and fociety, and makes the ordinary commerce of life agreeable ? Hence it came to pafs, that there was fomething of a roughnefs and aufterity in the temper and behaviour of the Spartans, and many times, was fome- thing of ferocity, a failing that proceeded chiefly from their education, and that rendered them difagreeable and ofFenlive to all their allies. 3. Their bar- It was an cxcellcnt pra£lice in Sparta, to barous cruelty to- accuftom their youth betimes to fufter heat -^^^^ds their ch:L and cold, hunger and thirft, and byxfeveral fevere and laborious exercifes to f bring the body into fubjection to reafon, whofe faithful and diligent mini Iter * Omnes artes quibus ^eias pucrilis ad humanitatem informari folet. Cic. Orai. pro Arch. f Exercendum corpus, 5c ita r*fHciendum eft ut obedire confilio rationU que ptffit in exequendis ncgotiis & labore tolerando. Lib* i. de offc» n. 79^ OFGREECE. 45 minifter it ougat to be in the execution of all orders and injunftions ; which it can never do, if it be not able to undergo all forts of hardfliips and fatigues. But was it rational in them to carry their feverities fo far, as the inhuman treatment we have mentioned ? And was it not utterly barbarous and brutal in the fathers and mothers to fee the blood trickling from the wounds of their chil- dren, nay, and even to fee them expiring under the lafiies without concern ? ^ , Some people admire the courage of the 4. je motjcr s gp^^^fg^j^ mothers, w^ho could hear the news inhumanity. r _ ' . ^ . . of the death of their children Uain m battle, not only without tears, but even with a kind of joy and fa- tisfaftion For my part, I fliould think it much better, that nature fhould fliow herfelf a little moreon fuch occaficns, and that the love of one's country fliould not utterly ex- tin guifli the fentiments of maternal tendernefs. One of our generals in France, who in the heat of battle w^as told that his foil w^as killed, feemed to be much wifer by his anfwer : Let us at prefent think^ faid he, how to conqne^ the enemy ; to ?norro%v I will motirnfor my fon. Nor can I fee, what excufe can be made £emv7u'JurT \'dcV7^ impofed by Lycurgus upon the Spartans, which enjoined the fpending fo much of their time in idlenefs and inaftion, and ihe following no other bufinefs than that of war. He left all the arts and trades entirely to the (laves and fl:rangers that lived amongft them, and put nothing into the hands of the citizens, but the lance and the fliield. Not to mention the danger there was in fullering the number of flaves, that were neceflary for tilling the land, to increafe to fuch a degree, as to become much greater than that of their mailers, which was often an occafion of feditions and riots among them; how many diforders muft men necef- farily fall into, that havefo much leifure upon their hands, and have no daily occupation or regular labour ? This is an inconvenience Hill but too common among our no- bility, and which is the natural effect of their wrong edu- cation,. Except in the time of war, moll of our gentry fpcnd 46 THE HISTORY fpend their lives in a mofi: ufelefs and unprofitable man- ner. Thej look upon agriculture, arts and commerce^ as beneath them, and what would derogate from their gen- tilitj. Thej feldom know how to handle any thing but their fwords. As for the faiences, they take but a very fmail tinfture of them, juft fo much as they cannot well be without ; and many of them have not the lead know- ledge of them in the world, nor any manner of tafte for books or reading. We are not to wonder then if gaming and hunting, eating and drinking, mutual vifits and frivo- lous difcourfe, make up their whole occupation. What a life is this for men, that have any parts or under- Itanding. 6. Their cruel- Lycurgus wouldbe utterly inexcufable. If ty to-wcirds Ike He~ lie gave occafion, as he is accufed of having done, for all the rigour and cruelty exer- cifed towards the Helots in his republic. Thefe Helots v/ere the (laves employed by the Spartans to till the ground. It was their cuftom not only to make thefe poor creatures drunk, and expofe them before their children, in order to give them an abhorrence for fo fliameful and odious a vice, but alfo to treat them with the utmoft bar- barity, as thinking themfelves at liberty to deftroy them by any violence or cruelty whatfoever, under pretence of thfir being aUvays itiady to rebel. Upon a certain occafion related by (/) Thucydides, tVvTo thoufand of thefe flaves difappeared at once, without any body's knowing what was become of them. Plu- tarch pretends, this barbarous cuftom was not praftifed till after Lycurgus 's time, and that he had no hand in it. 7. Modcfv -^^^^ ^^^^^ wherein Lycurgus appears to be find decency en- moft culpablc- and what beft fhows the pro- tireLy neglcBed. enormities and grofs darknefs the - Pagans were plunged in, is the little regard he fhowed for mode^i* and decency, in what concerned the education of girls, and the marriages of young women ; which was v/ithout doubt the fource of thofe diforders, that prevailed in (0 L'b.iv. OF GREECE. 74 in Sparta, as Arlllotle has wifely obferved. When we compare thefe indecent and licentious inflitutions of the w fell legiflator that ever profane iintiquity could boafl, with the fanftity and purity of the evangelical precepts ; what a noble idea does it give us of 'the dignity and ex- celJer.ce of the Chrillian religion. Nor will it give us a lefs advantageous notion of this pre-eminence, if we compare the moft excellent and laud- - able part of Lycurgus's inllitutions with the laws of the gofpeL It is, we muft own, a wonderful thing, that the whole people fhould confent to a divifion of their lands, which fet the poor nian upon an equal footing with the rich ; and that by a total exclulion of gold and filver they fliould reduce themfelves to a kind of voluntary poverty. But the vSpartan legiflator, when he enacled thefe laws, had the fvvord in his hand ; whereas the Chrifti'an legiflator fays but a word, Bfejfcdare the poor hi Spirit, znd thoufands - of the faithful throughall fucceeding generations renounce their goods, fell their lands and efliates, and leave all to -follow Jefus Chrifl, their mafter, in poverty and want. ARTICLE VIII. *Thc Goverfiment of Athens. The Laws of Solon. The Hzjlory of that Republic from the Ti?ne of Solon to the Reign of Darius the Fir/l, T HxWE already obferved, that Athens was at flrft go- ^ verned by kings. But they were fuch as had little more than the name ; for their whole power. Being con- . fined to the command of the armies, vaniPned in time of peace. Every man was mafcer in his own houfe, v/here he lived in an abfolute ftate of independence. Codrus, the lall king of Athens, having devoted himfelf to die for the public good, his fons Medon and Aniens quarrel- led about the fucceffion. The Athenians took this oc- cafion to abolifli the regal power, though it did not much incommode them; and declared, that Jupiter alone was king -Codrus ivas contemporary uHh SaiiL I 48 THE HISTORY king of Athens ; at the very fame time that the Jews were weary of their theocracy, that Is having the true God for their king, and would abfolutely have a man to reign over them. Plutarch obferves, that Homer, when he enumerates the {hips of the confederate Grecians, gives the name of people to none, but the Athenians ; from whence it may be inferred, that the Athenians even then had a great in- clination to a democratical government, and that the chief authority was at that time veiled in the people In the place of their kings they fubftituted a kind of governors for life, under the title of Archons. But this perpetual magiftracy appeared ftill in the eyes of this free people, as too lively an image of regal power, of which they were defirous of aboliftiing even the very ftiadow ; for which reafon they fir ft reduced that office to the term of ten years, and then to that of one : And this they did with a viev/ of refuming the authority the more frequent- ly into their own hands, which they never transferred to their magiftrates but with regret. Such a limited power as this was not fufficient to reftrain thofe turbulent fpirits, who were grown excef- fively jealous of their liberty and independency, very tender and apt to be offended at any thing that feemed to break in upon their equality, and always ready to take umbrage at whatever had the leaft appearance of dominion or fuperiority. From hence arofe continual faflions and quarrels : There wa^ no agreement or concord among them, either about religion or govern* ment. Athens therefore continued a long time incapable of en- larging her power, it being very happy for her that flie could preferve herfelf from ruin in the midft of thofe long and frequent dlffenlions flie had to ftruggle with. Misfortunes inftruct. Athens learned at length, that true liberty confifts in a dependence upon juflice and reafon. This happy fubjeftion could not be eftabliflied, but by a legiflator. She therefore pit lign to fome particular friends, whom he ufed to confult in all his affairs, and concerted with them the form and the terms in wdiich this cdift fhould be expreiTed. Now, before it was publiflied, his friends, who \A ere more in- terefted than faithful, fecretly borrowed great fums of mo- ney of their rich acquaintance, which they laid out in purchafing of lands, as knowing they would not be afftcU ed by the edi£l. When this appeared, the general indig« nation, that was raifed by fuch a bafe and flagrant knave- rj", fell upon Solon, though in efFe£l he had no hand in it. But it is not enough for a man in office to be difinterefled and upright himfelf ; all that furround and approach him ought to be fo too ; wife, relations, friends, fecretaries^^ and fervants. The faults of others are charged to his ac- count : All the wrongs, all the rapines, that are commit- ted either through his negligence or connivance, are jufily ' imputed to him ; becaufe it is his buiinefs, and one of the principal defigns of his being put into fuch a trufl, to pre- vent thofe corruptions and abufes.. This ordinance at firfl: pleafed neither of the two par- ties ; it difgufted the rich,, becaufe it abolifhed the debts; and diflatisfied the poor, becaufe it did not ordain a new divifion of the lands, as they had expefted, and as Lycur- gus had adually efie6ted at Sparta. But Solon's credit at Athens fell very fhort of that credit and power Vvhich Lycurgus had acquired in Sparta ; for he had no other authority over the Athenians, than what the reputation of his wifdom, and the confidence of the people in his inte- grity, had f)i'ocured him.. However, in a little time afterwards this ordinance was generally approved, and the fame powers, as before, were continued to Solon. He repealed all the laws that had been made by Draco, except thofe againft murder. The reafon of his doing this was the exceiTive rigour of thofe laws, which in fJclcd death alike upon all farts of oflenders j .fo that thev who D3: "'were 54 ^HE HISTORY ' 1 cbnviaed cf floth and idlenefs, or thej that only hsd 1 a few herbs, or a litle fruit out of a garden, were txo leverelj puniihed as thole that were guiltj of murder or facrilege. He then proceeded to the regulation of offices, einploj- ments, and magiftracies, all w^hich he left in the hands of the rich ^ for w^hich reafon he diftribated all the rich ci- tizens into three claflfes, ranging them according to the diiferences of their incomes and revenues, and according to the value and ellimation of each particular man's eftate. Thofe that were found to have five hundred meafures per rinnum, as well in corn as in liquids, were placed in the irfl rank ; thofe that had three hundred, were placed in the fecond ; and thofe that had but two hundred made up the third. (/i) All the reft of the citizens, whofe income fell fliort of two hundred meafures^ were comprifed in a fourth and iafl: clafs, and were never admitted into any employments. But in order to make them amends for this exclufion from offices, he left them a right to vote in the affemblies and judgments of the people ; v/hich at firft feemed to be a matter of little confeqifence, but in time became ex- tremely advantageous ^d madel them mafters of all the affairs of the city : For moft a^^^tlie iaw-fuits and differ- ences returned to the people^ to xi^hom an appeal lay iroin all the judgments of the magiilrates ; and in the affem- blies of the people the greatxjft and inoft important affairs of the flate, relating to peace or war, v/ere alfo determin- ed. The Areopagus, io called from the * place "where its alTemblies w^ere held, had been a long time eftabliffied. Solon reftored and augmented its authority, leaving to that tribunal, as the fupreme court of judicature, a gener^il iufpeftion and fuperintendency over all affairs, as alfo the care of caufing the lav/s (of which he v/as the guardian) to be obferved and put in execution. Before his time, tli-- (/) Plut. in Solon p. E3. * Tnls 'u.'as mi hill near the citadel of Atbeasy called Areopagus^ that is ■ ■' '"\(: H'i'i cf Mar>: ; Lecatfs it luus there Mats ha.i vct/i iri.J r-- :J' :L:lin Lihi.jv . the attention of the judges, their tribunal wr at night, or in the dark ; and the ^ rvv. to make ufe of any exordium, di.., . , n, Solon, to prevent as much as pomhic t/;-: the people might make of the great authority he .e^. .....n created a fecond council, confiding of four hundred mcr a hundred out of every tribe ; and ordered all caufc s a;:, affairs to be brought before this council, and to he n turely examined by them, before they were propofed t the general afiembly of the people ; to the judgment ( which the fentiments of the> other were to fubru'l, to which alone belonged the right of giving a ilnul iVr tence and decifion. It was upon this fabject Ai^achur:; (whom the reputation of the fages of Greece had brov ^ from the middle of Scythia) laid one day to Scion, wonder you fiiould empower the wife men only to deli berate and debate upoa alFairs, and leave the determina tion and decifion of them wholly to fools. Upon another occafion, w^hen, Solon was ccnverfin with him upon fome other regulations he had in view Anacharfis, aftoniihed that he could expc61 to fucceed i his defigns of reftraining the avarice and injufdce cf th citizens by written laws, anfwered him in this manner " Give me leave to tell you, that your writings are jii " like fpiders w^ebs : the weak and fmall iiies may b caught and entangled in them; but the rich artd povv ful will break through them and defpifc thern/'" viii, c I. LiUcian in Hcrniot, p 595, Qviint:l...l. vi. THE HISTORY h'?]on, v;ho was an able and prudent man, v/as very inccnveniencies that attend a democracy, ovcrnnient : But having thoroughly ftudied, , jrfccUy well acquainted with the character .lition of the Athenians, he knew it would be a L to take the ibverei^nty cut of the people's :hat if they parted with it at one time, they rcfame it at another, by force and violence. contented himfeif w-ith limiting their power -nty of the Areopagus and the council of four , judging, that the flate, being fiipported and i d by thefe two powerful bodies, as by two good ^ nch iki not be fo liable to commotions and d if- orders it had been, and that the people would be kept Vv'iLnin due bounds, and enjoy more tranquillity. I fhall only mention fome of the laws which Solon made, hj v/hich the reader may be able to form a judg- ment of tlie relL (r) In the firft place, every particular p^.rfjn was authorized to efpoufe the qviarrel of any one that was injured and infulted ; fo that the flrfl; comer might profecute the offender^ and bring him to juftice for the outrage he had committed. The delign of this wife legiflator by this ordinance^ v/as to accuftom his citizens to have a fellow-feeling of one another's fufFerings and misfortunes, as they w^ere all members of one and the fame body. (.j) By another law, thofe perfons, that in public dif- ferences and diileniions did not declare themfelves of one party or other, but waited to fee how things v^ould go, before they determined, were declared infamous, con- demned to perpetual banilliment, and to have all their eltates confifcated. Solon ha.d learned from long experi- ence and deep refle^lion, that the rich, the powerful, and even the vvlfe and virtuous, are ufually the moft backward to exnofe Ihemfelvcs to the inconveniencies wliich public dinVaiions and troubles produce in fcciety; and that their ze J for the public good does not render them fo vigilani: and acHve in the defence of it, as the paflions of the fac- tious (/•) Plut in Solon, p 88* (-0 Ib'^ ?• ^9- OF GREECE. 37 Lious render them induflrious to deftroy it 5 that the juft party being thus abandoned by thofe that are capable of ' giving more weight, authority, andftrength to it^ by their union and concurrence, becomes unable to grapple with the audacious and violent enterprifes of a few daring in- novators. To prevent this misfortune, which may be at« tended with the moft fatal confequences to a ftate^ Solou judged it proper to force the well aiTefted by the fear ok greater inconveniences to themfelves, to declare for tlic juft party, at the very beginning of feditions, and to ani- mate the fpirit and courage of the beft citizens, by en- gaging them in the common danger.. By this method of acculfoming the minds of the people to lc<:k upon that man almoft as an enemy and a traitor, tliat iliculd appear indifferent to, and unconcerned at, the misfortunes of the public, he f)rovided tlie ftate w^th a quick and fure re- courfe againft the fudden enterprifes of w'icked. and pro- - lligate citizens. (?) Solon aboliihed the giving of portions in marriage w^ith young vv^omen, unlefs they were only daughters : and ordered that the bride iliould carry no other fortune • to her hufljand, than three fuits of clothes, and feme tew houfelipld goods of little value : for he.w^ould not have matrimony becoir.e a traffic,- and a mere commerce of in- tereft ; .but defrred, that it ihould be regarded as an ho^ ■ nourable fellov/lhip and fociety, in order to raife fubjeccs to the flate, to make the married pair live agreeably and harmonioufly together, and to give continual teftimony of : mutual love and tendernefs to each other. Before Solon's tim.e, , the Athenians were not allowed ^ - to make their v/ills ; the Vv^ealth of the deceafed always devolved upon his children and f ami 1}^. Colon's law al- lowed every one, that w^as childlefs, to difpofe of his whole eftate as he thought fit; preferring by that means friend- iliip to kindred, and choice to necehity and conllraiiii;, and rendering every man truly mailer of his own for- tune, by leaving him at liberty to beftov/ it where he pleafed. This law, however, did not authorize indilfer- - D 5 eiitly (0 rUu. in Solon, p. 8 j. 58 THE HISTORY ently all forts of donations : Jt juftified and approved oi none but thofe that v/ere made freely and without any compulfion ; without having the mind diftempexed and intoxicated with drinks or charms, or perverted and fe- duced by the allurements and careffes of a woman : For this wife lawgiver was juftly perfuaded, that there is no difference to be made betw^een being feduced and being forced, looking upon artifice and violence, pleafure and pain, in the fame light, when they are made ufe of as means to impofe upon men's reafon, and to captivate the liberty of their underftandings. (//) Another regulation he made was to leffen the re- wards of the viftors at the Ifthmian and Olympic games, and to fix them at a certain value, viz. a hundred drach- mas, which make about fifty livres, for the firft fort ; ;ind five hundred drachmas, or two hundred and fifty livres for the fecond. He thought it a fiiameful thing, that athletse and wreftlers, a fort of people, not only ufe- lefs, but often dangerous to the ftate, fhould have any coniiderable rewards allotted them, which ought rather to be referved for the families of thofe perfons who died in tlis fervice of their country ; it being very juil and rea- .)ii:ibL% that the flate fiiould fupport and provide for fuch X ulicms, who probably might come in time to follow the good examples of their fathers. In order to encourage arts, trades, and manufaftures, the fenate of the Areopagus was ' barged v/ith the care of inquiring into the ways and means that every man made ufj or to get his livelihood ; and of chaftifing and punilliing all thofe v/ho led an idle life. Befides the fore- mentioned view of bringing arts and trades into a flourii::- ing condition, this regulation was founded upon two o- ther reafons flill more important. I. Solon confidered, that fuch perfons as have no for- tune, and make ufe of no methods of induftry to get their livelihood, are ready to employ all manner of uiijuft and ij.jiiuvful means for acquiring money ; and that the ne- ^ iubliiiing fome way or other difpofes them for conunittinc^ (e^ Phit. p. 91. Dlog, Laert. in Solca. p- 37* OF GREE C E. 59 committing all forts of mifdemeanours, rapines, knave-- ries, and frauds ; from which fprings up a fchool of vic j in the bofom of the commonwealth ; and fuch a leave gains ground, as does not fail to fpread its infeflion, ai^.i by degrees corrupt the manners of the public. In the fecond place, the moll able ftatefmen have al- ways looked upon thefe indigent and idle people, as a troop of dangerous, refllefs, and turbulent fpirits, eager after innovation and change, always ready for fediticub; and infurre61ions,.and interefted in revolutions of the ftate^ by which alone they can hope to change their own lltu- ation and -fprtune. It was for all thefe reafons, that, in the law we are fpeaking of, Solon declared, that a fou fhould not be obliged to fupport his father in old age (vr neceflity, if the latter had not taken care to have Icir, [r.:i brought up to fome trade or occupation : All childiv;_ that were fpurious and illegitimate, were exempted iiora the fame duty: For it is evident, fays ScIod, that whc»-^ ever contemns the dignity and fanclity of ni^tnmoi^v in fucli a manner, has never had in view the lawful ci^.i vv j ought to propofe to ourfelves in having childr^.n, but o!i» ly the gratiiicacion of a loofe paiiion. Having tlu n la. tisfied his own defires, and had the end he propofcd t.) himfelf, he has no proper right over theperfons he 1 T:'- >i , . upon whofe lives as v/ell as births, he has entailed aa < delible infamy and reproaeh . (a;) It was prohibited- to fpeak any ill of th^^ * ' = ]; : , caufe religion diredfs us to account the de:t K juilice requires us to fpare thofe that are no good policy flioidd hiader hatreds from bee . . . . mortal. It was alio forbidden to aSont or give ill lanj:ainoe to any body in the temples, in courts of judicature, iu public affemblies, and in the theatres, duriufj the dine of reprefentation : For to be nowhere able to p'nvern o.ir paffions and refentments, argues too unti - and ii^ ceiitious a difpoGtion ; as to reflrain them at all times, and upon all occafions, is a virtue beyond the mere '^o D6 {x) Plut. in Solon p. 89, 6o THE HISTORY of human nature, and a perfeftion referved for the evan« gelical iavv. Cicero obferves, that this wife legiflator of Athens, whofe laws were in force even in his time, had provided no, law againft parricide ; and being aflced the reafon why he had not, he anfwered, * That to make laws againft, and crdai/i pjinijlDHients for a crime ^ that had never been known or heard of] was the zuaj to introduce it, rather than to pr.'vent it, I omit feveral of his laws concerning mar- riage and adultery, in which there are remarkable and maaifell: contradictions, and a great mixture of light and thrknefj, knowledge and error, which we generally find :^x\'yA^ the very wifefl: of the heathens, who had no efta- '^rinciples or rules to go by,. . : Solon had publilhed his laws, and engaged the .p]-: by public oarh to obferve them religiouily, at ' - clie term of an hundred years, bethought proper vo from Athens, in order to give them time to . ro ji, and to gather itrength by cuitom j as alfo to rid r the trouble and importunity of thofe who came It him about the fenfe and meaning of his laws, Old the complaints and odium of others : For, as. • ;imleli, in great undertakings it is hard (if not j) to pleaie all parties. He was abfent ten whicii interval of time we are to place his jour- J Egypt, into Lydia, to vifit king Crafus, and: _ ral Gtl e ' countries, (j) At his return, he found: . :jie city in commotion and trouble; the three old :- .'/ns were revived, and had formed three different :: : ;3 ; Lycnrgus Vv^as at the head of the people that. V . bitod the lowlands : Megacles, ion of Alcmeon. V. rh. leader of the inhabitants upon the fea coafts ; and ridriiaLUs had declared for the mountaineers, to whom , r/ere joined the handier aftfmen and labourers who lived by their induflry, and whofe chief fpleen was againll the^r rich; ( v) A. M -445- ^-nt. J. C. 559. Plut. in SG:on, p. 94. ' Sapier.tcr feciffc dicittir, cuai de eo n\h\\ fanxerit, quod antea coni- mlTuni ttoterat ; ne. non tarn prohibere, u'^au* adaionere, vidcreiur. OFGREECE. 6i rich : Of thefe three leaders the two laft were the moil powerful and conliderable. (2;)Megacles was the fon of that Alcmeon whom Croe- fus had extremely enriched for a particular fervice he had done him. He had likewife married a lady, who had brought him an immenfe portion : Her name was Aga- riila, the daughter of Clifthenes, tyrant of Sicyon, This Cliilhenes was at this time the richeit and moft opulent prince in Greece. In order to be able to choofe a wor- thy fon-in-lavv, and to know his temper, manners, and chara6ter from his own experience, Cliilhenes invited ail the yoiuig noblemen of Greece to come and fpend a yt?>T v/ith him at his houfe ; for this was an ancient cuflcm in that country. Several youths accepted the invitation^, and there came from different parts to the number of thirteen. Nothing was feen every day but races, games, tournaments, magnificent entertainments, and ccnverfa- tions upon all forts of quefticns and fiibjeiSis. One of the gentlemen, who had hitherto furpailed all his com- petitors, loft the princefs, by ufing fcmie indecent geftures and poPiiures in his dancing, with which her ftither was extremely offended. Cliilhenes, at the end of the jear^ declared for Megacles, and fent the reft of the noblemitn away loaded with civilities and prefents. Ihia was the Megacles of whom w e are fpeaking. (a) Pififtratus was a well bred m^an, of a gentle and iniinuatihg behaviour, ready to fucccur and aflift the* poor ; wife and moderate towards his enemies ; a moft artful and accompliihed diffembler ; and one who had all appearan- ces of virtue, even beyond the moft virtuous ; who fecm- ed to be the moft zealous ftickler for equality among the. citizens, and vho abfolutely declared againll all innova- tions and change. It was not very hard for him to iiripofe upon the people with all his artifice and addrefs. But Solon quickly IdW through his difguife, and perceived the drift of all his feeiTfing (-.) Herod. lib. vi. c 125 — 131. (a) Flat, in Solon, p. 95. * I-l'c: cje 7ir4 here to irnderjiurui fiich as icg,^:,cd cr ajked aivis ; fir i^z i" v'j' l/cr rates, there 'zvas no citi'xen that died of hinrgcr^ cr d':f<' be^girrg, Ora:. Areop. p 3^9^ 6i THE HISTORY feeming virtue and fair pretences : However he thought fit to obferve meafures with him in the beglnriing, hoping, perhaps, by gentle methods to bring him back to his dutj. (b) It was at this time * Thefpis began to change the Grecian tragedy : I fay change, becaiife it was in- vented long before. This novelty drew all the world after it. Solon w^ent among the reft for the fake of hearing Thefpis, who acted himfelf, according to the cuftom of the ancient poets. When the play was ended, he called to Thefpis, and afked him, W^^f he was not ajljamed to utter fuch lies before fo many people / Thefpis made anfwer, 1 hat there was no harm in lies of that forty and in poetical fBions^ which were o?ily made for diverfion* ISfo , replied Solon, giving a great ftroke with his fljck upon the ground; but if we fuffer and approve of lyi?ig for our own dwerfon^ it will quickly find its way ijito our ferious engaf^ementSy and all our bufinefs and affairs, if) In the m.ear.time Piliitratus ftill paihed on his point; and, in order to accomplifh it, made ufe of a ftratagem, that fucceeded as well as he could expetl:. {4) He gave himfeif fevcral w^ounds; and in that con- dition, wdth his body all bloody, be caufed himfelf to be carried in a chariot into the market-place, where he raifed 2nd enflamed the populace, by giving them to underfland tiiat his enemies had treated him at that rate, and that he was the viftim of his zeal for the public good. An aflembly of tlie people was immediately convened ; and there it was refolved, in fpite of all the remonilrances^ Solon could make againft it, that fifty guards fliould be allowed Pififtratus for the fecuriry of his perfon. He foon augmented the number as much as he thought fit, and by their means made himfelf mafter of the citadel. All his ^ , Ph t in Solon, p. 9^. (.^0 Plut.in S(J * Tra^^edy n.'jcis in helr;^, a long t flcrns ('/ perj(y?/s i}}CLt ji^n'-. nv \ 'Thifpis n.ra.f thejlr/i that ii':€. or chm a<-7cf\ ivlo, in r.ver their ' - cited cin this recitcl , , 6/7 astern . (c) Herod. 1. i. c, 59 — 64. OFGREECE. 6 his enemies betook themfelves to flight, and tlie whole city Vv^as in great coniiLernatioii and diforder, except Solon, who loudlj reproached the Athenians with their cowardice and folly, and the tyrant with his treachery. Upon his being alked what it was that gave him fo much firmnefs and refolution? It isy faid he, my old age. He was indeed very old, and did not feem to rifk much, as the end of his life was very near: Though it often happens, that men grow fonder of life, in proportion as they have lefs reafon and right to delire it Ciould be prolonged. But Pifillratus after he had fubdued all, thought his conqueft imperfeft till he had gained Solon : And as he was well acquainted with the means that are proper to engage an old maUj^ be careffed him accordingly ; omitted nothing that could tend to foften and win upon him, and Ihowed him all poflible marks of friendfhip and efteem, doing him all manner of honour, having him often about his perfon, and publickly profeffing a great veneration for his laws; which in t3 uth he both obferved himfelf, and caufed to be obferved by others. ^:;olon, feeing it was impoffible either to bring Pififtratus by fair means to renounce this ufurpation, or to depofe him by force, thought it a point of prudence not to exafperate the tyrant by rejecting the advances he made him, and hoped, at the fame time, that by entering into his confidence and counfels, he might at lead be capable of conducting a power which he could not abolifli, and of mitigating the mifchief and calamity that he had not been able to prevent. Solon did not furvive the liberty of his country two years complete : For Pififtratus made himfelf mafter of Athens, under the archon Comias, the firft year of the 51ft Olympiad \ and Solon died the year fcliovv^ing, under the archon Hegeitratus, who fucceeded Comias. , The two parties, whofe heads were Lycurgus and Megacles, uniting, drove Pifiitratus out of Athens, where he v/as foon recalled by Megacles, who gave him his di Lighter in marriage. But a difference, that arofe upon cvc cf this match, having embroiled them afrefb^ tl. . .^onidee had the woril of it, and were obliged to 64 T ME HISTORT to retire. Piiiilratas was twice depofed, and twice found means to reinllate himfelf. His artifices ac^« quired him liis power, an-'d his moderation maintained him in it; and without doubt his * eloquence, which even in Tulij's judgment was very great, rendered him very acceptable to the Athenians, who were but too apt to be affedlcd with the charms of difcourfe, as it made them forget the care of their liberty. An exact fubmiflion to the laws diilinguillied Plliiiratus from mod: other ufarpers ; and tlie mildnefs of his government was fuch as might make many a lav/ful fovereign blufh. For which reafon the character of Piiiltratus was thought worthy of being fit i i oppofition to that of ether tyrants. Cicero doubting, what ufe Crefar v/ould make of his vlclory at Pharfalia, wrote to his dear friend Atticus, t IVe do not yet know^ uohether the dejiitiy cf Rome vjUI have us groan u?id^r a Fhalans^ cr live imder a Fijijlr atus. This tyrant indeed, if v/e are to call him fo, always jliowed himfelf very popular and moderate; (t?) and had fuch a command .of his temper, as to bear reprcaclies and infults with patience, Vv^hen he had it in his power to revenge them with a word. Plis ?;ardens and orchards were open to all the citizens; in v/hich he v. as afterwards imitated by Cimon.^ {f^) It is f aid he was the firll Vvho opened a public library in Athens, which after his tirne was much augmented, and at lall carried into Pert! a by Xerxes, (^) v/hen he took the city. But Seleucus Nicator, a long time afterwards, reftored it to Athens. {Ji) Cicero thinks alfo, it was Piiiilratus who firPc made the Athenians acquainted with the poems of Homer, who difpofed the books in the order v/e nov/ find them, v/hereas before, they v/ere confufedj and not digefled ; and v/ho full caufed them (e capti perniiitcrent. Vli''. Max. L viii. c. 9. Quis dodior iifdem temporibus, aut cujus elcquent^a Uteris IriPiruclior fuific trad'.tur, quam, Pifidrati ? Ck. ch Orat. I in. 137. f Incertuni e(l Phalarimne, aa PifiuratunT, fit iiuitaturiu. Ad Jul:, O F G R E E C E. 6$ t])eni to be publicly read at their feads, called Panathe- 11:2a. (/) Plato afcribes this honour to his ion Hippar- chus. (i) Pififlratus died in tranquillity,, and tranfmitted to his fons the fovereign pov/er, Vvhich lie had ufurped thirty years before ; feventeen of which he had reigned in peace. (/) His fons were Ilippias and Hipparchus. Thucy-* dides adds a third, which he calls Theflalus. They feem- ed to have inherited from their father an aiTe£tion for learning and learned men. Plato, who attributes to Hip- parchus (jTi) w^hat we have faid concerning the poems of Homer, adds, that he invited to Athens the famous poet Anacreon, who was of Teos, a city of Ionia ; and that he fent a veffel of fifty oars on purpofe for him. He like- w^ife entertained at his houfe Simonides, another famous poet of the ifle of Ceos, one of the Cyclades, in the iEgean fea, to whom he gave a large penfion, and made very rich prefents. The defign of thefe princes in inviting men of letters to Athens v/as, fays Plato, to foften and cultivate the minds of the citizens, and to infufe into them a relilla and love for virtue, by giving them a tafte for learning and the fciences. Their care extended even to the in- ftrucling of the peafants and country people, by ereSing not only in the ftreets of the city, but in all the roads and highways, ftatues of ftone, called Mercuries, wdth grave fentences carved upon them ; in which manner, thofe filent monitors gave inftruftive leflbns to all paf- fengers. Plato feems to fuppofe, that tlipparchus had the authority, or that the two brothers reigned together. (//) But Thucydides fliows that Hippias, as the eldefl of the fons, fucceeded his father in the government. However it were, their reign in the whole, after the death of Piiiftratus, was only of eighteen years duration : It ended in the folio wung manner. Harmodius {i^ In Hipparch- p. 2 2 3. (/) A rife. lib. v de Rep. c. I a. (/) A M. 3^:8. Ant. J. C. (;/••) hi Hip. p. 229... (;0 Lib. vi. o. -.25. 66 THE HISTORY (o) Harmodius and Ariftogiton, botli Citizens oi A* thens, had contrafled a very ftricl frieiidfhip. Hippar- chus, angry at firft for a perfonal affront he pretended to liave received from him, to revenge himfelf upon his fif- ter, put a public affront upon her, by obliging her fhame- fully to retire from a folenin proceflion, in which fhe was to carry one of the facred baikets, alleging, that flie was not in a fit condition to affid at fuch a ceremony. Her brother and his friend, ftiil more being flung to the quick by fo grofs and outrageous an affront, took from that mo- ment a refolution to attack the tyrants. And to do it the more effeftually, they waited for the opportunity of a fef- tival which they judged v/ould be very favourable for their purpofe: This was the feafl of the Panathensea, i:i w^hich the ceremony required, that all the tradefmen and artificers fhould be under arms. For the greater fecuri- ty, they only admitted a very fmall number of the citi- zens into their fecret ; conceiving, that upon the firft mo- tion all the refl would join them. The day being come, they went betimes into the market-place, armed witli daggers. Hippias came out of 'the palace and went to the Ceramicum, which was a place without the city, where the company of guards then were, to give the neceiTary orders for the ceremony. The two friends followed him thither, and coming near him, they faw one of the coii- fpirators talking very familiarly with him, which made them apprehend they w^ere betrayed. They could have executed their defign that moment upon Hippias ; but were willing to begin their vengeance upon the author of the affront they had received. t hey therefore returned into the city, where meeting with Ripparchus, they kil- led him ; but, being immediately apprehended, themfelves were ilain, and Hippias found means to difpel the ilorm. After this affair, he obferved no meafures, and reigned like a true tyrant, putting to death a vaft number of citi- zens. To guard himfelf for the future againft a lik^^ enterprife, and to fecure a fafe retreat for himie (d?) Thucyd. 1. vi. p. 446 — 450. ; ^ OF GRE E C E. G^ 111 cafe of any accident, he endeavoured to ftrengthea himfclf by a foreign fupport, and, to that end, gave his daughter in marriage to the fon of the tyrant of Lamp- factis. (^) In the mean time, the Algmasonidae, who, from the beginning of the revolution, had been banifhed from A- thens by Pififtratus, and who faw their hopes fruftrated by the bad fuccefs of the lad confpiracy, did not, how- ever, lofe courage, but turned their views another way. As they were very rich and powerful, they got thern- felves appointed by the Amphiftyons, that is, the heads of the grand, or general council of Greece, foperinten- dants for rebuilding the temple of Dejphos, for the fum of three hundred talents, or nine hundred t^oufand livres*. As they were generous in their natures, and> belides, had their reafons for being fo on this occoaiion, they added to this fum a great deal of their own money, and made the w^hole frontifpiece of the temple all of Parian marble, at their particular expence ; whereas, by the contra£t made with the Amphiftyons, it was only to have been made of common ilone. The liberality of the Alcmseonidae was not altogether a free bounty ; neither was their magnificence towards the God of Delphos, a pure elieft of religion. Policy was the chief motive. They hoped, by this means, to acquire great credit and influence i^n the temples, whick happened according to their expeftation. The money^ which they had plentifully poured into the hands of the prieftefs, rendered them abfolute mailers of the oracle, and of the pretended god who refided over it, and who, for the future, becoming their echo, faithfully repeated the words they diftated to him, and gratefully lent them the affifcance of his voice and authority. As often, there- fore, as any Spartan came to confult the prieftefs, who-, ther upon his own affairs, or upon thofe of the ftate, no promife was ever made him of the god's affiflance, but upon conditions that the Lacedemonians fhould deliver Athens from the yoke of tyranny. This order was fo often (/)) Ilerod. L v. c. 6^— 96, * About A-,OQQh Stall 2^ 6B THE HISTORY often repeated to them by the oracle, that they refolvedl at lafc to make war againft the Pififtratides, though they were under the ftrongeft engagements of friendfhip and hofpltality with them; herein preferring the will * of God, fays Herodotus, to all human vconfiderations. The firft attempt of this kind mifcarried ; and the troops they fent againfl: the tyrant were repulfed with lofs. Notwithilanding, a little time after, they made a fecond, which feemed to promife no better an iffue than the firil ; becaufe moil of the Lacedemonians, feeing the fiege they had laid before Athens likely to continue a great while, retired, and left only a fmall number of troops to carry it on. Bat the tyrant's children, who had been claiideftinely conveyed out of the city, in order to be put in a fafe place, being taken by the enemy, the fa- ther to redeem them, was obliged to come to an accom- modation with the Athenians, by which it was ftipulated, that he ihould depart out of Attica in five days time* ^Accordingly he aSually retired within the time li- mited, and fettled at Sigaeum, a town in Phrygia, feated at the mouth of the river Scamander. (r) Pliny obferves, that the tyrants were driven out of Athens the fame year the kings were expelled Rome. Extraordinary honours were paid to the memory of Harmodius and Arillogiton. Their names were infi- nitely refpeded at Atliens in all fucceeding ages, and almoft held in equal reverence with thofe of the gods. Statues were forthwith erefted to them in the market- place, v/hich was an honour that never had been ren- dered to any man before. The very fight of thefe ftatues, expofed to the view of all the citizens, kept up their hatred and deteflation of tyranny, and daily renewed their fe-itimetits of gratitude to thofe generous defenders of their liberty, who had not fcrupled to purchafe it with their lives, and to feal it with their blood. ( /) Alexander the Great, who kne^vV how dear the memory of thefe men were {q) A. M. 3496. Ant.]. C. 508. (0 Piiii. 1. xxxiv. c. 4. (0 Ibid. c. 8. OF GREECE. 69 were to the Athenians, and how far they carried their 5:eal in this refpeft, thought he did them a fenfible plea- fure in fending them the ftatues of thofe two great men, which he found in Perfia after the defeat of Darius, and which Xerxes had carried thither from Athens. (/J Ihls citj at the time of her deliverance from tyranny, did not confine her gratitude folely to the authors of her li- berty ; but extended it even to a woman, who had fig- nalized her courage on that occauon. This woman was a courtezan, named Leona, who, by the charms of her beauty, and Ikill in phiying on the harp, had particularly captivated Harmodius and Ariftogiton. After their death, Ihe tyrant, who knew they had concealed nothing from this woman, caufed her to be put to the torture, in order to make her declare the names of the other confpirators. But fhe bore all the cruelty of their torments with an invincible conftancy, and expired in the midft of them ; glorioufly fliowing the world, that her fex is more coura- geous and more capable of keeping a fecrct, t^ian fome men imagine. The Athenians would not fuffer the me- mory of fo heroic an adlion to be loil : And to prevent the iuftre of it from being fullied by the confideration of her charadler as a courtezan, they endeavoured to conceal that circumfhance, by reprefenting her in the ftatue which they ere£ted to her honour, under the figure of a lionefs without a tongue. Plutarch in the life of Ariflides, relates a thing, which does great honour to the Athenians, and which ihows to what a pitch they carried their gratitude to their deliverer, and their refpeft for his memory. They had learned that the grand-daughter of Ariftogiton lived at T.emnos, in very mean and poor circumftances, nobody being willing to marry her upon account of her extreme indigence and poverty. The people of x\thens fent for her, and marrying her to one of the moft rich and con- fxderable men of their city, gave her an cftate in land in the to;vn of Potamos for her portion. Athens feemcd in recovering her liberty to have alfo • recovered {i) Plln. 1. vll. c. %3- 1. xxzuY, c. S. (^0 I'ag. 3 3 J. 7^ THE HISTORY ' T^ecovered her courage. During the reigns of her tyrants fhe had a6led with indolence and ina^livity, as knowing | what fhe did was not for herfelf, but for them. But after : her deliverance from their yoke, the vigour i?nd aftivity fne exerted was of a quite different kind ; becaufe then her labours were her own. Athens, however, did not immediately enjoy a perfeft , tranquillity. Two of her citizens, Clifthenes, one of the Alcmseonides, and Ifagoras, who were men- of the great- eft credit and power in the city, by contending with each other for fnperiority, created two confiderable factions. 1 he former, w^ho had gained the people on his fide, made an alteration in the form of their eilabliChment, and in- ftead of four tribes, whereof they confifted before, divided that body into ten tribes, to which he gave the names of the ten fons of Ion, whom the Greek hiftorians make tlie father and firfl founder of the nation. Ifagoras, feeing liimfeJf inferior in credit to his rival, had recourfe to the | Lacedemonians. Cleomenes, one of the two kings of Sparta, obliged Clifthenes to depart fron^i Athens, vvath feven hundred families of his adherents. But they foon returned, Jfnd were refiored to all their eftates and for- tunes. The Lacedemonians, flung with fpite and jealoufy againft Athens, becaufe fhe took upon her to afl: inde- pendent of their authority ; and repenting alfo that they had delivered her from her tyrants upon the credit of an oracle, of which they had fince difccvered the impofture, began to think of reinflating Hippias, one of the fons of Pififtratus ; and to that end fent for him from Sigseum, w^liether he had retired. They then com'tnunicated their deiign to tlie deputies of their allies, whofe affiftance and concurrence they propofed to ufe, in order to render their | enterprife more fuccefsful. The deputy of Corinth fpoke firit on this cccafion, and expvefled great afconiilinientj that the Lacedemonians,; , w^ho were themfelves avowed enemies of tyranny, au% ■ profefied the greateft abhorrence for all arbitrary govern- ment, iliould defire to eftabiifli it elfewhcre j defcribino: at I 'the OF GREECE. 71 the fame time, in a lively manner, all the cruel and horrid effe£ls of tyrannical government, as his own country Co- rinth had but very lately felt by woeful experience. The reft of the deputies applauded his difcourfe, and were of his opinion. Thus the enterprife came to nothing; and had 110 other efFecEl, but todifcover thebafe jealoufy of the Lace- edemonians, and to cover them with fliarne and confufion. Hippias, defeated of his hopes, retired into Afia to Artaphernes, governor of Sardis for the king of Perlia, whom he endeavoured^ by all manner of means, to en- ..gage in a war againft Athens ; reprefenting to him, tliat the taking of fo rich and powerful a city would render him mailer of all Greece^ Artaphernes hereupon required of the Athenians, that they would reinftate Hippias in tlie government; to which they made no other anfwer, but by a downright and abfolute refufal. This was the ori- ginal ground and occaiion of the wars between the Per- sians and the Greeks, which will be fubjefl: of the fol- lowing volumes. ARTICLE IX. Illustrious Men, who diftinginjljed the?7ife!ves in Arts and Sciences. T Begin with the Poets, becaufe the mofl; ancient. KoMER, the mofl celebrated and illuftrious of all the poets, is he of whom we have the leaft knowledge, either with refpe6t to the country where he was born, or the time in Vv'hich he lived- Among the feven cities of Greece, that cor*tend for the honour of having given him birth, Smyrna feems to have the beft title, Herodotus tells us, that H^onier wrote four hundred years before his time, tliatis, three hundred and forty years alter the t- ki::':: of Troy: For Herodotus ilourifhed feven l[i;;^drcd a.id ioity years after that expedition. o- ine authors have pretended, that he was called IIo- becaufe he was born blind. Velleius Paterculius rejects (v) A. M, 3160, Ant. J/ C. 844. Lib. ii. c 53. 72 THE HISTORY rejefts this ftorj with contempt. * If arxy man," fays he, believes that Homer was born blind, he muft be fo himfelf, and even have loft all his fenfes." Indeed, according to the obfervation of Cj/) Cicero, Homer's works are rather piftures than poems; fo perfeftlj does he paint - to the life, and fet the images ^ of every thing he under- takes to defcribe, before the eyes of the reader, and he feems ' to have been intent upon introducing all the moft delight- ful and agreeable obje6ls that nature aiTords, into his w^^itings, and to make them, in a manner, pafs in review before his readers. f What is moft aftonifhing in this poet is, that having applied himfelf the fir ft, at leaft of thofe that are known, to that kind of poetry, which is the mcft fublime and dif- ficult of all, he ftiould however foar fo high, and w^ith fuch rapidity, at the firft: flight as it w^ere, as to carry it at once to the utmoft perfeftion ; w'hich feldom or never happens in other arts, but by flow degrees, and after a long feries of years. The kind of poetry we are fpeaking of, is the epic poem, fo called from the Greek word, sWo^ ; becaufe it is an a£tion related by the poet. The fubjeci: of this poem muft be great, inftruclivCj ferious, containing only one principal event, to which all the reft muft refer and be fubordinate ; And tliis principal action muft have paflTed a certain fpace of time, which muft not exceed a ' year at moft. Homer has compofed tv^o poems of this kind, the Iliad and the Odyflfey : The fubjeci of the nrft is the an- ger of Achilles, fo pernicious to the Greeks, when they belieged llion, or Troy ; and that of the fecond is the voyages (y) Tufcul. Qusft. 1. v. n. 1 14. * Qiiem fi quis c:i2cum gcniturn putat, omijibus fenfihus orbus eft. PaUn: i. i. c. 5. J Cbrifiinvam delnde Homerl illuxit ingenium, fine exemplo maximur.-i : qui nia^^nltudine operls, & ful^ore canninum, folus appellari Poeta niei uit. In quo hoc maximum eft, quod neque ante ilium, qucni ille im'tarc^rur ; lu que poll ifum, qui imitari eum poflit, inventus eft; neqne cucmqinim alium, ci:]'.!^ cpcris primus au6lor fuerit, in eo perfetSliitimi'm p^^^tyr liciiicimi et Archilochum irpericmus. FJ!. FaUrc. L i, c. 4 OFGREECE. 75 voj^ages and adventures of Ulyfies, after the taking of that city. It is remarkable that no nation in the worki, however learned and ingenious, has ever produced any poems com- parable to his ; and that whoever have attempted any works of that kind, have taken their plan and ideas from Homer, borrov/ed all their rules from him, made him their model, and have only fucceeded in proportion to their fuccefs in copying him. The truth is. Homer was an original genius, and fit for others to be formed upon-: (j) t^^'^^ ingeniorii7n Homer us » All the greateft men and the moft exalted geiiiufes, that have appeared for thefe tw^o thoufand and iive or fix - hundred years, in Greece, Italy, and elfewhere ; thofe, whofe writings we are forced ftill to admire ; w^ho are ftill our mafters, and who teach us to think, to reafon, to fpeak, and to write; all thefe*, fays Madam Dacier, acknowledge Homer to be the grcatefl of poets, and look upon his poems as the model for all fucceeding poets to form their taile and judgment upon. After all this, can there be any man fo conceited of his own talents, be they never fo great, as reaionably to prefume, that his decifions^ fhould prevail againfl: fuch an univerfal concur- rence of judgment in perfons of the moft diftinguiflied abilities and charaflers ? So many teftimonies, fo ancient, fo conftant, and fo univerfal, entirely juftify Alexander the Great's favour- able judgment of the works of Homer, w^hich he looked upon as the moft excellent and valuable produftion of human wit ; (ss) pretioJi[[lmu7n humcmi aiiiriii opus, {d) Quintilian, after having made a magnificent enco- mium upon Homier, gives us a juft idea of his charafier •iand manner of w^riting in thefe few words : Htmc nemo in magnis fuhlimitate^ in par vis proprietate ft^peraverit. Idem Icetus ac prejfus^ jucundus \§ gravis^ tiwi copia turn hre"jitate mirabilis. In great things, what a fublimity of ^expreffion ; and in a little^ what a juftnefs and propriety ! Vol. III. E Diffufive iy) Plin. 1. xvii. c. 5. (z) Ibid. c. 29. (^y) Q^in. 1. x. cap. r. * In UQmers life, n/jhkh is prefixed to the travjlatiou of the llid.d^ 74 THE HISTORY | DiiFufive and concife, pleafant and grave, equally admi« rable both for his copioufnefs and his brevity. Hesiod. The moft common opinion is, that he was contemporary with Homer. It is faid, he was born at Ciima, a town in iEolis, but that he was brought up at Afcra, a little town in Boeotia, which has fnice pafled for his native country. Thus Virgil calls him, the old man of Afcra. (3) We know little or nothing of this poet, but by the few remaining poems of his, all in hexame- ter verfe ; which are, ift, "The Works and Days ; 2dly, The l^heogonyy or the Genealogy of the Gods ; 3dly, The i Shield of Hercules : Of which laft, fome doubt whether it was written by Hefiod. i. In the firft of thefe poems, intituled, The Works and Days, Hefidd treats of agriculture, which requires, belides a great dd^l of labour, a prudent obfervation. of , times, feafons, and days. This poem is full of excel- lent fentences and maxims for the condudl: of life. He begins it with a fliort, but lively defcription of two forts of difputes ; the one fatal to mankind, the fource of quar- rels, difcords, and wars ; and the other, infinitely ufeful and beneficial to men, as it fharpens their wits^ excites a noble and generous emulation among them, and pre- pares the way for the invention and improvement of arts and fciences. He then makes an admirable defcription of the four different ages of the world ; the golden, the ^^llver, the brazen, and the iron age. The perfons who lived in the golden ag^, are thofe whom Jupiter, after their death, turned into fo many Genii * or fpirits, and then appointed them as guardians over mankind, giving them a commiffion to go up and down the earth, invifibles to the fight of men, and to obferve all their good and >evil aftions. This poem was Virgil's model in compofing his Geor- gics, as he himfelf acknowledges in this verfe : Afcraeumque cano Romana per opp;da carm.en, And- fug the Afcrcean verfe to Ro??tan 8wa{?ts. The ■}) Ec'og. vi- V. 70. (r) Georg. I. ii. v, 176. ^ t%iuon:^ \ ■ i 1 O F G R E E C E. 75 The choice made hy thefe two illuftrious poets of this fubjeft for the exercife of their mufe, fliows in what ho- nour the ancients held agriculture, and the feeding of cattle, the two innocent fources of wealth and plenty. It is much to be deplofed, that, in after ages, men de- parted from a tafte fo agreeable to nature, and fo well adapted to the prefervation of innocence and good man- ners. Avarice and luxury have entirely baniihed it the world. (d) Nimirupi alii fiibiere ritus^ circaqiie alia mentes hominum (letinentur^ et avaritice tantum artes coU untnr, 2. The T^heogony of Hefiod, and the poems of Homer, may be looked upon as the fureft and moft authentic archives and monuments of the theology of the ancients, and of the opinion they had of their gt>ds. For we are not to fuppofe, that thefe poets were the inventors of the fables which w^e read in their writings. They only coU lefted, and tranlmitted to pofterity, the traces of the re- ligion wbich they found cftabliflied, and which prevailed in their time and country. 3. Tl;>e Shield vf Hercules is a feparate fragment of a poem, wherein, it is pretended, Hefiod celebrated the moft illuftrious heroines of antiquity : and it bears that title, becaufe it contains, among other things, a long de- fcription of the ftiield of Hercules, concerning whom the fame poem relates a particular adventure. The poetry of Hefiod, in thofe places that are fuf- xeptible of ornament, is very elegant and delightful, but not fo fublime and lofty as that of Homer, Quintiliaii reckons him the chief in the middle manner of writing. ij) Datur ei palma in illo medio dicendi getiere. Archilochus. (/) The poet Archilochus, born in Paros, inventor of the Iambic verfe, lived in the tim« of Candaules, king of Lydia. He has this advantage in common with Homer, according to Velleius Pat^rculus, that he carried at once a kind of poetry, which he in- • E 2 vented^- ( /) PUn, in Piocem I, xlv. r/}.,L:b. I. c. c, C/') A M ^sZ?-^ AiU. J. C. ^ ■ \j J ^ — 76 THE HISTORY vented, to a very great perfeftion. The feet which gave their name to thefe verfes, and which at firft were the only fort ufed, are compofed of one ftiort and one long fyllable. The Iambic verfe, fuch as it was invented by ArchJlochus, leems very proper for the vehement and energic ftyle : Accordingly we fee, that Horace, fpeak^ ing of this poet, fays, that it was his anger, or rather his rage, that armed him with his Iambics, for the exercif- ing and exerting his vengeance. Archilochuvi proprio rahies armavit lamho. (g^ And Qnintilian * fays, he had an uncommon force : of expreiTion ; was full of bold thoughts,, and of thofe ftrokes that are fliort, but keen and piercing ; in a word, -his ftyie v/as ftrong and nervous. The longeft f of his poems were faid to be the beft. The world have paffed the fame judgment upon the orations of Demofthenes Tind Cicero ; the latter of whom hys the fame of his friend Atticus's letters. (Z?) The verfes of Archilochus v/ere extremly biting and licentious ; witnefs thofe he writ againft Lycambus, his father-in-law, which drove him into defpair. For this double X reafon, his poetry how excellent foever it was reckoned in other refpe£ts, was baniftied out of Sparta ; as being more likely to corrupt the hearts and manners of young people, than to be ufeful in cultivating their underftanding. We have only fome very ftiort fragments that rem^ain of this poet. Such a nicenefs in a heathen people, in regard to the quality of the books which ( g) Art. Poet. (/.') Hor. Ephod. Od. vl. ct Epift. xix. 1 i. * Summa in hoc vis elocutionis, quod eorum parum verecundam ac cum validce turn breves vibrantefque pudicam ledlionem arbitrabantur. fentcntix, piurimum fanguinis atque. Noluenint enim ea liberorum fuoiura nervorum, .^//in. L x. c. I. animos imbui, re plus moribas no- - f Ut Ariftaphnni Arichilochi iam- ceret, quam ingeniis prodcffct. Ita- bus, fic cpiftola longifTima quseque que maximum poetam, aut certc optima videtur. Cic Epi/l. xi. 1. 16. fummo proximum, quia domum fibi Atticum. invifam obfcoenis ma!cdi(5lis lacera- I LacediEmrnii libros Afchilochi verat, carminum cxilio muldarunt* e civitau iua exportari jufieruiit yd, Pat,\,^u c. OF GPvEECE. 77 -which they thought young people fliould be permitted to read, is highly worth our notice, and juftly reproaches many Chriftians. HiPPONAX. This poet was of Ephefus, and fignaliz^ ed his wit fome years after Archilochus, in the fame kind of poetry, and vnth the fame force and vehemence. l4e was * ^^gly? little, lean, and (lender. Two celebrated fculptors and brothers, Bupalus and Athenis (fome call the latter /Vnthermus), diverted themfelves at his expence, and repreiented him in a ridiculous form. It is dange- rous t6 attack fatiric poets. Hipponax retorted tlieir pleafantry with fuch keen ftrokes of fatire, that they hanged themfelves out of mortification : Others fay, they only quitted the city of Ephefus, xvhere Hipponax lived* His malignant pen did not fpare even thcfe to whom he owed his life. How manilrous was this ! Horace f joins Hipponax with • Archilochus, and reprefents them as two poets equally dangerous. In the Anthologia (/) there are three or four epigrams, which defcribe Hipponax as terrible, even after death. They admoniili travellers to avoid his tomb, as a place from whence a dreadful hail perpetually pours, 0«vyg tqv x^Xx^'-^^ Td(pov rh cp^i^lcv, Fuge grandi?ia?item tuniulum^ horrendum, '■ It is thought he invented the Soazon verfe, in which the Spondee is ufed inftead of the Iambus, in the fixth foot of the verfe that bears that name. Stesichorus. He was of Hemera, a town in Sicily, and excelled in Lyric poetry, as did thofe other poets we are going to fpeak of. Lyric poetry is that, the verfes of 'which, digefled into odes and ftanzas, were fang to the lyre, or to other fuch like inftruments. Ste- fichorus flouriflied betw^ix^ the 37th and 47th Olympiad.. E 3 Paufanius (/) Anthol. 1. ili. * Hippr!na<5H notabilia vultus foeaitas erat : quamobrem imaglnem ejus lafclvia jooruni ii propofuere redeniium circulis. Qi?id Hipponax ir.dii^^ natus ainaritudinem carminum diftrinxit in tantum, uc crcdatur aliquibus- ad jaqueuat eos impulifle : quod fslfum eft, Flin. 1. xxxvi. c. c, hi nialos afperrimus Para L a tollo cornua : QuhIcs Lycambe fpretus infiJo gener, Aiiu acer hoftis Bupalo. Eph^d. vi. 7* THE HISTORY Paufanius, after many other fables, relates, that Ste- lichorus having been puniiliecl witlr the lofs of fight for his fatirical verfes againft Helena, did not recover it, till he had retraced his inve£lives, by v/riting another ode contrary to the iirft ; which latter kind of ode is fince called Polinodia, Quintiiian * fays, that he fiuig of wars and illuftrious heroes, and that he fupported upon the lyre all the dignity and majefty of epic poetry. Alcman. He was of Lacedemon, or, as fome will have it, of Sardis in Lydia, and lived much about the lame time as Stefi chorus. Some make him the firft au^ thor of amorous verfes. Alc^eius. He was born at Mitylene in Lefbos : It is from him that the Alcaic verfe derived its n^me. He was a profeffed enemy to the tyrants of Lefbos, and par- ticularly to Pittacus, againft whom he perpetually in- veighed in his verfes. (/) It is faid of him, that being once in a battle, he was feized wath fuch fear and terror, that he tLrew down his arms and ran away, f Horace has thought fit to give us the fame account of himfelf. Poets do not value themfelves fo mach upon prowefs as upon wit. X Quintiiian fays, that the ftyle of Alcaeus w^as clofe, magnificent, and accurate ; and to complete his charafter, adds, that he very much refembled Ho- mer. SiMONiDES. This poet was of the ifland of Ceos, in the i^lgean fea. He continued to flouriili at the time of Xerxes's expedition. He [| excelled principally in fune- ral elegy. The invention of local memory is afcribed to him, of which I have fpoken elfewhere §. At twenty- four {k) Pauf. In Lacon. p. 100. (/) Herod. I. v. c. 95. ^ * Stefichoriim, quarn fit ingcnio validus, materias quoqui; oflei^dunt, miixima bella et clariffimc s canentem duces, et epici carminis onera lyra fufi:ii)eiitcni, L. x. c. I. ■\ Tecum Philippos et celerem fiigam Senfi, reli^a non bene parmula. Hor. Od. vii. I. 2. I In eloquendo brcvis et magnificus & diligens, plerumque Homero fi- miiis. y Sed ne relidis, Mufa procax, jocis Cese retra(5les munera n.'cniae. Horat, MoeiliuE lacrymis Simonideis. Catnll. I Method of Uach'ing and Jiudf'.ng the Bella Ldters. O F G R E E C E, 79 four years of age, he difputed for, and carried the pri^e of poetry. ' (/;/) The anfwer he gave a prince, who alked him what God was, is much celebrated. That prince was Hiero, king of Syracufe. The poet defired a day to confider the queftion propofed to him. On the morrow he afked two days; and whenever he was calied upon for his an- fwer, he itill doubled the time. The king, furpriied at this iDehaviour, demanded his reafon for it. It is, re- plied Simonides, becaufe the more I confider the que- ftion, the more obfcure it feems : ^uia quahte duitius CQn- Jideroy tanto niihi res videtur ohfcurior. The anfwer was wife, if it proceeded from the high idea which he con- ceived of the Divine Majefty, which * no underftanding can comprehend, nor any tongue exprefs. {ji) After having travelled to many cities of Alia, and amafled confiderable wealth by celebrating the praifes of thofe in his verfes Vv^ho were capable of rewarding him well, he embarked for the ifland of Ceos, his native country. The Ihip was caft away. Every one endea- voured to fave what they could. Simonides took no care of any thing \ and when he was allied the reafon for it, he replied, I carry all I have about me Mea:min- quit mea funt cunBa, Several of the company were drowned by the weight of the things they attempted to fave, and thofe who got to fhore were robbed by thieves. All that efcaped went to Clazomena, w^hich was not far from the place where the veiu;! was lofl. One of the citizens v^^ho loved learning, and had read the poem.3 of Simonides with great admiration, was exceedingly pleafed, and thought it an honour to receive him inta his houfe. He f applied him abundantly v>;ith neceffa- E 4 lies, {ni) Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. i. n. 15. {n) Phasdr. 1. iv. * Certe hoc eft Deus quod & cum dicitnr, non poteft dici : cum jeftL matur, non poteil .-eftiinari ; cum comparatur, non potefl compirari ; cum definirur, ipfa definitione crefcit. S, dug fer n, de ternp. clx Nobis ad intelledum pedus anguftum eft. Et ideo fic eum (Deum) digne xftlmamus, dum iiixftimaliilem decimus. E'loquar quemadniouum iViuio. Macrnitudinem Dei qui fe puut lioiTe, jiiinuit : qui non vuh ml. nui^rcj Q'jn u-jvlc. Xdinut. Fdix. So THE HISTORY lies, whilil the reft were obliged to beg through the city. The poet, upon meeting them, did not forget to obferve how juftly he had anfwered them, in regard to his ef- fects: Dixiinquity 7/isa 7necum ejfe cunBa ; vos quod ra^ He was reproached with having diflionoured poetry by iiis avarice, in making his pen venal, and not compofing any verfes till he had agreed on the price of them, (o) In Ariilotle we find a proof of this, which does him no ho- tiour. A perfon who had Vv'^on the prize in the chariot- races, defired' Simonides to compofe a fong of triumph upon that fubjeft. The poet not thinking the reward iufficlent, replied, that he could not treat it well. This prize had been won by mules, and he pretended that ani- mal did not afford the proper matter for praife. Greater offers were made him, which ennobled the mule, and the poem was made. Money has long had power to be- ilov/ nobility and beauty. Et genus formam 7^egina pecunia donate As this animal is generated between a flie-afs and an Iiorfe, the poet, as Ariftotle obferves, confldered them at firft, only on the bafe fide of their pedigree. But money made him take them in the other light, and he ftyled them illu(lrious foals of rapid feeds : Xxl^ir uiXXoi^o^:^» Sappho. She was of the fame place, and lived at the fame time with Alca^us. The Sapphic verfe took its name from her. She compofed a confiderable number of poems, of which there are but two remaining: Which are fufilcieat to fatisfy us that the pralfes given her in all ages, for the beauty, pathetic foftnefs, numbers, har- mony, and infmlte graces of her poetry, are not without foundation. As a further proof of her merit, fhe was called the tenth mufe ; and the people of Mitylene en- graved her image upon their money. It were to be v/ifhed, that the purity of her manners had been equal {o) Pvhet. 1. iii. c ^. OF GREECE. Sc to the beauty of her genius 5 and that Ihe had not diflio- noured her lex by her vices and irregularities. (/)) Anacreon. This poet was of Teos, a city of loiiia. He lived in the 27th Olympiad. Anacreon fpent a great part of his time at the court of Poly crates, that happy tyrant of Samo^ ; and not only ihared in all liis- pleafures, but was of his council. (^J Plato tells us^ that Hipparchus, one of the fons of Pififtratus, fent a veflel of fifty oars to Anacreon, and wrote him a nioft obliging letter, entreating him to come to Athens, v/here his ex- cellent works would be efteemed and reiifiiecl as they de- ferved. It is faid, the only 11 udy of this poet was joy and pleafure : And thofe remains we have of his poetry falTiciendy confirm it. We fee plainly in all his verfes, that his hand writes what his heart feels and dictates. It is impoffible to exprefs the elegancy and delicacy of his poems : Nothing could be more eilimable, had their ob- - je£l been more noble. Thespis.- He was the firll inventor of Tragedy. I defer fpeaking of him till 1 come to give fome account of the tragic poets. - 0/ t/je Seveij Wise Men Greece. Thefe men are too famous in antiquity to be omitted in this prefent hillory. Xheir lives are v/ritten by Dio- genes Lac r tins. Tkales, the Mihjian. If Cicero ^ is to be believed, Thales.was the moil illullrious of the feven wife men. It vvas he that laid the firll foundations of philofophy h\ Greece, and founded the fed called the Ionic fed 5 br> caufe he, the founder of it, was born in the country of Ionia. (r) He held v/ater to be the firft principle of all things ; and that God was that intelligent being, by which all things Vw'ere formed by water. The firll of thefe opinions he had borrow^ed from the Egyptians, who, feeing t: e E 5 / ""Nile - (P^ Herod. 1. ili. c. lai. (7) In Kippar. p 2:9. (7 y Lib i. de Nat. Deor. n. 25. * Princeps I hales, unus e feptem cui fex relic^uos conaeiTilTe proemas fcrunt. l.ih% iv. Acad. ^lejl. n. 118. 82 THE HISTORY Nile to be the caufe of the fertility of all their lands, might eafily imagine from thence, that water was the principle of all things. He was the firft of the Greeks that ftudled aftronomy : He had exa£Hy foretold the time of the eciipfe of the fun 'that happened in the reign of Aftyages, king of Media, of which mention has been made already. He was alfo the firft that fixed the term and duration of the folar year among the Grecians. By comparing the bignefs of the fun's body with that of the moon, he thought he had difcovered that the body of the moon was in foil-' dity but the 720th part of the fun's body, and, confe- quently, that the folid body of the fun was above 700 times bigger than the folid body of the moon. This computation is very far from being true ; as the fun's folidlty exceeds not only 700 times but many millions of times, the moon's magnitude or folidity. But we know that in all tbefe matters, and particularly in that of which w? are now fpeaking, the firll obfervations and difcoveries were very impei-fedt. (.5) When 1 hales travelled into Egypt, he difcovered an eafy and certain method for taking the exaft height of the pyramids, by obferving the time when the fliadow of our body is equal in length to the height of the body itfelf. (^) To ilicw that philofophers w^ere not fo deftiiute of that fort of talents and capacity v/hich is proper fot bufinefs, as fome people imagined ^ and that they would be as fucccfsful as others in growing rich, if they thought fit to apply themfelves that way, he bought the fruit of all the olive trees in the territory of Miletos before they were in bloubm. 1 he profound knowledge he had of na- ture had probably enabled him to forefee that the yeajc would be extremely fertile. It proved fo in effedi: j and he made a coniiderable profit of his bargain lie ufed to thank the gods for three things ; that he was born a reafonable creature, and not a beaft j a man and not a w^oman j a Greek and not a Barbarian. Upon his (x) Plin lib. xxxvi. cap. (0 Cic. liK i. de Di^in. n. iii. OF GREECE. 83 his mother's prefling him to many, when he was young, he told her it was then too foon ; and after feveral years were elapfcd, he told her, it was then two late. As he was one day walking, and very attentively con- templating the ftars, he chanced to fall into a ditch. Ha I fays to him, a good old woman that was by, how will you perceive what pafles in the heavens, and Vv^hat is fo infinitely above your head, if you cannot fee what is juft. at your feet, and before your nofe ? {u) He was born the firft year of the 35th, and died the firft year of the 58th Olj'-mpi'ad : Confequently he lived to be above ninety years of age.^ Solon. His life has already been related at length. Chilo. He was a Lacedemonian : Very little is re-» lated of him. TEfop afking him one day,, how Jupiter employed himfelf ? /// hiwibling thofe, fays he, that exult themfelvesy and exalting thofe that abafe the ??if elves. He died of joy at Pifa, upon feeing his fon win the prize at boxing, at the Olympic games. He faid, when he was dying, that he was not confcious to himfelf of having committed any fault during the whole courfe of his life (an opinion well becoming the pride and blind- nefs of a heathen philoloplier) ^ unfefs it was once, by having made ufe of a little diffimulation and evaiion, in giving judgment in favour of a friend : In which aftion he did not know whether he had done well or ill. He died about the 5 2d Olympiad. PiTTACUS. He was of Mitylene, a city of Leftos. Joining with tfie brothers of Alcaeus, the famous Lyric poet, and with Alcasus him^felf, who was at the head of the exiled party, he drove the tyrants who had ufurped the government out of that illand. The inhabitants of Mitylene, heing at w^ar with the Athenians, gave Pittacus the command of the army. To fpare the blood of his fellow-citizens he offered to fight Phyrnon, the enemy's general, in fmgle Cvjmbat. The challenge was accepted. Pittacus was viftorious and killed his adverfary. The Mitylenians, out of gratitude,, E 6 witl> {u) ^, M. 3467. Ant. J. C. 545, 34 THE HISTORY v/itli unanimous confent conferred the fovereIgnt7 of the city upon him; v/hich he accepted, and behaved himfelf with fo much moderation and wifdom, that he was always refpefted and beloved bj his fubjeds. In the mean time Alcaeus, who was a declared enemy to all tyrants, did not fpare Pittacus in his verfes, not- withftanding the mildnefs of his government and temper,, but inveighed feverelj againft him> The poet fell after- wards into Pittacus's hands, who vvas fo far from taking revenge^ that he gave him his liberty, and fhowed bj that a6l of clemency and generolity, that he was only a tyrant in name. After having governed ten years with great equity and wifdoai, he voluntarily reiigned his authority, and retir- ed. He ufed to fay, that the proof of a good govern- ment was to engage the fubjefts, not to be afraid of their prince, but to be afraid for him. It was a maxim with ]iim, that no man fhould ever give himfelf the liberty of, Ajjeaking ill of a friend, or even of an enemy. He died iiie 5 2d Olympiad. Bias. We know but very little of Bias. He obliged Alyattus, king of Lydia, by ftratagem, to raife the liege of Priene, where he was born. This city was hard preiied with famine ; upon which he caufed two mules to be fattened, and contrived a way to have them pafs into the enemy's camp. The good condition they were in, artoniiliecl the king, v^ho, thereupon, fent deputies into the city, upon pretence of offering peace, but really to ob-^ ferve the ft ate of the town and the people. Bias, gueffing their errand, ordered the graneries to be filled with great heaps of fand, and thofe heaps to be covered over with corn. When the deputies returned, and made report to the king^ of the great plenty of provifion they had feen in the city, he hefitated no longer, but concluded a treaty^, and raifed the fiege. f One of the maxims of Bias par- ticularly taught and recommended, was to do all the good v/e can, and afcribe all the glory of it to the gods. CleoijuluSo (Ai^S, in Conv. Sep. Sap. p. 15 a. OF GREE C E. 85 Cleobulus. V/eknow as little of this wife man, as of the former. He was born ?X Lindos, a town in the ifle of Rhodes ; or, as fome will have it, in Caria. He invited Solon to come and live with him, when Pifiltra- tus had ufurped the fovereigntj of Athens. Periander. He was numbered among the wife men, though he was a tyrant of Corinth. When he had firft made himfelf mailer of that city, he writ to Thrafy- bulus, tyrant of Miletos, to know what meafures he fliould take with his new acquired fubjedls. The latter, without any other anfwer, led the meflenger into a field of Vv^heat, w^here in walking along he beat down with his cane all the years of corn that were higher than the reft, Periander perfedly well underftood the meaning of this enigmatical anfwer, which was a tacit intimation to him, in order to fecure his own life^ he fhould cut off the moft eminent of the Corinthian citizens, (^x) But if we may believe Plutarch, Periander did not relifh fo cruel an advice. (/) ^ wrote circular letters to all the wile men^* inviting them to pafs tome time with him at Corinth, as they had done the year before at Sardis with Croefus, Princes in thofe days thought themfelves much honoured^ when they could have inch guelts in their houfes. (52) Plutarch defcribes an entertainment, which Periander gave thefe illulhious guefts, and obferves, at the fame ■ time, that the decent iimplicity of it adapted to the tafte and humour of the perfons entertained, did him much more honour, than the greateft magnificence could have, done, The fubjeft of their difcourfe at table was fome- times grave and ferious,. and fometimes pleafant and gay, Gne of the company propofed this queition : W hich is the moil perfect popular government ? That aiifwered Scion, v/here an injury done to any private citizen is fuch to the whole body : That, fays Bias, where the law has no fuperior : That, fays Thales, where the inhabitants are neither too rich, nor too poor : That, fays Ana- charlis, where virtue is honoured^ and vice detefted : Says {x) In Conv. fept. Tap. (?^) In Conv. fcpt. fap. (v) Diog. Laert. in vit. Periand, 85 THE HISTORY Sajs Pittacus, where dignities are always conferred upon the virtuous, and never upon the vvlckedj Says Cleobulus^ where the citizens fear blame, more than punifhnaent: : Says Chilo, where the laws are more regarded, and have more authority than the orators. From ail thefe opinions Periander concluded, that the moll perfefl popular go- vernment, would be that which came neareft to arifto- cracy, where the fovereign authority is lodged in the hands of a few men of honour and virtue. Whilft: thefe wife men were aflembled together at Pe- riander's court, a courier arrived from Amafis king of Egypt, with a letter for Bias, with whom that king kept a clofe correfpondence. The purport of this letter -vas to confult him how he fiiould anfwer a propofal made to liim by the king of Ethiopia, of his drinking up the fea j in which cafe the Ethiopian king promifed to refign to him a certain number of cities in his dominions : But if he did not do it, then lie, Amans, w^as to give up the fame number of his cities to tlie king ,of Ethiopia. It was ufual in thofe days for princes to propound fuch enigmatical and puzzling queftions to one another. Bias anfv/ere'd him diredtly, and advifed him to accept the offer, on condition the king of Ethiopia would flop all the rivers that flov/ed into the fea ; for the bufinefs was only to drink up the fea, and not the rivers. We find an anfwer to the fame eiFeft afcribed to iEfop. I muft not here forget to take notice, that thefe wife men, of whom I have been fpeaking, were all lovers of poetry, and compofed veries themfelves, fome of them a confiderable number, upon fobje£i;s of morality and po- licy, which are certainly topics not unworthy .of the mufes. Solon, however, is reproached far having written fame licentious verfes : which may teach us whdX judgment we ought to form of thefe pretended wife mea of the pagan world. Inftead of fome of the wife men which I have meii>- tioned, fome people have fubftituted others j as Anacharfis, for (<7) Plut. in Solon, p. 79. OF GREECE. 87 for example, Myfo, Epimenedes, Pherecydes. The fir ft of thefe is mofl known in ftory. Anacharsis. Long before Solon's time the Scythian Nomades were in great reputation for their limplicity, frugality, temperance, and juftice. (Z^) Homer calls them a very juft nation. Anacharfis was one of thefe Scy- thians, and of the royal family. A certain Athenian,, once in company with Anacharfis, reproached him with his country : My country, you think, replied Anacharfis, is no great honour to me ; and you, Sir, in my opinion, are no great honour to your country. His good fenfe, pro- found knowledge, and great experience, made him pafs for one of the feven wife men. He writ a treatife in verfe upon the art military, and compofed another tradt on the laws of Scythia. He ufed to make vints to Solon. It was in a conver- fation with him, that he compared laws to cobwebs, which only entangled little flies, whilft w^afps and hornets break through them. Being isiured to the auftere and poor life of the Scy- thians, he fet little value upon riches. Croefus invited him to come and fee him, and without doubt hinted to him, that he was able to mend his fortune. I have " no occafion for your gold," faid the Scythian in his anfwer ; " I came into Greece only to enrich my mind, and improve my underftanding ; I fliall be very well fatisfied, if I return into my own country, not with an addition to my wealth, but with an increafe of knowledge and virtue." However, Anacharfis ac- cepted the invitation, and went to that prince's court. We have already obferved, that i^fop was much furprifed and diffatisfied at the cold and indifferent manner, in which Solon viewed the magnificence of the palace, and the vaft treafures of C roe fas ; becaufe it was the mafter and not the houfe, that the phiiofopher would' have had reafon to admire." Certainly," fays Analiar- fis to yEfop on that occafion, " you have forgot your own fable of the fox and panther. The latter, for her higheft virtue {h) Ilisd. lib. xi. c- 6. (c) Plut. in Conv. Sep. Sap. p. 155. 88 THE HISTORY virtue, could only fliow her fine fkin, beautifully mark- *^ ed and fpottcd with difterent colours : The fox's fkin, *^ on the contrary, was very plain, but contained within it a treafure of fubtilties and flratagems of infinite value. This very image, continued the Scythian, fliows me *^ your own character. You are affecled with a fplendid *^ outfide whilft you pay little or no regard to what is truly .the man, that is, to that which is in him, and- confequently properly his." This would be the proper place for an epitome of the life and fentiments of Pythagoras, who flour iibed in the time of which I have been fpeaking. But this I defer till I come to another volume, wherein I defign to join a great many phiiofophers together, in order to give the reader the better opportunity of comparing their refpec- tive doftrines: and tenets. ^SOF. I join yEfop with the wife men of Greece ; not only becaufe he was often amongft them*, but be- eaufe he taught, true wifdom with far more art than they do who teach it by rules and definiticnsc ^fop was by birth a Phrygian. As to his mind, he had abundance of wit; but with regard to his body, he w^as hunch-backed, little, crooked, deformed, and withal of very uncomely countenance ; having fcarce the fi- gure of a man ; and, for a very confiderable tune, aimoft without the ufe of fpeech. As to his condition of life, lie was a flave ; and the merchajit who had bought him, found it very difficult to get hmi oh his hands, fo ex- tremely were people fhocked at his unfightly figure and deformity. The firft mafter he. had, fent him to labour in the field, whether it w^s that he thought him incapable of any better employment, or only to remove fo difagreeable an objeft out of his light. He *■ ^^ifopus ille e Phyrgia fabulator, baud imnierito fapiens exiftlmatus eft : turn quse. iitilia monitu fuafufque erant non fevere, non imperiofe prxcepit & tonfuit, ut philofophis mos e , fed fdflivos deledabiiefque apolopfos comr^ientus, res falubritcr ac prol'picienter aiiimadverfas, in nitn- t<,-. ar.iniolq'ie homlnum, cum audicndi quadam Uiecebra induit. AtJi* C^IL Na^i. Art, lib. ii. cap. 29. O F G R E E C E. 89 He was afterwards fold to a philofopher, named Xan- thus. I lliculd never have done ftiould I relate ail the llrokes of wit, the fprightlj repartees, and the arch and humorous circumilances of his words and behaviour. One day his mafter, deiigning to treat fome of his friends, ordered ^-^ifop to provide the beft things he could find in the market. iEfop thereupon made a large provifion of tongues, which he defired the cook to ferve up with dif- ferent fauces. When dinner came, the firft and fecond courfe, the laft fervice, and all the made diflies were tongues. Did 1 not order jou, fays Xauthus in a violent paffion, to buy the beft viftuals the market afforded ? And have I not obeyed your orders ? fajs ^fop. Is there any thing better than tongues ? Is not the tongue the bond of civil fociety, the key of fciences, and the organ of truth and reafon ? By means of' the tongue cities are built, and governments eftabliftiedand adminiftered; With that men inftruft, peifuade, and prefide in affemblies : It is the in>ftrument by which we acquit ourlelves of the chief of all our duties, the praifing and adormg the gods. Well, then, replied Xanthus, thinking to catch him, go to market again to-morrow, and buy me the worft things you can find. This fame company w^ill dine with me, and I have a mind to diverfify my entertainment, ^fop the next day provided nothing but the very fame diflies ; telling his mafter that the tongue was the worft thing in the Vv^orld. It is, fays he, the inftrument of ail ftrife and contention, the fomenter of law-fuits, and the fource of divifion and wars ; it is the organ of error, of lies, calum- ny, and blafphemies. JEfop found it very difFicult to obtain his liberty. One of the firft caufes he made of it was to go to Crtsfus, who on account of his great reputation and fame, had been long defirous to fee him. The ft range deformity of ^fop's perfon fliocked the king at firft, and much abated the good opinion he had conceived of him. But the beauty of his mind foon difcovered itfelf through thecoarfe veil that covered it j and Crosfus found^ as A: fop faid on another 90 THE HISTORY another occafion, that we ought not to conftder the form of the veffel, but the quality of the liquor it contains. (d) He made feveral voyages into Greece, either for pleafure, or upon the affairs of Crcefus. Being at Athens fome fmall time after Piliilratus had ufurped the fove- reignty, and aboliflied the popular government, and ob- ferving that the Athenians bore this new yoke v^^ith great impatience, he repeated to them the fable of the frogSy who demanded a king from Jupiter. It is doubted whether the fables of FE{Q\)y fuch as we have them, are all his, at leaft in regard to the expreflion. Great part of them are afcribed to Planudius, who wrote his life, and lived in the 14th century. ^fop is taken for the author and inventor of this Am- ple and natural manner of conveying inftruftion by tales and fables ; in which manner Phsedrus fpeaks of him ; j^fopus auftor quam materiam reperit, Hanc ego polivi verlibus fenariis. But the * glory of this invention is really the poet He- Hod's ; an invention, which does not feem to be of any great importance, or extraordinary merit ; and yet has been much elleemed and made ufe of by the greatell phi- lofophers and ablefl politicians. Plato tells us, that Socrates, a little before he died, turned fome of ^fop's fables into verfe : (y) And Plato himfelf earneftly recom- mends it to nurfes to inflruft their children in them be- times, in order to form their manners, and to infpire them early with the love of wifdom. Fables could never have been fo univerfally adopted by all nations, as we fee they have, if there was noi-a vail fund of ufeful truths contained in them, and agreeably con- {d) Phffidr. 1. I fab. a. {e) Plat, in Phsd. p. 60. (/) Lib. li. de Rep. p. 378. * lllae quofjue fabul^e, qnje, etiaiDU orlg^lnem n.>n ab TEfopo acceperunt, (nam videtur earum primus audlor Hefiodus) nomine tamen j^ifopi niax- ime celebrantur, ducere animos foient, prscipue ruflicoruni & imperitorum : qui & fimplicius qu?e fidla funt audiunt, & capti VQi'Jptate, facile lis quibiis deledaniur cgjifcntiant. ^-uintiL \, v. c. 1%. O F G R E E C E. 91 concealed under that plain and negligent difgulfe. In which their peculiar chara6ler confifts. The Creator, certainly defigning the profpeft of nature for the iiiftruftion of mankind, endowed the brute part of it with various in- ftindts, inclinations, and properties, to ferve as fo many pi6lures in little to man, of the feveral duties incumbent upon him ; and to point out to him the good or evil qua- lities he ought to acquire or avoid. Thus has he given us, for inftance, a lively image of meeknefs and innocence in the lamb ; of fidelity and friendfliip in the dog ; and on the contrary, of violence, rapacioufnefs, and cruelty in ill the wolf, the lion, and the tyger ; and fo of the other fpecies of animals ; and all this he has defigned, not only as inftruftion, but as a fecret reproof to man if he Ihould be indifferent about thofe qualities in himfelf, w^hich he cannot forbear efteeming or detefting, even in the brutes themfelves. This is a dumb language, which all nations under- ftand : It is a fentiment engraven in nature, which every man carries about him. ^fop was the firfi: of all the profane writers, who laid hold of, and unfolded it, made happy applications of it, and attra&ed men's attention to tliis fort of genuine and natural inftrudion, which is within the reach of all capacities, and equally adapted to perfons of all ages and conditions. He was the firft that, in order to give body and fubftance to virtues, vices, du- ties, and maxims of fociety, did, .by an ingenious artifice and innocent fiftion, invent the method of clothing them with graceful and familiar images borrowed from nature, by giving language to brute beafts, and afcribing fenfe and reafon to plants and trees, and all forts of inanimate creatures. The fables of ^fop are void of all ornament ; but abound with good fenfe, and are adapted to the capacity of children, for whom they were more particularly com- pofed. Thofe of Phaedrus are in a ftyle fomewhat more elevated and difFufed, but at the fame time have a fim- plicity and elegance, that very much refemble the Attic fpirit and ftyle in the plain way of writing, which was the 92 THE HISTORY the finefl and moft delicate kind of compofition in ufe among the Grecians. Monfiur de la Fontaine, who was very fenfible that the French tongue is not fiifceptible of the fame elegant fimplicitj, has enlivened his fables with a fprightly and original turn of thought and ex- preffion, peculiar to himfelf, which no other perfon has yet been able to imitate. It is not eafy to conceive why * Seneca lays down as a faft, that the Romans, to his time, had never tried their pens in this kind of compoiition. Were the fables of Phccdrus unknown to him ? (^) Plutarch relates the manner of ^fop's death. He went to Delphos with a great qua itity of gold and filver, to offer in the name of Croefus, a nreat facrifice to Apol- lo, and to give each inhabitant a -f confiderable fum. A quarrel which arofe between him and the people of Del- phos, occafioned him to fend ba the money to Croefus, and to inform him, that thofe or whom it was intended had rendered themfelves unw^orthy of his bounty. The inhabitants of Delphos caufed him to be condemned as guilty of facrilege, and to be thrown down from the top of a rock. The god, offended by this adlion, piiraft id them with a plague and famine ; fo that, to puc j d to thofe evils, they caufed it to be fignified in ail the ai- femblies of Greece, that if any one, for the honour of u^fop, would come and claim vengeance for his death, they would give him fatisfaftion. (/^) At the third ge- neration, a man from Samos prefented himfell^, who had no other relation to ^^fop, but being defcended from the perfons who had bought that fabulift. The Delphians made this man fatisfadtion, and thereby delivered iheni- felves from the peitilence and famine that diftreffed ihem. The Athenians, thofe excellent judges of true glory, eteded a noble ftatue to this learned and ingenious ilave; ta (^) De fera numinis vlndl^ia, p. 556, 557. ( ' ) Herod, li'^. ii. cap. 134. * Non audr^o te iifque eo produc?re, ut fabe Uas quoque ct fopeos logos» INTENTATUM Ro -M A Ni s 1 N G PIN II s 0PU3, loiita tibi vciiullate conncdlafc. St dec. de Conj'ol. ad !'.■/)' c. xxvii. f Four ni'mui^ eauxd to 34^ ivvrcs. O F G R E E C E. 93 to let all the people know, fays (/) Phsedrus, that the wajs of honour were open indifferently to all mankind, and that it was not to birth, but merit, tliey paid fo dii- tinguifliing an honour. ^fopo ingentem ftatuam pofuere Attici, Servumque collocarunt aeterna in bail, Patere honoris fcirent ut cunfti viam, Nec generi tribui, fed virtuti gloriam. (0 Lib. ii. BOOK BOOK THE SIXTH. THE H I S T OR Y OF THE PERSIANS AND GPvECIANS. "Jhis Book contaitis the Hijlory of the Perfians <3i^^Grecians, in the reigns of Darius I. arid Xerxes L durijig the Space of Forty-eight years ; from the Tear of the World 3483, to the TearssS^' CHAP. I. ^he Hiflory of Darius, intermixed with that of the Greeks. («)13EFORE Darius came to be king, he was called ^ Ochus. At his acceffion he took the name of Darius, which, according to Herodotus, in the Perfian language, fignifies an Avenger, or a man that defeats the fchemes of another ; probably becaufe he had punifhed and put an end to the infolence of the Magian impoftor. He reigned thirty years. Sect. I. Dartus's Marriages. T'he Impofition ofTrihuteSy the Infolence and Punifloment of Intaphernes. '^he Death of Oretes. The Story of Democedes a Phy^ fcian. T^he Jews permitted to carry o?i the building of their Te?7iple, T^he Generofty of Syloson rewarded, BEFORE Darius was elefted king, he had married the daughter of Gobryas, whofe name is not known. Artabazanes, his eldeft fon by her, afterwards difputed the empire with Xerxes. When {a) H:rod,l, vl. 98. Val Max. 1. ix, c. a- PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 95 (5) When Darius was feated in the throne, the better to fecure himfelf therein, he married two of Cyrus's daughters, Attoffa and Ariftona. The former had 'been wife to Cambjfes, her own brother, and afterwards to Smerdis the Magian, during the time he pofleffed the throne. Ariflona was ft ill a virgin when Darius married her ; and of all his wives, was the perfon he moft loved. He likewife married Parmys, daughter of the true Smer- dis, who was Cambyfes's brother, as alio Phedyma, daughter to Atanes, by whofe management the impofture of the Magian was discovered. By thefe wives he had a great number of children of both fexes. We have already feen that the feven confpirators, who put the Magus to death, had agreed among themfelves, that he whofe horfe, on a day appointed, firft neighed, at the riling of the fun, ftiould be declared king ; and that Darius's horfe, by an artifice of his groom, procured his mafter that honour, (r) The king, defiring to tranfmit to future ages his gratitude for this fignal and extraordi- nary fervice, caufed an equeftrian ftatue to be fet up with this infcription; Darius^ the Jon of Hyjlafpes^ acquired the kingdom of Perfia hy ?7ieafis of his horfe {whofe ?iame was inferted), and of his groofUy 0 chares. There is in this infcription, in which we fee the king is not afhamed to own himfelf indebted to his horfe and his groom for fo tranfcendent a benefaftion as the regal diadem, when it was his intereft, one would think, to have it confidered as the fruits of a fuperior merit: There is, I fay, in this in- fcription, a fimplicity and fincerity peculiar to the genius of thofe ancient times, and extremely remote from the pride and vanity of ours. (^) One of the firft cares of Darius, when he w^as fet- tled in the throne, was to regulate the ftate of the pro- vinces, and to put his finances into good order. Before his time, Cyrus and Cambyfes had contented themfelves wnth receiving from the conquered nations, fuch free gifts only, as they voluntarily offered, and with requiring a certain imm^ber of troops when they had occafion for them. ih) A. M. 3483- Ant. J. C. H^rod, I Hi. c. 88. (0 Ibid, v--/) Ibid, c 19—97, 96 HISTORY OF THE them. But Darius conceived, that it was impoffible for him to preferve all the nations, fubje£l to him, in peace and fecuritj, without keeping up regular forces, and with- out affigning them a certain pay ; or to be able punftu- ally to give them that pay, without laying taxes and im- pofitions upon the people. In order therefore to regulate the adminiflration of his finances he divided the whole empire into twenty diftrifts, or governments, each of which v/as annually to pay a certain fum to the fatrap, or governor appointed for that purpofe. The natural fubjeSs, that is, the Perlians, were exempt from all impofts. Herodotus has an exact enumeration of tliefe provinces, which may very much contribute to give us a juft idea of the extent of the Per- fian empire. In Alia it comprehended all that now belongs to the Perfians and Turks ; in Africa, it took in Egypt and part of Nubia; as alfo the coafts of the Pvlediterranean, as far as the kingdom of Barca ; in Europe, part of Thrace and Macedonia. But it muft be obferved, that in this vaft extent of country, there were feveral nations, which were only tributary, and not properly fubje£l to Perfia ; as is the cafe at this day, with refpeft to the Turkifli empire. (^) Hiftory obferves, that Darius, in impofing thefe tributes, fliowed great wifdom and moderation. He fent for the principal inhabitants of every province ; fuch as were beft acquainted w4th the condition and ability of their country, and were obliged in intereft to give him a true and impartial account. He then allied them, if fuch and fuch fums, which he propofed to each of them for their refpeclive provinces, were not too great, or did not ex- ceed what they were able to pay ; his intention being, as lie told them, not to opprefs his fubjeds, but only to re- quire fuch aids from them as were proportioned to their incomes, and abfolutely neceflary for the defence of the ftate. They all anfwered, that the fums he propofed were very reafonabie, and fuch as would not be burthen- fome {(} Plut. in Apophthegm, p. 17 4 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 97 fome to the people. The king, however, was pleafed to abate one half, choofing rather to keep a great deal with- in bounds than to rilk a poffibility of exceeding them. But notwithilanding this extraordinary moderation on. the king's part, as there is foinething odious in all im- ]X)fts, the Perfians who gave the furname of father to Cyrus, and of mail er to Cambjfes, thought fit to charac- terize Darius with that of ^ merchant. The feveral fums levied by the impoiition of tliefe tri- butes or taxes, as far as we can infer from the calculation of Herodotus, which is attended with great difSculties^ amounted in the whole to about forty-four millions pe-r annu77i French, or fomething lefs than two millions En- giilh money. (jQ After the death of the Magian impoftor, it was agreed, that the Periian noblemen who had confpired againft him, lliould, befides feveral other marks oF dif« tin6lion, have the liberty of free accefs to the king's pre- fence at all times, except when he was alone with the queen. In taph ernes, one of thefe noblemen, being re- fufed admittance into the king's apartment, at a time when the king and queen were in private together, in a violent rage fell foul upon the ofticers of the palace, abiifed them outrageoufly, cutting their faces with his fcymitar. Darius highly refented fo heinous an inlult ; and at firft apprehended it might be a confpiracj^ amoiigft the noble- men. But when he Vvas well aifared of the contrary, he caufed Intaphernes, with his children and all that v^ere o-f his family to be taken up, and had them all condemned to be put to death, confounding, through a blind excefs of feverity, the innocent with the guilty. In thefe un- happy circumftances, the criminaPs lady went every day to the gates of the palace, crying and weeping in the mofi: lamentable manner, and never ceafing to implore the king's clemency with all the pathetic eloquence oT for- row and diilreis. The king could not refill fo moving a Vol. 111. F ipe£tacie, (f) Herod. !. c 118,119. * Kjt^r>?A5j frnrUe: ■ .:e(.?i and cor t do 7?ct k.^'jyj bo-^u}o v';pw'. It may r - . 07 a Retailer, crr.v one i hat br vs to 'n: a^aui. 98 HISTOPvY.OF THE f[3e6lacle, and befides. her own, granted her the pardon of any one of h^r farailj, whom flie fliould choofe. This gave the unhappy lady great perplexity, who defired, no doubt, to {'civQ them all. At laft, after a long delibera- tion, (he determined in favour of her brother. This choice, wherein fhe feemed not to have followed the fentiments which nature ihould dictate to a mother and a wife, furprifed the king, who defiring her to be afked the reafon of it, {he made anfwer, that by a fecond marriage, the lofs of an halband and children might be retrieved ; but that, her father and mother being dead, there was no poflibility of recovering a brother. Darius, befides the life of her brother, granted her the fame fa- vour for the eldeft of her children. (g^ I have already related in Vol. II. by wdiat an inftance of perfidioufnefs Oretes, one of the king's go- vernors in Afia Minor, brought about the death of Poly- crates, tyrant of Samos. So black and deteftable a crime did not go unpuniflied. Darius found out, that Oretes ftrangely abufed his power, making no account of the bJood of thofe perfons, who had the misfortune to dif- pleafe him. This fatrap carried his infolence fo far, as to put to death a meffenger fent him by the king, becaufe the orders he had brought him were difagreeable. Da- rius, who did not yet think himfelf well fettled in the throne, would not venture to attack him openly ; for the fatrap had no iefs than a thoufand foldiers for his guard, not to mention the forces he was able to raife from his government, which included Phrygia, Lydia, and Ionia. The king therefore thought fit to proceed in a fecret man- ner to rid himfelf of fo dangerous a fervant. With this commiffion he intrufted one of his officers, of approved iidelity and attachment to his perfon. 1 he officer, under pretence of other bufinefa, w^ent to Sardis, where, with great dexterity, he fifted into the difpofitions of the peo- ple. To pave the way to his defign, he firft gave the principal officers of the governor's guard letters from the king, which contained nothing but general orders. A; little (^) Herod. 1. iii. c. lao, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 99 little while after he delivered them other letters, in wliich their orders were more exprefs and particular. And as loon as he found hhnfelf perfecllj fure of the difpofition of the troops, he then read them a third letter, wherein the king in plain terms commanded them to kill the go- vernor; and this order was executed v/ithout delay. All his efFefts were confifcated to the king ; and all the per- fons belonging to his family and houfehold Vv^ere removed to Sufa. Among the reft, there was a celebrated phy- fician of Crotona, v/hofe name was Democedes. This phyfician's ftory is very fingalar, and happened to be the occafion of fome confiderable events. Qj) Not long after the fore-mentioned tranfa£lion, Darius chanced to have a fall from his horfe in hunting, by which he wrenched one of his feet in a violent man- ner, and put his heel out of joint. The Egyptians were then reckoned the moft fkilful in phyfic ; for which rea- fon the king had feveral phyficians of that nation about him. Thefe undertook to cure the king *, and exerted all their ikiW on fo important an occafion, but they were fo unhandy in the operation, and in the handling and manag- ing the king's foot, that they put him to incredible pain; fo that he paffed feven days and feven nights w^itliout fleeping. Democedes was mentioned on this occafion by fome perfon, who had heard him extolled at Sardis, as a very able phy fician. He v rs fent for immediately, and brought to the king in the condition he was in, with his irons on, and in very poor apparel; for he was afe that time actually a prifoner. The king alked him, w^hether he had any knowledge in phyfic ? At firft he denied he had, fearing, that if he fliould give any proofs of his fkill, he fiiould be detained in Perfia, and by that means be for ever debarred fram returning to his own country, for which he had an exceeding aiFe£}:ion, Darius, difpleafed with his anfwer, ordered him to be put to the torture. Democedes found it was neceflary to own the truth ; and therefore offered his fervice to the F 2 king. (/) Herod. 1. iii. c. 129, 130. AncierJly the fame perfons -^raBjecl both as ph\jicia:is a7id fw'geo?iS^ 100 HISTORY OF THE king. The firil thing he did, xvas to applj gentle fomen« n rations to the parts affecled. This remedy had a fpeedy effed : The king recovered his fleep ; and in a few days was perfeSly cured, both of the fprain and the diflocation. To reconipenfe the phyfician, the king made him a prefent of two pair of golden chains. Upon which Democedes, afked him, whether he meant to reward the happy fiiccefs of his endeavours, by doubling his misfortune ? The king WaS pleafed with that faying ; and ordered his eunuchs to condufl: Democedes to his wives, that they might fee the perfon to whom he. was indebted for his recovery. They all made him ve^y magnificent prefents j fo that in one day's time he became extremely rich. (?) Democedes was a native of Crotona, a city of Graecia Major, in the Lower Calabria in Italy, from whence he had been obliged to fly, on account of the ill treatment he received from his father. He firft went to ^ Egina, where by feveral fuccefsful cures he acquired great reputation : The inhabitants of this place fettled on him a yearly penlion of a talent* The talent contained fixty minas, and w'as worth about three thoufand iivres, French money. Some time after he was invited to Athens ; where they augmented his penlion to five thou- fand t livves per annum. After this, he was received into the family of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, who gave him a penfion of two thoufauc^ crowns It- is very much for the honour of cities, or princes, by handfome penfions and falaries to engage fuch perfons in their fervice, as are of public benefit to mankind; and even to induce foreign- ers of worth and merit to come and fettle among them. The Crotonians from this time had the reputation of having the abled pliyficians ; and next after them the people of Cyrene in Africa. The Argives v/ere at the fame time reputed to excel in mufica (i) Democedes, after performing this cure upon the king, was admitted to the honour of eating at his table, and (/) Herod. 1. lii. c. 131. ih) Herod 1, iii. c 1.32. * A-i i:) Kerod. 1. iv. c. 71, 72. * This ciiftcm nvas /I'Ui pi\iSlife{l by the Ihericins^ ihat ~uerc Srytbia/iSj in the time of TacltaSf loho makes rncntvyii ^-f't. Ajii^. i-. 4?. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. ir^ thcfe ceremonies as may ferve to give us an idea of the cruel barbarity of this people. When their king died, they embalmed his body, and wrapped it in -wax ; this done, they put it into an open chariot, and carried it from city to city, expofing it to the view of all the people under his dominion. Wlien this circuit was finiflied, they laid the body down in the place appointed for the burial of it;^ and there they made a large grave, in which they interred 1^ the king, and with him one of his wives, his chief cup- bearer, his gr^t chamberlain, his mafter of horfe, his chancellor, his fecretary of fiate ; all which perions were put to death for that purpofe. To thefe they added fe^ vera! horfes, a great number of drinking-velTels, and a ce?:tain part of every kind of houfehold-goods and furDi- ture belonging to their deceafed monarch. After vvhich they filled up the grave, and covered it with earth. This was not all. When the anniverfary of his interment came, they cut the throats of fifty more of the dead king's officers, and of the fame number of horfes, and placed the ofncers on horfeback round the king's tomb, having iirft prepared and embalmed their bodies for the purpofe j this they did probably to ferve him as guards. The ceremo- nies poffibly took their rife from a notion they might have of their king's being ftill alive: and upon this fuppolition they judged it neceflary, that he iliould have his court and ordinary officers ftill about him. Whether employ- ments, which terminate in this manner, were much fought after, I will not determine. it is now time to pafs to the confi deration of their man- ners and cuftoms, tiiat had more of humanity in them ; though poffibly, in another fenfe, they may appear to be equally favage. The account I am going to give of them is chiefly taken from ( Juftin. According to this au- thor, the Scythians lived in great innocence and fimpli- city. They were ignorant indeed of all arts and fciences, but then thcj were equally unacquainted with vice. They did not make auy divifion of their lands amongfl them- felves, fays Juftin : it would have been in vain for them t;o i.ib, 12. C, 7;. 114 HISTORY OF THE to have done it ; fiace they did not apply themfelves to cultivate them. Horace, in one of his odes, of which I fhall infert a part by and by, tells us, that fome of them did cultivate a certain portion of land allotted to them for one year only, at the expiration of w^hieh they were re- lieved by others, who fucceeded them on the fame condi- tions. They had no houfes, nor fettled habitation \ but wandered continually with their cattle and their flocks from country to country. Their wives and children they ^ carried along w^ith them in waggons, covered with the fkins of beads, which were all the houfes they had to • dwell in. Jullice * was obferved and maintained amongil | them through the natural temper and difpolition of the I people, without any compulfion of laws, with Vv'hich they were wholly unacquainted. No crime was more fevere- ly puniilied among them than theft and robbery 5 and that with good reafon For their herds and flocks, in which all their riches confifted, being never Ihut up, how could they polGbly fubfift, if theft had not been moft rigorouf- ly puniflied ? they coveted neither lilver nor gold, like the reft of mankind ; and made milk and honey their principal diet. They were ftrangers to the ufe of linen or w^oollen manufaftures ; and to defend themfelves from the violent and continual cold weather of their climate, they made ufe of nothing but the fkins of beafts. I faid before, that thefe manners of the Scythians would appear to fome people very wild and favage. And indeed what can be faid for a nation, that' has lands, and yet does not cultivate them ; that has herds of cattle, of which they content themfelves to eat the milk, and ne- gle£t the fleih ; the wool of their fneep might fupply ^ them with warm and comfortable clothes, and yet they ufe no other raiment than the fliins of animals. But that which is the greateft demonftration of their ignorance and favagehefs, according to the general cvpinion of mankind, is their utter negled of gold and lilver,. which have always * Juflitla gentls ingenils cuUa, non legib/.s. PERSIANS AND GPvECIANS. 115 always been had in fuch great requefl in all civilized nations. But, Oh ! how happy was this ignorance ; how vaftly preferable this favage ftate to our pretended politenefs ! ^' This contempt of all the conveniencies of life, fays Juftin, was attended with fuch an honelly and upright- nefs of manners, as hindred them from ever coveting their neighbours goods. For the defire of riches can only take place, where riches can be made ufe of. And would to God, fays the fame author, we could fee the fame moderation prevail among the reft of mankind, and the like indifference to the goods of other people I If that were the cafe, the world would not have feen fo many wars perpetually fucceeding one another in all ages, and in all countries : Nor would the number of thofe, that are cut off by the fv/ord, exceed that of thofe who fall by the irreverlible decree and law of nature. Juftin finifnes his charafter of the Scythians with a very judicious refledtion. f It is a furprifing thing, fays he, that an happy, natural difpoiition, without the affift- ance of education, fliould carry the Scythians to fuch a degree of wifdom and moderation, as the Grecians could not attain to, neither by the inftitutions of their legifla- tors, nor the rules and precepts of all their philofophers ; and that the manners of a barbarous nation ftiould be pre- ferable to thofe of a people fo much improved and re- fined by the polite arts and fciences. So much more ef- feftual and advantageous w^as the ignorance of vice in the one, than the knov/ledoe of virtue in the other i (f^) The Scythian fathers thought, with good reafon, that they ieit their children a valuable inheritance, when they left (%) Plut. de Garrul. p. 5 1 1. * Haic continentia illis morum turalis fatoruru conditio raperet. quoque jufiiciam indidit, nihil alie- f Prorfus ut admirabiie videatur, num concupifcentibus. Qu^ppe ibi- hoc iliis naturam dare, quod Grxci dt-m diviiiarum cupido, eit, ubi et longa fapientiam doclrina prreccptif- lifus. Atquc utinam reiiquis mor- que phiiofophorum confcqui neque- r talibus fimiiis moderatio et abftinen- unt, cultcfque mores incultae bar- tia alieiii foret ! profedo non tantum barix cvjluuK'ne fuiierari. Tanto beliorum per omnia fecula terris om- plus in iliis proficic vitioruni igno- nibus continuaretur : neque plus ho- ratio, quair* in his cognirio virtutis' minum ferruni et arma, quam 11a- .Ti6 HISTORY OF THE left them in peace and union v/ith one another. One of their kings, whofe name was Scylurus, finding himlelf draw near his end, fent for all his children, and giving to each of them, one after another, a bundle of arrows tied fail tagether, defired them to break them. Each iifed his endeavours, but was not able to do it. Then untying the bundle, and giving them the arrows one by one, they were very eafily broken. Let this image, fays the father, be a ieffon to you of the mighty advantage that refuits from union and concord, (rt) In order to ilrengthen and enlarge thefe domeftic advantages, the Scythians ufed to admit their friends into the fame terms of union with them as their relations, Friendfnip was confidered by them as a facred and inviolable alliance, which differed but little from the alliance nature has put between brethren, and which they could not infringe without being guilty of a heinous crime. Ancient authors feem to have flrove who fliould moft extol the innocence of manners that reigned among the Scythians, by magnificent encomiums. That of Horace I lhall tranfcribe at large. That poet does not con- fine it entirely to them, the Scythians, but joins the Getae with them, their near neighbours. It is in that beautiful ode, where he inveighs againft the luxury and irregularities of the age he lived in. After he had told us that peace and tranquillity of mind is not to be pro- curedrcither by immenfe riches, or fumptuous buildings, he adds, *^ An hundred times happier are the Scythians, who roam about in their itinerant houfes, their wag- gons ; and happier even are the frozen Getse. With them the earth, without being divided by land-marks, produceth her fruits which are gathered in common. There each man's tillage is but of one year's continu- ance ; and when that term of his labour is expired, he is relieved by a fucceiTor^ who takes his place, and manures the ground on the fame conditions. There the innocent fiep-mothers form no cruel defigtis againft the lives of their hulband's children by a former wife. Tii.' («) Lucian. in Tex- p, jl. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 117 The wives do not pretend to domineer over their hut- bands on account of their fortunes, nor are to be cor- riipted by the infinuating language of fpruce adulterers. *• The greateft portion of the maiden, is her father and mother's virtue, her inviolable attachment to her huf- band, and her perfe^l difregard to all other men. They dare not be unfaithful, becaufe they are convinced that infidelity is a crime, and its reward is death*." When we confider the manners and character of the Scythians v/ithout prejudice, can we pollibly forbear to look upon them with eiteem and admiration ? Does not their manner of living, as to the exterior part of it at leaft, bear a great refemblance to that ot the patriarchs, who had no fixed habitation ; who did not till the ground ; who had no other occupation than that of feeding their flocks and herds ; and who dw^elt in tents ? Can we be- lieve this people w^ere miuch to be pitied, for not under- Handing, or rather for defpifing the ufe of gold and filverf ? Is it not to be wifhed, that thofe metals had for ever lain buried in the bowels of the earth, and that they had never been dug from thence to become the caufes and inflruments of all vices and iniquity ? What advantage could * Campeftres melius ScythcX, Q^iorum plauftra vagas rite trahunt domos, Vivunt, et rigidi Getae ; Immetata quibus jugera liberas Fruges et Cercrem ferunt ! Nec cultura placet longior annua, Defun 121 wild raid uncultivated deferts ; that have neither towns nor houfes ; that have no fixed fettlement, or places " of habitation ; and that are deftitute of all manner of riches. What fpoil or benefit can accrue to your troops from fuch an expedition ; or to fpeak more properly, what lofs have you not reafon to appre- hend?" As they are accuflomed to remove from country to country, if ihey fliould think proper to fly before you, " not out of cowardice or fear, for they are a very cou- rageous and warlike people, but only with a defign to *' harafs and ruin your arm.y by continual and fatiguing marches ; what would become of us in fuch an lin- cultivated, barren, and naked country, where we fhall neither find forage for our horfes, nor provifion for our " men ? 1 am afraid. Sir, that through a falfe notion of ^* gloryp and the influence of ilatterers, you may be hur- ried into a w^ar, which may turn to the diihonour of the nation. You now enjoy the fweets of peace and tranquillity in the midft of your people, w^here you are ^' the objedt of their admiration, and the author of their happinefs. You are fenfible the gods have placed you upon the throne to be their coadjutor, or, to fpeak more ^' properly, to be the difpenfer of their bounty, rather ^' than the minifter of their power. It is your pleafure ^- to be- the protestor, the guardian, and the father of your fubjeils : and you often declare to us, becaufe you really believe fo, that you look upon yourfelf as in- veiled v/ith fovereign power, only to make your people happy. Wliat exquifite joy muft it be to fo great a * ^' prince as you are, to be the fource of fo many bleilings ; ^^ arui^ under the Hiadow of your name to preferve fuch infinite numbers of people in fo defirable a tranquil- lity ? is not the glory of a king, who loves his fubjecls and is beloved by them ; who, inftead of making war againft neighbouring or diliant nations, m.akes ufe of ' " his power to keep them in peace and amity vnth each other ; is not fuch a glory vaftly preferable to that of ravaging and fpoiling nations, of filling the earth with Vol. III. G " flaughter 122 HISTORY OF THE {laughter and dcfolation, with horror, confternatlon, and " defpair ? But there is one motive more, which ought to have a greater influence upon you than all others, I mean that of juftice. Thanks to the gods, you are *^ not of the number of thofe princes, who * acknowledge no other law than that of force, and who imagine that " they have a peculiar privilege annexed to their dignity which private perfons have not, of invading other men's " properties, f You do not make your greatnefs confift ** in being able to do whatever you will, but in willing ^' only what may be done, without infringing the laws, or violating juftice. To fpeak plain, ftiall one man be reckoned unjuft, and a robber, for feizing on a few acres of his neighbour's eftate ; and fliall another be reckoned juft and great, and have the title of hero onlj becaufe he feizes upon and ufurps whole provinces ? *^ Permit mc, Sir, to alk you, what title have you to Scythia ? What injury have the Scythians done you ? ^' What reafon can you allege for declaring war againfl them ? The war, indeed, in which you have been en- gaged againft the Babylonians, was at the fame time *^ both juft and necefl'ary : The gods have accordingly crowned your arms with fuccefs. It belongs to you, ** Sir, to judge whether that which you are now going to undertake, be of the fame nature." ISTothing but the generous zeal of a brother, truly con-' cerned for the glory of his prince and the good of his country, could infpire fuch a freedom : As on the other liand, nothing but a perfect moderation in the prince could make him capable of bearing with it. Darius f, as Tacitus obferves of another great emperor, had the art of reconciling two things, which are generally incom- j)atible, the fovereignty and liberty. Far from being offended ♦ Id m fumma fortuna jequius qnod validius : et fua retinere, private domiis : de alienis certare, regiam iuadtm cffe Tacit' Annal. xxv. c. i. f lit feiicitatifi eft quantum velis pofic, fic magnitudinis vellenantum^ poflis. P in. in Panegyr. Trnj. \ Ncrva Cael^r res olim diffociabilis mifcuit, piincipatum liber tateni. Tacit, in, vit, Agric. cap. iii. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 123 offended at the freedom ufed by his brother, he thanked him for his good advice, though he did not follow it ; tor he had taken his refoiution. He departed from Sufa at the head of an army of feven hundred thoufand men ; and his fleet, conlifting of fix hundred fail of fhips, was chiefly manned with lonians, and other Grecian nations, that dwelt upon the fea-coafts of Afia Mmor and the Heliefpont. He marched his army towards the Thracian Bofphorus, which he paffed upon^ bridge of boats. After which, having made himfelf mailer of all Thrace, he came to the banks of the Danube, otherwife called Ifler, where he ordered his fleet to join him. In feveral places on his march, he caufed pillars to be erefted with mag- nificent infcriptions, in one of which he fuitered himfelf to be called^ 1 he bejl and handfomejl of all men livingm What a littlenefs of foul and vanity was this \ And yet if all this prince's faults had terminated only in fentiments of pride and vanity, perhaps they would appear more excufable than they do, at leafl they would not have been fo pernicious to his fubjefts. (y) Bat how ftiall we reconcile Darius's difpoiition, which feemed to be fo exceeding humane and gentle, v/ith , a barbarous and cruel adion of his towards Oebafus, a' venerable old aian, whofe merit, as well as quality, entitled him to refpecl ? This nobleman had three fons, who were all preparing themfeives to attend the king in this expedition againft the Scythians. Upon Darius's departure from Sufa, the good old father begged as a favour of him, that he would pleafe to leave him one of his fons at home, to be a comfort to aim in his old age. One, replied Darius, 'will not be fuj^xie7it for you ; I will leave yo-a all the three : And immediately he caufed them all to be put to death. (g) When the arrny had pafied the Dantibe upon a bridge of boats, the king was for having the bridge broken down, that his army might not be weakened by leaving fo confiderable a detachment of his troops as G 2 ^ were ) Herod. 1. iv. c, 84. Senec. de Ira, c. xvi, (^:) Ibid I iv. c.,90, iQi, 124 HISTORY OF THE were neceffaiy to guard it. But one of his officers re- prefented to him, that it might be proper to keep that as a neceffary refource, in cafe the war with the Scythians ihould prove unfortunate. The king gave into this opi- nion, and committed the guarding of the bridge to the care of the lonians, who built it ; giving them leave at the fame time to go back to their own country, if he did not return in the fpace of two months: He then proceed- ed on his march to Scythia. As foon as the Scythians were inforjiied that Darius was marching agalnft them, tliey immediately entered into confultation upon the meafures neceffary to be taken. They were very fenfible, that they were not in a con- dition to refill fo formidable an enemy alone. They applied therefore to all the neighbouring people, and delired their affiftance, alleging, that the danger was ge- neral, and concerned them all, and that it was their common intereft to oppofe an enemy, whofe views of c:onqueft were not confined to one nation. Some return- ed favourable anfwers to their demand ; others abfolute- ly refufed to enter into a war, which they faid did not regard them ; but they had foon reafon to repent their re- fufal. (z) One wife precaution taken by the Scythians, was to f ecu re their wives and children, by fending them in car- riages to the moft northern parts of the country ; and with them likev^^ife they fent all their herds and flocks, re- ferring nothing to themfelves but what was necefiary for the fupport of their army. Another precaution of theirs was to fill up all their wells, and flop up their fprings, and to confume all the forage in thofe parts through which the Perfian army was to pafs. This done, they marched, in conjuncllon v^^ith their allies, againft the enemy, not with the view of giving him battle, for they were deter- Biined to avoid that, but to draw him into fuch places as fuited beft their intereft. Whenever the Perfians feemed difpofed to attack them, they ftill retired farther up into the country ; and thereby drew them on from place to place, into (;.0 Herod. 1. iv. c icz, nS, XI9. (0 Ibid. c. lac, icj. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 125 into the territories of thofe nations that had refufed to enter into alliance with them, by v^^hich means their lands became a prey to 'the tv/o armies of the Periians and Scythians. (/^) Darius, weary of thefe tedious and fatiguing pur- faits, fent an heraJd to the king of the Scythians, whof® name was Indathyrfus, with this mcffage in his name : Prince of the Scythians, wherefore doil thou continual- ^' ly fly before me ? Why doil thou not Hop fomewhere or other, either to give me battle, if thou believefl: thy- " felf able to encounter me, or, if thou thinkeft thyfelF too weak, to acknowledge thy m.after, by prefenting him with earth and water ?" The Scythians were an high- fpfrited people, extremely jealous of their liberty, and profeiTed enemies to all flavery. Indathyrfus fent Da- rius the following anfwer : " If I fly before thee, prince of the Perfians, it is not becauf^ I fear thee r What I do now, is no more than w^hat I am ufed to da in the time of peace. We Scythians have neither cities nor lands to defend : If thou haft a mind to force us to come to an engagement, come and attack the tonibs of our fathers, and thou flialt find what manner of men v/e are. As to the title of mafter, which thou alTumed, keep it for other nations than the Scythians. For my part, I acknowledge no other ma- *^ fter than the great Jupiter, one of my own anceftors^ *^ and the goddefs Vefta " (/) The farther Darius advanced into the country^ the greater hardfhips his army was expofed to. Juft when it was reduced to the laft extremity, there came an herald to Darius from .the Scythian prince, with a bird, a moufe, a frog, and five arrov/s, for a prefent. The king defired to know the meaning of thofe gifts. The mef- fenger anfwered that his orders were only to deliver them, and nothing more; and that it was left to the Perfian king to find out the meaning. Darius concluded at firft, that the Scythians thereby confented to deliver up the earth and water to him, which v/ere reprefented by a moufe and a G 3 frog^ (*) Herod. 1. iv, c. IZ7, (/) Ibid. c. 128, 130. 126 HISTORY OF THE frog ; as alfo their cavalry, whofe fwiftnefs was repre- fented by the bird ; tog i hv-r with their own perfons and arms, fignified by the arrows. But Gobrias, one of the feven lords, that had depofed the Magian irnpolljr, ex- pounded the enigma in the following manner : " Know, (fays he to the Perfians^ t lat unlefs you can fly awaj^ m the air like birds, or hide yourfelve§ in the earth like mice, or fwim in the water like frogs, you fliall in no- wife be able to avoid th : arrows of the Scythians/' (^T?i) And indeed the whole Perfian army marching in a vaft uncultivated, and barren country, in v^^hich the;re was no water, it was reduced to fo deplorable a condition, that they had nothing before their eyes but inevitable ruin ; Nor was Darius himfelf exempt from the common danger. He owed his prefervation to a camel, which was laden with water, and followed him with great difficulty through that v/ild and defart country. The king afterwards did not forget his benefactor : to reward him for the fervice he had done him, and the fatigues he had undergone, on his return into Alia, he fettled a certain diflricl of his own upon him for his peculiar ufe and fubfiftence, for which reafon the place was called Gangamele, that is, in the Perfian tongnt^ the% camePs habitation. It was near this fame place that Darius Codomannus received a fe- cond overthrow by Alexander the Great. (ji) Darius deliberated no longer, findirig himfelf under an abfolute neceffity of quitting his imprudent enterpriCe. He began then to think in earneft upon returning home; and faw but too plainly, that there was no time to be loft. Therefore, as foon as night came, the Peirfians, to deceive the er/emy, lighted a gxeat number of fires, as niual ; and leaving the old men and the fick behind them in the camp, together with. all their afles, which made a fuffici- ent noife, they marched away as fail as they could, in m-der to reach the Danube The JScythians did not per- ceive they were gone, till the next morning; whereupon they immediately ferst a confide rable detachment as quick -as pofiible to the Danube : Ihis detachment being per- ^ feftly {m) Strabo. 1. vii^p. 30^, & I xvL p. 737. (;/) Hcrcd. 1. iv. c 134. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 127 feftly well acquainted with the roads of the country, arrived at the bridge a great while before the Ferfians. The ^cjthians had fent expreffes before hand to perfuade the lonians to break the bridge, at.d to return to their owa country; and the latter had pronnfed to do it, but withoat dt^fu^n'to execute their promife. The cychians now prefled them to it more earneftly, and reprefented to them that the time prefcribed by Darius for Itaying there was. elapfed; that they were at liberty to return home without either violating their word or their duty ; that they now had it in their power to throw off for ever the yoke of their fubjeftion, and make themfelves a happy and free people ; and that the Scythians would render Darius ih^ capable of forming any more cnterprifes againft any of his neighbours. The lonians entered into confultation upon the affair, Miltiades, an Athenian who Vv^as prince, or, as the Greeks -call it, tyrant of the Cherfonefus of Thrace at the mouth of the Heilefpont, was one of thofe that had accom- panied Darius and furniflied him with fnips for his enter- prife. Having * the public intereft more at heart .tiiatt his private advantage, he was of opinion, that they fhould^ comply with the requeft of the Stythians, and embrace f6 favourable an opportunity of recovering the liberty of Ionia : All the other commanders gave into his fentiments except Hyfli^us, the tyrant of Miletos. When it came to his turn to fpeak, he reprefented to the Ionian generals, that their fortune was linked with that of Darius ; that it was under that prince's protection, each of them was' mafter in his ovvm city ; and if the pov/er of the Perfians Ihould link, or decline, the cities of Ionia would not fail- to dspofe tlieir tyrants, and recover their freedom. All tha other chiefs gave into his opinion ; and, as is ufual in moll cafes, the conflderation of private interell prevailed over tjie public good. The refolution they came to was, to wait for Darius : Bat, in order to deceive the Scythians, and hinder them from undertaking any thing, they declared to thein, they had refolved to retire, purfuant to their G 4 requeft ; * Amicior cmnium libertati 'inter and the greateft part of the year follow- ing, in order to refrefli his army, vvhich had fuffered ex- tremely in that ill-concerted and unfortunate expedition. (p) Megabyfus continued fome time in Thrace; whofe inhabitants, according to Herodotus^ would have been invincible, had they had the difcretion to unite their forces, and to choofe one chief commander. Some of them had very particular cuftoms. In one of their dif- trlcls, when a child came into the world, all the relations expreffed great forrow and aff.i6tion, bitterly weeping at the profpeft of mifery the nevz-born infant had to expe- rience. As, on the other hand, when any perfon died, ail their kindred rejoiced, becaufe they looked upon the deceafed perfon as happy only from that moment where- in he was delivered for ever from the troubles and ca- lamities of this life. In another diftrid,^ wdiere poly- gamy was in faihion, when a hufband died, it was a great difpute among his wives, v/hich of them v/a3 the (c) Herod. 1. iv. c. 141, I44- (/O Herod, L Y. c V PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. iig^ beft beloved. She, in whofe favour the conteft was de- cided, had the privilege of being f??crificed, by her nearefc relation, upon the tomb of her hulband, and of being bu- ried with him ; whilfl all the other v/ives envied her hap-« pinefs, and thought themfelves in fome fort difnonoured. (q) Darius, on his return to Sardis after this unhappy expedition againft the Scythians, having learned for cer- tain, that he owed both his own fafety and that of his ^ whole army to Hyfti^sus, who had perfuaded the lonians not to deftroy the bridge on the Danube, fent for that prince to his court, and defired him freely to alk any fa- vour, in recompence of his fervice. Hyftiseus hereupcri defired the king to give him Mircina of Edonia, a terri- tory upon the river Strymon in Thrace, together with the liberty of building a city there. His requeft v/as rea- dily granted ; whereupon he returned to Miletos, where he canfed a fleet of fhips to be equipped, and then fet out for Thrace. Having taken poffeffion of the territory granted him, he immediately fet about the execution of his projefl; in building a city, (r) Megabyfus, who was then governor of Thrace for Darius, immediately perceived how prejudicial that un« dertaking would be to the king's alTairs in thofe quarters. He ccnfidered^ that this new city ftood upon a navigable river; that the country round about it abounded in timber fit for building of fhips ; that it was inhabited by diffe™ rent nations, both Greeks and Barbarians, ' that might furnifli great numbers of men for land and ita-fervice ; that, if once thofe people were under the management of a prince fo ikilful and enterprifiiig as Hytti^sus, they might become fo powerful both by fea and land, that it would be no longer poffibie for the king to keep them in fubjedion ; efpecially confidcring that they had a g''ea£ many gold and lilver mines in that country, which wculd enable them to carry on any projeds or e: terprifts. At his return to Sardis, he reprefented all thefe things to the king, who was convinced by his reafons, and therefore fent for Hytti^us to come to him at Sardis, pretending to G j have iq) ,Hered. I v, c. n. & ^3. (r) Ibid. c. ^3. ^ ^5. I30 HISTORY OF THE have fome great deligns in view, wherein he wanted the afliftance of his counfel. When he had brought him to his court by this means, he carried him to Sufa, making him believe, that he fet an extraordinary value upon a friend of his fidelity and underftanding ; two qualifica- tions that rendered him fo very dear to him, and of which he had given fuch memorable proofs in the Scy- thian expedition , and giving him to underftand at the fame time, that he Ihould be able to find fomething for him in Perfia, which would make hira ample amends for all that he could leave behind him. Hyftiaeus, pleafed witli fo bor.ouiable a diftindlion, and finding himfelf like- wife ui tier a neceffity of complying, accompanied Darius to Sufa, and left Ariilagoras to govern at Miletos in his room. (j") Whilft Megabyfus was fiill in Thrace, he fent fe- vera] Perfian noblemen to Amintas, king of Macedonia^ to requiie 'um to give earth and water to Darius his maf- ter : This was the ufaal form of one prince's fubmitting to another : Amintas readily complied with that requeft^ and paid all imaginable honours to the envoys. At an ent^rtaujinent, which he made for them, they defired at;, the latter end of it, that the ladies might be brought in, %vi :cb A /as a thvig contrary to the cuftorn of the country i H ?\vever, the king would not venture to refufe them» The Perfian noblemen, being heated v/ith wine, and thinking llicr might ufe the fame freedom as in their owa country, did not obferve a due decorum towards thofe princeffes. The king's fon, whofe name was Alexander^ could not fee his mother and fifters treated in fuch a man- ner, without great refentment and indignation. Where- fore. L^'^i.o.. fome pretence or other, he contrived to fend the ladies o^^ of the room, as if they were to return again ' prefeatl - ; and had the precaution to get the king his fa- ther, alf . out of th_- company. In this interval, he caufed fon e young men to be drefled like women, and to be aruicd will, po guards under their garments, Theie pre- tended ladies came into the room luftead of the others ^ and s) Herod. 1. v, c. 17, & 5^1, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 131 and when the Perfians began to treat them, as they had before treated the princeffes, they drew out their poign- ards, fell violently upon them, and killed, not only the noblemen, but every one of their attendants. The news of this flaughter foon reached Sufa ; and the king ap- pointed commiffioners to take cognizance of the matter : But Alexander, by the power of bribes and prefents, ftifled the alFair fo that nothing came of it. ^ (t) The Scythians, to be revenged of Darius for in- vading their country, pafied the Danube, and ravaged all that part of Thrace, that had fubmitted to the Per- fians, as far as the Hellefpont. Miitiades, to avoid their fury, abandoned the Cherfonefus : But after the enemy retired, he returned thither again, and was reflored to the fame power he had before over the inhabitants of the country. Silct. V. Darius's Conquejl of India. A BOUT the fame time, which was in the I3tli year of Darius's reign, this prince having an ambi- tion to extend his dominion eaftward, firll refoived, in order to facilitate his conqueils, to get a proper know- ledge of the country. (11) To this end, he caufed a fleet to be built and fitted out at Cafpatyra, a city upon the Indus, and did the fame at feveral other places on the fame river, as far as the frontiers of * Scythia. The command of this fleet was given to f Scj^iax, a Grecian of Caryandia, a town of Caria, who was perfeftiy well verled in maritime alFairs. His orders were to fail down that river, and get all tiie knowledge he pofiibly could of the country on both fides, quite down to the mouth of the river ; to pafs from thence into the fouthern ocean, and to fleer his courfe afterwards to the weit, and fo re- G 0 turn {t) Herod 1. vi. c. 40. {jl) A. M. 3496. Ant. J. C. 508. Herod, iv. c. 44, * Hf means -the Afiatic Scythia. f There is a treatij'e oJ\ geography intituled Wir/Vxy^, and cotnpofed by one Scylax of Cary&ndia^ njuho is thoff.y^ht to be tuc .yr -c perjon Jpoken of in 1 1? is place. But that opi?iio?i is atte?idcd ivith Jome iilfficultieSjU/hich* ha-ve gi^v^n Qccafon to ?futfiy learned dijj'ertatians* 132 HISTORY OF THE turn back that way to Perfia. Scjlax, having exaillj ob- ferved his inflruftions, and failed quite down the river Indus, entered the Red Sea by the ftraits of Babelmandel ; and after a voyage of thirty months from the time of his fetting out from Cafpatyra, he arrived in Egypt at the fame port from whence Nechao, king of Egypt, had formerly fent the Phoenicians, who were in his fervice, with orders to fail round the coaRs of Africa. Very pro- bably, this was the fame port where now Hands the town of Suez., at the farther end of the Red Sea. From thence Scylax returned to Sufa, where he gave Darius an ac- count of all his difcoveries. Darius afterwards entered India with an army, and fubjefted all that vaft country. The reader will naturally expefl to be informed of the particulars of fo important a war. But (j/) Herodotus fays not one word about it : he only tells us, that India made the twentieth province, or government, of the Per«i fian empire, and that the annual revenue of it was worth three hundred and fixty talents of geld to Darius, which amount to near eleven millions of livres French money^ fomething lefs than live hundred tlioufand pounds Sterling, Sect. VI. "^he Revolt of the Io?iians. (%) T^ARIUS, after his return to Sufa, from his ^ Scythian expedition, had given his brother Artaphernes the government of Sard is, and made Otanes commander in Thrace, and the adjacent countries along the fea-coaft, in the room of Megabj^fus. (ii^ From a fmall fpark, kindled by fedition at Naxus, a great flame arofe, which gave occalion to a confidera- ble war. Naxus was the moft important iflai-id of the Cyclades in the Eg^an fea, now called the Archipelago* In this fedition, the principal inhabitants having been overpowered by the populace, who were the greater number, many of the richelt families were banifhed ou^ ©f the ifland* Hereupon they fl.ed to Miletos, and ad- drelTed (jc) Herod. 1. iv. c. 4^. ( r) Lib. Hi. c. 94. A M. 3JC0. Antf J. C. ^04. Herodv 1. v. c. aj. (a) Ibid. c. a§. & 3^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS, 133 dreffed tbemfelves to Ariftagoras, imploring him to re* inflate them in their own citj. He was at that time go- vernor of that city, as lieutenant to Hjftiaeus, to whom he W' as both nephew and fon-in-law, and whom Darius had carried along with him to Sufa. Ariftagoras pro- mifed to give thefe exiles the affiHance thej fhiirtd. But not being pou^erful enough himfelf to execute what- he had prcmifed.^ he went to Sardis, and communicated the affair to Artaphernes. He reprefented to him, that this v/as a very favourable opportunity for reducing Nax- us under the power of Darius ; that if he were once maf- ter of that ifland, all the reft of the Cyclades would fiill of themfelves into his hands, one after another ^ that in confequence, the ille of Eubcea (now Negropont), which was as large as Cyprus, and lay very near it, v ould be eafily conquered, which would give the king a free paf- fage into Greece, and the means of fubjecdng all that country ; and, in (hort, that an hundred iliips would be fufficient for the effeftual execution of this enterprife, Artaphernes was fo pleafed with the proje<51:, that infiead of one hundred veffels, which Ariftagoras required, he prcmifed him two hundred, in cafe he obtained the king's confent to the expedition. The king, cliarmed with the mighty hopes with which he was flattered, very readily approved the enterprife, though at the bottom it was founded only in injuftice, and a baundlefs ambition ; as alfo upon perfidioufnefs on the part of Ariftagoras arid /* rtapbernes. No confideratioii gave him a moment's pauie. The moft injurious pro- je£l is formed and accepted without the leait reludVance or fcruple : Motives oi advantage and convenience folely determine " he ifle lies convenient for the Perfians : This is conceived a fufEcient title, and a warrantable ground to reduce it by force of arms, x^nd, indeed, moft of the other expeditions of this prince had no better prin- ciple. As foon as Artaphernes had obtained the king's con- fent to this projeft, he niadf: the iu ceflary preparations for executing it. The better to conceal his dtUgn^ and to 134 HISTORY OF THE to furprife the people of Naxus, he fpread a report that this fleet was going towards the Heilefpont ; and the fpring following he fent the number of fliips he had pro- miled to Miletos, under the command of Megabates, a Perfian nobleman of the rojal family of Archaemenes, But being directed in his commiilion to obey the orders of Ariilagoras^ that haughty Perfian could not bear to be under the command of an Ionian, efpeclally one who treat- ed him in a lofty and imperious manner. This pique oc- cafioned a breach between the two generals, which rofe fo high, that Megabates, to be revenged of Ariftagoras, gave the Naxians fecret intelligence of the deugn formed againfl them. Upon which intelligence they made fuch prepa- rations for their defence, that the Perfians, after having fpent four months in befieging the capital of the ifland, and confumed all their proviilons, were obliG;ed to retire. This projeft having thus mifcarricd, Megabates threw all the blame upon Ariitagoras, and eiitirely ruined his credit with Artaphernes. ' lie Ionian forefaw that this accident would be attended, not only with the lofs of his government, bat with his utter ruin. The defperate fitu- ation he was in made him think of revoking from the king, as the Oiily expedient whereby he could poffibly £ave himfelf. No fooner had he formed this deiign, but a meffenger came to him from Hyuiasus, who gave him the fame counfel. Hyilia&us, who had now been fome years at the Perfian court, being difgufi;ed with the man- ners of that nation, and having aa ardent defire to return to his oy^^n country, thought this the moil likely means of bringing it about, and therefore gave A riilagoras that counfel. He flattered, himfelf, that in cafe any troubles arofe in Ionia, he could prevail with Darius to fend him thither to appeafe them ; And in effe£l the thing happened according to his opinion. As foon as Arifta- goras found his defigo feconded by the orders of Hyftiaeub, he imparted them to the principal perfons of Ionia, whom, he found extremely well difpofed to enter into (3) Herod. 1. v. c. .'^5, 3^. 7 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 13^ into his views. He therefore deliberated no longer, but being determined to revolt, applied himfelf wholly in making preparations for it. The people of Tyre, having been reduced to fla- very, when their city was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, had groaned under that oppreflion for the fpace of feveney years. But after the expiration of that term, they were reitored, according to Ifaiah's prophecy*, to the poffeflion of their ancient privileges, with the liberty of having a king of their own j which liberty they enjoyed till the time of Alexander the Great. It feems probable, that this favour was granted them by Darius, in coi fideration of the fervices he expelled to receive from that city,, (which was fo powerful by fea) in reducing the ionians to their ancient fubje£lion. This was in the i9lh year of Darius's reign. (if j The next year, Ariflagora?, in order to engiigethe Ionians to adhere the more ciofLly to him, reinftated them in their liberty, and in all their foimer privileges. He began with IVliletos, where he di veiled himfelf of his power, and refigned it into the hands of tJie people. He then made a journey through all Ionia, where, by his ex^ ample, his credit, and perhaps by the fear that they would be forced to it whether they would or no, he prevailed upon all the other tyrants to ao the fame in every city. They complied the more readily with it, as the Perfiaa power, fmce the check it received in Scythia, was the lefs able to prote£l them againft the Ionians, who v ere naturally fond of liberty and a ftate of independency, and profeffed enemies to ail tyranny. Having united them all in this manner, and in one common league, of which he himfelf was declared ihe he?.d, he fet up the ftandard of rebellion againft the king, and made great prepara-i tions by fea and land for fupportlng a war agauill him. (^) To enable himfelf to carry on the war with more vigour, (c) A. M. 350a. Art. J. C. 502, (r) Her. I. v. c. 37, 38. (r) Ibul. c. ^i8, 41, 49. & 51- * A7id it fiall come to p -fs afie lit tT>d of Jc::c?7fy years, that tbs Lord Jball 'vijit T^yre^ andjhejball turn to her hire* Ifa, xxiii. 1 7. 136 HISTORY OF THE vigour, Arlftagoras went, in the beginning of the year folio wing, to Laeedemon, in order to bring that city into his interefts, and engage it to fiirnifti him with fuccours. Clcomenes was at this time king of Sparta. He was the fon of Anaxandrides bj a fecond wife, whom the Ephori had obliged him to marry, becaufe he had no iflue by the firft. He had by her three fons befides Cleomenes, nam.ely, Doriaeus, Leonidas, and Cieombrotus, the two iaft of which afcended the throne of Laeedemon in their turns. Ariftagoras then addreffed himfelf to Cleomenes, and the time and place for an interview between them being agreed on, he waited upon him, and reprefented to him, 'that the [onians and Lacedemonians v>^ere coun- trymen ; that Sparta being the moft powerful city of Greece, it would be for her honouT to concur with him in the deiign he had formed of reftoring the lonians to their liberty ; that the Perfians, their common enemy, were not a warlike people, but exceeding rich and weal- thy, and confequently would become an eafy prey to the Lacedemonians ; that confideiing the prefent fpirit and difpofition of the lonians, it would not be difficult for them to carry their victorious arms even to Sufa, the metropolis of the Perfian empire, and the place of the kin2;'s relidence : He fiiowed him, at the fame time, a defcription of all the nations and towns through which they Vv'ere to pafs, engraven upon a little plate of brafs, which he had brought along with him. Cleomenes de- fired three days time to confider of his propofals. The term being expired, he aiked the Ionian how far it was from the Ionian fea to Sufa, and how much time it re- quired to go from one place to the other. Ariftagoras, without conlidering the effeft his anfwer was likely to Iiave with Cleomenes, told him, that from Ionia to Sufa was about three months * journey. Cleomenes was fo amazed * Acrording to Herodotus^ s computation^ zuho recknnx the paraf.inaga^ a Terfia?i iriL afure,. to contain 30 /iad:a, it is from ft om SardU to Sufa 45^ pai afa?7.agas. or i3.;;oo Jiadia, nvhicb make 675 o/' our leagues ; for ive generally rrkon 20 fladia to one of our common leagues.') So that by travelling i Jladia ^er day^ which make /even leagues and a half ovr PEP.SIANS AND GRECIANS. 137 -amazed at this propofal, that he immediately ordered him to depart from Sparta before fnn^fet. Ariflagoras, never- thelefs followed him home to his houfe, and endeavoured to win him by arguments of another fort, that is by pre- fents. The firfi: fum he offered him was only ten talents, which were equivalent to thirty thoiifaiKl livres French money : j hat being refufed, he Itill rofe in his offers, till at lafl: he propofed to give him fifteen talents. Gorge, a daughter of Cleomenes, about eight or nine years of age, whom her father had not ordered to quit the room, as apprehending nothing from fo young a child, hearing the propofals that were made to her father, ciied out : Fly^ father, Jiy, this Jir anger will corrupt you. Cleomenes laughed, but yet obferved tlie child's admonition, and ac- tually retired : Ariftagoras left Sparta. (y") From hence he proceeded to Athens, wdiere he found a more favourable reception. He had the good fortune, to arrive there at a time, when the Athenians were extremely well difpofed to hearken to any propo- fals that could be made to them againft the Perfians, ■with whom they were highly offended on the following occafion. Hipfjias, the f fon 6f Piiiftratus, tyrant of 'Athens, about ten years before the time we are fpeaking of, having been baniflied, after having tried in vain abun- dance of methods for his re-eftabliihment, at lafl: went to Sardis, and made his application to /■ rtaphernts. He inlinuated himfelf fo far into the good opiiiion of that go- vernor, that he gave a favourable ear to all he faid, to the difadvantage of the Athenians, and became extieme- ly prejudiced againft them. The Athenians having intel- ligence of this, lent an ambalTador to Sardis, and deh^ed of Artaphernes, not to give ear to what any of their out- laws fnould infinuate to their dif- d vantage. The anfwer of Artaphernes to this meifage was, that if they defired to live in peace, they muli; recal Hippiiis^ V/hen this haughty ( f ) Herod. 1. v. c. 55. & ^ 6, 97. meafnrc.ith ninety days Journey fiotn ^urJtsto 'Stifa. If tbey fet out fror:i V.ph'J s, it zvoidd require about four days more ; for Ephifu: is ^40 fad in fro J;. Carpus. i 4 ■};.•;> fact h is bcc?i hefarc tr^ati-d at U'-ge in thf former %>Qliirr,s* $38 HISTORY OF THE haughty anfwer was brought back to the Athenians, the whole city were violently enraged againft the 'i'^'erfians. Ariilagoras coming thither j aft at this junSure, eafilj ob- tained all he deiired. Herodotus remarks on this occafion, how much eaiier it is to impofe upon a multitude than upon a lingle perfon : and fo \riftaL>:oras found it, for lie prevailed with tliirtj thoufand Athenians to come to a refolution, into which h? .could not perfuade Cleomenes alone. They engaged immediately to farnifh twenty fliips to alTift him in his deiign : \nd it may be truly faid, that this little fleet was the fource of all the calamities in which both the Periians and Grecians were afterwards involved. (^) In the third year of this war, the lonlans, having coll-chei lU their forces together, with the twenty veffels furniHi-i d hy the city of Athens, and five more from Ere- tria, in the iiland of Eubosa, fet fail for Ephefus, where, le : . r their (hips, they marched by land to the city of '''-s. and finding the place in a defencelefs condition, t'icy (ban made tbemfelves rnafters of it ; but the citadel, into which Artap'hetnes i*e{:ired, they v/ere not able to force. As moft of the houfes of this city w^ere built with reeds, and confequently were very combuftible, an Ionian foldier fet fire to one houfe, the flames of which fpreading and communicating itfelf to the reft, reduced the w-hoie city to afhes. Upon this accident, the Perfians and Ly- dians, aiTembling their forces together for their defence, the lonians judged it was time for them to think of re- treating ; and accordingly they m.arched back with all poffible diligence, in order to reimbark at Ephefus. Bu^ the Perfians arriving there almoft as foon as they, attack- ed them vigoroufly, and deftroyed a great number of their men. The Athenians, after the return of their fhips, would never engage any more in this war, notwithftand- ing all the inftances and folicitatlons of Ariftagoras. , (A) Darius being informed of the burning of Sardis, and of the part the Athenians took in that affair, refolved from that very time to make war upon Greece: And that he (g) Herod. 1. V. c. p9, 103. '(h) Ibid, c 105, 107. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 139 he mi^ht never forget his refolution, he commanded one of his oiScers to cry out to him with a loud voice every night, when he was at fupper : Sir^ remember the Atheni'^ ans. In the burning of Sardis, it happened, that the temple of Cybele, the goddefs of that country, was con- fumed with the reft of the city. This accident ferved afterwards as a pretence to the Periians to burn all the temples they found m Greece : To which they were like- wife induced by a motive of religion, which 1 have ex- plained before. (/) As Arillagoras, the head and manager of this re- volt, was Hyftireus's lieutenant at Miletos, Darius fuf- pe£ted that the latter might probaijiy be the contriver of the whole confpiracy : For Vv'hich reafon he entered into a free conference with him upon the fubjcci, nrd ac- quainted him with his thoughcs, and the . juir is he had for his fufpicions. Hyftiaeas, who w.u, a vafty courtier, and an expert mafterjn the art of diiieUibx^ig, appeared extremely furprifed aiid afflicted, and fptakrag in a tone that at once exprefled both forrow and indigaa- tion, thus endeavoured to purge himfelf to the kii./i ; is it pofiible then for your majefty to have entcrtaaitd fo injurious a fufpicion of the moil faithful and molt af *^ tionate of your fervants ? 1 concerned in a rtbei. i again ft you I Alas ! What is there in the world could>tempt me to it ? Do I want any thing here ? Am I not already raifed to one of the higheft ftiitions la your court ? And beiides the honour I have oL affifting at your councils, do I not daily receive new proots of your bounty, by the numberlefs favours you heap upon " me ?" After this he infinuated, that the revolt in Ionia proceeded from his abfencc and diftance from the country ; that they had waited for that opportunity to rebel ; that if he had ftayed at Miletos the confpifacy would never have been formed; that the fureft way to le- ftore the klng^s affairs in that province, would be to fend him thither ; that he promifed him, on the forfeiture of his head, to deliver Ariftagoras into his hands j and en-* gaged (0 Herod. 1. v. c. 105, & 107. I40 HISTORY OF THE gaged, befides all this, to make the large ifiand of Sar- dinia *■ tributary to him. The beft princes are often too Credulous ; and when they have once taken a fubjecl into their confidence, it is with difficulty they withdraw it from him ; nor do they eafily undeceive thernielves. Da-^ rius, impofed upon by the air of fincerity, with which Ilyfti^us fpoke on this occalion, believed him on his own word, and gave him leave to return ta Ionia, on condi- tion he cam-e back to the Perfian court as foon as he had executed what he promifed. (i) The revoke rs, in the mean time, though deferted by the Athenians, and notvvithftanding the coafiderable check they had received in Ionia, did not lofe courage, but ftill puOied on their point with refolution. Their fleet r::t fail towards the Hellefpont, and the Propontis, and reduced Byzantium, with the major part of the other Grecian cities i.a that quarter. After which, as they were returning back again, they obliged the Carians to join with iht;m ia tiiis ^var, as alfo the people of Cyprus. The Perlian gene- als, having divided their forces among themfelves, marched th< ee different ways againft the re- bels, and defeated them in feveral encounters, in one of which Ariitagoras was (lain. ( /) When Hyiliasus came to Sardis, his intriguing tem- per formed a plot againft the government, into w^hich he drew a great number of Perfians. Bat, perceiving bj fome difcourfe he had with Artaphernes, that the part he had h id in the revok of Ionia was not unknowm to that governor, he thought it not fafe for him to ftay any longer at Sardis, and retired fecretly the night following to the ifle of Chios ; from thence he fent a trufty meffenger to Sardis, with letters for fuch of the Perfians as he had gained to his party. Tiiis melTenger betrayed him, and delivered his letters to Artaphernes, by which mea^js the plot was diicovered, all his accomplices put to death, and his (k) Herod. I V. c. 103, IC4, 108, & 12Z. (/) Herod. 1. vi. c. r.-.j. * 'Ihis fjliiad U ^jery revute from loiun^ on l could bcr^e no 1 elation f' k. J :]vi then- fore apt to believe it vwjt be an en or that has crept inf ths text "^f Hi! odo- uu PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 141 lals projeft utterly defeated. But ftiil imagining, that he could bring about fome enterprife of importance, if he were once at the head of the Ionian leagui?, he madefeveral attempts to get into Miletos, and to be admitted into the confederacy by the citizens : but none of his endeavours fucceeded, and he was obliged to return to Chios. {m) There being alked why he had fo llrongly urged Ariftagoras to revolt, and by that means involved Ionia in fuch calamities, he made aniwer, that it vvas becaufe therking had refolved to tranfport the lonians into Phoe- nicia, and to plant the Phoenicians in Ionia. But all this was a mere ftory and fidion of his own inventing, Darius having never conceived any fuch defign. The artifice, however, ferved his purpofe extremely well, not only for juftifying him to the lonians but alfo for engaging them to profecute the war with vigour. For, being alarm.ed at the thoughts of this tranfmigration, tliey came to a firm refolution to defend themfelves againft the Perfians to the laft extremity. !► ^(f;) Artaphernes and Otanes, with the reft of the Per- fian generals, finding that Miietos was the centre of the Ionian confederacy, refolved to march thither vvith all their forces ; ccmcluding, that if they could carry'that city all the reft would fubmit of courfe.. The lonians, hav- ing intelligence of their defign, determined in a .generel affembly to fend no army into the field, but to fortify Miietos, and to furnifh it as well as poffible with provi- lions, and all things neceffary for enduring a fiege : And to unite all their forces to engage the Perfians at fea, their dexterity in maritime affairs inducing them to believe that they (hould have the advantage in a naval battle. The placeof their rendezvous was Lada,afmall ifle over-againft Miietos, where they affembled a fleet of three hundred and fifty- three vefTels. At the fight of this fleet, the Per- fians, though ftronger by one half with refpefl: to the num- ber of their fhips, w^ere afraid to hazard abattle, till by their emifiaries they had fecretly debauched the greateft part of the confederates, and engaged them to defert : fo that when the (iri) Kerod. c 3. («) Ibid. I, rii. c. 6, so, 31, & 33. 4 24^ HISTORY OF THE the two fleets came to blows, the fhips of Samos, of Lef- bos, and feveral other places failed off, and returned to their own country, and the remain ing-fleet of the confe- derates did not confift of above an hundred veffels, which were all quickly overpowered by numbers, and almoft en- tirely deflroyed. After this, the city of Miletos was be- fieged, aijd became a prey to the conquerors, who utter- ly deftioyed it. This happened fix years after Xriftago- ras's revolt. All the other cities, as well on the continent as on the fea-coaft and in the ifles, returned to their duty foon after, either voluntarily or Sy force. Thofe perfons that ftood out were treated as they had been threatened before-hand. The handfomeft of the young men were chofen to ferve in the king's palace ; and the young wo- men were all fent into Perfia; the cities and temples were reduced to afties. Thefe were the efFefts of the revolt, into which the people were drawn by the ambitious views of Ariftagoras and HyftiaeuS. (o) The laft of thefe two had his fliare in the general calamity : For that fame year he was taken by the Per- fians, and carried to Sardis, where Artaphernes caufed him to be immediately hanged, without confulting Darius, left that prince's afffeftion for Hyftieeus fliould incline him to pardon him, and by that means a dangerous enemy fliould be left alive, who might create the « eriians new troubles. It appeared by the fequel, that Artapherncs's , conjecture was well grounded : For when Hyftiseus's head was brought to Darius, he expreHed great diflatisfac- tion at the authors of his death, and caufed the head to be honourably interred, as being the remains of a pv:rfon to whom he had infinite obligations, the remembrance whereof was too deeply engraven on his mind, ever to be effaced by the greatnefs of any crimes he had afterwards committed. Hyftiseus was one of thofe reftlefs, bold, and enterprifing fpirits, in whom many good qualities are joined with if ill greater vices ; with whom all means are lawful and good, that feem to promote the end they have in view , who look upon juftice, probity, and fince- ritv. (o) Herod. 1, vi. c. a^, & 30. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 143 rity, as mere empty names ; who make no fcrnple to em- ploy lying or Iraiid, treachery, or even perjury, when it is to ferve their turn ; and who reckon it as nothing to rain nations, or even their own country, if neceflary to their own elevation. His end was worthy his fentiments, and what is common enough to thefe irreligious politi- cians, who facriSce every thing to their ambition, and ac- knowledge no other rule of their actions, and hardly any other god, but their intereft and fortune. Sect, VII. TChe Expedition o/Darius's Armies againji Greece. (^^)"p\ ARTUS, in the twenty- eight year of his reign, ^ having recalled all his other generals, fent Mardo^ nius, the fon of Gobryas, a young lord of an iiluftrious Perlian family, who had lately married one of the king's daughters, to command in chief throughout all the mari- time parts of Alia, with a particular order to invade Greece, and to revenge the burning of Sardis, upon the Athenians and Eretrians. The king did not fhow much v/ifdom in his choice, by which he preferred a young man, becaule he was a favourite^ to all his oldeft and moft ex- perienced generals ; efpecially as it was in fo difficult a v/ar, the fuccefs of which he had very much at heart, and wherein the glory of his reign was infinitely concerned. His being fon-in-law^ to the king was a quality indeed that might augment his credit, but added nothing to his real merit, or his capacity as a general. JJpon his arrival in Macedonia, into which he had marched with his land forces, after having pafled through Thrace, the whole country, terrified by his power, lub- mitted. But his fleet, attempting to double mount Athos (now called Capo Santo), in order to gain the coafls of Macedonia, was attacked vv ith fo violent a ftorm of wind, that upwards of three hundred fliips, with above twenty thoufand men, periftied in the fea. His land army met at the fame time with no lefs fatal a blow. For being en-* camped (/>) A. M 5510. Ant. J. C. 494. Kcrod. 1. vi. c. 43> 45- 144 HISTORY OF THE camped In a place of no feciirity, the Thracians attacked the Perfian camp hy nighir, made a great (laughter of the men, and wounded Mardonius himfelf. All this ill fuc- ccfs obliged him iliortlj after to return into Afia, with grief and coiifiifion at his having mifcarried both hy fea and land in this expedition. . Darius, perceiving too late, that Mardonius's youth and inexperience had occafioned the defeat of his troops, " recalled him, and' put two other generals in his place, Da- tis, a Mede, and Avtaphernes, fon of his brother Arta- phernes, who had been governor of Sard is. The king's, thoughts were earneftly bent upon putting in execution the great defign he had long had in his mind, which was, to attack Greece with all his. forces, and particularly to take a fignal vengeance of the people of Athens and Ere- tria, whofe enterprife againft Sardis was perpetually in his thoughts. I. The State of Athens. The CharoBers o/MlLTlADES, Themistocles and Aristidks. Before we enter upon this wai% it Vvull be proper to re- frefli our memories with a view of the ftate of Athens at this time, which alone fuflained the firft fhock of the Per- fjans at Marathon ; as alfo to form fome idea beforehand of the great men who fhared in that celebrated viftory. Athens, jaft delivered from that yoke of fervitude, which (he had been forced to bear for above thirty years, under the tyranny of Pifiltratus and his children, now peaceably enjoyed the advantages of liberty, the fweetnefs and value of which were only heightened and improved by that Ihort privation. . Lacedemon, which was at this time the miftrefs of Greece, and had contributed at firft to this happy change in Athens, feemed afterwards to repent of her good offices : . and growing jealous of the tranquillity ftie herfelf had procured for her neighbours, file attempted to difturb it, by endeavouring to reinftate Hippias, the Xon of Pififtratus, in the government of PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 145 Athens. But all her attempts were fruitlefs, and ferved only to manifefl her ill-will, and her grief, to fee Athens, determined to maintain its independence even of Sparta^, itfelf. Hippias hereupon had recourfe to the Periians. Artaphernes, go^^-ernor of Sardis, fent the Athenians word as we have already mentioned, that they mull re-eftablifli Hippias in his authority, unlefs they chofe rather to draw the whole power of Darius upon them. This fecohd attempt fucceeded no better than the firlf, Hippias was obliged to vv^ait for a more favourable junflure. We fliall fee prefently, that he ferved as a conduftor or guide to the Perfian generals^ fent by Darius againft Greece. Athens from the recovery of her liberty, was quite another city than under her tyrants, and difplayed a verj different kind of fpirit. {q) Among the citizens, Mil- tiades dittinguifhed himfelf moft in the war with the Fer- fianS; which we are going to relate. He was the fon of Cimon an illuftrious Athenian. This Cimon had a half- brother by the mother's lide, whofe name v.as like wife Miltiades, pf a very ancient and noble family in ^gina, who had lately been received into the number of the Athenian citizens. He was a perfon of great credit even in the time of Pififtratus : but, being unwilling to bear the yoke of a defpotic government, he joyfully embraced the offer made him, of going to fettle with a colony in the Thracian Cherfonefus, whither he w^as invited by the Dolonci, the inhabitants of that country, to be their king, or, according to the language of thofe times, their tyrant. He dying without children, left the fovereignty to Stefa- goras, who was his nephew, and eldeft foh of his brother Cimon ; and Stefagoras dying alfo v^dthout iflue, the fons of Piiiftratus, w^ho then ruled the city of Athens, fent his brother Miltiades, the perfon we are now fpeaking of into that country to be his fucceiTdr. He arrived there, and eftablifhed himfelf in the government in the fame year Dariua undertook his expedition agaiftft theScythians* He attended that prince with fome Ihips as far as th« Vol. III. H Danube . ( /) Htro.l. I. vi. c. 34, 41, Cor. Nep. in Mil. cap i — ill, history of the Danube ; and v/as the perfon who advifed the lonians to LiOj the bridge and return Iiome witliout waiting for Darius. During his refidtncc in the Cherionefus he mar- ried Hegefipyla, , daughter of Olorus, a I hracian king in the neighbourhood, bj whom he had Cimon, the fa- Athenian genera], of wlioni a great deal wdll be lid in the fequel. Miitiades, having for feveral reafons ::ibdlcaied his government in Thrace, embarked and took a]l that he had on board five fcips, and fet fail for Athens. There he fettled a fecond time, and acquired great repu- tation. (r) At the fame time two other citizens, younger than Miitiades^ began to difliinguifli themfelves at Athens, namely, Arillides and Themiftocles. Plutarch obferves, that the former of thefe two had endeavoured to form him- fell upon the model of Clifthenes, one of the greateft men of his time, and a zealous defender of liberty, who had very much contributed to the reftoring it at Athens, by expelling the Piiiilratides out of that city. It was an excellent cufiom among the ancients, and which it were to be wiilied might prevail amongfl us, that the young men, ambitious of public employment, particularly f at- tached themfelves to fuch aged and experienced perfons as had diflinguiihed themfelves moft eminently therein ; and v^/ho, both by their converfation and example, could tleach them the art of acling themfelves, and governing cjthcrs W'ith wifdom and difcretion. Thus, fays Plutarch, did Ariftides attach himfelf to Clifthenes, and Cimon to Arillides ; and he mentions feveral others, among the reft Polybius, whom w^e have mentioned fo often, and who in liis youth was the conftant difciple, and faithful- imitator of the celebrated Philopoemen. Themiflocles and Arillides v/ere of very different dif- pofitions ; but they both rendered great fervices to the ^ common- ■ (t) Plut. m Arlft p 319,3x0. & in Them. p. iia, 113. An fcni fit ger. Rcfp. p. 790, 791. /ffter the dcalh of Miitiades, thu prince fs had, by a fecond h(^Jl>cind, >/c/:, W'O ^jcas called Ol.nis, after the n:raie of his grand-father. anU ^vl.o -ras the father cf Thacydidcs the hijfonuii. Herod. Ibid, t Difccre a pcritif, fe(^ui cptimos. 7'acit. in Agric^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 147 CDtnmon wealth. Themiftocles, who naturally inclined to popular government, omitted nothing that could, contri- bute to render him agreeable to the people, and to gain him friends ; behaving himfelf with great afFabliity and complaifance to every body, always ready to do fervice to the citizens, every one of whom he knew by name ; nor was he very nice about the means he ufed to oblige them, (^s) Somebody talking with him once on this fubjefc, told him, he would make an excellent magiftrate, if his behaviour towards the citizens v/as more equal, and if he w^as not biaffed in favour of one more than another: God forbid y replied ThemiRocles, / fuould ever Jit upon a trihu* ?ial^ where my friends fhould find 710 ?nore credit or favour than firaiigers. Cleon, who appeared fome time after at Athens, obferved a quite different conduft, but yet fucli as was not wholly exempt from blame. Wlien he came into the adminiilration of public affairS;, he aflembled all his friends, and declared to them, that from that moment he renounced their friendfhip, left it fnould prove an ob- ftacle to him in the difcharge of his dutj^, and caufe hini to act with partiality and injuftice. This was doing them Very little honour, and judging hardly of their integrity. But, as Plutarch fays, it v/as not his friends but his paf- fions that he ought to have renounced. Ariftides had the difcretlon to obferve a juft medium between thefe tw^o vicious extremes. Being a favourer of ariftocracy in imitation of Lycurgus, whofe great ad- mirer he was, he in a manner ftruck out a new path of his owm ; not endeavouring to oblige his friends at the expence of juftice, and yet always ready to do them fervice when confiifent with it. He carefully avoided making ufe of his friends recommendations for obtaining employments, left it ftiould prove a dangerous obligation upon him, as v/eil as a plaufible pretext for them, to require th'e fame favour from him on the like occafion. He ufed to fay, that the true citizen, or the honeft man, ought to make no other ufe of his credit and power, than upon ail occafions H 2 to- * (x) Clc. de Senea:. Plut, An feni fit ger. Refp. p. 806, E©;. 348 HISTORY OF THE to praftife what was honell and juft, and engage others to do the fame. Confidering this contrariety of principles and humours among thefe great men, we are not to wonder, if, during their adminiflration, there was a continual oppofition between them, Themiftocles, who was bold and enter- priling in almoft all his attempts, was ftill fure almoft always to find Ariflides againft him, who thought himfelf obliged to thwart the other's defigns, even fometimes when they were juft and beneficial to the public, left he fhould get too great an afcendant and authority, which might be- come pernicious to the commonwealth. One day, hav- ing got the better of Themiftocles, who had made fome propofal really advantageous to the ftate, he could not con- tain himfelf, but cried out aloud as he went out of the. aflembly, That the Athenians "would ?iever pro/pet^ ^ till they threw them both into the Barathrum : The Barathrum Was a pit, into which malefactors condemned to die v/ere throvN^n. (t) But notwithftanding this mutual oppofition, v/hen the common intereft was at ftake, they were no longer enemies ; And whenever they were to take the field, or engage in any expedition, they agreed together to lay afide ail differences on leaving the city, and to be at liberty to refume them on their return, if they thought fit. The predominant paffion of Themiftocles was ambi- tion and the love of glory, which difcovered itfelf from his childhood. After the battle of Marathon, which we fliall fpeak of prefently, when the people wer^ every where extolling the valour and conduft of Miltiader, who had won it, Themiftocles never appeared but in a very thoughtful and melancholy hum.our : He fpent whole • nights without fleep, and was never feen at public feafts and entertainments as ufual. hen his friends, aftoniilied at this change, afl^ed him the reafon of it, he made anfwer, , that Miltiades'^s trophies would not let him Jleep, Thefe were a kind of incentive, which never ceafed to pjompt and animate his ambition. From this' time Themiftocles addicleA (0 Plut. in Apopthegm. p. 186. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 149 addifted himfelf wholly to arms ; and the love of martial glorj wholly engroiTed him. As for Ariftides, the love of the public good was the great fpung of all his aftions. What he was moil parti- cularly admired for, was his conftancy and fteadinefs iin-. der the unforefeen changes, to Vvhich thofe who have the adminiftration of affairs, are expofed ; for he was neither elevated with the honour conferred upon him, nor cafr, down at the contempt and difappointments he fomctime.s experienced. On all occanons, he preferved his ufual calmnefs and temper, being perfuaded that a man ouglit: to give himfelf up entirely to his country, and to fervc. it with a perfect difintereftednefs, as vvell with regard to glory as to riches. The general efteem for the upriglit- nefs of his intentions, the purity of his zeal for tlie inte- refts of the ilate, and the fincerity of his virtue appeared one day in the theatre, when one of /Efchylus's plays was a6ling. For when the aftor had repeated that verfe, which defcribes the character of Amphiarus, He does not defirc to feem an honefi and virtuous many but really to be foy the Vv^hole audience caft their eyes upon Ariftides, and ap- plied the fenfe to him. Another thing related of him, with relation to a pub- lic employment, is very remarkable. He was no fooner made treafurer-general of the republic, but he made it appear, that his predeceiTors in that office had cheated the flate of vaft fums of money ; and among the reft The-^ miftocles in particular ; for this great man, Vv^ith all hi i merit, was not irreproachable on that head. For which reafon, when Ariftides caiTiC to pafs his accounts, The- miftocles ralfed a mighty fadion againft him, accufed hini of having embezzled the public treafure, and prevaiied fo far, as to have him condemned and lined. But the principal inhabitants, and the moft virtuous part of the citizens, riling up againft fo unjuft a fentence, not only the judgment was reverfed, and the fine remitted, but he was eledled treafurer again for the year enfuing. He then feemed to repent of his former adminiftration ; and g by knowing himfelf more traftable and indulgent towards . H 3 others^ ijo HISTOPvY OF THE c*:hcrs, he found out the lecret of plcaiing ail that plun« ar:' -r t'.e commonwealth. For, as he neither reproved ^ ' narrowly infpected their accounts, all thofe I - . , ' . rs, grown fat with fpoil and rapine, now extol- led Ariliides to the fi-iies. It would have been eafj for hr-n- hi - :>- v. : to have enriched himfelf in a poft :i feems, as it were, to invite a man :y Icivourable opportunities it lays in his a 3 lie had to do with oSicers, who, for thca- jjf.i t. V -It (ipoii nothing but robbing the pub- lic, and WGuia i.: , 0 been ready to conceal the frauds of the treaiurcr their maiier, upon condition he did them ;.he fciniC fLivour. Thei'e very officers now made intereft with the people to have him continued a third year in the fame employ- ment. But vv'hen the time of eleftion was come, juft as they were upon the point of elefting Ariftides unard- moudj, he rofe up, and warmly reproved the Athenian people ; \¥hat/' faj^s he, ^' Vv^ben I managed your trea- lure vAth all tlie fidelity and diligence an honeft man 13 capable of, I mot with the molt cruel treatment, and and the mofi mortifying returns; and now that I have abandoned it to. the mercy of all thefe robbers of the public, I am an admirable man, and the bell of citi- ^' zens ! I cannot help declaring to you, that I am more ^' afhamed of the honour you do me this day, than I was of the condemnation you palTed againfl me this time twelvemonth : And with grief I find, that it is more glorious v/ith us to be complaifant to knaves, than to fave the treafures of the republic." By this declara- tion he fitlcnced the public plunderers, and gained the efttem of all good men. Such v/ere the charafters of thicfe tnvo illuftrious Athe- nians, who began to diftinguifii their extenfive meritj when DariiiG turned his arms againil Greece. 2. Darius PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 151 2. Darius fends Heralds into Greece^ in crder to found the People, and to require them to fuhmit. (ji) Before this prince would directly engage in this en- terprife, he judged it expedient, iirii of all, to found the Grecians, and to know in what mniiner the different ftates itood aileaed towards him. With this view, iie fent heralds into all parts of Greece, to require earth and witer in his name : This was the form ufed bj the I'er- fians when thej exa£led fabiiiifTion from thofe they were for fubjecling to thern. On the arrival of thefe herakis, many of the Grecian cities, dreading the power of the Perfians, complied with their demands ; as did alio the inhabitants of ^gina, a little ifle, over-againft and not far from Athens. This proceeding of the people of TEgina was looked upon as a public treafon. The Athe- nians reprefented the matter to the Spartans, v/ho im- mediately fent Cleomenes^ one of their kings, to appre- hend the authors of it. The people of /Egina refufeci to deliver them, under pretence that he came without his colleague. This colleague w^as Demaratus, who had liimfelf fuggefted that excufca As foou as Cleomene3 v/as returned to Sparta, in order to be revenged on De- maratus for that affront, he ^ endeavoured to get him de- pofed, as not being of the royal family ; and fucceeded in his attempt by the affiftance of the prieftefs of Delphos, v^^iom he had fuborned to give an anfwer favourable to hii defigns. Demaratus, not being able to endure fo grofs an injury, banillied himfelf from his country, and retired to Darius, v/ho received him with open arms, and gave him a conliderable fettlement in Feriia. He was fucceeded in the throne by Leutychides, who joined hh colleague, and went with him to ^Egina, from whence they brought av/ay ten of the principal inhabitants, and committed them to the cuftodv of the Athenians, their declared enemies. Cleomenes djnng rot long after, and the fraud he had compnitted at Delphos beinu dilcovere d H 4 tl ^ (//) H -rod,l. vl. c. 49,. & 26. ij2 HISTORY OF THE the Lacedemonians endeavoured to obh'ge the people of Athens to fet thofe prifoners at libert^^ but they refufed. (x^ The Perfian heralds, who went to Sparta and Athens, were not fo favourably received, as thofe that Iiad been fent to the other cities. One of them was thrown into a well, and the other into a deep ditch, and were bid to take there earth and water. I Ihould be lefs iurprifed at this unworthy treatment, if Athens alone had been concerned in it. It was a proceeding fuitable enough to a popular government, rafli, impetuous and violent ; w^here reafon is feldom heard, and every thing determined by paflion. But I do not find any thing in this agreeable to the Spartan equity and gravity. They were at liberty to refufe what was demanded ; but to treat public offi- cers in fuch a manner, was an open violation of the lav/ of nations, (j/) If what the hiftorians fay on this head be true, the crime did not rem_ain unpuniihed. Talthy- bius, one of Agamemnon's heralds, was honoured at yparta as a god, and had a temple there. He revenged the indignities done to the heralds of the king of Ferfia, and made the Spartans feel the effefts of his wrath, by bringing many terrible accidents upon them. In order to appeafe him, and to expiate their offence, they fent afterwards feveral of their chief citizens into Perfia, who A^oluntarily ofiered themfelves as viclims for their coun- try. They were delivered into the hand of Xerxes, who would not let them fufier, but fent them back to their own country. As for the Athenians, Taitliybius exe- cuted, his vengeance on the family of Milti^des, who was principally concerned in the outrage committed upon Da- nus's heralds. 3, The FerfLUiis defeated at Marathon hy MiLTlADES. Darius immediately fent away Datis and Artapher- nes, whom he had appointed generals in the room of Mardonius. Their inflruftions were, to give up Ere- tria and Athens to be plundered, to burn all' the houfes V and {^) Herc d. 1. vli. c. 133, 136. ( v) Ibid. 135, & 136. PcUif. In Laccn. p. i82; «3v 183. ^ (■^) A. M. 3514. Ant. J. C. 490, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 153 and temples therein, to make all the inhabitants of both places prifoners, and to fend them to Darius ; for which j^urpofe they went provided with a great number of chains and fetters, (a) Thej fet fail with a fleet of five or fix. hundred fhips, and an army of five hundred thoufand men. After having made themfelves maiiers of the iiies in the -^gaean fea, which thej did without diuicultj, they turned their courfe towards Eretria, a city of Euboea, which they took after a fiege of feven days, by the trea- chery of fome of the principal inhabitants ; they reduced it entirely to aihes, put all the inhabitants in chains, and fent them to Perfia. ((5) Darius, contrary to their ex- pei^ation, treated them kindly, and gave them a village in the country of Cillia for their habitation, which v/as but a day's journey from Sufa, where Appollonius Tya- nceus found fome of their defcendants fix hundred years afterwards. (^d) After this fuccefs at Eretria, the Perfians advanced towards Attica. Hippias conduced them to MaraLhon, a little town by the fea-iide. Tney took care to acquaint the x\thenians with.^the fate of Eretria; and to let them know, that not an^^rdiabitant 01 that place had efcaped their vengeance, in hopes that this news would induce them to furrender immediately. The Athenians had fent to Lacedemon, to delire faccours againit the com- mon enemy, which the Spartans granted them inftantiy, and without deliberation ; but wUich could not fet oat till fome days after, on account of an ancient cuftom, and fuperfhitious maxim amongfi them, that did not admit them to begin a march before the lull of the moon. Not one of their other allies prepared to fuccour them, fo great terror had the fonnidabie army of tne Pernar*^, ipxead on every fide. The inhabitants of Plarcea alone' ^' furnifned them with a thoufana foldiers. In this extre- mity the Athenians were obliged to arm their llaves^ which had never been done there before this occafion. H 5 The (a) Phit. In Moral, p. 87,9. ' (' ) Herod. 1. vi. c. 119., .(r) Phiiof^n i- c. 1 7. ( ) Hci-od. I vi. c. & I20. Cor. N«p, iu Mile c. iv. vi. Juiliii. 1, jj, c. 3. i lwt. in Ariitid. p. v:/ . 154 HISTORY OF THE The Pcrfian army, commanded bj Datis, confifled of an hundred thoufand foot, and ten tnoufand horfe. That of the x\thenian3 amounted in all but to ten thoufand men. This had ten generals, of whom Miltiades was the chief ; and thefe ten w^ere to have the command of the whole army, each for a daj, one after another. There was a great difpute among thefe officers, whether thej fhould hazard a battle, or expecl the enemy within their walls. The latter opinion had a great majority, and appeared very reafonable. B'or, what appearance of fuccefs could there be in facing with a handful of foldiers, fo numer- ous and formidable an army as that of the Perfians ? Miltiades, however, declared for the contrary opinion, rind ihowed, that the only means to exalt the courage of t:tieir own troops, and to Itrike a terror into thefe of the ciierny, was to advance boldly towards them with an air of confidence and intrepidity. f-yriftides ftrenuoufly de- fended this opinion, and brought fome of the other com- manders into it, fo that when the fuiirages came to be taken, tliey were equal on both lides of the queftion. Hereupon Miltiades addreffed hinvfelf to Callimachus, who was then * Polemarch, and hac^ a right of voting as -well as the ten commanders. He very warmly repre- fented to him,, that the fate of their country was then in his hands ; and that his fingle vote was to determine, whether Athens fiiould preferve her liberty, or be enflav- ed: and that he had it in his power by one word to be= come as famous as armodius and Ariftogiton, the au- thors of that liberty which the Athenians enjoyed. Cal- limachus pronounced that word in favour of Miltiades's opinion. And dccordingly a battle was refolved upon. Ariftides refledling, thit a command which changes every day muft neceflarily be feeble, unequal, not of a. piece, often contrary to itfelf, and incapable either of projeding or executing any uniform defign, v/as of opinion * The Polemarch at Athens ni'as both a?i officer cmd a confix' er.ihle ma" gifirate, equally ew^loyed to covimandin the arm\\ (rnd to admin Jicr jnjrcc' IJb-all give a larger account of this office in another place. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS." 155 opinion that their danger was both too great and too prefling for them to expofe their affairs to fuch inconve- niences. In order to prevent them, he judged it necef- fary to veil the whole, power in on fingle perfon : And to induce his colleagues to acl conformably, he himCelf fet the lirll example of refignation. When the day came^ on which it was his turn to take upon him the command^ he refigned it to Miltiades, as the more able and expe- rienced general. The other commanders did the fame, all fentiments of jealoufy giving way to the love of the public good : and by this day's behaviour v/e rnay learn that it is almoft as glorious to acknov/ledge merit in other perfons, as to have it in one's felf, Miltiades, hovvcverj, thought fit to vvait till his ovv^n day came. Then, like an able captain,, he endeavoured, by the advantage cf the ground, to gain what he wanted in ftrength and number^ He drew up his army at the foot of a mountain^ that the enemy fhould not be able either to fiirround him, or charge him in the rear. On the two fides of his army he caufed large trees to be thrown, which vv^ere cut dowu on purpofe, in order to cover his flanks, and render the Perlian cavalry ufelefs. Datis, their commander Vv'as very feniible that the place was not advantegeous for him : But, reb/ing upon .the number of his troops,- which was infinitely fuperior to that of tlie Athenians ; and, on the other hand, not being willing to ftay till the reinforce- ment of the Spartans arrived^ he determined to engage. The Athenians did not wait for the enemy's charging them. As foon'as the fignal of battle v^as given, thev" ran againii: the enemy with all the fury imaginable, Tlio Periians looked upon this firft ftep of the Athenians as z:. piece of madnefs, confidering their army was fo fmal], and. utterly deilitute both of cavalry and arcliers : But they were quickly undeceived. Herodotus cbferves, that this v/as the firft time the Grecians began an engagement: by running in this manner , Vv^hich ma}^ feeni fomewhat: ailoni thing.. And, indeed, was there not reafon to ap« prebend, that their running would in fome meafure weaken the troops^, and blunt the edge of their firft im- H6 petuofitys 156 HISTORY OF THE petuofitv ; and that the foldiers, having quitted theiV ranks, might be out of breath, fpent, and in difordeiv •when thej came to the enemy, who, waiting to receive them in good order and without llirring, ought, one would think, to be in a condition to fuftain their charge ad.vantageouflj ? ,(^) This confideration enga,ged Pompey at the battle of Pharfalia, to keep his troops in a fteady pofture, and to forbid them making any motion till the enemy made the firfl: attack : (/) Rut Caefar * blames Pompey-s conduft in this refpe6i, and gives this reafoii. for it : That the impetuofity of an army's motion in, running to engage, infpires the foldiers with a certain euthuliafm and martial fury, and it gives an additional force to tl^eir blows, and that it increafes and iuflames their courage, which, by the rapid movement of fo many thoufand men together, is blov/n up. and animated, to ufe the expreffion, like flames by the wind. I leave it to the gentlemen who prcfefs arms, to decide the point between tliofe two great captains, and return to my fubjeft. The battle was very fierce and obftinate. Miltiades had made^ the wings of his army exceeding ftrong, bq^ liad left the main body more weak, and not fo deep ; ths reafon of which feems manifefl: enough. Having but ten thoufand men to oppofe fuch a numerous and vaft army, it was impoflible for him either to make a large front, or to give an equal depth to his battalions. He was obliged, therefore, to take his choice ; (ind he ima- gined, that he could gain the viftory no, other wife, than by the efforts he fhouid make by his two wings, in order to break and difperfe thofe of the Periians ; not doubting but v/hen his wings were once viftorious^ they would be (e) Cc-ef. In -B-II. Civil 1. u'u If) Pait. in Pomp. p. 636. &i in Cssf. p. 719., * Qj^f d ru.bis quii.lcin nnjia ratione Kcc7o-a,f) rriol thto "hiafxcc^rav (P'.ycu rh . faclum a PomiHio vidctur : propte- Tloju,'^'/iiov. ex.yvo'/,crocyrocj rviv (xi^oc "Bfyj/xif rea quod eft quredani incitatio atque y.ai (po^z^ocv iv uo^n yr/o/jLivYiv o-uffCK^m^ ;ilacr)t:i3 natiiraliter innata omnibu5 oj; hz-i rods 'z-X'/iy/.tc (Liav 'r^o^t^'/ia-iy Kat cy.ix, IHidio pugnx incenditur. Hanc c-v^iKKaUi rov ^vy^ov Ik '^-avrojv uvc^^fi^ non rcprimcre, ftd aiigere impcra- ^;^Y^jv;y. P.iU, in Citi. teres dcb^'in. Ca/^ ^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 157 e able to attack the enemy's main body in flank, and eomplete the viftory without much diflicnlty. This was the fame plan as Hannibal followed afterwards at the bat- tle of Cannae, which fucceeded fo well with him, and which indeed can fcarce ever fail of fucceeding. The Perfians then attacked the main body of the Grecian army, and made their greateft effort particularly upon the fronts This was led by Ariftides and Themiftocles, who fup*. ported it a long time with an intrepid courag<3 and bra- very, but were at length obliged to give ground. At that very inftant came up their two viftorious wings, w^hich had defeated thofe of the enemy, and put them to flight. Nothing could be more feafonable for the main body of the Grecian army, which began to be broken, being quite borne down by the number of Perfians, The fcale was quickly tui'ned^ and the Barbarians were entirely routed. They all betook themfelves to their heels and fled, not to- wards their camp, but to their fliips, that they might make til eir efcape. The Athenians purfued them thither and fet many of their vefl^els on fire. On this occafioa it was that Cyneegyrus, the brother of the poet ^fchylus, who laid hold of one of the fliips,. in order to get into it with thofe that fled, * had his right hand cut ofl\, and fell into the fea and was drowned. The Athenians took fe- ven of their ftiips. They had not above two hundred men killed on their fide in this engagement ; whereas on the fide of the Perfians above fix thoufand were flain^^ without reckoning thofe who fell into the fea as they en^ deavoured to efcape^ or thofe that were confumed with the fliips fet on fire. Hippias was killed in the battle. That ungrateful and perfidious citizen, in order to recover the unjuft dominion ufurped b}^ his father Pififl:ratus over the Atheni- ans, had the bafenefs to become a fervile courtier to a barbarian prince, and to implore his aid againfl: his native country. Urged, on by hatred and revenge, he fuggeflied aU * y^{/^i'i adds, that Cy?u.e gyrus havhig Jirfl had his right hand and then his left ha?!(l cutoffqidth an ax, laid bold of the "-cejel icith his tertb, and "Lvoi-Ul ncA let ^D^fo "viole/it luas us rage agai ji the enen.y : T. 'sa:cQUTU ii-iiitevly jalidous^ a,cdhas not tJ/c L'^Jl alf iara?ice of truth i/i iU 158 HISTORY OF THE all the means he cauld invent to load his country with chains ; and even put himfeif at the head of its enemies,, wdth defign to reduce that city to allies to v/hich he ow- ed his birth, and againil: which he had no other ground of complaint, than that fiie would not acknowledge him for her tyrant. An ignominious death, together with ever-, lafting infamy entailed upon his name, was the juft re- v/ard of fo -black a treachery, (^) Immediately after the battle, an Athenian foldier, ftlli reeking with the blood of the enemy, quitted the ar- my, and ran to Athens to carry his fellow-citizens the happy news of the victory. When he arrived at the magi- Urate's houfe,he only uttered two or three words,*' Rejoice^ rejoice, the viBory h ours, and fell down dead at his feet. (Zf) The Perfians had thought themfelves fo fure of victory, that they had brought marble to Marathon, in order to erefl a trophy there. The Grecians took this marble, and caufed a fcatue to be made of it by PhidiaSp in honour of the goddefs f Nemelis, vAio had a temple near the place v/here the battle was fought. The Perfian fieet^ inflead of failing by the iflands, in order to re-enter Afia^ doubled the cape of Sunium, with the deiign of furpriiing Athens, before the Athenian forces Ihould arrive there to defend the city. Eut the latter had the precaution to march thither wuth nine tribes to fecure their country, and performed their march with fo much expedition, that they arrived there the fame day. The diitance from Marathon to thens is about forty miles, or fifteen French leagues. This v^as a great deal for an army that had juft undergone a long and rude battle. By this means the defigns of their enemies mifcarried. Ariflides, the only general that ftaid at Marathon with his tribe, to take care of the fpoil and prifoners, afted fuitably to the good opinion that was entertained of him. For, though gold and filver v/ere fcattered about in abun- dance in the enemy's camp, and though all the tents as well (^J Pint, de glor. Athcn p. 347. (/■) Pauf.. J i. p. 62. * X^/^srs, Xccsso/iav. I coidd not render the Huduitfs of the Greek eX' ^rcjjlon in our huii^uage. f" 1l1)u luas the goidffs^ ^>h(.fe lujmefs njoas to pziniJh injiifAcc and 0^^- ^rejjion. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 159 well as gallies that were taken, were full of rich clothes and coftiy furniture, and treafure of all kinds to an im- menfe value, he not only was not tempted to touch any of it himfelf, but hindered every body elfe from touching it. As foon as the day of the full moon was over, the La- cedemonians began their march with two thoufand men ; and having travelled with all imaginable expedition, ar- rived in Attica after three days hard marching ; the length of the way from Sparta to Attica, w^as nc lefs than twelve hundred itadia, or one hundred and fifty Englifh miles. Qi J The battle was fought the day before they arrived: H:wever, they proceeded to Marathon, where they found the fields covered with dead bodies and riches. After having congratulated the Athenians on the happy fuccefs of the battle, they returned to their own country. I hey were hindered by a fooliln and ridiculous fupcr- ftition from having a ihare in the moil glorious adlion re- corded in hiilory. For ii is almoft without example that that f uch an haiidful of men, as the thenians w^ere, fliould not only make head againit fo numerous an army as that of the Perfians, but fhould entirely rout and defeat them. One is aftoniihed to fee fo formidable a pov/er attack fo fmall a city and mifcarry ; and we are almoft tempted to difbeiieve the truth of an event that appears fo im.- probable, and which neverthelefs is very certain and un- qucftionable. Tliis battle alone ihow^s what wonderful things may be performed by an able general, who knows how to take his advantages ; by the intrepidity of fcldi- ers, v/ho are not afraid of death ; by a zeal for one's country ; the love of liberty ; an hatred and deteftation of fiavery and tyranny ; which were fentiments. natural to the Athenians ; but undoubtedly very much augment- ed and inflamed in them by the very prefence of Hippias, whom they dreaded to liave again for their mailer^ after ail that had pafled between them. Plato, (?) Ifocr. in Pa;egr. p 11,3. i6o HISTORY OF THE C/f) Plato, in more places than one, makes it his bufi'nefs to extol the battle of Marathon, and is for having that aftion confidered as the fource and original caufe of all the viftories that were gained afterwards. It was undoubt- dlj this viftory that deprived the Perfian power of that terror which had rendered them fo formidable^ and made every thing ftoop before them : It was this viftory that taught the Grecians to know their own ftrength, and not to tremble before an enemj, terrible only in name ; that made them find hy experience, that vidlory does not de- pend fo much upon the number, as the courage of troops j that fet before their eyes in a moft confpicuous light, the glory there is in facrificing one's life in the defence of Gur country, and for the prefervation of liberty ; and lad- ly, that infpired them, through the whole courfe of fuc- ceeding ages, with a noble emulation and warm defire to imitate their anceflors, and jnot to degenerate from their virtue. For on all important occafions, it v/as cuftomary among them to put the people in mind of Miltiades and his invincible troop, that is, of a little army of heroes, V. hofe intrepidity and bravery had done fo much honour to Athens. (/) Thofe that were flain in the battle had all the ho- nour immediately paid to them that was due to their me- rit. lUuftrious monuments were erefted to them all in the very place where the battle was fought ; upon which their own names, and that of their tribes, were recorded. There were three diftindl fets of monuments feparately fet up, one for the Athenians, another for the Piateeans, and a third for the flaves, whom/they had admitted among their foldiers on that occaiion. Miltiades'3 tomb was erefted afterwards in the fame place. (m') The reflexion Cornelius Nepos. makes upon what the Athenians did to honour the memory of their general, defer ves to be taken notice of. 'Formerly, fays he, fpeaking of the Romans, our anceftors rewarded virtue by marks of diftindlion, that were not (lately or magnificent, but fuch as were rarely granted, and for that very reafon were (•'/) Tn Menex. p. 239, 240. Et lib. de Legf. p. 698, Sc 699. Q) Pauf. in Ai;ic. p. 60, 6x. {mj Cor. Nep. in J^Iilt. c. Yi,_^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 161 \\ ere highly efteemed ; whereas now they are fo profufely bellowed, ^that little or no value is fet upon them. The lame thing happened, adds he, among the Athenians. All the honour that was paid to Miltiades, the great deliverer of Athens and of all Greece, was, that in a picture of the battle of Marathon, drawn by order of the Athenians, he was reprefented" at the head of the ten commanders^ exhorting the foldiers, and fetting them an example of their duty. But this fame people in later ages, being grown more powerful, and corrupted by the flatteries of their orators, decreed three hundred ftatues to Demetrius Phalereus. (^n^ Plutarch makes the fame reflection, and wnfely obferves, that the * honour which is paid to great men, ought not to be looked upon as the reward of their illuflrious aftions, but only as a mark of the efteem of them, whereof fuch monuments are intended to perpetuate the remembrance. It is not, then, the ftatelinefs or mag- nificence of public monuments, which gives them their value, or makes them durable, but the fincere gratitude of thofe that ere£l them. The three hundred ftatues of Demetrius Phalereus w^ere all thrown down even in his ov/n life-time, but the pi£lure in which Miltiades's courage was reprefented was preferved many ages after him. (0) This pidlure was kept at Athens in a gallery, adorned and enriched with different paintings, all excellent in their kind, and done by the greateft matters ; which for that reafon was /railed 7r(j<;c/A>3 fignifying varied and diverfified. The celebrated Polygnotus, a native, of the ifle of Thafos, and one of the fineft painters of his time painted this piflure^ or at leaft the greateft part of it; and, as he valued himfelf upon his honour, and was more at- tached to glory than intereft, he did it gratis^ and would not receive any recompence for it. The city of AthenS;, therefore^ rewarded him with a fort of coin, that was morjs (n) Tn prazc. de rep. ^er. p. 820. (0) Plln. I. xxxv. c 9. HISTOHY OF THE more acceptable to his tafte bj procuring an order from the Ampliidyons to appoint him a public lodging in the citj, where he might live during his own pleafore. (^) The gratitude of the Athenians towards Miltiades was of no very long duration. After the battle of Mara- thon, he deiired, and obtained the command of a fleet of feventj ftiips, in order to puniih and fubdue the iffandt^ that had favoured the Barbarians. Accordingly, he re- duced feveral of them : But having had ill fuccefs in the iile of Pares, and upon a falfe report of the arrival of the enemy's fleet, having railed the fiege which he had laid to the capital city, wherein he had received a very dangerous wound, he returned to Athens with his fleet^ and was there impeached by a citizen, called Xanthippus, who accufed him of having raifed the fiege through treachery, and in conlideration of a great fum of money given him by the king of Perfia. As little probability as there was in this accufation, it neverthelefs took place again ft the merit and innocence of Miltiades. (^q) He was condemned to lofe bis life, and to be thrown inta -the Barathrum ; a fentence paffed only upon the greateit criminals and raalefaflors. The magiftrate oppofed the execution of fo unjuft a condemnation. All the favour fliGwn to this preferver of his country, was to have the fentence of death commuted into a penalty of fifty ta- lents, or fifty tho-ufand crowns French money, being the fum to which the expences of the fleet, that had been equipped upon his folicitation and^ advice, amounted. Not being rich enough to pay this fum, he Vv'as put into prifon, where he died of the wound he had received at Paros. Gimon, his fon, wlio was at this time very young, fignalized his piety on this occaflon, as we fliall find in the fequel he did his courage afterwards. He purchafed the permilTion of burying his father's body, by paying the fine of fifty thoufand crowns, in v»^hich he had been con- demned ; which fum the young man raifed as w^cli as he could, by the afliPiance of his friends and relations. Cornelius (/') Herod. 1. v. c 1.32, & 13 6. Cor. Nep. in Milt. c. vli. & viii. {q] Plut. in Georg, p. 519. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 163 Cornelius Nepos obferves, that what chiefiy induced the Athenians to afl: in this manner, with regard to tiades, was only his merit and great reputation, which made the people, who were but lately delivered from the yoke of ilavery under Pififtratus, apprehend that Miltiades who had been tyrant before in the Cherfonefus, might, affe^^L the fame at Athens. * They therefore chofe rather fo puniHi an innocent perfon, than to be under perpetual apprehenfions of him. To this fame principle, was the inftitiition of the oftracifm at Athens owing, (r) I have elfewhere given an account of the mcft plaufible reafons upon which the oftracifm could be founded; But I do not fee how we can fully juftify fo firange a policy, to which all merit becomes fufpeded, and virtue itfelf appears cri- minal. (.fj) This appears plainly in the banifliment of Ariflides. His inviolable attachment to juftice obliged him on many Gccafions to oppofe Themiftocles, who did not pique him- felf upon his delicacy in that refpeft, and who fpared no intrigues and cabals to engage the fuiTrages of the people for removing a rival who always oppofed his ambitious defigns. t This is a ftrange inftance, that a perfon may be fuperior in merit and virtue, without being fo in credit. The impetuous eloqcience of Themiilocles bore down the juftice of Ariftides, and occalioned his baniiliment. In this kind of trial the citizens gave their fuiTrages by writ- ing the name of the accufed perfon upon a ihell, called in Greek cTP::-sy^ov^ from whence came the term oftracifm. On this occafion, a peafant who could not write, and did not know Adrift ides, applied to himfelf and defired him to put the name of Ariftides upon his fliell. ^' Has he done you any wrong, faid Ariftides, that you are for condemning (/ ) Man d'E'-iJU. Tom iil p. 407. (s) Flut. in AriO:. p. 322, 323. . Hf£c popuius relpiciciis inaluit eum innocentem pledli, quam fe d:u- tius ciit in tiniore. f ill jiis ccgiiituni c-f}, quanto antif^aret cloqucntia innocentijE- Qjjan- quani fiiim a-'ico exreil^fbat Ariilides abOinentia, ut unus pt ft homiruni me!r.G: ii)m, (i'jod o'lidt^iii ro.r aiidierinius, cognomine Jiiftus fit appellatu? ; tamtij a ThciJiiilocl- collabefaciu;; telluU il'a exiiio decern annoium mul- tatus ell. Cor. Nep. in Anjf. 164 HISTORY OF THE *^ condemning him in this manner?" — " No," replied the other, I do not fo much as know him ; but I am *^ quite tired and angry with hearing everj body call him the Jujl,^'* Ariflides, without faying a word more, calmly took the fhell, wrote his own name in it, and returned it. He fet oiit for his banifliment, imploring the gods that no accident might befal his coulitry to make rt regret him. The * great Camillus, in a like cafe, did not imitate his generoiity, and prayed to a quite different effect, deiiring the gods to force his ungrateful country by fome misfortune to have occafion for his aid, and recal him as foon as poffible. (t) O happy republic, cries out Valerius Maximua, fpeaking of Ariftides's baniiliment, which, after having fo bafely treated the moft virtuous man it ever produced, has flill been able to find citizens zealoufly and faithfully attached to her fervice ! Felices Athejias^^ quce poji illiiis exilium invenire aliquem aut virum homim^ aut amantem fui civem potuerunt ; cum quo tunc ipfa fanBitas 7?iigravit ! Si.CT. Vrn. Darius refolves- to make War in perfon againjl Egypt and again/l Greece: Is prevented by deaths Difpute between two of his fo7is, co?icer?iing the fucceJJiGn to the Crown. Xerxes is chofen King. TT7HEN Darius received the news of the defeat of his army at Marathon, he was violently en- raged ; and that bad fuccefs was fo far from difcou raging or diverting himx from carrying on the war againft Greece, that it only ferved to animate him to purfue it with the greater vigour, in order to be revenged at the farne time for the burning of Sardis, and for the difhonour incurrtil at Marathon. Being thus determined to march in perfon with all his forces, he difpatched orders to all his fubjeft in the feveral provinces of his empire to arm themfelvc^ for this expedition. After (^) Val. Max. 1. v, c. 3. (;/) Herod. I vll c.. I. * In exiliiini ab if, precatus ab diis immortalibiis, fi exil'io fibi ea in- juria fierit, prlnio quoque tempore defiderium fui civitati ingratx face-- Li -J, A Y. jz. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 165 After having fpent three years in making the neceflary preparations, he had another war to carry on, occafioned by the revolt of Egypt. It feems from what we read in (x^ Diodorus Siculus, that Darius went thither himfelf to quell it, and that he fucceeded. The hiftorian relates that upon this prince's defiring to have his ftatue placed before that of Sefoftris, the chief prieft of the Egyptians told him, he had not yet equalled the glory of that conquer" or ; and that the king, without being offended at the Egyptian p'rieft's freedom, made acfwer, that he would endeavour to furpafs it. Diodorus adds further, that Da- rius, detefting the impious cruelty which his predeceffor Cambyfes had exercifed in that country, expreffed great reverence for their gods and temples; that he had feveral converfations with the Egyptian priefts upon matters of religion and government ; and that having learnt of ^ them, with what gentlenefs their ancient kings ufed to ^ treat their fubjefts, he endeavoured, after his return into Perfia, to form himfelf upon their model. But (j') He- rodotus, more worthy of belief in this particular than Di- odorus, only obferves, that this prince, refolving at once to chaftife his revolted fubjefts, and to be avenged of his ancient enemies, determined to make war againft both at the fame time, and to attack Greece in perfon with the grofs of his army, whilft the reft of it was employed in the reduftion of Egypt. (%) According to an ancient cuftom among the Per- lians, their king was not allowed to go to war without having firft named the perfon that ftiould fucceed him in the throne ; a cuftom wifely eftabliflied to prevent the ftate's being expofed to the troubles which generally at- tend the uncertainty of a fucceftbr : to the inconveniencies of anarchy, and to the cabals of various pretenders. Da- rius, before he undertook his expedition againft Greece, thought himfelf the more obliged to obferve this rule, as he was already advanced m years, and as there was a dif- erencc between two of his fons, upon thie point of fuc- ceeding to the empire ; which difference might occafion a civil (a) Lib, i. p. 84. 85, {y) Lib. vi. {z) Ibid. c. 2, & 3, i i66 HISTORY OF THE a civil war after his death, if he left it undetermined. Darius had three foiis by his firft wife, the daughter of Gobrias, all three bora before their father came to the crown; and four more bj Atoffa, the daughter of Cyrus, who were all born after their father's acceflion to the throne ; Artabazanes, called by Juftin, Artemenes, was the el deft of the former, and Xerxes of the latter. Arta- bazanes alleged in his own behalf, that, as he was the eldeft of all the brothers, the right of fucceffion, acccording to the cuftom and p raft ice of all nations, belonged to him preferably to all the reft. Xerxes's argument was, that as he was the fon of Darius by Atoffa, the daughter of Cyrus, who founded the Periian empire, it was more juft that the crown of Cyrus ftiould d-evolve upon one of his defcendants, than upon one who w^as not. Demara- tus, a Spartan kingj unjuftly depofed by his fubjecls, and at that time in exile at the court of Perlia, fecretly fug- gefted to Xerxes another argument to fupport his preten- fions: That Artabazanes was indeed the eldeft fon of Darius, but he, Xerxes, was the eldeft fon of the king; and therefore, Artabazanes being born when his father was but a private perfon, all he could pretend to, on ac- count of his fenionty, was only to inherit his . private eftate ; but that he, Xerxes, being the firft born fon of the king, had the beft right to fucceed to the crown. He further fupported this argument by the example of the Lacedemonians, who admitted none to inherit the king- dom, but thofe children that were born after their fa- ther's acceflion. The right of fucceeding was accordingly determined in favour of Xerxes. Juftin (vhip, and fpeak to it in this manner : Thou trouhlefaine and 2inhappy element^ thus does thy maj^ ter chajlije thee for having affronted h 'm without reaforu Know that Xerxes will eajily find means to pafs over thy waters i?i fpite of all thy billows and refijiance. The ex- travagance of this prince did not Hop here ; but making the undertakers of the work anfwerable for events, winch do not in the leafl depend upon the power of man, he or- dered all the perfons to have their heads (truck off, that had been charged with the diredion and management of that undertaking. (r/) Xerxes commanded two other bridges to be built, one for the army to pafs over, and the other for the bag- gage and beafts of burden. He appointed workmea more able and expert than the former, who went about it in this manner* They placed three hundred and fixty veffels acrofs, fome of them having three banks of oars, and others fifty oars a-piece, with their fides turned to- wards the Euxine fea ; and on the fide that faced the yEgean fea they put three hundred and fourteen. They then cafl: large anchors into the water on both fides, in order to fix and f ecu re all thefe veflels againfc the violence of the winds, and againft the current * of the water. On the e^fl: fide they left three pafiages or vacant fpaces between the vefiels, that- there might be room for fmall boats to go and come eafiiy, as there was occafion, to and from (rt) Herod. 1. vii. c. 3 — 36. * Polybius remarks, that there is a current cf qvater fro?n the lake M,ie^ Otis and the Euxine fea i?ito the Aegeaiiyea. occaj1o7ied by the rivers uuh'ich ewpty theijifelves into tho/c t-ivQ feas* Pol. 1, iv. p. 307, 308. i86 HISTORY OF TETu from the Eaxine fea. After this, upon the land on both fides, thej drove large piles into the earth, with huge rings faftened to them, to which were tied fix vaft cables, which went over each of the tv/o bridges ; two of which cables were made of hemp, and four of a fort of reeds, called /3;oAo^, v/hich were made ufe of in thofe times for the making of cordage. Thofe that were made of hemp mud have been of an e?ctraordinary ftrength and thicknefs, fince every cubit of thofe cables weighed a talent *. The cables laid over the whole extent of the veffels length- wife, reached from one fide to the other of the fea. When this part of the work was finiflied, quite over the veflels lengthwife, and over the cables we have been fpeaking of, they laid the trunks of trees cut purpofely for that ufe, and flat boats again over them, faftened and joined toge- ther, to ferve as a kind of floor or folid bottom : All which they covered over vv^ith earth, and added rails or battlements on each fide, that the horfes or cattle might not be frightened with feeing the fea in their paflage. This was the form of thofe famous bridges built by Xerxes. When the whole work was completed, a day was ap- pointed for their paffing over. And as foon as the fir ft rays of the fun began to appear, fweet odours of all kinds were abundantly fpread over both bridges, and the way was ftrewed wdth myrtle. At the fame time Xerxes poured out libations into the fea, and turninghis face towards the fun, the principal objeft of the Pcrfian worftiip, he im- plored the afiiftance of that god in the enterprife he had undertaken, and defired the continuance of his proteftion till he had made the entire conqueft of Europe, and had brought it into fubjeflion to his power : This done, he threv/ the vefiel, which he ufed in making his libations, together with a golden cup, and a Perfian fey mi tar, into the fea. The army was feven days and, feven nighta in pafling over thefe ftraits ; thofe who were appointed to conduct the march, laftiing the poor foldiers all the while * A taJtVit in ^.ve!ght conjijied of ?nhi that is to fay, of.%1 pomids of §iir vjeight ; and the inma conjl/led of ico drachms* PERSIANS AND GRECIANS, 187 while with whips, in order to quicken their fpeed, ac- cording to the cullom of that nation, which, properlj Ipeaking, wa3 only an huge affembly of flaves. ' Sect. III. 'The Number o/Xerxes's Forces • Demara- TUS delivers his Sentiments freely upon that Princess Kri- terprife. {l>) VERXES direSing his march acrofs the Thracian Cherfonefus, arrived at Dor, a city ll^jiding at the mouth of the Hebrus in Thrace ; where having en- camped his army, and given orders for his fleet to follow him along the fhore, he reviewed them both. He found the land-army, which he had brought out of Afia, conliiled of feventeen hundred thoufand foot, and of fourfcore thoufand horfe, which, with twenty thoufand men that were abfolulely neceflary at lead for conducting and taking care of the carriages and the camels, made in all eighteen hundred thoufand men. When he had paf- fed the Hellefpont, the other nations that fubmitted to him, made an addition to his army of three hundred thoufand men ; which made all his land-forces together amount to two millions one hundred thoufand men. His fleet, as it was vv^hen it fet out from Afia, confifled of twelve hundred and feven veffels, or gallies, all of three banks of oars, and intended for fighting. Each veflel carried two hundred men, natives of the country that fitted them out, befides thirty more that were either Per- fians or Medes, or of the Saca^ ; which made in all two hundred and feventy-feven thoufand fix hundred and ten men. The European nations augmented his fleet with an hundred and twenty veflels, each of which carried tv>^o hundred men, in all four and twenty thoufand : Thei'e added to the other, amounted together to three hundred e^nd one thoufand fix hundred and ten men. Befides this fleet, which confifl:ed all of large veflTels ; the fmall gallies of thirty and fifty oars, the tranfport (hips, the vefi^els that carried the provifitons, and that weiQ {a) Herod, i. vii c 56—09, & 184— -.87, i88 HISTORY OF THE were employed in other ufes, amounted to three thoufand. If we reckon but eighty men in each of thcfe veffels, one with another, that made in the whole two hundred and forty thoufand men. Thus when Xerxes arrived at Thermopylce, his land and fea-forces together made up the number of two mil- lions iix hundred and forty-one thoufand, fix hundred and ten men, without including fervants, eunuchs, women, futlers, and other people of that fort, who ufually follow an army, and of which the number at this time was equal to that of the forces : So that the whole number of fouls that followed Xerxes in this expedition, amounted to five millions, two hundred eighty- three thoufand two hundred and twentjf . This is the computation which Herodotus makes of them, and in which Plutarch and Ifocrates a- gree with him. (^:) Diodorus' Siculus, Pliny, ^lian, and others, fall very fhort of this number in their calcu- lation : But their accounts of the matter appear to be lefs authentic than that of Herodotus, who lived in the fame age this expedition was made, and who repeats the in- fciiption engraved, by the order of the Amphidtyoas, upon the monument of thofe Grecians who were killed at Thermopylae, which expreffed that they fought againfl three millions of men. (d) For the fuftenance of all thefe perfons there mufl be every day confnmed, according to Herodotus'^s com- putation, above an hundred and ten thoufand three hundred and forty medinmis of flour, (the medimnus was a meafure, v/hich, according to Budceus, Vv'as equi- valent to fix of our bufliels) allowing for every head the quantity of a choenix, which was the daily portion or al- lovv^ance that mailers gave their flaves among the Gre- cians. We have no account in hiftory of any other army fo numerous as this. And amongft all thefe millions or men, there was not one that could vie with Xerxes in point of beauty, either for the comelinefs of his face, or the tallnefs of his perfon. But this is a poor merit or pve- (c) Diod 1. xi. p. 3. Piln. I, xxxiii. c, 10. JElhn. I. xiil c. 3. (^/} Hgrod 1 vii. c. 187. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 189 pre-eminence for a prince, when attended with no other. Accordingly Juftin, after he has mentioned the number of thefe troops, adds, that this vaft body of forces ' nited a chief. Huic tanto agmini dux defitit. We fliall hardly be able to cond /e how it was poliible to jfind a fufficiei-t quantity of piovifions for fiich an im- menfe number of perfons, if the {e) hillorian had not in- formed us, that Xerxes had employed four whole years in making preparations for this expedition. We have feen already how many veffels of burden there were, that coafted along continually to attend upon and fiipply the land-army : and doubtlefs there m ere frefh ones arriving every day, that furnifhed the camp with a fufficient plen- ty of all things neceffary. (y) Herodotus acquaints us Vv^ith the method they made ufe of to calculate their forces, which were almoft innumerable. They afTembled ten thoufand men in a j)articular place, and ranked them as clofe together as was poffible ; after which they defcribed a circle quite round them, and erefted a little wall upon that circle about half the height of a man's body ; when this was done, they made the w^hole arfny fuccefiively pafs through Ihis fpace and thereby knew to what number it amounted. Herodotus gives us alfo a particular account of the dif- ferent armour of all the nations this army confii^d of. Befides the generals of every nation, who each of #hem commanded the troops of their refpedive country. The land-army was under the command of fix Perfian gene- rals :. viz. Mardonius, the fon of Gobryas ; Tirintatech- mus, the fon of Artabanes, and Smerdonus, fon to Ota- nes, both near relations to the king ; Mafiftus, fon of Da- rius and Atoffa ; Gergis, fon of Arirrzes ; and Megaby- fus, fon of Zopyrus. The ten thoufand Perfians, who were called the immortal band, were commanded by Hy- darnes. The cavalry had its pai'ticular c(3mmanders. There were likev/ife four Pei-fian generals vv'ho com- manded the fleet. In (^) Herodotus we have a parti- cular (0 Msrod. h vli. c. (/) Ibid. c. Ibid. c. 89, 90. 190 HISTORY OF THE cular account of all the nations by which it was fitted out* Artemifa queen of Halicarnafiiis, w^ho from the death of her huiband governed the kingdom for her fon, who was ftill a minor, brought but five veflels along with her ; but they were the beft equipped, and the lighteft fliips in the whole fleet, next to thofe of the Sidonians. This princefs diftinguifhed herfelf in this war by her Angular courage, and ftill more by her prudence and condufl;. Herodotus obferves, that among all the commanders in the army^ there was not one who gave Xerxes fo good advice and fuch wife counfel as this queen : But he was not prudent enough to apply it to his advantage. When Xerxes had numbered his whole forces by land and fea, he afked Demaratus, if he thought the Grecians would dare to expe£l: him. I have already taken notice that this Demaratus was one of the two kings of Sparta, who, being exiled by the faftionof his enemies, had taken refuse at the Perfian court, where he was entertained with the greateft marks of honour and beneficence. (^) As the courtiers v/ere one day expreffing their furprife that a king ftiould fufFer himfelf to be banifhed, and defired him to acquaint them w'ith the reafon of it : It isy fays he, l)eccuife the law is 7?iore powerful than the kings at Sparta. This prince was very much confidered in Perfia: But neither the injuftice of the Spartan citizens, nor the kind treatment of the Perfian king, could make him for- get his country As foon as he knew that Xerxes was making prepa ■ ations for the war, he found means to give the Grecians fecret intelligence of it. And now being obliged on this occafion to fpeak his fentiments to the king, he did it with fuch a noble freedom and dignity, as became a Spartan, and a king of Sparta. (z) Demaratus, before he anfwered the king's queftion, defired to know whether it was his pleafure that he fliould flatter him, or that he ftiould fpeak his thoughts to him freely and truly. Xerxes having declared that he defired him {h) Plut. in Apopth. Lacon. p. 220. (i) Herod. 1. vii. c. icr, 105, Atiiicior patriae poft fugam, quam regl poU beneficia. 'j^jfnn* 6 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 191 him to aft with entire fincerity, he fpoke in the following terms : Great prince (fays Demaratus), fince it is a- greeable to your pleafure and commands, I fliall deliver my fentiments to you with the utmoft truth and fmce- rity. It muft be confefled, that from the beginning of time, Greece has been trained up and accuftomed to . ^* poverty : But then fhe has introduced and eftablifhed ^' virtue within her territories, which wifdom cultivates, and the vigour of her laws maintain. And it is by the ufe, which Greece knows how to make of this virtue, " that Ihe equally defends herfelf againft the inconveni- ences of poverty, and the yoke of fervitude. But, to fpeak only of the Lacedemonians, my particular coun- trymen, you may affure yourfelf that as they are born and bred up in liberty, they will never hearken to any propofals that tend to ilavery. 1 hough they were de- ferted and abandoned by all the other Grecians, and re- duced to a band of a thoufand men, or even to a more inconfiderable number, they will ftill come out to meet ^' you, and not refufe to give you battle." Xerxes upon hearing this difcourfe, fell a laughing ; and as he could not comprehend how men, in fuch a ftate of liberty and independence, as the Lacedemonians were defcribed to enjoy, who had no mafter to force and com- pel them to it, could be capable of expofing themfeives in fuch a manner to danger and death ; Demaratus re- plied : ) The Spartans indeed are free, and under no » fubjeftion to the will of any man ; but at the fame time they have laws to which they are fubjeft, and of which they iland in greater awe than your fubjefts do of your majefty. Now by thefe laws they are forbid " ever to fly in battle, let the number of their enemies be never fo fuperior : and are commanded by abiding firm in their poft, either to conquer or to die." Xerxes was not offended at the liberty wherewith De- maratus fpoke to him, and continued his march. Sect, (^) Herod, I. c. 145, I45, 192 HISTORY OF THE Sect. JV. "^he Lacedemonians and Athenians fend to their Allies in vain to require Succours from them. Command of the Fleet given to the Lacedemonia7is, (/) T ACEDEMON and Athens, which were the two ^ moft pov^erful cities of Greece, and the cities a« gainft which Xerxes was moft exafperated, were not in- dolent or afleep, whilft fo formidable an enemy was ap- proaching. Having received intelligence long before of the defigns of this prince, thej had fent fpies to Sardis, in order to have a more exa£t information of the number and quality of his forces, ihefe fpies were feized, and as they were juft going to be put to death^ Xerxes coun- termanded it, and gave orders that they ftiould be con- duced through his armj'-, and then fent back without any harm being done to them. At their return the Grecians underftood what they had to apprehend from fo potent an enemy. They fent deputies at the fame time to Argos, into Si- cily to Gelon, tyrant of Syracufe, to the ifles of Corey ra and Crete, to defire fuccours from th^m, and to form a league againtt the common enemy. The people of Argos offered a very confiderable fuccour, on condition they fliould have an equal fliare of the authority and command with the Lacedemonians. The latter confented, that the king of Argos fhould have the fame authority as either of the two kings of Sparta. This was granting them a great deal : but into what errors and mifchiefs are not men led by a miftaken point of ho- nour, and a foolifli jealoufy of command I The ArgiveS were not contented with this offer, and retufed to enter into the league with the Grecians, v/ithout confidering that if they lutFered tliem to be deftroyed, their own ruin muft inevitably follow. (/^^ The deputies proceeded from Argos to Sicily, and addrelicd themfel'ves to Gelm, who was the moft potent prince of the Greeks at that time. He promifed to alfift them (/) Herod, 1. vii. c. 145, 146. (/i) Ibid. c. 153, Ji6z. 5 (n{) Ibid. c. 143. 152. PERSIANS AND GREeiANS. 193 them with two hundred veffels of three benches of oaj^s f^th an army of twenty tlioufand foot and two thoufpurl orfe, two thoufand light-arraed foidiera, and the fame number of bowmen and llingers, and to fupply the G'-e- * cian army with provifions during the whole war, op con- = dit]on they would make him generalifilmo of all' the for" I ces both by land and fea. The Lacedemonians were hic^h ly offended at fuch a propofal. Gelon then abated feme wnat ni his demands, and promifed the fame, provided he had at leaft the command either of the fleet or the arnv This propofal was ftrenuoufly oppofed by the Atheni'arc" wno made anfwer, that they alone had a right to con" mand tne fleet, m cafe the Lacedemonians were wilJino- to give It up. Gelon had a more fubllantial reafon for'^not leaving Sicily unprovided of troops, which was the an ' proach of the formidable army of the Carthaginian^ com'- manded by Amilcar, which confided of three ^ndmi thoufand men. Liuuieu (0 The inhabitants of Corcyra, now called Corfu, apve tne envoys a more favourable anfwer, and immed d'^ put to fea with a fleet of fixty vefTels. But they advanc 4 no farther tnan to the coafis of Laconia, pretending et were hindered by contrary winds, but in reality ^?aS- V to fee the fuccefs of an engagement, that they mi<.ht terward^ range themfelves on the fide of the concrer^, Jp-) The people of Crete, having confulted "S rhie oracle, to know what refolution they were to tak» onth s occafion, abfolutely refufed to enter'into the lea^e l7) Tnus were the Lacedemonians and Athenians lef- almoll to themfelves, all the reil of the cities ZTnfJ having fubmitted to the heralds, that xl Z ^ f require earth and water of them e-cenf-'n^ .i, , Thefpia and of Platea. (.) lu f^ ^ Sr ^ ei firft care was to put an end to all difcord^V,- "f ^"^^"^ mong themfelves ; for whicli reafon tt aX'T " peace with the people of JE.in? JX\ '^'^""T' ""''^ aftually at war. ' ' "'^-7 ^'°re Vol. in. ^ ■ Their (j) Ker-a 1. vii. c. 168. f^. t?) SMa.c.,3,. (r) Ibid.c. 145. lb.d.c.:C, 194 HISTORY OF THE (i) Their next care was to appoint a general : for there never was any occalion wherein it was more necSfr fary to choofe one, capable of fo important a tnaft, than* in the prefent conjunfture, when Greece was upon the i point of being attacked by the whole forces of Afia. , The moll able and experienced captains terrified at the jjl greatnefs of the danger, had taken the refolution of not 1 prefenting themfelves as candidates. There was a cer- tain citizen at Athens, whofe name was Epicydes, v>^ho had fome eloquence, but in other refpefts was a perfon of no merit, was in difreputation for his want of courage and notorious for his avarice. Notwithftanding all which, it was apprehended, that in the alTembly of the people the votes would run in his favour. Themiftocles, who was fenfible, * that in calm weather almoft any mariner may be capable of conduding a veffel, but that in ftorms and tempefts the moft able pilots are at a lofs^ was con-, vinced, that the commonwealth was rained, if Epicydes was chofen general, whofe venal and mercenary foul gave them the jufteft reafon to fear, that he was not proof againft the Perfian gold. There are occafions, when, in order to ad wifely (1 had almoft faid regularly), it is ne^ teffary to difpenfe v/ith, and rife above all rule. The- miftocles, who knew very well, that in the prefent ftate of affairs he was the only" perfon capable of commanding, did, for that reafon, make no fcruple of employing bribes and prefents to remove his competitor : f And having found means to make the ambition of Epicydes amends, by gratifying his avarice, he got himfelf elefted general in his ftead. We may here, I think, very juftly apply to Themiftocles what Titus Livius fays of Fabius on a like occafion. This great commander finding, when Han- nibal was in the heart of Italy, that the people were going to make a man of no merit conful, employed all his ^ ° own {s) Pint, in Themlft. p. 114. * Qullibet nautarum veaorumquc traquillo marl giibcrnare potclt : ublomfovatenipeaa.eft,acturbato mari rapitur vemo navis, viro ct gubernatore opus eft. Li:i. . xxiv. ^; ^ , ^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 195 own credit, as well as that of his friends, to be continued in the confuifliip, without being concerned at the clamour that might be raifed againfl him ; and he fncceeded in the attempt. The hiftorian adds, " The conjunfture of af- fairs, and the extreme danger the commonvv^ealth w^as I expoCed to, were arguments of fuch weight, that they * prevented any one from being offended at a condua which might appear to be contrary to rules, and re- moved all fufpicion of Fabius's having afted upon anv motive of intereft or ambition. On the contrary, the public admired his generofity and greatnefs of foul, in that, as he knew the commonv/ealth had occafion for an accompliflied general, ahd could not be ignorant or doubtful of his own Angular merit in that refped:, he 2 bad chofen rather in fome fort to hazard his own repu- tation, and perhaps expofe his charafter to the reproach^ " es of envious tongues, than to be wanting in any fer- vice he could render his country." (0 The Athenians alfo pa^^ed a decree to recal home all their people that w^ere in baniflnnent. They were . afraid, left Ariftides fliould join their enemies, and left his credit fliould carry over a great many others to the ijde of the Barbarians. But they had a very falfe notion of their citizens, who was infinitely remote from fuchfenti- ments. Be that as it would, on this extraordinary junc ture they thought fit to recal him; and Themiftocies was fo far from oppofmg the decree for that purpofe, that he promoted it with all his credit and authority. The hatred and divifion of thefe great men had nothing in them of that implacable, bitter^ and outrageous fpirit which pre^ vailed among the Romans in the later times of the repub- he. The danger of the ftate was the means of their reconciliation, and when their fervice w^s necefiary to ^ 2 the (0 Plut. in Aria. p. 3^2, 3^13. ^ Tempus ac r.eccffitas belli, ac dilcrimen fummse rerum, faciebant ne quis aut in exemplum exquiverct, autfufpcaum cupiditatis imperii confulem habrret. Qum iaudabant potius magnitudinem animi, quod cua. fumnio imperator cffe opus reip. fciret feque eum baud dubie efTe, minorls invidiam luam, u qua ex re oriretsr, quam utilitatem reip. feciiTet. Lh , I. xxiv. v> HISTORY OF THE ihc prerervaticn of the public, they laid afide all their jea- ^ ■ ■ - ^ :-nr:cour ; And we fhall fee bj the fequel, that -! . fo far from fecretlj thwarting his ancient" zedoiiflj contributed to the fuccefs of his" . _ ,, iid to the advancement of his glory. The alarm incrcafed in Greece, in proportion as they . cc( Ived advice that the Perfian army advanced. If the i \l:hci::an3 and Lacedemonians had been able to make no , olher rciiilance than with their land-forces, Greece had hiccn utterly ruined and reduced to (lavery. This exi-' • < cnce taught them hovi^ to fet a right value upon the pru- dent furehglit of Themiilocles, Vvdio, upon fome other pre-^ rext, had caufed an hundred gallics to be built. Inftead of jud.^!ng like the reft of the Athenians, v^'ho looked up- on the^'victory of Marathon as the end of the war, he, on t]iC contrary, conildercd it rather as the beginning, orjis ' the fignal of ftiil greater battles, for which it vv^as necelTa- vy to'prepare the Athenian people : And from that very time he began to think of raifmg Athens to a fuperiority -r;z- Sparta, which for a long time had been the miftrefs : Greece. With this view he judged it expedient to. ; ' make the Athenian power entirely maritime, perceiving ; iiT plainly that, as (he was lb weak by land, flie had no ^ : ;/:r'v/ay to render herfelf neceffary to her allies, or lorn-idablc to her enemies. . Kis opinion herein prevailed among the people in fpite of the oppoiition of Miltiades,. vvhofe difference of opinion undoubtedly arcfe from the . Ijule^robability there was, that a people entirely unac- , Muainted with fighting at fea, and that were only capable of fitting out and arming very fmall veffels, ihould be a- blQ;^o vvitlihand fo formidable a power as that of the Per- fiarls, who had both a numerous land army, and a fleet of j i.bove a thoufand ihips. ^ - ; * (//) The Athenians had fome filver mines m a part of Attica, called Laurium, the whole revenues and produds of wh.idi ufed to be diftributed amongft them. Themif- /ocks had the courage to propofe to the people, that they ihould P!ut. inlhemlft. p.. T13. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 197 lliould abollili thele diilributionSj and employ that money in building veflels with three benches of oars, in order r > make war upon the people of ^gina, againil whom he. endeavoured to inflame their ancient jealoufy. No peo- ple are ever willing to facrifice their private intereiis to the general utility of the public : For they ieldo'oi jir^ : fo much generofity or public fpirit, as to purclial^; t i welfare or prefjrvation of the ftate at their own exp :ncc. The xAthenian people, however, did it upon thtis occaiioa : Moved by the lively remonftrances of Themiftocles, they confented, that the money which arofe from the produci of the mines, fliould be employed in the building of an hundred gallics. Againil the arrival of Xerxes they doubled the number, and to that fleet Greece ow^ed its prefervation. (;^) When they came to the point of naming a general for the command of the navy, the Athenians, who alone had funiiflied the tw^o-thirds of it, laid claim to that ho- nour, as appertaining to them, and their pretennons v/ere certainly jufl: and well grounded. It happened, how^ever, that the fulFrages of the allies all concurred in favour of EurybiadeS) a Lacedemonian. Themiftocles, though very afpiring after glory, thought it incumbent upon him, on this occaflon, to negle-fl his own interefts for the common good of the nation : And giving the Athenians to under- ftand that, provided they behaved themfelves wnh cou- rage and condufb, all the Grecians would quickly defire to confer the command upon them of their own accord, he perfuaded them to confent, as he would do liimfelf, to give up that point at prefent to the Spartans. It liiav juftly be faid, that this prudent moderation in ThemriiJ- cles was another means of faving the ftate. For the al^ lies threatened to feparate themfelves from them, if thev refuied to comply ; and if that had happened, Greece, mui!: have been inevitably ruined. K 3 Sect.. (i) Hcrcd. 1. Y-ii. c. 213, HISTORY OF THE Sect. V. Battle of Thermopylce. "^he Death of Leonidas. (/) '^"PRE onlj thing that now remained to be difcuf- fedj was to know in what place thej fliould re- folve to meet the Perfians, in order to difpute their en- tiance into Greece. The people of Theffaly reprefented, that as they were the moft expofed, and likely to be firil attacked by the enemy, it was but reafonable, that their difeiice and feciirity, on which the fafety of all Greece fo much depended, fliould firfl: be provided for ; without which they fliould be obliged to take other meafures, that would be contrary to their inclinations, but yet abfolutely neceffary, in cafe their country Vv^as left unprotefted and defencelefs. It was hereupon refolved, that ten thoufand men fhould be fent to guard the paifage which feparates Macedonia from Theffaly, near the river Peneus, between the mountains of Olympus and Offa. But Alexander, the fon of Amyntas, king of Macedonia, having given them to underftand, that if they waited for the Perlians in that place, they muft inevitably be overpowered by their numbers, they retired to Thermopylae. The The jf- falians, finding themfelves thus abandoned, without any further deliberation fubmitted to the Perlians. Thermopylae is a ftrait or narrow pafs of mount Oeta, between Theffaly and Phocis, but twenty-five feet broad, w^hich therefore might be defended by a fmall number of forces, and v/hich was the only w^ay through which the Perfian land-army could enter Achaia, and ad- vance to befiege Athens. This was the place where the Grecian army thought lit to wait for the enemy : The perfon who commanded it was Leonidas, one of the two kings of Sparta. (^) Xerxes in the mean time w^as upon his march ; He had given orders for his fleet to follow him along the coaft, and to regulate their motions according to thofe of the land army. Wherever he came, he found provifions and {y) A.M. 3524. Ant. J. C. 480. Herod. l.vH. c. 172, 173. (7.^ Ibid. c. 175. 177. (a) Ibid. c. 108, 13'i> PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 199 and refrefhments prepared beforehand, purfiiant to the orders he had fent; and every city he arrived at gave him a magnificent entertainment, which coil immenfe funis of money. The vail expence of thefe treats gave oc- calion to a witty faying of a certain citizen of Abdera in Thrace, who, when the king was gone, faid, they ought to thank the gods that he eat but one rneal a- day. (b) In the fame country of Thrace^ there was a prince who fhowed an extaordinary greataefs of foul on that occafion : it was the king of the Bifaltes. Whilit all. the other princes ran into fervinide, and biifely fubmittecl to Xerxes, he bravely refufed to receive his yoke, or to obey him. Not being in a condition to refill him with open force, he retired to the top of the mountain Rho- dope, into an inacceffible place, and forbade all his fons, who were iix in number, to carry arms againfl: Greece. But they, either out of fear of Xerxes, or out of cu- riofity to fee fo important a v/ar, followed the Periians^ in contradi£tion to their father's injuri£lion. On their return home, their father, to punifli fo direct a difobe- dience, condemned all his fons to have their eyes put out. Xerxes continued his march through Thrace, Macedo- nia, and Theffalyj every thing giving way before him till he came to the flraits of Thermopylae. . One cannot fee, without the utmoil aftonifhment^ with what an handful of troops the Grecians oppofed the innumerable army of Xerxes. We find a particular ac- count of their number in Paufanias. All their forces joined together, amounted only to eleven thoufand two hundred men. Of which number four thoufand only were emploj^ed at Therniopylce to defend the pafs. But thefe foldlers, adds the hiflorian, v/ere all determined to a man either to conquer or die. And v/liat is it that an army of fuch refolution is not able to efFeft ? When Xerxes advanced neartthe flraits of Ther- mopylae, he was ftrangely furprifed to find that they were prepared to difpute his paffage. He had always flattered K 4 himfelf (/;) Heroa, L vili. c. Il6. (r) Pauf. I. x. p. 645. (il) Herod, k vii. c, 207 — 2 31. DIod. 1. xi, p. 5, 10. 200 HISTORY OF THE liimfelf, that on the firft hearing of his arrival, the Gre-. cians v/ould betake themfelves to flight ; nor could he eyer be perfuaded to believe what Demaratns had told him from the beginning of his projeft, that at the firft 'ais lie came to, he would fmd his whole armj Hopped '^v an liandful of men. He fent out a fpy before hini to i!::: a wcw of the enemy. The fpy brought him word, he foii:id the Lacedemonians out of their intrench- nieiiti, and tliat they were diverting themfelves with mi- litary exercifes, and combing their hair : This was the Spartan manner of preparing themfelves for battle. Xerxes, fcill [entertaining fome hopes of their flight, xvaited four days, on purpofe to give them time to retreat. {e) And, in this interval of time, he ufed his utmofl: en- deavours to gain Leonidag, by making him magnificent promifes, and alTuring him, that he would make him maf- ler of all Greece, if he v\^ould come over to his party, l.eonidas rejefted his propofal w^ith fcorn and indigna- tion. Xerxes havhig afterwards wrote to him to deliver up his arm^s, Leonidas, in a ftyle and fpirit truly la- conical, anfv/ered him in thefe words ; * Come and take them. Nothing remained but to prepare themfelves to engage the Lacedemonians. Xerxes firfl commanded liis Median forces to march againft them, with orders to take them all alive, and bring them to him. Thefe Modes were not able to ftand the charge of the Grecians ; and being ftiamefully put to flight, they fliow^ed, fays He- rodotus f, that Xerxes had a great many men, and but few foldiers. The next that were fent to face the Spar- tans, were thofe Perfians called the immortal band, which coniifted of ten thoufand men, and were the bed troops in the whole army. But thefe had no better fuccefs than the former. Xerxes, out of all hopes of being able to force his way through troops fo^determined to conquer or die, was ex- tremely perplexed, and could not tell what refolutIo]i to ttJ-i c y {t ') Plut. \\) Lacon. Apoph. p. ^■ikr.t pp.iici auum viri. PERSIANS AND GRECI'ANS. 201 take, when an inhabitant of the country came to him, and dii'covered a fecrct ^ path to the top of an emine'icc, which overlooked and commanded the Spartan forces. He quickly difpatchcd a detachment thither, which march- ing all night, arrived there at the break of dav, and pof- feffed themfelves of that advantageous poll. The Greeks were foon apprlfed of this n:;;:hjrrv;ne ) and Leonidas feeing that it was now impoil:!.]:; 1:0 vepui^j the enemy, obliged the refi: of the allies to retire, bui: ftayed himfelf with his tliree hundred Lecedemo.;- all refolving to die vvith their leader,, who being . the oracle, that either Lacedemon or her king rri : t nc - ' ceffarily periih, determined, without the leaft di^:2cu.rj or heiitation, to facriuce himfelf for his country. The ^ Spartans Icfl: all hopes either of conquering or e:rcapinp;, and looked upon The rmopyics as their burying;- place. The king, exhort! -jg his men to take fotne nouviijimen';^ and telling thc^v ■ '• ihe fame time, that they ihC'ild fu!^? together with . aey fet up a fhout of iov, :3 ii ihc ■ had been invited 10 a banquet, and full of ar ^ with their king to battle. The fhock was e . . . . ^ ■ ■ ' lent and bloody. Leonidas himfelf was one of the ilrft that fell. The endeavours of the Lac-d-";" r.- * ■ fend his dead body, v ere incredible. At I. . quiihed, but oppreiied by numbers, they all fell, one man, who eicaped to Sparta, where he was trcal-u a coward and traitor to his country, a^id no body would keep company or converie with him. Eut foon wards he made a glorious amends for his feiilt at tL , . tie of Platrea, where he dillinguhhed Irinifelf in an (x- tra ordinary manner. (_/*) Xerxes, enraged to \' ' d - - gree againif Leonidas lor daring to make he , him, caufed his dead body to be hung up 0:1 a g ^ and made his intended dilhoncur of Ids eneinv ]ty: ^ . immortal ihame.. K 5 Dome (/) Herod, 1. vii. c. 7:,". Gauls, tivu hn;.di t'l years aft. r they • ; ^hc'ufjJi'es r /' // - ;/ v ' :f T' - , by- path y luhich lU -J re 'l>. 7, ^ 8. 202 HISTORY OF THE Some time after thefe tranfadlions^ by order of the Am- phiftyons, a magnificent monument was erefted at Ther- mopylae, to the honour of thefe brave defenders of Greece, and upon the monument were two infcriptions ; one of which was general, and related to all thofe that died at Thermopylae, importing that the Greeks of Peloponnefus, to the number only of four thoufand, had made head againft the Perlian army, which confifled of three millions of men : The other related to the Spartans in particular. It was compofed by the poet Simonides, and is very re- markable for its fimplicitj. It is as follows : That is to fay, Co, pajjenger^ and tell at Lacedemon^ that wc died here in ohedie?ice to her facred laws* Forty years afterwards, Paufanias, who obtained the viftory of Plataea, caufed the bones of Leonidas to be carried from Thermopylae to Sparta, and erefted a magnificent monu- ment to his memory ; near which was like wife another erefted for Paufanias. Every year at thefe tom.bs was a funeral oration pronounced to the honour of thefe heroes, and a public game, wherein none but Lacedemonians had a right to partake, in order to fliow, that they alone were concerned in the glory oby^ained at Thermopylae. (^) Xerxes in that affair loft above twenty thoufand men among which were two of the king's brothers. He was very fenfible, that fo great a lofs, which was a mani- feft proof of the courage of their enemies, was capable of alarming and difcouraging his foldiers. In order, there- fore, to conceal the knov/ledge of it from them, .he caufed all his men that were killed in tliat adlion, except a thoufand, whofe bodies he ordered to be left upon the field, to be thrown together into large holes, which were fecretly {g) Herod I. vlii. c. 24, 25. Pari aniiTJo Lacedaemonii in Thermopy lis occiderunt in quos Simonide?. Die, hofpcf, Spartx nos te hie -vidiiTe jacentcs, Pum fandi$ patriw lesibus obfequimur. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 203 fecretly made, and covered over afterwards with earth and herbs. This ftratag^em fucceeded very ill : for when the foldiers in his fleet, being curious to fee the field of battle, obtained leave to come thither for that purpofe, it ferved rather to difcover his own littlenefs of foul, than to con- ceal the number of the flain. (/^) Difmayed with a viftory that had coft him fo dear, he afked Demaratus, if the Lacedemonians had many fuch foldiers. That prince told him, that the Spartan re- public had a great many cities belong! r>g to it, of which all the inhabitants were exceeding brave ; but that the in- habitants of Lacedemon, who were properly called Spar- tans, and who were about eight tlioufand in number, fur- paffed all the reft in valour, and were all of them fuch as thofe who had fought under Leonidas. I return a little to the battle of Thermopylae, the iffue of which, fatal in appearance, might make an imprefiioti upon the minds of the readers to the difadvant^ige of the Lacedemonians, and occafion their courage to b.^ loolied upon as the elFe£l of a prefumptuous temerity, or a def- perate refolution. That a61:ion of Leonidas, with his three hundred Spar- tans, was not the effeft of rafhnefs or defpair, but was a wife and noble condu6t, as (2) Diodorus Siculus has taken care to obferve in the magnificent encomium upon that famous engagement, to which he afcribes the fuccefa of all the enfuing victories and campaigns. LeonidaSj, knowing that Xerxes marched at the head of all the forces of the eaft, in order to overwhelm and crufii a little country by the dint of his numbers, rightly con- ceived from the fuperiority of his genius and under- flanding, that if they pretended to make the fuccefs of that war confift in oppofing force to force, and numbers to numbers, all the Grecian nations together would never be able to equal the Perfians,. or to d^fpute the victory with them; that it was therefore necelTa^y to point out to Greece another means of fafety and prcfer-ation, whilft fhe was under thefe alarms j and that ;hey ought to fliow K 6 the (^) Herod. 1. vii. c. 134, 137- (0 J-ib.xi.p. 9- 204 HISTORY OF THE the whole univerfe, who had all their eyes upon theniy what glorious things may be done, w^hen greatnefs of mind is oppofed to force of body, true courage and bravery againft blind impetuofity, the love of liberty againft ty- ranical oppreffion, and a few difciplined veteran troops againPc a confufed multitude, though never fo numerous.. Thefe brave Lacedemonians thought it became them, who were the choiceft foldiers of the ch.ief people of Greece^ to devote themfelves to certain death, in order to make ti e Perlians fenlible how difficult it is to reduce free men to (la very, and to teach the reft of Greece, by their ex- rimple, either to vanquiili or to perifti. I do not copy thefe fentirnents from my own invention^ ry afcribe them to Leonidas v/ithout foundation : They are plainly comprifed in that fhort anfwer, which that ^vortliy king of Sparta made a certain Lacedemonian ; wlio^ being aftonilhed at the generous refolution the king liud taken, fpoke to him in this manner : Is it pof- *^ fible^ then, Sir, that yon can think of marching with an handful of men againft fuch a mighty and innumerable army If we are to reckon upon numbers (replied ^" Leonidas) all the people of Greece together v^^ould not be fufficient, fince a fmail part of the Perfian army is equal to all her inhabitants : But, if we are to reckon upon valour, my little troop is more than fufficient." The event ftiov/ed the juftnefs of this prince's fenti- rnents. That illuft.rious example of courage aftoniihed tlie Pcrfians, and gave nevv fpirit and vigour to the Greeks. The lives, then,, of this heroic leader and his brave troop Vv^^re not thrown away, bat ufefuUy employed; and tlieir death v/as attended with a double eiTect, more great and lafting than they themfelves had in-agined. On one I.:; it. was in a manner the feed of their enfuing vie- r.ii^s, which made the Perlians for ever after lay afide all ti^ouglits of attacking Greece ; fo that during the feven t.r eight fucceeding reigns, there was neither any prince . durft entertain fuch a delign, nor any flatterer in hh com'; ;i) riut. laXacon. ^po^th. p. 225, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 20^ court, who durfl propofe the thing to him. On the other hand, fuch a fignal and exemplary inftance of intrepidity- made an indelible impreflion upon all the reft of the Grecians, and left a perfuafion deeply rooted in their hearts, that they were able to fubdue the Ferfians, ajid* fubvert their vafl empire. Cimon was the man who made the fiifl attempt of that kind with fiiccefs. Ageii- laus afterwards pulhed that defign fo far, that he made the great monarch tremble in his palace at bufa. Alex- ander at lalt accompliilied it with incredible facility. He never had the leaft doubt, no more than the Macedonians who followed him, or the whole country of Greece that chofe him general in that expedition, but that w^ith thirty thcuftmd men he could reduce the Perfian empire, as three hundred Spartans had been luflicient to check the united forces of the whole Eail. Sect. VI. Naval Battle near Artemifii, (/) '^'HE very fame day on which paffed the glorious aclion at Thermopylae, there was alfo an en- gagement at fea between the two fleets. That of the Grecians, exclufive of the little gallies and fmail boats^ confilled of two hundred and feventy-one veiTels. This- fleet had lain by near i\rtemifa, a promontory of Eubcea - upon the northern coaft towards the fcraits. That of the enemy, which v/as much more numerous, was near thcv fame place, but had lately fufFered in a violent tempeir, which had deftroyed above four hundred of their veiiels, Nctwithflanding this lofs, as it v/as flill vaflly fuperior in number to that of the Grecians, whicli. they were pre- paring to fall upon, they detached tv/o himdred of their velTels with orders to wait about Euboea, to the end that none of the enemy's veffels might be able to efcape them. The Grecians having got intelligence of that feparation, immiediateiy fet fail in the night, in order to attack that detachment at day-break the next morning. But not meeting with it, they went towards the evening and fell upon (/) Kerod-. I, viii. c, 1--18. DIud. 1. xi p. 10, ii. ao6 HISTORYOFTHE upon the bulk of the enemy's fleet, which they treated very roughly. Night coming on, they were obliged to feparate, and both parties retired to their poft. But the very night that parted them, proved more pernicious to the Perfians than the engagement which had preceded, from a violent ftorm of wind, accompanied with rain and thunder, which diftreffed and haraffed their velTels till break of day : And the two hundred fhips alfo, that had been detached from their fleet, as v/e mentioned before, ( w^ere alm.ofi: all caft away upon the coaft of Euboea ; it being the will of the gods, fays Herodotus, that the two fleets fliould become very near equal. The Athenians having the fame day received a rein- > forcement of fifty-three veflTels, the Grecians, who were apprifed of the wreck that had befallen part of the ; enemy's fleet, fell upon the fl:iips of the Cilicians at the , fame hour they had attacked the fleet the day before, and y funk a great number them. The Perfians, being aftiamed to fee themfelves thus infulted by an enemy that was fo much inferior in number, thought fit the next day to appear firft in a difpofition to engage. The battle was ; very obfl:inate this time, and the fuccefs pretty near equal on both fides, excepting that the Perfians, who were in- commoded by the largenefs and number of their veflTels^ fufl:ained much the greater lofs. Both parties, however, retired in good order. (/^) All thefe aftions, which pafled near Artemifa, did not bring matters to an abfolute decifion, but contributed very much to animate the Athenians, as they were con- vinced by their own experience, that there is nothing really formidable, either in the number and magnificent ornaments of veflTels, or in the Barbarians infolent ftiouts and fongs of viftory, to men that know how to come to clofe engagement, and that have the courage to fight with fteadinefs and refolution ; and that the befi: way of dealing with fuch an enemy, is to defpife all that vain appearance, to advance boldly up to them, and to charge them briflily and vigoroufly without ever giving ground. The (m) Plut. in Themia. p. 115 t 17. Her. I. viii. c, 21, 6. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 207 The Grecian fleet having at this time had intelligence of what had paffed at Thermopylae, refolved upon the courfe they were to take without any further deliberation. They immediately failed away from Artemifa, and advan-' cing toward the heart of Greece, they flopped at Salamin, a little ifle very near and over againft Attica. Whihl the fleet v/as retreating, Themiftocles palTed through all the places v/here it was neccffary for the enemies to come to land, in order to take in frefli water or other provifions, and in large charadlers engraved upon the rocks and the ftones the following words, which he addreffed to the lonians : Be of our Jide^ ye people of Ionia : Come over to the party of your fathers y who expofe their o%v?i lives for no other ejid than to maintain your liherty : Or if yon can- not pojjibly do that^ at leaf do the Perfans all the mifchief you cany when we are engaged with them^ and. put their army into diforder and confifon. {n) By this means The- miftocles hoped either to bring the lonians really over to their party, or at leafl to render them fufpefted to the Barbarians. We fee this general had his thoughts always intent upon his bulinefs, and neglefted nothing that could contribute to the fuccefs of his defigns. Sect. VII. ^he Athenians abandon their City^ zvhich is taken and burnt by Xerxes. VERXES in the mean time was entered into the coun- try of Phocis by the upper part of Doris, and was burning and plundering the cities of the Phocians. The inhabitants of Peloponnefus, having no thoughts but to fave their own country, refolved to abandon all the reft and to bring all the Grecian forces together within the ifthmus, over which they intended to build a ftrong wall from.one fea to the other,, a fpace of near five miles Eng- lilb. The- Athenians were highly provoked at fo bafe a defertion, feeing themfelves ready to fall into the hands of the Perfians, and likely to bear the whole weight of ^ tlieir fury and vengeance. Some time before they had con- fulted (7;) Herod. L vUI, c. 40, 41. 2c8 HISTORY OF THE fulted the oracle of Delphos, which had given them for an anfwer (^o), that ther^e would be no way of favijig the clt y^ hut by walls of wood. The fentiments of the people were much divided about this ambiguous expreilion : Some thought it was to be underRood to mean the citadel^ becaufe heretofore it had been furrounded xvilh w^ooden palifades. But Themiitocles gave another fenie to the words, which was much more natural, underilanding it to intend iliippiilg ; and dem.onftrated, that the only mea- fares they had to take vcere to leave the city em.pty, and to embark all the iriiiabitants. But this was a refolutioii the people w^ould not at all give ear to, as thinking them- feives inevitably loll, and not even caring to conquer, when once tb.ey had abandoned the temples of their gods and the tombs of their anceflors. Here Themiftocles had. obcafion for all his addreis and all his eloquence to work u^on the prople. After he had reprefented to them, that Athens did not coniifi ekher of its walls, or its houfes,- but of its citizens, and that the faving of thcfe was the prefervaticn of the citjv, he endeavoured to perfuade them, by the argument moll: capable of making an impieiuon upon them in the unhappy, affliiled, and dangerous con- dition they were then in, J mean the argu-ncnt and mo- tive of divine authority ; giving them to underftand by the very words of the oracle, and by the prodigies v/hich had happened, that their removing for a time from A- thens vvas manifeilly the v/ill of the o^ods. ( b) A decree v/as therefore paffcd, by which, in order- to ibften what appeared fo ha;d in the rtuAv.:i^m of dc- ferting the city, it was ordained, that / honld be given up in trufi: into the hands, and cc.:; - ..cd to UiO keeping and prote£licn of Minerva, patronefs of the " Athenian people ; that all fuch inhabitants as were able. to bear arms, fhoukl go on (hip-board : and that every " citizen flmuld provide as Vv'ell as he could, for the fafety- and fecurity of his v/ife, children, and liaves.'' 1 i'ie" fo) Herod. 1. vil c. 19— 143. (;>) Ibid. 1. viii. c. j {—54. Ph^'. Themift. p. ii PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 209 (q) The extraordmarj behaviour of Cimon, who wa5 at this time very young, was of great weight on this fingular occauon. Followed by his companions, with a gay and cheerful countenance, he went publicly along the fcreet of the Cerimachus to the citadel, in order to con- fecrate a bitt of a bridle, wliich he caiiied in his hand, in the temple of Minerva, defigiiing to make the people underftand by this religious and affefting ceremony, that they had no further buiinefs with land-forces, and that it behoved them now to betake themfelves entirely to fea. After he had made an offering of this bitt, he took one of the fliields that hung upon the wall of the temple, paid his devotions to the goddefs, v/ent down to the water-fide, and was the firll, who by his example infpired the greateft part of the people with confidence and refolution, and en- couraged them to embark. The major part of them fent their fathers and mothers, that were old, together Vv^ith their wives, and children, to the city of * Trezene, the inhabitants of which received them with great humanity and generofity. For they made an ordinance, that they fliouid be maintained at the expence of the public, and affigned for each perfon's fub- liftence two oboli a-day, which were worth about two- pence Englilli money. Befides this, they permitted the children to gather fruit wherever they pleafed, or where- ever they came, and fettled a fund for the payment of the mailers, vv^ho had the care of their education. What a beautiful thing it is to fee a city, expofed as this was to the greatefi dangers and calamities, extend her care and gene- rofity in the very midit of fuch alarms, even to the educa- tion of other people's children I When the whole city came to embark, fo moving and 'melancholy a fpeftacle drew tears from the ej^es of all that were prefent, and at the fame time cccafioned great admiration with regard to the ileadinefs and courage of thofe men, who fent their fathers and m.others another way, {q) Plut. in Cliii. p. 481. * This -ir6is a pKCiU rity Jlthate Npo?^. the jca~l}dc, in that part of tks 2IO HISTORY OF THE way, and to other places, and who, v/ithout being moved either at their grief and lamentations, or at the tender embraces of their wives and children^ paffed over with fo much firmnefs and refolution to Salamin. But that which extremely raifed and augmented the general compaffioii was the great number of old men that they were forced to leave in the city on account of their age and infirmities, and of which many voluntarily remained there, on a motive of religion, believing the citadel to be the thing meant by the oracle in the forementioned ambiguous ex- preiuon of wooden Vv^alls. There was no' creature (for hiilory has judged this circumftance worthy of being re- memberedj ; there was no creature, I fay, even to the very domeilic animals, but what took part in this public mourning, nor was it poffible for a man to fee thefe poor creatures run howling and crying after their mailers, who were going a fliip-board, witriout being touched and af- fefted. Among all the reft of thefe animals, particular notice is taken of a dog belonging to Xanthippus, the fa- ther of Pericles, which not being able to endure to fee himfelf abandoned by his mafter, jumped into the fea after him and continued fwimming as near as he could to the veffel his mafter was on board of, till he landed quite fpent at Salamin, and died the moment after upon the fliore. In the fame place, even in Plutarch's time, they ufed to fliow the fpot wherein this faithful animal was faid to be buried, which was called the dog^s htiryi7ig-'place. (r) Whilft Xerxes was continuing his march, fome deferters from Arcadia came and joined his army. The king having aiked them what the Grecians were then do- ing, was extremely furprifed when he v/as told, that they were employed in feeing the games and combats then ce- lebrating at Olympia : And his furprife was ftill in- creafed, when he underftood that the viftor's reward in thofe engagements was only a crown of olive. Wliat men muft. they be, cried one of the Perfian nobles, with great wonder and aftonifhment, that are afFefted only with honour^ and not v/ith money ! Xerxes (r) Herod. 1. vlii, c. 1 5. PERSIANS AND GRECIx\NS. 211 (j-) Xerxes had fent ofF a confiderable detachment of his army to plunder the temple at Delphos, in which be knew there were immciife treafures, being refolved to treat Apollo with no more favour than the other gods, whofe temples he had pillaged. If we may believe what Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus fay of this matter, as foon as ever this detachment advanced near the temple of Minerva, furnamed the Provident, the air grew dark on a fudden, and a violent terivpefl arofe, accompanied with impetuous winds, thunder and lightning j and two huge rocks having fevered themfelves from the mountain, fell upon the Perlian troops, and cruihed the greateft part of them. (^) The other part of the army marched towards the City of Athens, which was deferted by all its inhabitants, except a fmall number of citizens who had retired into the citadel, where they defended themfelves with incredi- ble bravery, till they were all killed, and would hearken to no terms of accommodation whatfoever. Xerxes, having ftormed the citadel, reduced it to afhes. He im- mediately difpatched a courier to Sufa to carry the agree- able news of his fuccefs to Artabanes his uncle ; and at the fame time fent him a great number of pictures and ftatues. Thofe of Harmodius and Ariftogiton, the ancient deliverers of Athens, were fent with the reft. One of the '^ntiochus's, king of Syria (I do not know which of them, nor at Vv'hat time it was), returned them to the Athenians, being perfuaded he could not poffibly make them a more acceptable prefent. Sect, (s) Herod. 1. viii. c 35 — 39. Diod. I.xi. p. iz. (0 Herod. 1. il €.30—54. (7/) Paufan. l.i. p. 14. 212 HISTORY OF THE Sect. VIH. Battk of Salamin. Precipitate Return of X RXES into Afia, The CbarciBers 0/ Themistocles and Aristides. T^he Defeat of the Carthaginians in Sicily , (^) A T this time a divilioa arofe among the commiand- ers of the Greci?ai fleet ; and the confederates in a council of war, which was held for that purpofe, were of very diiferent fentiments concerning the place for engaging the enemy. Some of them, and indeed the ma- jor part, at the head of whom was Euribiades, the gene- raliiiimo of the fleet, Vv^ere for having them adva !ce near the illhmus of Corinth, that they might be nearer the land army, which was polled there to guard that pafs un- der the command of Cleombrotus, Leonidas's brother, and more ready for the defence of Peioponnefus. Others, at the head of whom was Themiftocles, alleged, that it would be betraying of their country to abandon fo advantageous a poif as that of Salamin. And as he fupported his opi- nion v^ith abundance of warmth, Eurybiades lifted up his cane over him in a menacing manner. Stride, fays the Athenian, unmoved at the infult, but hear me : And con- tinuing his difcourfe proceeded to fliow of what import- ance it was for the fleet of the Grecians, whofe veffels were lighter and much fevv^er in number than thofe of the Periians, to engage in fuch a ftrait as that of Salamin; which would, render the enemy incapable of uflng a great part of their forces. Eurybiades, who could not help be-* ing furprifed at this moderation in Themiflocles, fubmit- ted to his reafons, or at leall complied with his opinion, for fear the Athenians, v/hofe fliips made up above one half of the fleet, lliould feparate tliemfelves from the al- lies, as their general had taken occafion to iniinuate. (y) A council of war was alfo held on the fide of the Periians, in order to determine whether they fliould ha- zard a naval engagement ; Xerxes himfelf was come to the (x) Herofl. 1. vili. c. c6. & 65. Plut. in Themiil p. iI7. 0) Ibid. c. 67 — -o."' PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 213 the fleet to take the advice of his captains and officers, who were all unanimous for the battle, becaufe thej knew it was agreeable to the king's inclination. Queen Arte- mifa was the only perfon who oppofed that refoluticn. She reprefented the dangerous confequence of coming to blows with people much more converfant and more ex- pert in maritime affairs than the Perfians ; alleging, that the lofs of a battle at fea would be attended with the ruin of their land-army ; whereas, by prctrafting the war, and approaching Peloponnefus, they would create jealoufies and divifions am.ong their enemies, or rather augm.ent the divifion already very great amongft them ; that the confederates in that cafe would not fail to feparate from one another, to return and defend their refpeClive countries ; and that then the king without difllculty, and almoft without ftriking a flroke, might make himfelf mafter of all Greece. This v/ife advice was not follow- ed, and a battle was refolved upon. Xerxes, imputing the ill fuccefs of all his former en- gagements at fea to his own abfence, was refolved to be watnefs of this from the top of an eminence, where he caufed a throne to be erecled for that purpofe. This , might have contributed in feme meafure to animate his forces: But there is another much more fure and effeftual means of doing it, I mean, by the prince's real prefence and example, when he himfelf fcares in the danger, and thereby fhows himfelf worthy of being the foul and head of a brave and numerous body of men ready to die for his fervice. A prince, that has not this fort of fortitude which nothing can fliake, and which even takes new vigour from danger, may neverthelefs be endued with other excellent qualities, but then he is by no means proper to command an army. No qualification whatfo- ever can fupply the want of courage in a general : And the * more he labours to fhow the appearance of it, when he has not the reality, the more he difcovers his cowardice and fear. There is, it muft be owned, a vaft difference between "* Qriarito n^agis occultare ac aoderc pavorem nitebantur, manifeflius 4 214 HISTORY OF THE between a general-officer and a fimple foldier. Xerxes ought not to have expofed his perfon otherwife than be- came, a prince ; that is to faj, as the head, not as the- hand : As he, whofe bufinefs it is to direfl: and give or- ders, not as thofe who are to put them in execution. But to keep himfelf entirelj at a diflance from danger, and to a£l no other part than that of a fpeftator, was really renouncing the quality and office of a general. (^^ Themiftocles knowing, that fome of the command- ers in the Grecian fleet ftill entertained thoughts of fail- ing towards the Ifthmus, contrived to have notice given underhand to Xer^ies, that as the Grecian allies were now affembled together in one place, it would be an eafy matter for him to fubdue and deftroy them all together ; whereas, if they once feparated from one another, as they were going to do, he might never meet with another op- portunity fo favourable. The king gave in to this opi- nion ; and immediately commanded a great number of his veffels to furround Salamin by night, in order to make it imprafticable for the Greeks to quit their poft. (^) Nobody among the Grecians perceived that their .army was furrounded in this manner. Ariftides came by night-time from iEgina, where he had fome forces under his command, and with very great danger paffed through the whole fleet of the enemies. When he came up to Themifliocles's tent, he took him afide, and fpoke to him in the following manner : If we are wife, Themifto- cles, we fhall from henceforward lay alide that vain and childifli diffention, that has hitherto divided us, and ftrive with a more noble and ufeful emulation, which of us fliall render the beft fervice to his country, you by commanding and doing the duty of a wife and able captain, and I by obeying your orders, and by affifting you with my perfon and advice." He then informed him of the army's being furrounded with the fliips of the Perfians, and warmly exhorted him to give them battle without delay. Themiftocles, extremely altonilhed (z) Herod. I. viii. c. 74 — 78. (^0 Piut. in Arid. p. 3^3. Ilcrod. 1. viii. 78— 82^. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 215 aftonilLed at fiich a greatnefs of foul, and fuch a noble and generous franknefs, was fomewhat afliamed, that he had fufFered himfelf to be fo much excelled by his rival ; but without being aftiamed to own it, he promifed Arifti- des, that he would henceforward imitate his generofity, and even exceed it, if it were poffible, in the whole of his future conduft. Then, after having imparted to him the ftratagem he had contrived to deceive the Barbarian, he defired him to go in perfon to Eurybiades, in order to convince him that there was no other means of fafety for them, than to engage the enemy by fea at Salamin ; which commiffion Ariftides executed with pleafure and fuccefs ; for he was in great credit and efteem with that general. {b^ Both fides, therefore, prepared themfelves for the battle. The Grecian fleet confifted of three hundred and eighty fail of ihips, which in every thing followed the di- reftion and orders of Themiftocles. As nothing efcaped his vigilance, and as, like an able commander, he knew how to improve every circumftance and incidence to ad- vantage, before he Vvrould begin the engagement, he wait- ed till St certain wind, which arofe regularly every day at a certain hour, and which was entirely contrary to the enemy, began to blow. As foon as this wind rofe, the fignal was given for battle. The Perfians, who knew th^ft their king had his eyes upon them, advanced with fuch courage and impetuofity, as were capable of ftriking any enemy with terror. But the heat of the firfl: attack quickly abated, when they came to be engaged. Every thing was contrary to, and difadvantageous for them : The wind, v/hich blew diredlly in their faces ; the height and the heavinefs of their velTels, which could not move and turn without great difficulty, and even the number of their Ihips, which was fo far from being of ufe to them, that it only feemed to embarrafs them in a place fo ilrait and narrow as that they fought in : Where- as, on the fide of the Grecians, every thing was done with good order, and without hurry or confufion j becaufe every {b) Herod. I. viii. c. 84 — 96. 2l6 HISTORY OF THE every thing was direftcd bj one commander. The loni- ans, whom Themiflocles had advifed by charafters en- graven oil ftones along the coails of Eubcea to remember irom wliom they derived their original, were the firft that betook themfelves to flight, and were quick] 3^ followed by the reft of the fleet. But queen Artemifa diftinguiflicd herfelf by incredible efforts of refolution and courage, fo that Xerxes, who faw in what manner flie had behaved herfelf, cried out, * that the men had behaved like wo- men in this engagem.ent, and that the w^omcn had fliow- ed the courage of men. The Athenians, being enrag- ed that a woman had dared to appear in arms againft them, had promifed a reward of ten thoufand drachmas to any one that fliould be able to take her alive : But Ihe had the good fortune to efcape their purfuits. If they had taken her, {he could have deferved nothing from them but the highefl: commendations, and the moft honourable and generous treatment. (c) The m.anner in which that f queen cfcaped, ought not to be omitted. Seeing herfelf warmly purfiicd by an Athenian fliip, from which it feemed impoffible for her to efcape, flie hung out Grecian colours, and attacked one of the Perfian veflfels, on board of which was Dama- ii thymus, king of (^) Calynda, with whom flie had fome difference, and funk it : This made her purfuers believe that her fliip was one of the Grecian fleet, and give over the chafe. Such (c) Herod. 1. vlii. c. 87, S8. Polys^n. I. viii. c. 3 3. - (d) A city of l.ycia. * O'i f/Av civ'o^is yiyovuff] ^oi yvvccT- nfinall city^^of^ Caria, that loy njery mg, Ki %i yvvcx,7}ag c^.-Jh^ig. ronnnodiov^f - for her, /].>e laid her Artenijf;:: ;nter primns duces bel- troops in 'd^itbujh, and ujider pre- lum accerime cicbat. Quinpe,utin tcnce, of cclehratirig the feaji of the viro nmliebrcm timorcin, ita in rw. ther of the gods,i/i a ^.vood cQ??fe" niuliere virilem audaciem cerneres. rrai td to her near that city , that f^e 'Jujlin. 1. ii. c. 12. repaired thither unih a great train f It appec'.rs, that Artemifa i^a- of eunuchs ,'^LVG7ne77 ,drui7is, andtriim- lued herfelf no 'fs / / fratagem P^ts. The ijihaLitahts ran in throvgs than crnragc. ;/ rt^;hffa?Jie time, to fee that reVfou^ <.trvirovy : and, ZL'as i^it rn-' ■ choice (yf '-'^ the 7vcan T^r . — ' - - -fu the i:u^:fn-cs : ■> faid, tcnkpnfffr: ii. that Uiug defu oics w Latt7ius, Stratag, 1. viii. c. 51. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 217 Such was the fuccefs of the battle of Salamin, one of the moft memorable aftions related in ancient hiftorj, and which has, and will render the name and courage of the Grecians famous for ever. A great number of the Perlian iliips were taken, and a much greater funk upon, this occafion. Many of their allies, who dreaded the king's cruelty no lefs than the enemy, made the bed of their way into their own country. Themiftocles, in a fecret converfation with AriPcides, propofed to his confideration, in order to found him and to learn his true fentiments, whether it would not be proper for them to fend fome veffels to break down the bridge, which Xerxes had caufed to be built; to the end, fays he, that we may take Alia into Europe : But though he made this propofal, he w^as far from approving it, Aridides, believing him to be in earneft, argued very w^armly and ftrenuoufly again (t any fuch projeft, and re- prefented to him how dangerous it was to reduce lo power- ful an enemy to defpair, from whom it v/as their bufi- nefs to deliver themfelves as foon as poffible. Themifto- cles feemed to acquiefce in his reafons ; and in order to haften the king's departure, contrived -to have him fe- cretly informed, that the Grecians defigned to break do wn the bridge. The point Themiftocles feems to have had in view by this falfe confidence, was to ftrengthen him- felf with Ariftides's opinion, which was of great weiglit, againft that of the other generals, in cafe they inclined to go and break down the bridge. Perhaps, too, . he might aim at guarding himfelf by this means againft the ill-will of his enemies, who might one day accufe.him of treafon before the people, if ever they came to know that he had been the author of that fecret advice to Xerxes. (0 This prince, being frightened on fuch news, made the beft ufe he could of his time, and fet out by night, leaving Mardonius behind him, with an army of three hundred thoufand men, in order to reduce Greece, if he was able. The Grecians, who expefted that Xerxes would have come to another engagement the next day. Vol, III. L having (f) Herod. I, viii, llj-^uo. 2i8 HISTORY OF THE having learned that he was fled, purfued him as fall they could, but to no purpofe. ("/*) 'J'hey had deftroyed two hundred of the enemies fhips, befides thofe which they had taken. The remainder of the Perfian fleet, after having fufiered extremely by the winds in their palTage^ retired towards the coaft of Afia, and entered into the port of Cuma, a city in ^olia, where they paflTed the winter, without daring afterwards to return into Greece* Xerxes took the reft of his army along with him, ar^d inarched by the way of the Hellefpont. As no provilions had been prepared for them before-hand, they under- w^ent great hardfhips during their whole march, which lafted five and forty days. After having confumed all the fruits they could find, the foldiers were obliged to live upon herbs, and even upon the bark and leaves of trees. This occafioned a great ficknefs in the army; and great numbers died of fluxes and the plague. The king, through eagernefs and impatience to make his efcape, left his army behind him, and travelled on before with a fmall retinue, in order to reach the bridge Vv^Ith the greater expedition : But when he arrived at the place, he found the bridge broken down by the violence of the waves, in a great tempeft that had happened, and was reduced to the neceffity of pafling the ftrait in a cock- boat. * This was a fpeftacle very proper to Ihow man- kind the mutability of all earthly things, and the inftabi- lity of human greatnefs ; a prince, whofe armies and fleets the land and fea were fcarcc able to contain a little while before, now ftealing away in a little boat, almoft without any fervants or attendants ! Such was the event and fuccefs of Xerxes's expedition againft Greece. If we compare Xerxes with himfelf at diflPerent times, and on different occafions, we fliall hardly know him for the fame man. When affairs were under confideration and (/) Herod 1. viii. c 130. * Erat res fpe^aculo cligna, & eftimatione fortis humana:,rerum varie* tate mirandi, in exiguo latentem vldere ravi^io, quem paulo ante yix .xcuor omne capiebat ; carentem et am omni fervorum minifterio cujus cxcrcitus, propter niuUitudinem, tcrris gravci> erant. jujiin. /. u. c la- PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 219 and debate, no perfon could (how more courage and in- trepidity than this prince : He is furprifed, and even of- fended, if any one forefees the leaft difficulty in the exe- cution of his projefts, or fliows any apprehenfion con* cerning events. But when he comes to the point of exe- cution, and to the hour of danger, he flies like a coward, and thinks of nothing but faving his ov/n life and perfon. Here we have a feniible and evident proof of the diffe- rence between true courage, which is never deftitute of prudence ; and temerity, always blind and prefumptuous. A wife and great prince weighs every thing, and examines all circumftances before he enters into a * war, of which he is not afraid, but at the fame time does not defire; and when the time of adlion is come, the fight of danger ferves only to animate his courage-. Prefumption inverts this order, f When flie has introduced affurance and boldnefs, where vvifdom and circumfpeclion ought to pre- fide, ftie admits fear and defpair, where courage and in- trepidity ought to be exerted. (^) The firfl: thing the Grecians took care of after the battle of Salamin, was to fend the firft fruits of the rich fpoil they had taken to Delphos. Cimon, who was then very young, fignalized himfelf in a particular manner in that engagenient, and performed aftions of fuch diftin- guifhed valour, as acquired him a great reputation, and made hkn be confidered from henceforth as a citizen that would be capable of rendering the moft important fervices to his country on future occafions. (Z>) But Themiftocles carried off almoft all the honour . of this viftory, which was the moft fignal that ever the Grecians obtained over the Perfians. The force of truth obliged even thofe, who' envied his glory moft, to render him this teftimony. It was a cuftom in Greece, that after a battle, the commanding oflicers fliould declare who had diftinguiflied themfelves moft, by writing in a paper the name of the man who had merited the firft prize, L 2 and (g) Herod. 1 vlll c. 122, I25. h) Plut. In Themlft. p. 120, ^ * Non times bella, non provocas Fli z de Traj, Fortifiimu^ in ipf^ difcrimi e, qui ante difcnmen quietjflimus Tar. Hi /. i. 14 f Ante difcrimcn feroces, in periculo pavidi. Tacit, H^ft, 1, i. c. 68. 3 220 HISTORY OF THE and of him who had merited the fccond. > On this occa- iion, byajadgment which Ihows the good opinion na- tural for every man to have of himfelf, each oflicer con- cerned, adjudged the firft rank to himlelf, and allowed the fecond to Thenilftocles; which was indeed giving, him the preference to them all. The Laced.emonians having carried him to Sparta, in order to pay him the honours due to his merit, decreed to their general Eurjbiades the prize of valour, and to The- miilocles that of wiidom, v/hich was a crown of olive for both of them. They alfo made a prefent to Themillocles of the fineft chariot in the city; and on his departure fent three hundred young men of the moft confiderable fami- lies to wait upon him to the frontiers : An honour they had never fhown to any perfon whatfoever before. But that which gave him a flill more fenfible pleaffflft were the public acclamations he received at the firft Olympic games that vv'ere celebrated after the battle of Saiamin, where all the people of Greece were met toge- ther. As foon as he appeared, the whole afiembly rofe~ up to do him honour: No body regarded either the games or the combats ; Tliem.ifl:ocles was the only fpeftacle. The eyes of all tlie company were fixed upon him, and every body was eager to lliow him and point him out v>ath the hand to the ftrangers that did not know him. He acknowledged afterwards to his friends, that he looked upon that day as the happieft of his life ; that he had ne- ver tailed any joy fo fenfible and fo tranfporting ; and that this reward, the genuine fruit of his labours^, exceeded all his defires. The reader has undoubtedly o-bferved in Themifi:ocles two or three principal ftrokes of his charafter, which en- title him to be ranked . amongft the greateft men. The defign which he formed and executed, of making the whole force of Athens maritime, ihowcd him to have a fuperior genius, capable of the higheil view, penetrating into futurity, and judicious to feize the decifive point in great affairs. As the territory belonging to Athens was of a barren nature and fmall extent, he rightly conceived, that PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 221 that the only way that city had to enrich and aggrandize herfelf was by fea. And, indeed, that fcheme may juftly be looked upon as the fource and canfe of all thofe great events, which raifed the republic of Athens in the fequel to fo ilourilhing a condition. But in my opinion, though this wifdora and forefight is a mod excellent and valuable talent, yet is it infuiiteh/- lefs meritorious than that uncommon temper and mode- ration, which Themiitocles ihowed on two critical oc- cafions, when Greece had been utterly undone, if he had liflened to the dictates of an ill-judged ambition, and had piqued himfelf upon a falfe point of honour, as is ufual among perfons of his age and profefuon. The firfi: of thefe occafions was, w^hen, notv/ithftanding the crying injuftice that was committed, both in reference to the republic, of whicli he w^as a member, and to his own perfon, in appointing a Lacedemonian generalilTimo of the fleet, he exhorted and prevailed with the Athenians to delift from their pretenlion, though never fo julUy founded, in order to prevent the fatal eiFefts with which a divifion among the confedrates muft have been neceiTa- rily attended. And what an admirable inftance did he give of his prefence of mind, and his coolnefs of temper, when the fame Eurybiades not only affronted him with harfh and ofFenfive language, but lifted up liis cane at him in a menacing poRure ! Let it be remembered, at the fam^e time, that Themifcocles was then but young ; that he v/as full of an ardent ambition for glory ; that he was commander of a numerous fleet ; and that he had right and reafon on his fide. Hov/ would our young officers behave on the like occafion ? Themiilocles took all patiently, and the vlftory of Salamin vvas the fruits of his patience. As to Ariflides, ,1 fliall have occafion, in the fequel, to fpeak more exteniively upon his character and merit. He was, properly fpeaking, the man of the commonwealth : Provided that was well and faithfully ferved, he was very little concerned by whom it was done. The merit of others was far from cilending him ; and inftcad of that L 3 became 222 HISTORY OF THE became his own hy the approbation and encouragement be gave it. We have feen him make his waj through the enemy's fleet, at the peril of his life, in order to give Themiflocles fome good intelligence and advice : ad * Plutarch takes notice, that during all the time the latter had the command, Ariftides aflifted him on all occafions with his counfel and credit, notwithftanding he had rea- fon to look upon him not only as his rival, but his ene- my. Let us compare this noblenefs and greatnefs of foul, •with the little>fpiritednefs and meannefs of ihoit njeu who are fo nice, punctilious, and jealous in point of com^ mand ; who are incompatible with their colleagues, uiing ail tbeir atterition and induilry to engrofs the glory of every thing to themfeives ; aKvays rcc.dy to facrifice the public to their private interefts, or to fuffer their rivals to commit blunders, that they themfeives may reap adS^ vantage from them. (^i) On the very fame day the aftion of Thermopylae happened, the formidable army of Carthaginians, Vvhich confiftedof three hundred thoufand men, was entirely de- feated by Gelon, tyrant of Syracufe. Herodotus places this battle on the fame day with that of Salamin. The circumftances of that viflory in Sicily, 1 have related m the hiftory of the Carthaginians. ) After the battle of Salamin, the Grecians being returned from purfuing the Periians, Themiftecles failed to all the iflands that had declared for them, to levy con-, tributions, and exact money from them. The firft he began with, was that of Andros, from whofe inhabitants he recjuired a confiderable fum, fpeaking to them in this manner : 1 come to you accompanied ivith two powerful di- vinitiesy Perfuajion and Force, The anfwer they ma(Je him was : We alfo have two other divinities on our Jide, no lefs powerful than your'* and which do not per??iit us to give (/) Herod. I. vli c. 165, 167. \k) Ibid. 1. viii. c. ill, iiz. Plut. in Themiil. p. laz. l-yJiTo'j, In Vit. Arilh p. 373. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 22^ give the ?noney you dema7zd of us^ Poverty and I?7zpotence* Upon this refuial he made a feint of belieging them, and threatened that he would entirely ruin their city. He dealt in the fame manner with feveral other iflands, which durfl not relift him as Andros had done, and drew great fums of money from them without the privity of the other commanders; for he was efceemed a lover of money^ and to be delirous of enriching himfelf. Sect. XI. The Battle of Platcea. (/) "jl/f ^R^ONIUS, who ftaid in Greece with a body' of three hundred thoufand men, let his troope> pafs the winter in Thefialy, and in the fpring follow- ing led them into Boeotia. There was a very famous oracle in this country, the oracle I mean of Lebadia, v/hich he thought proper to confult, in order to know what would be the fuccefs of the war. The prieft, in his enthuliaftic fit, anfwered in a language which nobody that was prefent imderftood, as much as to infinuate, that the oracle would not deign to fpeak intelligibly to a Bar- barian. At the fame time Mardonius fent Alexander king of Macedonia, with feveral Perfian noblemen, to Athens, and by them, in the name of his mafter, made very advantageous propofals to the Athenian people, to divide them from the reft of their allies. The offers he made them were, to rebuild their city which had been burnt down, to give them a coniiderable fum of money, to fuffer them to live according to' their ow^n laws and cuftoms, and to give them the government and command ' of all Greece. Alexander, as their ancient friend, ex- horted them in his own name to lay hold on fo favourable an opportunity for re-eilabliihing their affairs, alleging that they were not in a condition to withiland a pov/er fo formidable as that of the Periians, and fo much fupe- rior to that of Greece. On the firft intelligence of this embaffy, the Spartans alfo on the other fide fent deputies L 4 to (/) A M. 3525. Ant J. C 497. Herod. 1 viii. c. 113-131 136—140, 144 Plut. in Arift. p. 524. Diod. 1. xi. p. ^z, 23 Pxut. de Orac. Defec/ p. 412. 224 HISTORY OF THE to Athens, in order to hinder it from taking efFed. Thefe were prefent when the others had their audience ; where, as foon as Alexander had finilhed his fpeech, they began in their turn to addrefs themfelves to the Athenians, and ftrongly exhorted them not to feparate themfelves from their allies, nor to defert the common intereft of their country, reprefentlng to them, at the fame time, that their union in the prefent fituation of their affairs was their whole ftrengtli, and would render Greece invincible. They added further, that tlie Spartan commonwealth was very fenfibly moved with the melancholy ftate which the Athenians Vv^ere in, who were deftitute both of houfes and retreat, and who for two years together had loft all their harvefts ; that in confideration of that calamity, ihe would engage herlelf, during the continuance of the war, to maintain and fupport their wives, their children, and their old men, and to. furnifh a plentiful fupply for all their wants. They concluded by obferving on the con- du6l of Alexander, whofe difcourfe they faid was fuch as might be expefted from one tyrant who fpoke in favour of another ; but that he feemed to have forgot, that the people to whom he addreffed himfelf had fhowed them- felves, on all occafions, the moft zealous defenders of the common liberty of their country. Arixlides was at this time in office, that is to fay, the principal of the Archons. As it was, therefore, his buiinefs to anfvver, he faid, that as to the Barbarians, who made filver and gold the chief objeits of their efteem, he for- gave them for thinking they could corrupt the fidelity of a nation by large bounties and promifes ; but that he could not help being furprifed and afFefted with feme fort of indignation, to fee that the Lacedemonians, regarding only the prefent diilrefs and neceflity of the Athenians, and forgetting their courage and magnanimity, ftiould come to perfiiade them to perhft itedfaltly in the defence of the common liberty of Greece, by arguments and motives of gain, and by propoiing to give them viftuals and provifion : He defired them to acquaint their republic, that all the gold in the world was not capable of tempting the Athe- nians, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. I25 nians, or of making them defert the defence of the corn-, mon liberty ; that they had the grateful fenfe they ouglit to have, of the kind offers which Lacedemon had made them ; but that they would endeavour to manage their affairs fo, as not to be a burden to any of their allies. Then turning himfelf towards the ambaffadors of Mardo* nius, and pointing with his hand to the fun : Be alTured^ fa^'-s he to them, that as long as that planet fball continue his courfe, the Athenians voill he mortal enemies to the Per-^ Jians, a?id will not ceafe to take vengeance of them for ravaging their lands ^ and bur?ii?ig their houfes and temples^ After which, he delired the king of Macedonia, if he w^as inclined to be truly their friend, that he would not make himfelf any more the bearer of fuch propofals to them, which v/ouid only ferve to relied diflionour upon him, v/ithout ever producing any other efFeft. Arillides, notwithftanding his having made this plain- and peremptory declaration,, did not ftop there : but that he might ftill imprint the greater horror for fuch pro- pofals, and for ever to prohibit ail manner of commerce with the Barbarians, by a principle of religion, he ordain- ed that the Athenian priells fhould denounce anathemas and execrations upon any perfon whatfoever, who fnould prefume to propoie the. making of an alliance with the Perlians, or the breaking of their alliance with the reft of the Grecians. |, (//7) When Mardonius^ had learned, by the anfwer I which the Athenians had fent him, * that they were to be prevailed. upon by no propofals or advantages whatfoever to fell their liberty, he marched with his v/hole army towards Attica, wafting and deftroying vv^hatever he found in his way. The Athenians, not being in a condition to withftand fuch a torrent, retired to Salamin^ and for a fecond time abandoned their city. Mardonius ftill enter- taining.hop6B of bringing them to fom.e terms of accom- modation, fent another deputy to them to make the fame L 5 propofals {ni) Herod. 1. ix. c. I — II. PUit. m Arlft. * Pofleaquam nuUo pretio libertatcm his videt \5nakm, <5cc. J^fir - 4 ■ $26 HISTORY OF THE propofals as before. A certain Athenian, called Ljcidaj, being of opinion, that they fiiculd hearken to what he had to offer, was immediately ftoned, and the Athenian •women, running at the fame time to his houfe, did the- fame execution upon his wife and children ; fo deteftable a crime did they think it, to propofe any peace with the Perfians. But notwithftanding this, they had a refpect to^ the charafter w^herewith the deputy w^as invefted, and font him back without offering him any indignity or ill-treat- jnent. Mardonius now found, that there was no peace to be expefted with them. He, therefore, entered Athens^ burnt and demoliflied every thing that had efcaped their fury the preceding year, and left nothing (landing. The Spartans, inftead of conducing their troops into- Attica, according to their engagements, thought only of . keeping themfelves fhut up within the Peloponnefus for. their ow^n fecurity, and with that view had began to build a wall over the ifthmus, in order to hinder the enemy from entering that way, by which means they reckoned, they fhould be fafe themfelves, and fliould have no fur- ther Gccanon for the afliftance of the Athenians. The- latter hereupon fent deputies to Sparta in oxdtv to com-, plain of the flownefs and negleft of their allies. But the- Ephori did not feera to be much moved at their remon- ftrances : And as that day was the feaft of * Hyacinthus,:.. they fpent it in feafts, and rejoicing, and deferred givnig.> the deputies their anfwer till the next day. Andfliil pro- craftinating the aiKiir as much as they could, on various/ pretexts, they gxiined ten days time, during which the building of the wall was completed. They were on the: point of difmifiing the Athenian envoys in a fcan,dalous ^ manner, when a private citizen expoftulated with them, . aiid reprefented to them^ how hafc it would be to treat the- Athenians # AmC7iFji ihe Lacedetnojiiaris^ the fea/l of Ily.acmthiis continued three , days : The fir ft and lajt of 'which ^ n.vere days of farrow -and mourning for the death of Hyacinth us ; but the fecofid was a day of rejoicings which . was fpent in feajling^ fports and fpcBacles, and, all kinds of drverfions. This fejii'val, was celebrated every year in the month of Augujl, in, honour r tf Apollo and Hyaci7ith7i^^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 227. Athenians in fuch a manner, after all the calamities and voluntary loffes they had fo generoufly fufFered for the common defence of liberty, and all the important iervlces they had rendered Greece in general. This opened their eyes, and made them afliamed of their perfidious defigu. The very next night following they fent off, unknown to the Athenian deputies, five thoufand Spartans, who had each of them feven helotce, or flaves, to attend him. lu the morning afterwards the deputies renewed their com- plaints with great warmth and refentment, and were ex- tremely furprifed, when they were told that the Spartan fuccours were on their march, and by this time w^ere not far from Attica. ' («) Mardonius had left Attica at this time, and v/as on his return into 'the country of Boeotia. As the latter was an open and flat country, he thought it would be more convenient for him to fight there, than in Attica, which was uneven and rugged, full of hills and narrow paffes^ and which, for that reafon, would not allow him fpace enough for drawing up hisnuip.erous army in battle-array, nor leave room for his cavalry to a£t. When he came back into Boeotia, he encamped by the river Afopus* The Grecians followed him thither under the command- of Paufanias, king of Sparta, and of Ariftides, general of the Athenians. The Perfian army, according to the ac- count of Herodotus, confifted of three hundred thoufand, or, according to that of Diodorus, of five hiindred thou- fand men. i hat of the Grecians did not amount to feventy thoufand j .of which there were but five thoufand Spartans ; but, as thefe w^ere accompanied with thirty, five thoufand of the helotss, -(viz.) feven for each Spar- tan, they made up together forty thoufand ; \ he latter of thefe were light-armed troops : The Athenian forces confifted but of eight thoufand, and the troops of the allies made up the remainder. • i he right wing of the army was commanded by . the Spartans, and the kft by the L 6 Athenians^ (;i) Kerod. 1. 2, C 76. P!ii:. in. //l^. p. 325—350. Diod.l.si. 228 HISTORY OF THE At! lenians, an honour which the people of Tegaea pre- tended to, and difputed with them, but in vain. (d) Whilft all Greece was in fafpenfe, expeftir^g a bat- tle that fliould determine their fate, a fecret confpiracy, formed in the midft of the Athenian camp hy fome dif- contented citizens, who intended the fubverfion of their popular government, or to deliver up Greece into the hands of the Perlians, gave Ariftides a great deal of per- plexity and trouble. On this emergency he had'occafion for all his prudence : Not knowing exadlly how many people might be concerned in this confpiracy, he content- ed himfelf with having eight of them taken up : And of thofe eight, the only two whom he caufcd to be accufed, becaufe they had the moll laid to their charge, made their efcape out of the camp,, whilft their trial was preparing; There is no doubt but Ariftides favoured their efcape, left he Ihou^d be obliged to punifli them, and their pu-. nifhment might occaiion fome tumult and diforder* The others, v^ho Vere in cuftody, he releafed, leaving them room to believe, that he had found nothing againlt them^ Hud tclli'ig them that the battle with the enemy fliould fee the tribunal, where they might fully juftify their cha« ia£lers, and fliow the world how unlikely it was that they had ever entertained a thought of betraying tlieir country. This well-timed and w^ife diffimulation, which opened a door for repentance,, and avoided driving the offenders to defpair, appeafed all the commotion, and quaihed the whole affair, Mardonius, in order to try the Grecians, fent out his cavalry, in which he was flrongeft, to {kirmifh with them.. The Megarians, who were encamped upon a plain, fuf- fered extremely by them ; and, in fpite of all the vigour and refolution v/ith which they defended themfelves, they were upon the point of giving way, when a detachment cf three hundred Athenians, v^ith fome troops armed with miffive weapons, advanced to their fuccour. Ma- fillius, the general of the Perfian horfe, and one of the molt confiderable noblemen of his country, feeing them advance (o) Plut. in Arlft.p. 326, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 229 advance towards him in good order, made his cavalry face about and aitack them. The Athenians flood their ground, and waited to receive them. The fliock was verj fierce and violent, both fides endeavouring equally to fhow, by the iiliie of this encounter, what would be the fuccefs of the general engagement. The viftory was a long time difputed : But at lait Maiiltius's horfe, being wounded, threv/ his mafter, who was quickly after killed; upon which the Perfians immediately tied. As foon as the news of his death reached tne EarpariaiiS, their grief was exceliive. They cut off the hair of their heads, as aifo the manes of their hcifes aud mules, filling the camp with their cries and lamentation^, having loft, in their opinion, the braveft man of their army. Aiter this encounter with the Peifian cavalry, the two armies were a long time without coming to any action y becaufe the foothfayers and divinerSp. upon their mfpeil- ing the entraus of their vidtims, equally foretold both par- ties, that they fiiould be vidorious, provided they acted only upon the delenfive ; whereas, on the other haud^ they threatened them equally uith a total overthrew, if they afted offenfively, or made the firit attack. They paifed ten days in this manner in view of each; other : But Mardonius, who was of a fiery impatient nature, grew very uneafy at ib long a delay. Befides, he had ouly a few days provifioiis left for his army ; and the Grecians grew iironger everyday by the addition of new troops, that were continually commg to join them. He therefore called a council of war, in order to deliberate whether they fliould give battle. Artabazus, a nobleman of fiiigular merit and great experience, was of opinion, that they Ihould not hazard a battle, but that they fhould retire under the walls of Thebes^ where they would be in a condition to fupply the army with provifions and forage. Ke alleged, that delays alone would be capable of diminifliing the ardour of the allies ; that they would thereby have time to tamper with them, and might be able to draw fome of them off by gold and filver, which they would take care to diitribute among the leaders, and o HISTORY OF THE among fuch as had the greateft fway and authority in their feveral cities ; and that in fliort this would be both the eafieft and fureft method of fubjefting Greece. This^ opinion was very wife, but was over-ruled by MardoniuSy. whom the reft had not courage to contradidl. The re- fult, therefore, of their deliberations was, that they fliould give battle next day. Alexander, king of Macedonia^, who was on the fide of the Grecians in his heart, came, fecretly about midnight to their camp, and informed Ariftides of all that had paffed. Paufanius forthwith gave orders to the officers to pre- pare themfelves for battle ; and imparted to Ariftides the- defign he had formed of changing his order of battle, by placing the Athenians in the right wing, inftead of the. left, in order to their oppofing the Perfians, with whom they had been accuftomed to engage. Whether it was; fear or prudence, that indut^ed Paufanius to propofe this^ new difpofition, the Athenians accepted it with pleafure.. Nothing was heard among them but mutual exhortations,, to acquit themfelves bravely, bidding each other remem- ber, that neither they nor their enemies were changed, fince the battle of Marathon, unlefs it were that vidtory had increafed the courage of the Athenians, and had difpirited the Perfians. We do not fight (laid they^ as^ they do, for a country only or a city, but for the tro-- phies ereded at Marathon and at Salamin, that they may not appear to be the work only of Miltiades and of for- • tune, but the work of the Athenians*. Jincouraging one . another in this manner, they went with all the alacrity^ imaginable to change their poft. But Mardonius, upoix^ the intelligence he received of this movement, having.- made the like change m his order of battle, both fides ranged their troops again according to their former difpo- - fition. The whole day paflfed in this, manner without : their coming to aftion. In the evening, the Grecians held a council of war, ins which it was refolved that they fliould decamp from the r place they were in, and march to another, more con ve- • aiently fituated for water. Night being come on, and the officers PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 231 efficers endeavouring at the head of their corps to make more hafte than ordinary to the camp marked out for them, great confufion happened among the troops, fome going one way and fome another, without obferving any order or regularity in their march. At lait they halted near the little city of Plat^a. On the firft news of the Grecians being derampcd^. Mardonius drew his whole army into order of battle, and purfued them wnth the hideous fliouting and howling of his Barbarian forces, who thought they were marchings not fo much in order to fight, as to ftrip and plunder a flying enemy: And their general likewife, making himfelf fure of victory, proudly infulted Artabazus, reproaching> him with his fearful and cowardly prudence, and with the falfe notion he had conceived of the Lacedemonians, w^ho- never fled, as he pretended, before an enemy ; whereas here w^as an inftance of the contrary. But the general quickly found this was no falfe or ill grounded notion* He happened to fall in with the Lacedemonians, w^ho were^ alone, and feparated from the body of the Grecian army^ to the number of fifty thoufand men, together with three thoufand of the Tegeat^» The encounter was exceeding fierce and refolute : on both fides the men fought with- the courage of lions ; and the Barbarians perceived that they had to do with foldiers who were determined to con-^ q-uer or die in the field. The Athenian troops, tje) w4iom- Vaufanias fent an officer, were already upon their marcli.' to their aid : But the Greeks, who had taken part with tiie Ferfians, to the number of fifty thoufand men, w^ent out to meet them on their ay, and hindered them from> proceeding any farther. Ariftides with his little body o£ men bore up firmly againft them, and withftood their at- tvick, letting them fee how infignificant a fuperiority of numbers is againft true courage and bravery. The battle being thus divided into two, and fought in- two different places, the Spartans were the firft who broke, in upon the Perfian forces and put them into diforder.^ Mardonius, their general, falling dead of a wound he had received in the engiigement, all his army betook themfelves HISTORY OF THE themfelves to flight : and thofe Greeks, who were enga- ged againfl: Ariilides, did the fame thing, as foon as thejr- underftood the Barbarians were defeated. The latter ran away to their former camp, which- thej had quitted, where they were fheltered and fortiiied with an enclo^ fure of wood. Ihe Lacedemonians piirfiied them thi-- ther, and attacked them in their intrenchment ; but this, they did poorly and weakly, like people that were not. much accullomed to fieges, and to attack walls. The A- thenian troops, having advice of this^ left off purfuing their Grecian adverfaries, and marched to the camp of the Perfians, which, after feveral aiTaults, they carried^ and.. made an horrible ilaughter of the enemy. Artabazus, v^ho, from Mardonius's imprudent manage- ment^ had but too well forefeen the misfortune that befel them, after having diiiinguifhed hiaxfelf in the engage- ment, a!id giv.en all pofiible proofs of his courage and iii-- trepidity, made a timely retreat vAth. the forty thoufand men he commanded ; and preventing •his flight from being, known by the expedition of his march, he arrived fafe at. Byzantiutp., and from thence returned into Afia. Of all. the reft oi the Periian army, not four thoufand men efca-- ped- after that day's flaughter : All v/ere killed and cut' to pieces by the Grecians^, who by that means delivered tliemlelves at once from all further iavalions from that nation.; no Periian army having ever appeared after that.: time on this fide the Hellefpont. (^p) This battle was fought on the fourth day of the month * E <)edromion, according to the Athenian manner of reckoning. Soon after the allies, as a teflimony of their gratitude to Heaven, caufed a ftatue of Jupiter to be made at their, joint and common expences, which they placed in his temple at Olympia. The names of the fe- veral nations of Greece, that were prefent in the engage- ment, were engraven on the right fide of the pedeftal of theftatue; the Lacedemonians firfl:, the. Athenians nextj . and all the reft in order* Oii€ (;>) A. M. 35^5- Ant. J. Paufan. 1. v. p S3^- * This day anjwers to th€. eight of our Se^tajibert PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 233 (^) One of the principal citizens of Mgina, cair.e and addrefied himfelf to Paufarnias, defiring him to avenge the indignity that Mardonius and Xerxes had mown to Leo- nidas, whofe dead body was hung up on a gallows by their order, and urging him to ufe Mardonius's body after the fame manner. As a further motive for doing fo, he add- ed, that by thus fatlsfying the manes of thofe that were killed at Thermopyise, he would be fure to immortalize his own name throughout all Greece, and make his me- mory precious to the lateft pofterity. *^ Carry thy bafe counfel elfe where (replied Paufanias). Thou mull have a very wrong notion of true glory, to imagine, that the way for me to acquire it is to refemble the Barbarians. If the efteem of the people of JEghid. is not to be purchafed but by fuch a proceeding, I fliali " be content with preferving that of the Lacedemonians ** only, amongil whom the bafe and ungenerous pleafure " of revenge is never put in competition with that of " fliowing clemency and moderation to their enemies, and efpecially after their death. As for the fouls of my departed countrymen, they are fufficiently avenged *^ by the death of the many thoufand Perfians flain upon the fpot in the laft engagement." (r) A difpute which arofe between the Athenians and Lacedemonians, about determining which of the two peo- ple fiiould have the prize of valour adjudged to them, as alfo which of them ihould have the privilege of eredling a trophy, had like to have fullled all the glory, and im- bittered the joy of the late viftory. They v/ere juft on the point of carrying things to the laft extremity, and would certainly have decided the difference with their fwords, had not Ariftides prevailed upon them, by the wifdoiTi of his counfel and reafonings, to refer the deter- mination of the matter to the judgment of the Grecians in general. This propolltion being accepted by both par- ties, and the Greeks being alTembled upon the fpot to de- cide the conteft, Theogiton of Megara, fpeaking upon the queftion, gave it as his opinion, that the prize of valour ouglit {7) Her. I. ix. c, 77, 78. (r) Pint, in Anil. p. 435- 234 HISTORY OF THE ought to be adjudged neither to Athens nor to Sparta, but to fome other citj ; unlefs they defired to kindle a civil war, of more fatal confequences than that they had juft put an end to. After he had finifhed his fpeech, Cleo- critus of Corinth rofe up to fpeak his fentiments of the matter : And when he began, nobody doubted but he was going to claim that honour for the city of which he was a member and a native ; for Corinth was the chief city of Greece in power and dignity after thofe of Athens and Sparta. But every body was agreeably deceived when they found that all his difcourfe tended to the praife of the Plateaus, and that the conclulion he made from the whole was, that in order to extinguifh fo dangerous a con- tention, they ought to adjudge the prize to them only, againft whom neither of the contending parties could have any grounds of anger or jealoufy. This difcourfe and pro- pofal were received with a general applaufe by the whole afiembly. Ariftides immediately affented to it, on the part of the Athenians, and Paufanias on the part of the Lacedemonians. (s^ All parties being thus agreed, before they began ta divide the fpoil of the enemy, they put fourfcore talents * afide for the Plataeans, who laid them out in building a temple to Minerva, in ereding a ftatue to her honour, and in adorning the temple with curious and valuable paintings, which were ftlll in being in Plutarch's time, that is to fay above fix hundred years afterwards, and which were then as frefli as if they had lately come out of the hands of the painters. As for the trophy, which had been another article of the difpute, the Lacedemoni- ans eredled one for themfelves in particular, and the Athe- i^ians another. The fpoil was immenfe : In ^ 'ardonius's camp they found prodigious fums of money in gold and lilver, bt^- fides cups, veflels, beds, table.-, necklaces, and bracelets ©f gold and fiiver, not to be valued or numbered. It is obferved (s) Her 1. ix. c. 79, 80. So,oco crowds French, ^dji^at 1 8,000 /. Sterluig, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 235 febferve by a certain * hillorian, that thefe fpoils proved fatal to Greece, by becoinijig the inftruments of introdu- cing avarice and luxury among her inhabitants. Ac- cording to the religious cuftom of the Grecians, before they divided the treafure, they appropriated the tithe, or tenth part of the whole to the uie of the gods : the reft was diftributed equally among the cities and nations that had furnifhed troops ; and the chief officers who had dif- tinguiilied themfelves in the field of battle, were likewife diilingiuilied in this diftribution. They fent a prefent of a golden tripod to Delphos, in the infcription upon which Paufanias canfed thefe words to be inferted, {f) l^hat h& had defeated the Barhari:,?is at Piata'a ; and that in ac \ kfioivledgement of that victory^ he had made this prejent to This arrogant infcription, wherein he afcribed the ho- nour both of vidory and the offering to himfelf only, of- fended the Lacedemonian people, who, in order to punifli his pride in the very point and place v^^here he thought to exalt himfelf, as alfo to do juftice to their confederates, caufed his name to be razed out, and that of the cities which had contributed to the viftory to be put in the ftead of it. Too ardent a thirft after glory on this occa- fion did not give him leave to confider that a man lofes nothing by a difcreet modefty, which forbears the fetting too high a value upon one's own ferviccs, and which by fcreening a man from envy f ferves really to enhance his reputation. Paufanias gave ftill a further fpecimen of his Spartan fpirit and humour, in two entertainments which he or- dered to be prepared a few days after the engagement ; one of which was coilly and magnificent, in which was ferved all the varieties of delicacies and dainties that uied to be ferved at Mardonius's table ; the other was plain and frugal, after the manner of the Spartans. Then com- (/) C' r. Nep. in Paufan. c. i. * Vi6lo Mardonio catlra referta regalis opulentice capta, iindc primura Grjecos, divifo inter fc auro Pcrfico, divitiaium luxuna ccpit. 'Jvjiin. \» p. c. 14. t Ipla difTimulatione famse fanwm aurJc. Tadt. 236 HISTOPvY OF THE comparing the two entertainments together, and obferv- ing the dilTerence of them to his officers, whom he had invited on purpofe ; What a madnefs (fays he) was it in Mardonius, who was accuftomed to fuch a luxuri- ous diet, to come and attack a people like us, who *^ know how to live without all dainties and fuperfluities, '* and want nothin.o; of that kind." (^) All the Grecians fent to Delphos to confult the o- racle, concerning the facrifice it was proper to offer. The anfwer thej received from the gods was, that thej fliould ereft an altar to ^jupiter Liberator ; but that they fliould take care not to offer any facrifice upon it, before they had extinguiilied all the fire in the country, becaufe it had been polluted and profaned by the Barbarians ; and that they fliould come as far as Delphos to fetch pure fire, which they were to take from the altar, called the com- mon altar. This aafwer being brought to the Grecians from the oracle, the generals immediately difperfed themfelves throughout the whole country, and caufed all the fires to be extingniflied : And Euchidas, a citizen of Plataea, hav- ing taken upon himfelf to go and fetch the facred fire with all poGible expedition, made the bell of his way to Delphos. On his arrival, he purified himfelf, fprinkled his body with confecrated water, put on a crown of lau- rel, and then approached the altar, from whence, with great reverence, he took holy fire, and carried it Vv^ith him to Platsea, where he arrived before the fetting of the fun, having travelled a thoufand iladia (which make an hundred and twenty-five miles Engllfli) in one day. As foon as he came back, he fainted his fellow-citizens, de- livered the fire to them, fell down at their feet, and died in a moment after ^vvards. His countrymen^ carried av/ay his body and burled it in the temple of Diana, furnamed Eucleia, which fignifies of good renown, and put the fol- lowing epitaph upon his tomb in the compafs of one verfe: Here Ues Euchidas^ who went from hence to Del^hoSy and returned hack the fa??ie day. (7O Piut. in Aria.p 331, y^r. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 237 III the next general aflembly of Greece, which was held not long after this occurrence, Ariilides propofcd the following decree : that all the cities of Greece fhoiild every year fend their refpeftive deputies to Platsea, in order to offer facrifice to Jupiter Liberator^ and to the gods of the city ^this affembly was ftiil regularly held in the time of Plutarch) ; that every five years there Ihculd be games celebrated there, which ihould be called the games of libert}^ ; that the feveral ftates of Greece toge- ther fliould raife a body of troops, confifting of ten thou- fand foot, and a thoufand horfe, and fhould equip a fleet of an hundred ihips, which fliould be conflantly main- tained for making war againfi the Barbarians ; and that the inhabitants of Plataea, entirely devoted to the fervice of the gods, Ihould be looked upon as facred and inviol- able, and be concerned in no other funftion than that of offering prayers and facrifices for the general prefervation and profperity of Greece. All thefe articles being approved of and paffed into a law^, the citizens of Plataea took upon them to folemnize every year the anniverfary feftival in honour of thofe per- fons that were flain in this battle. The order and manner of performing this facrifice, was as follows : * The fix- teenth day of the month Maimafterion, which anfwers to our month of December, at the firft appearance of day-break, they walked in a folemn procellion, which v/as preceded by a trumpet that founded to battle. Next to the trumpeter marched feveral chariots, filled with crov/ns and branches of myrtle. After thefe chariots was led a black bull, behind which, marched a company of young perfons, carrying pitchers in their hands full of wine and milk, the ordinary effufions oflered to the dead^ and vials of oil and effence. All thefe young perfons were freem.en ; for no flave was allowed to have any part in this ceremony, w^hich was inftituted for men who had loft their lives for liberty. In the rear of this pomp, fol- lowed * 'Three months after the battle of Vlatcea ivas fought. Probably thefe funeral rites ujerc nut at firft performed^ till afcer the enemies luere eU" tircly gOHc^ and the country ^vas free* 938 HISTORY OF THE lowed the Arclion, or chief magiftrate of the Plataeans, for whom it was unlawful at any other time even fo much * as to touch iron, or to wear any other garment than a white one. But upon this occafion, being clad in purple raiment, having a fword by his fide, and holding an urn in his hands, which he took from the place where they kept their public records, he marched quite through the city to the place where the tombs of his memorable coun- trymen were erefted. As foon as he came there, he drew out water with his urn from the fountain, waftied ; with his own hands the little columns that ftood by the | tombs, rubbed them afterwards with eflence, and then killed the bull upon a pile of wood prepared for that pur- pofe. After having offered up certain prayers to the ter- reftrial * Jupiter and Mercury, he invited thofe valiant fouls deceafed to come to their feaft, and to partake of their funeral effufions ; then taking a cup in his hand, and : having filled it with wine, he poured it out on the ground, and faid with a loud voice, / prefent this cup to thofe valiant me?iy who died for the liberty of the Grecians^ Thefe ceremonies were annually performed even in the time of Plutarch. (a;) Diodorus adds, that the Athenians in particular cmbelliihed the monuments of their citizens, who died in the war with the Pcrfians, with magnificent ornaments, inftituted funeral games to their honour, and appointed a ■ folemn panegyric to be pronounced to the fame intent, which in all probability was repeated every year. The reader will be fenfible, without my obferving it, how much thefe folemn teftimonies and perpetual demon- ftiations of honour, efteem, and gratitude for foldiers, v/ho had facrificed their lives in the defence of liberty, conduced t j enhance the merit of valour, and of the fer- vices they rendered to their country, and to infpire the fpedtators with emulation and courage : And how ex- ceeding proper all this was for cultivating and perpetu- ating (jc) Lib ix. p. 26. The terrejlrial Jupittr is ?io other than Pit to ; and the fame epithet of ttrr.Jlr ial nvas . ifo ginjen to Mercury ; hecaiife it was believed to be Iszs office to cQ/idu& departed fjuls to the infernal regions. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 239 atmg a fpii*it of bravery in the people, and for making 'their troops victorious and invincible. The reader, no doubt, will be as much furprifed, on the other hand, to fee how wonderfully careful and exa6l thefe people were in acquitting themfelves on all occalions of the duties of religion. The great event, which I have juft been relating (viz.), the battle of Plataea, affords us very remarkable proofs of this particular, in the annual and perpetual facrifice they inftituted to Jupiter Liberator^ which was ftill continued in the time of Plutarch ; in the care they took to confecrate the tenth part of all their fpoil to the gods ; and in the decree propofed by Ariftides to eftablilh a folemn feftival for ever, as an anniverfary commemoration of that fuccefs. It is a delightful thing methinks, to fee pagan and idolatrous nations thus pub- licly confeffing and declaring, that all their expectations centre into the Supreme Being ; that they thiiik them- felves obliged to afcribe the fuccefs of all their under- takings to him; that they look upon him as the author of all their victories and profperities, as the fovereign ruler and difpofer of ftates and empires, as the fource from whence all falutary counfels, wifdom, and courage are de- rived, and as entitled on all thefe accounts to the firft and beft part of their fpoils, and to their perpetual acknow- ledgements and thankfgivings for fuch diftinguiflied fa- vours and benefits. Sect. X. The Battle near Mycale. "The Defeat of the Perjiant. (/) the fame day the Greeks fought the battle of ^ Plataea, their naval forces obtained a memorable victory in Afia over the remainder of the Perfian fleet. For whilfl: that of the Greeks lay at i^gina under the command of Leotychides, one of the kings of Sparta^ and of Xanthippus the Athenian, ambaffadors came to thofe generals from the lonians to invite them into Afia to deliver the Grecian cities from their fubjeClion to the Barba- (^0 Herod. 1. xi. c. 89—105. Diod. l.xi. p. ai» 243 HISTORY OF THE Barbarians. On this invitation thej immediately fet fail for Afia, and fteered their courfe by Delos ; where when* they arrived, other ambaffadors arrived from Samos, and brought them intelligence, that the Perfian fleet, which had paiTed the winter at Cumse, was then at Samos, Vvherc it would be an eafy matter to defeat and deftroy it, ear- neftly preffing them at the fame time not to negled fo fa- . vourable an opportunity. TheGreeks hereupon failed away dire£lly for Samos. But the Perfians receiving intel- ligence of their approach, retired to Mycale, a promon- tory of the continent of Alia, where their land-army, confifting of an hundred thoufand men, w^ho v/ere the remainder of thofe that Xerxes had carried back from Greece the year before, was encamped. Here they drew their veiltls afliore, which was a common practice among the ancients, and encompaffed them round with a ftrong rampart. The Grecians followed them to the very place, and with the help of the lonians defeated their land-army, forced their rampart, and burnt all their ^ veffels. The battle of Platsea was fought in the morning, and that of Mycale in the afternoon on the fame day : And yet all the Greek writers pretend that the vi£lory of Pla- taea was known at Mycale, before the latter engagement was begun, though the whole .^gean fea, which requires feveral days failing to crofs it, v^^as between thofe two places. But Diodorus, the Sicilian, explains us this my- ftery. He tells us, that Leotychides, obferving his fol- diers to be much dejefted for fear their countrymen at Platsea fhould link under the numbers of Mardonius's army, contrived a ftratagem to reanimate them ; and that therefore when he was juil upon the point of making the firft attack, he caufed a rumour to be * fpread among his troops, that the Perfians were defeated at Plataea, though at that time he had no manner of knowledge of the matter. Xerxes *■ fVbat ive are told aljo of Paulus JEfniliuis -victory ctt^ the Macedo- 7iimis^ luhlch ivas knoivn at Rome the -very day it ivas obtai/:edy 'Without doubt happcfied in the fame rnaniLcr, I PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 241 Xerxes, hearing the news of tliefe two overthrows left Sardis with as mucli hafte and hurry, as he had done Athens before, after the battle of Salamin, and retired with great precipitation into Perfia, in order to put him- felf, as far as he poffibly couid, out of the reach of his vidonous enemies, (a) But before he fet out, he ""ave orders that his people fhould burn and demolifli all* the temples belonging to the Grecian cities in Afia: Which order was fo far executed, that not one efcaped except ^ the temple of Diana at Ephefus. (b) He aded in this , manner at the mftigation of the Magi, who were pro- 1^ felled enemies to temples and images. The fecond :• Zoroafter had thoroughly inftruded him in tlieir reliction >, and made him a zealous defender of it. (c) Plip>?in 1; forms us, that Oftanes, the head of- the Magi, and the patriarch of that fed, who maintained its maxims and interefts with the greateft violence, attended Xerxes uoon this expedition againft Greece, (d) This prince, as^he pahed through Babylon on his return to Sufa, deftroyed %lfoall the temples in that city, as he had done thofe of Greece and Afia Minor; doubtlefs, through the fame pnnciple, and out of hatred to the fed of the Sabaans wiio made ufe of images in their divine worflun, which was a thing extremely deteiled by the Magi. Perhaos alfo the defire of making himfelf amends for the charges of his Grecian expedition, by the fpoil and plunder of thofe temples, might be another motive that induced him to deftroy them: for it is certain he found immenfe riches and treafure m them, which had been amaffed torether through the fuperftition of princes and people during a long feries of ages. x i u d The Grecian fleet, after the battle of Mycale fet fail towards the Hellefpont, in order to poffefs "^themfelves of the bridges which Xerxes had caufed to be laid over the narrow paiTage, and vvhich they fuppofed were liill entire. But findmg them broken by tempeftuous weather Leotychides and his Peloponnefian forces returned toward "^o^.m. M their 242 HISTORY OF THE their own country. As for Xanthippus, he flayed with the Athenians and their Ionian confederates, and they made themfelves matters of Seftus and the Thracian Cherfonefus, in which places they found great booty, and took a vaft number of prifoners. After which, before winter came on, they returned to their own cities. From this time, all the cities of Ionia revolted from the Perfians, and having entered into confederacy with the Grecians, moft of them preferved their liberty during the time that empire fubfifted. Sect. XI. "^he barbarous and mhunian Revenge of Amestris, the Wife of Xerxes. U R I N G the refidence of Xerxes at Sardls, he conceived a violent paffion for the wife of his brother Mafiftus, who was a prince of extraordinary merit, had always ferved the king with great zeal and fidelity, and had never done any thing to difoblige him. The virtue of this lady, her great affeaion and fidelity,! to her huftand, made her inexorable to all the king's folicitations. However, he ftill flattered himfelf, that, by a profufion of favours and liberalities, he might pof- fibly gain upon her, and among other kind things he did to oblige her, he married his eldeft fon Darius, whom he intended for his fucceflbr, to Artainta, the princefs's daughter, and ordered that the marriage fhould be con- fummated as foon as he arrived at Sufa. But Xerxes finding the lady ftill no lefs impregnable, in fpite of all his temptations and attacks, immediately changed his objea, and fell paffionately in love with her daughter, who did not imitate the glorious example of her mother's conftancy and virtue. Whilft this intrigue was carrying on, Ameftris, wife to Xerxes, made him a prefent of a rich and magnificent robe of her own making. Xerxes being extremely pleafed with this robe, thought fit to put it on upon the firft vifit he afterwards made to Artainta; gndin the converfation he had with her, he- mightily p relied (.) A. M. 34^5- Ant. J. C. 4/9- ^^'o^' ^ ^- ^o?-— I^^' r PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 243 preffed her to let him know what flie defired he fliould do for her, afluring her at the fame time, with an oath, that he would grant her whatever flie alked of him. Artainta, upon this, defired him to give her the robe he had on. Xerxes, forefeeing the ill confequences that would neceffarilj enfue his making her this prefent, did all that he could to difiuade her from infifting upon it, and offered her any thing in the w^orld in lieu of it. But not being able to prevail upon her, and thinking him- felf bound bj the imprudent promife and oath he had made to her, he gave her the robe. The ladj no fooner received it, but flie put it on, and wore it publicly by way of trophy. Ameftris being confirmed in the^ fufpicions flie had entertained by this aftion, was enraged to the lafl: de- gree. But inftead of letting her vengeance fall upon the daughter, who was the only offender, fhe refolved to wreak it upon the mother, whom flie looked upon as the author of the whole intrigue, though flie was entirely innocent of the matter. For the better executing of her purpofe, flie waited until the grand feaft, which was every year celebrated on the king's birth^day, and which was not far off; on which occafion, the king, according to the eftablifhed cuftom of the country, granted her whatever flie demanded. This day then being come, the thin^ which Ihe defired of his majefty was, that the wife of Mafiflius fliould be delivered into her hands. Xerxes who apprehended the queen's defign, and who was ftruck with horror at the thoughts of it, as well out of regard to his brother, as on account of the innocence of the lady againft whom he perceived his wife was fo violently exaf! perated at firft refufed her requeft, and endeavoured all he could to difl\iade her from it. But not bein^ able either to prevail upon her, or to ad with fteadinefs and refolution himfelf, he at laft yielded, and was guilty of the weakeft and moil cruel piece of complaifanci that ever was afted, making the inviolable obligations of jultice and humanity give way to the arbitrary laws of ^ ^om that had only been eflabliftied to give occafion 244 HISTORY OF THE for the doing of good, and for afls of beneficence and generofity. In confequence, then, of this compliance, the ladj was apprehended, by the king's guards, and delivered to Ameftris, who caufed her breafts, tongue, nofe, ears, and lips, to be cut oiF, ordered them to be cad to the dogs in her own prefence, and then fent her home to her hni- band's houfe in that mutilated and niiferable condition. In the mean time, Xerxes, had fent for his brother, in order to prepare him for this melancholy and tragical ad- venture. He firft gave him to underftand, that he fhould be glad if he would put away his wife ; and to induce him thereto, offered to give him one of his daughters in her llead. But Mafiftus, who w^as paflionately fond of his wife, could not prevail upon himfelf to divorce her : Whereupon Xerxes in great wrath told him, that fince he refufed his daughter, he fhould neither have her nor his wife, and that he would teach him not to rejefl: the offers his mailer had made him 5 and with this inhuman reply difmllTed him. This ftrange proceeding threw Mafiflus into the great- eft anxiety ; who thinking he had reafon to apprehend the worft of accidents, made all the hafte he could home to fee v/hat had pafTed there during his abfence. On his arrival he found his wife in that deplorable condition v/e have juft been defcribing. Being enraged thereat to the degree we may naturally imagine, he affembled all his family, his fervants and dependants, and fet out with all poffible expedition for Baftriana, whereof he was go- vernor, deteriTiined, as foon as he arrived there to raife an army and make war againft the king, in order to a- venge himfelf for his barbarous treatment. But Xerxes being informed of his haily departure, and from thence fufpeding the defign he had conceived againft him, fent a party of horfe after him to purfue him ; w^hich having overtaken him, cut him in pieces, together with his chil- dren and all his retinue. I do not know whether a more tragical example of revenge than I have now related, is to be found in hiftory. There PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 245 (/) There is ftill another ailion, no lefs cruel or im- perious than the former, related of Ameftris. She caufed fourteen children of the bed families in Perfia to be burnt alive, as a facriiice, to the infernal gods, out of com- pliance with a fuperftitidus cuftom praftifed by the Per- fians. (g) Mafiftus being dead, Xerxes gave the government of Eaftriana to his fecond fon Hjftafpes, who being by that means obliged to live at a diftance from the court, gave his younger brother Artaxerxes the opportunity of afcending the throne to his difadvantage after the death of their father, as will be feen in the fequel. Here ends Herodotus's hiftory (viz.) at the battle of Mycale, and the fiege of the city of Seftus by the Athe- nians. Sect. XTI. ^he Atheiiians rebuild the walls of their City, 7iotwithjla?iding the oppofition of the Lacedemonians* (^h) 'T^HE war, commonly called the war of MediSj, which had lafled but two years, being termi- nated in the manner we have mentioned, the Athenians returned to their own country, fent for their wives and children, whom they had committed to the care of their friends during the war, and began to think of rebuilding their city, which was almoft entirely deftroyed by the Perlians, and to furround it with ftrong walls, in order to fecure it from further violence. The Lacedemonians, having intelligence of this, conceived a jealoufy, and be- gan to apprehend that Athens, v/hich \'vd,s already very powerful by fea, if it fhould go on to increafe its ftrength by land alfo, might take upon her, in time, to give laws to Sparta, and to deprive her of that authority and pre- eminence, which fne had hitherto exercifed over the red of Greece. They, therefore, fent an embalTy to the Athe- nians, the purport of which was, to reprefent to them, M 3 that ff) Herod. 1. vii. c. 114. A, M 5C26. Ant. J. C. 478. h XI. p. 30; J I. Juftin. 1. ii. c. 15. (g) Diod. 1. xi. p. 53. Thucyd. 1. viii. p. 59 — 62,. Diod* 246 HISTORY OF THE that the common intereft and fafety required that there fhould be no fortified city out of the Peloponnefus, lefl, in cafe of a fecond irruption, it ftiould ferve for a place of arms for the Perfians, who would be fure to fettle themfelves in it, as they had done before at Thebes, and who from thence would be able to infell the whole coun-. try, and to make themfelves mailers of it very fpeedi-i. ly. Themiftocles, who, fince the battle; of Salamin, was greatly confidered and refpedled at Athens, eafily pene^ trated into the true defign of the Lacedemonians, though it was gilded over with the fpecious pretext of public good : but as the latter were able, w^ith the affiftance of their allies, to hinder the Athenians by force from carrying on the^work, in cafe they fliould pofitively and abfolutely refufe to comply with their demands, he ad-, vifed the fenate to make ufe of cunning and diffimulation, as well as they. The anfwer, therefore, they made theii: envoys was, that they would fend an embafiy to Sparta, to fatisfy the commonvs^ealth concerning their jealoufie^ ai^d apprehenfions. Themiftocles got himfelf to be no-^ minated one of the ambafladors, and perfuaded the fenate not to let his colleagues fet out along with him, but ta fend them one after another, in order to gain time for carrying on the work. The matter was executed purfu- ant to his advice ; and he accordingly went alone to La- cedemon, where he let a great many days pafs w^ithout waiting upon the magiftrates, or applying to the fenate. And upon their prelErig him to do it, and afking him the reafon why he deferred it fo long, he made anfwer, that he waited for the arrival of his colleagues, that they might all have their audience of the fenate together, and feemed to be very much furpriled that they were fo long in com- ing. At ie-igth they arrived, but all came fingly, and at a good diflance of time one from another. During all this time, the work was parried on at Athens with the ut- moft indullry and vigour. The women, children, ftran- gers and flaves, were all employed in it : Nor was it in- terrupted night or day. The Spartans were not ignorant of the matter, but made great complaints of it to The- miftocl^,. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 247 inidocles, who pofitively denied the fa£l, and prelTed them to fend other deputies to Athens, in order to inform themfelves better of the fad, defiring them not to give credit to looie and flying reports, without foundation. At the fame time, he fecretly advifed the Athenians to detain the Spartan envoys as fo many hoftages, until he and his colleagues were returned from their enibaffy, fearing, not Vvithout good reafon, that they themfelves might be ferved in the fame manner at Sparta. At laft, when all his fellow ambaffadors were arrived, he defired an audi- ence, and declared in full fenate, that it was really true, the Athenians had refolved to fortify their city with ftrong walls ; that the work was almoft completed ; that they had judged it to be abfolutely necefiary for their own fe- curity, and for the public good of the allies; telling them at the fame time, that^ after the great experience they had had of the Athenian people's behaviour, they could not well fufpe^l them of being wanting in their zeal for the common intereft of their country ; that, as the condition and privileges of all the allies ought to be equal, it was juft the Athenians fhould provide for their own fafety, by all the methods they judged neceflary, as w^ell as the other confederates ; that they had thought this expedient, and were in a condition to defend their city againfl: whomfoever fcould prefume to attack it ; and * that as for the Lacedemonians,'^f't was not much for their honour, that they fhould defire to eltablifii their power and fuperiority, rather upon the weak and defenceleis condition of their allies, than upon their own fh-ength and valour. The Lacedemonians were extremely dif- pleafed with this difcourfe. But, either out ot^^fenfe of gratitude and efteem for their country, or out of a con- viaion that they were not able to oppofe their enterprifcj^ they diffembled their refentment ; and the ambaffadors 011 both fides, having all fuitable honours paid them, re- turned to their refpedive cities* M 4 Themif- *^ Graviter caftigat eos, quod non virtute, fed imbecillitate fociorum po- ?:ntiam qua-rerenc. Ju/ti/f, i. ii. c. 15. 248 HISTORY OF THE ^ (z) Theaiiftocles, who had always his thoughts fixed upon rafing and augmenting the power and glory of the Athenian commonwealth, did not confine his views to the ^.valls of the city. He went on with the fame vigorous ap- plication to finifh the building and fortifications of the Pi- r^eeus : For fr?)m the time he entered into office, he had be- gun that great work. Before this time they had no other port at Atliens but that of Phalerus, wdnch was neither very large nor commodious, and confequently not capable of aa- fwering the great defigns of Themiilocles. For this rea- fon, he had call his eye upon the Piraeus, which feemed to invite him by its advantageous fituation, and by the convenicncy of its three fpacious havens, which were ca- pable of containing above four hundred veflfels. This undertaking was profecuted with fo much diligence and, vivacity, that the work was confiderably advanced in a very little time. Themiftocles likewife obtained a de- cree, that every year they fliould build twenty veflfels for the augmentation of their fleet : and in order to engage the greater number of workmen and failors to refort to Athens, he caufed particular privileges and immunities to be granted in their favour. His defign was, as I have already obferved, to make the whole force of Athens ma- ritime ; in which he followed a very different fcheme of politics from what had been purfued by their ancient kings, who, endeavourfWg all they could to alienate the minds of the citizens from feafaring bufinefs and from v/ar, and to make them apply themfelves wholly to agri- culture and to pjaceable employments, publiflied this fa- blj : That Minerva difputing with Neptune to know wh^ch of them fiiould be declared patron of Attica, and g;ive their na:ae to the city newly built, flie gained her caufc: bj Allowing her judges the branch of an olive-tree, the happy fymbol of peace and plenty, which fne had planted , whereas Neptune had made a fiery horie, the iVnibol of v/ar and confufion, rife out of the earth be^ fore them. Sect. (i) ihucyd. p. 62, 65. DIod. L xl. p. 3a, 35. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 249 Sect. XIII. The Mack Befign of ThemistoclEs reje&ed una7iimouJly hy the People of Athens. Akistjdes's Co?i^ defcenfion to the People, (i) •T'^HEMISTOCLES, who conceived the clefign of fupplantlng the Lacedemonians, and of taking the government of Greece out of their hands, in order to put it into thofe of the Athenians, kept his eye and his thoughts continually fixed upon that great projefl:. And as he was not very nice or fcrupulous in the choice pf his meafures, whatever tended towards accompliiliing the end he had in view, he lodged upon as juft and law- ful. On a certain day, then, he declared in a full afiembly of the people, that he had a very important defign to pro- pofe, but that he could not communicate it to the people ^ becaufe its fuccefs required it fhould be carried on with the greateft fecrecy : He therefore defired they would ap- point a perfon, to whom he might explain himfelf upon the matter in queflion. Ariftides was unanimoufly pitch- ed upon by the whole affembly, who referred themfelves entirely to his opinion of the affair; fo great a confidence had they both in his probity and prudence. Themiiio-' cles, therefore, having taken him afide, told him, that the deiign he had conceived was to Arurn the fleet belonging to the reft of the Grecian ftates, which then lay in a neighbouring port, and that by this means Athens w^ouid certainly become miftrefs of all Greece. Ariftides here- upon returned to the affembly, and only declared to thcmy that indeed nothing could be more advantageous to the commonwealth than 1 hemiftocles's projefl:, but, at the fame time, nothing in the world could be more unjufto All the people unanimoufly ordained, that Themiftocles {hould entirely defift from his project. We fee in this inftance, that the title of full was not given to Ariftides, even in his life»time, v^ithout fome foundation : A title, fays Plutarch, infinitely fuperior to all thofe which con- M5 querors {h) Plut: in Themift. p. izi, laa. in Arjft. p. 33^^ aso HISTORY OF THE querors purfue with fo much ardour, and which in fome meafure approaches a man to the divinity. I do not know whether all hiftory can afford us a fadli more worthy of admiration than this. It is not a com- pany of philofophers (to whom it cofts nothing to efta-i bliih fine maxims and fublime notions of morality in the fchools) who determine on this occafion, that the confi- deration of profit and advantage ought never to prevail ia preference to what is honeft and juft. It is an entire people, who are highly interefled in the propofal made to^ them, who are convinced that it is of the greateft import- •ance to the welfare of the ftate, and who however reje£fc it with unanimous confent, and without a moment's hefi- tation, and that for this only reafon, that it is contrary to juftice. How black and perfidious, on the other hand, was the defign which Themiftocles propofed to them, of burning the fleet of their Grecian confederates, at a time of entire peace, folely to aggrandize the power of the A- thenians ! Had he an hundred times the merit afcribed to- him, this fingle adlion would be fufficient to fully all his glory. For it is the heart, that is to fay, integrity and. probity, that conftitutes and diftinguiflies true merit. I am forry that Plutarch, who generally judges of things, with great juftnefs, does not feem, on this occafion, to condemn 1 hemiftocles.^^ After having fpoken of the ■works, he had effefted m the Piraeeus, be goes- on to the fail in queftion, of which he fays : (/) l^hemijlocles pro- je&ed fomething still GREATER, /or the augnientation of their maritime power ^ {tri) The Lacedemonians having propofed in the coun- cil of the / mphidlyons, that all the cities which had not taken arms againft Xerxes (hould be excluded from^that affembly, Themiflocles, who apprehended, that if the Theffalians, the Argivcs, and the Thebans, were ex- eluded that council, the Spartans would by that means become mafters of the fuffrages, and confequently deter- jTiine all affairs according to their pleafure; Themiftocles^ I fay, made a fpeech in behalf of the cities they were for excluding^ (0 }^u^o)i ^i^n-kU. W) Plut. in Themift. p, i^x. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 251 excluding, and brought the deputies, that compofed the alTembly, over to his fentiments. He reprefented to them, that the greateft part of the cities, which had en- tered into the confederacy, which were but one-and-thirty in the whole, were very fmall and inconfiderable ; that it would therefore be a very ftrange, as well as a very dan- gerous proceeding, to deprive all the other cities of Greece- of their votes and places in the grand ailembly of the na- tion, and by that means fuffer the auguft council of the Amphiftyons to fall under the direftion and influence of two or three of the mofl powerful cities, which for the future would give law to all the reft, and would fubvert and abolifti that equality of power, which was juftly re- garded as the bafis and foul of all republics. Themifto- cles, by this plain and open declaration of his opinion, drew upon himfelf the hatred of the Lacedemonians, who from that time became his profeffed enemies. He had alfo incurred the difpleafure of the reft of the allies, by his having exafted contributions from them in too ri- gorous and rapacious a manner. {ri) When the city of Athens was entirely rebuilt, the people finding themfelves in a ft ate of peace and tranquil- lity, endeavoured by all forts of methods to get the govern- ment into their hands, and to make the Athenian ftate entirely popular. This defign of theirs, though kept as fecret as poffible, did not efcape the vigilance and pene- tration of Ariftides, who faw all the confequences with which fuch an innovation would be attended. But, as he confidered on one hand, that the people were entitled to fome regard, on account of the valour they had fiiowa in all the late battles they had gained ; and on the other, that it would be no eafy matter to curb and. reftrain a people who ftill in a manner had their arms in their hands, and who were grown more iiifolent than ever from their viftories ; on thefe eonfiderations, I fay, he thought it proper to obferve meafures with them, and to find out fome medium to fatisfy and appeafe them. He, therefore, palTed a decree, by which it was ordained that the govern- M 6 asieut {n) Piut. in Arift. p. 332^. HISTORY OF THE ment fliould be common to all the citizens, and that the Archons, who were the chief magiflrates of the common- wealth, and who ufed to be chofen onlj out of the richefl: of its members (viz.), from among thofe only, who re- ceived at leaft five hundred medimnis of grain out of the produd of their lands, fhould for the future be eledled in- differently out of all the Athenians without diftinftion. By thus giving up fomething to the people, he prevented all diffenfions and commotions, which might have proved fatal, not only to the Athenian ftate, but to all Greece. Sect. XIV. The Lacedemonians lofe the chief C07mnand through the Pride and Arrogance of Pausanias. (o) '^'^HE Grecians, encouraged by the happy fuccefs ^ which had every where attended their vidlo- rious arms, determined to fend a fleet to fea, in order to deliver fuch of their allies as v/ere ftill under tlie yoke of the Perfians, out of their hands, Paufanias was the com- mander of the fleet for the Lacedemonians; and Ariilides, and Cimon the fon of Miltiades, commanded for the Athenians. They firft dire(!:ted their courfe to the ifle of Cyprus, where they reilored all the cities to their liberty : Then, fleering towards the Hellefpont, they attacked the city of Byzantium, of which they made tliemfelves maf- ters, and took a vaft number of prifoners, a great part of whom were of the richeft and moll confiderable families of Perfia. • . " Paufanias, who from this time conceived thoughts of betraying his country, judged it proper to make ufe of this opportunity to gain the favour of Xerxes. To this end, he caufed a report to be fpread among his troops, that the Perfian noblemen, whom he had committed to the guard and care of one of his officers, had made their efcape by night, and were fled : Whereas, he had fet them at liberty himfelf, and fent a letter by them to Xerxes, wherein he offered to deliver the city of Sparta and all Greece into his hands, on condition he would give him his (o; A.M. 3528. Aat J, C. 476. Thucyd. h i. p. 63. 84. 86. PERSIANS AND CxRECIANS. 253 his daughter in marriage. 1 he king did not fail to give him a favourable aufwer, and to fend him very large fums of money a^fo, in order to win over as many of the Gre- cians as he fliould find difpofed to enter into his deligns. The perfon he appointed to manage this intrigue with him was Artabazus ; and to the end that he might have it in his power to tranfacl the matter with the greater eafe and fecurity, he made him governor of all the fea-coafts of Afia Minor. C^) Paufaaias, who was already dazzled with the prof- pect of his future greatnefs^ began from this moment to change his whole conduft and behaviour. The poor, mo- deil, and frugal way of living at Sparta ; their fubjedion to rigid and auflere laws, which neither fpared nor re- fpefted any man's perfon, but were altogether as inexo- rable and inflexible to the greateft, as to thofe ef the mean- eft condition ; all this, 1 fay, became infupportable to Pauianias. He could not bear the thoughts of going back to Sparta, after his having been pofTelTed of fuch high commands and employments, to return to a ftate of equa- lity that confounded him with the meaneft of the citizens ; and this was the caufe of his entering into a treaty with the Barbarians. Having done this, he entirely laid afide the manners and behaviour of his country ; aflumed both the drefs and ftate of the Periians, and imitated them in all their expennve luxury and magnificence. He treat- ed the allies with an infufferable rudenefs and infolence ; never fpoke to the officers but with menaces and arro- gance ; required extraordinary and unufual honours to be paid him, and by his whole behaviour rendered the Spartan dominion odious to all the confederates. On the other hand, the courteous, affable, and obliging deport- ment of Ariitides and Cimon ^ an infinite remotenefs from all imperious and haughty airs, which only tend to alienate people and multiply enemies , a gentle, kind, and beneficent difpofition, which ftiowed itfelf in all their attioijs, and which ferved to tem.per the authority of their commands, and to render it both eafy and amiable ; the juftice (/>) Plut. in Arift. p. 332, 333, 254 HISTORY OF THE juftice and humanity, confpicuous in every thing they did ; the great care they took to offend no perfon what- Ibever, and to do kind offices and fervices to all about them : All this, I fay, hurt Paufanias exceedingly, by the contraft of their oppofite charafters, and exceedingly increafed the general difcontent. At laft this dilfatisfac- tion publicly broke out ; and all the allies deferted him,, and put themfelves under the command and proteflion of the Athenians, Thus did Ariftides, fays Plutarch, by the prevalence of that humanity and gentlenefs, which he oppofed to the arrogance and roughnefs of Paufanias, and by infpiring Cimon his colleague with the fame fenti-- ments, infenfibly draw off the minds of the allies from the Lacedemonians, without their perceiving it, and at length deprived them of the command ^ not by open force, or by fending out armies and fleets againft them, and ftill lefs by making ufe of any arts or perfidious praftices ; but by the wifdom and moderation of his conduft, and by rendering the government of the Athenians amiable. It mull be confeflTed, at the fame time, that the Spartan people on this occafion fliowed a greatnefs of foul and ar fpirit of moderation, that can never be fufficiently ad- mired. For when they were convinced that their com- manders grew haughty and infolent from their too great authority, they willingly renounced the fuperiority^ which they had hitherto exercifed over the reft of the Grecians, and forebore fending any more of their gene- rals to command the Grecian armies ; choofing rather, adds the hiftorian, to have their citizens wife, modeft, and fubmiffive to the difcipline and laws of the common- wealthy than to maintain their pre-eminence and fupe- riority over all the Grecian ftates. Sect, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. ^ss Sect. XV. Pausanias's fecret Confpiracy with the Per^ Jians^ His Death* (^) TTPON the repeated complaints, the Spartan com-. ^ monwealth received on all hands againft Paufa- nias, they recalled him home to give an account of his conduft. But not having fufficient evidence to convi£t him of his having carried on a correfpondence with Xer- xes, they were obliged to acquit him on his firfl: trial 5 after which he returned of his own private authority,and without the confent and approbation of the republic, to the city of Byzantium, from whence he continued to car- ry on his fecret practices with Artabazus. But, as he was ftill guilty of many violent and unjuft proceedingSj, whilft he refided there, the Athenians obliged him to leave the place ; from whence he retired to Colon ae, a fmall city of Troas. There he received an order from' the Ephori to return to Sparta, on pain of being declared^, in cafe of difobedience, a public enemy and traitor to hi^^ country. He complied with the fummons and went home, hoping he fliould ftill be able to bring himfelf off by dint of money. On his arrival, he was committed to prifon, and was foon afterwards brought again upon his trial before the judges. The charge brought againft him was fupported by many fufpicious circumftances and ftrong prefumptions. Several of his own Haves confefled that he had promifed to give them their liberty, in cafe they would enter into his defigns, and ferve him with fidelity and zeal in the execution of his projefts. But, as it was the cuftom of the Ephori never to pronounce fentence of death againft a Spartan, without a full and direfl: proof of the crime laid to his charge, they looked upon the evi- dence againft him as infufRcient ; and the more fo, as he was of the royal family, and was actually invefted with the adminiftration of the regal office ; for Paufanias exer- cifed the fun£lion of king, as being the guardian and iieareft relation to Pliftarchus, the fon of Leonidas, who was (q) A. M. 3529. Ant. J. C. 475. Thucyd. 1. i. p. 86. & S^^. Diod. I. xi^ P 34 '— 36. Cor, Nep. in Paufan. 256 HISTORY OF THE was then in his minority. He was therefore acquitted a fecoad time, and fet at liberty. Whilfl: the Ephori were thus perplexed for want of elear and plain evidence againft tlie offender, a certain flave, who was called the Argllian, came to them, and brought them a letter, written by Paufanias himfelf to the king of Perfia, which the (lave was to have carried and delivered to Artabazus. It muil: be obferved by the v/ay, that this Perfian governor and Paufanias had agreed toge- ther, immediately to put to death all the couriers they mutually fent to one another, as foon as their packets or meiTages were delivered, that there might be no poinbility left of tracing out or difcovering their correfpondencc The Argiiian, who favv^ none of his fellow^-fervants, that were fent expreffes, return back again, had feme fufpi- cion ; and when it came to his turn to go, he opened the letter he was intruded with, in which Artabazus was really delired to kill him, purfiiant to their agreement. This was the letter the flave put into the hands of the Ephori 5 v/ho ftill thonglit even this proof iniufRcient ia the '^ye of the law, and therefore endeavoured to corrobo- rate it by the teftimony of Paufanias himfelf. The flave,. in concert with them, withdrew to the temple of Neptune in Tenaros, as to a fecure afylum. Two fmall clofets were purpofely made there, in which the Epliori and fome Spartans hid themfelves. The inilant Paufanias- was informed that the Argiliaix had fled to this temple, he haftened thither, to inquire the reafon. The flave con- felled that he nad opened the letter *, and that finding by the contents of it he was to be put to death, he had fled to that temple to fave his life. As Paufanias could not deny the fad:, he made the bell excufe he could ; promif- ed the flave a great reward ; obliged him to promife not to mention what had pafled between them to any perfoa whatfoever. Paufanias then left him. Paufanias's guilt was now but too evident. The mo- ment he was returned to the city,, the Ephori were re- folved to feize him. From the afpeft of one of thofe magiftrates, he plainly perceived that fome evil deiign was PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 257 was hatching againft him, and therefore he ran with the utmoft fpeed to the temple of Pallas called Chalcioecos, near that place, and got into it before the purfuers could overtake him. The entrance was immediately flopped up with great ftones ; and hiftorj informs us, that the criminal's mother fet the firft example on that occaiion. They now tore off the roof of the cliapel : but as the Ephori did not dare to take him out of it by force, becaufe this would have been a violation of thatfacred afy]um,they refolved to leave him expofed to the inclemencies of the weather, and accordingly he was ftarved to death. His corpfe was buried not far from that place : But the oracle of Delphi, whom they confulted loon after, declared, that to appeafe the anger of the goddefs who was juftly of- fended on account of the violation of her temple, two ftatues mud be fet up there in honour of Paufanias, which was done accordingly. Such was the end of Paufanias, whofe wild and in- confiderate ambition had ftifled in him all fentiments of probity, honour, love of his country, zeal for liberty, and of hatred and averfion for the Barbarians : Sentiments which, in fome meafure, were inherent in all the Greeks, and particularly in the Lacedemonians, Sect. XVI. Themistocles, being purfued hy the Athenians and Lacedemonians^ as an accomplice in Pausanias's con/piracy^ Jiies for Jljelter to king Admetus. (r)^pPIEMISTOCLES w?.s alfo charged with ^ being an accomplice of Paufanias. He was then in exile. A paflionate thirfl of glory, and a ftrong jdelire to command arbitrarily over the citizens, had made him very odious to them. He had built, very near his houfe a temple in honour of Diana, under this title To Dianaj goddefs of good cotnfel ; as hinting to the Athenians, that he had given good counfel to their city and all Greece ; and (r) Tlnicyd. 1. i. p. 89, 90. Flat, in Themiit, c cxxiii. csxiv. Corn, Nep. in 'rhemift. c. viiu 258 HISTORY OF THE and he alfo had placed his ftatue in it which was ftanding in Plutarch's time. It appeared, fays he, from this ftatue, that his phyfiognomy was as heroic as his valour* Finding that men liftened with pleafure to aH the calum- nies his enemies fpread againft him, to filence them, he was for ever expatiating, in all public affemblies, on the fervices he had done his country. As they were at lafl tired with hearing him repeat this fo often, How ! fays he to them, are you weary of having good offices frequently done you by the fa?ne perfons ? He did not confider, that putting them fo often in mind* of his fervices, was in a manner reproaching them with their having forgot them, which was not very obliging ; and he feemed not to know, that the fureft way to aqcuire applaufe, is to leave the bellowing of it to others, and to refolve to do fuch things only as are praife- worthy ; and that a fre- quent repetition of one's own virtue and exalted ac- tions, is fo farr from appeafing envy, that it only inflames it. (j") Themiftocles, after having been banifiied froia Athens by the oftracifm, withdrew to Argos. He was there, when Paufanias was profecuted as a traitor, who had confpired againft his country. He had at firft con- cealed his machinations from Themiftocles, though he w^as one of his beft friends ; but as foon as he was expelled his CO' ntry, and highly refented that injury, he difclofed his proj eels to him and prefled him to join in them. To induce his compliance, he fliowed him the letters^ which the king of Perfia wrote to him ; and endeavoured to animate him againft the Athenians, by painting their in- juftice and ingratitude in the ftrcngeft colours. However Themiftocles rejecled with indignation the propofals of Paufanias, and refufed peremptorily to engage in an}* manner in his fchemes: But then lie concealed what had paffed between them, and did not difcover the enterprife he had form.ed \ whether it was that he imagined Paufa- (/) Pint, in ThemiO. p. 112. * Hoc moleftum e^l^ Nam iftha^c commcmoratio quafi exprobratio efc Mnmcmoiis beneficii. T^ersnt, in j^ndr. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 259 nias would renounce it of himfelf, or was perfuaded that it would be difcovered fome other way ; it not being pof- fible for fo dangerous and ill-concerted an enterprife to take efFeft. After Paufanias's death, feveral letters an-d other things were found among his papers, which raifed a violent fuf- picion of Themiftocles. The Lacedemonians fent depu- ties to Athens, to accufe, and have fentence of death paf- fed upon him ; and fuch of the citizens who envied him joined thefe accufers, Ariftides had now a fair oppor- tunity of revenging himfelf on his rival, for the injurious treatment he had received from him, had his foul been capable of fo cruel a fatisfaftion. But he refufed abfo- lutely to join in fo horrid a combination ; as little inclined to delight in the misfortune of his adverfary, as he had before been to regret his fuccefles. Themiftocles anfwer- ed by letters all the calumnies with which he was char- ged ; and reprefented to the Athenians, that as he had ever been fond of ruling, and his temper being fuch as would not fufFer him to be lorded over by others, it was highly improbable that he fhould have a delign to de- liver up himfelf^ and all Greece, to enemies and Barba- rians. In the mean time, the people, too ftrongly wrought upon by his accufers, fent fome perfor.s to feize him, that he might be tried by the council of Greece. Themiftocles, having timely notice of it, went into the ifland of Corcyra^ to whofe inhabitants he formerly had done fome fervice : However, not thinking himfelf fafe there, he fled to E- pirus ; and finding himfelf ftill purfued by the Athenians and Lacedemonians, out of defpair he made a very dan- gerous choice, which was, to fly to Admetus king of Mo- loflus for refuge. This prince, having formerly defired the aid of the Athenians, and being refufed with ignominy by Themiftocles, who at that time prefided in the govern- ment, had retained the deepeft refentment on that account, and declared, that he would take the firft opportunity to revenge himfelf. But Themiftocles imagined, that in the unhappy fttuatiou of his affairs^ the recent envy of his fellow*^ 26o HISTORY OF THE fellow-citizens was more to be feared than the ancient grudge of that king, was refolved to run the hazard of it. Being come into the palace of that monarch, upon being informed that he was abfent, he addreffed himfelf to the queen, who received him very graciouflj, and infliructed him in the manner it was proper to make his requeft, Admetus being returned, Themiftocles takes the king's fon in his arms, feats himfelf on his heartli amidft his houfehold gods, and there telling him who he v/as, "and the caufe why he fled to him for refuge, he implores his clemency, owns that his life is in his hand, entreats him to forget the paft ; and reprefents to him, that no ac- tion can be more v/orthy a great king than to exercife his clemency. Admetus, furprifed and moved with compaf- fion, in feeing at his feet, in fo humble a pofture, the greateft man of all Greece, and the conqueror of all Afia, raifed him immediately from the ground, and promifed to protefl: him againft all his enemies. Accordingly, when the Athenians and Lacedemonians came to demand him, he refufed abfolutely to deliver up a perfon who had made his palace his afylum, in the firm perfuafion that it would be facred and inviolable. Whilft he was at the court of this prince, one of his friends found an opportunity to carry oft his wife and children from Athens, and to fend them to him ; for which that perfon was fome time after feized and con- demned to die. With regard to Themitlocles's eftecls, his friends fecured the greateft part of them for him, which they afterv/ards found opportunity to remit him. ; but all that could be difcovered, which amounted to an hundred * talents, was carried to the public treafury. When he entered unon the adminiftration, he was not worth three talents. I fiiall leave this illuftrious exile for fome time in the court of king Admetus, to refume the feqael of this hiflory. Sect. * An hundred thoiifand crowns Frefichy ahcut ^•z.joo/, Sterll^go PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 261 Sect. XVIT. Aristides's dijtiiterefted adminiJlratioTi of the public treafure. His death and eulogium. (J) T HAVE before obferved, that the command of Greece had pafled from Sparta to the Atheni- ans. Hitherto the cities and nations of Greece had, indeed, contributed fome fums of money towards car- rying on the expence of the war againft the Barbarians : But this repartition or divifion, had always occafioned great feuds, becaufe it was not made in a juil or equal proportion. It was thought proper, under this new government, to lodge in the ifland of Delos the common treafure of Greece ; to fix new regulations with regard to the public monies ; and to lay fuch a tax as might be regulated according to the revenue of each city and ftate ; in order that the expences, being equally borne by the feveral individuals who compofed the body of the allies, no one might have reafon to murmur. The bufinefs was, to find a perfon of fo honeft and incorrupt a mind, as to difcharge faithfully an employment of fo delicate and dangerous a kind, the due adminiftration of w^hich, fo nearly concerned the public welfare. All the allies call their eyes on Ariftides ; accordingly they invefted. him with full powers, and appointed him to levy a tax on each of them, relying entirely on his wifdom and juftice. The citizens had no caufe to repent their choice. * He prefided over the treafury with the fidelity and difintereft. ednefs of a man who looks upon it as a capital crime to embezzle the fmalleft portion of another's poffeffions ; with the care and aftivity of a father of a family, in the management of his own eftate ; and with the caution and integrity of a perfon who confiders the public monies as facred. ^ ^ /'^^ P- 333' 334. DIod. 1. xl. p. 36. Tu quidem crbis terrarum rationes adminiftras ; tarn abftinenter quam alienas, tara diiigenter quam tuas, tarn rdlgiofe quam publicas. In oliicio amorem confequeris, in quo odium vitare d;.^.cile eft. Senec. lib. dc Ercvit, Vit, cap, sviii. 262 HISTORY OF THE facred. In fine, he fucceeded in what is equally difficult and extraordinary, viz. to acquire the love of all in an office, in which he that efcapes the public odium, gains a great point. Such is the glorious charafter which Se- neca gives of a perfon charged with an employment of almoft the fame kind, and the nobleft eulogium that can be given fuch as adminifter public revenues. It is the exadl picture of Ariftides. He difcovered fo much pro- bity and wifdom in the exercife of this office, that no man complained ; and thofe times were confidered ever after as the golden age, that is, the period in which Greece had attained its higheft pitch of virtue and happinefs. And, indeed, the tax which he had fixed, in the whole to four hundred and fixty * talents, was raifed by Pericles to fix hundred, and foon after to thirteen hundred talents : It was not that the expences of the war were increafed, but the treafure was employed to very ufelefs pu-rpofes in manual diftributions to the Athenians, in folemnizing of games and feftivals, in building of temples and public edifices j not to mention, that the hands of thofe who fuperintended the treafury, were not always clean and tincorrupt as thofe of Ariftides, This wife and equitable condufl: fecured him, to lateft pofterity, the glorious fur- name of the yzi/l. Neverthelefs, Plutarch relates an aftion of Ariftides, which ffiows that the Greeks (the fame may be faid of the Romans) had a very narrow and imperfeft idea of juftice. They confined the exercife of it to the interior, as it were of civil fociety ; and acknowledged, that the individuals were bound to obferve ftriftly its feveral maxims : But with regard to their country, to the public (their great idol to which they reduced every thing) they thought in a quite different manner, and imagined themfelves elfenti- ally obliged to facrifice to it, not only their lives and pof- feffions, but even their religion and the moft facred en- gagements, in oppofition to, and contempt of, the moft folemn ♦ The talent is Kjortb a thoufand Treftch rroivns ; aboift ^25/. Sterling, 5 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 263 folemn oaths. This will apppear evidently in what fol- lows. (//) After the regulation had been made in refpeft to the tributes of which I have juft fpoken, Ariftides, having fettled the feveral articles of the alliance, made the con- federates take an oath to obferve them punftually, and he himfelf fwore in the name of the Athenians : and in denouncing the curfes w^hich always accompanied the oaths, he threw into the fea, purfuant to the ufual cuftom, large bars of red-hot iron. But the ill ftate of the Athenian affairs forcing them afterwards to infringe fome of thofe articles, and to govern a little more arbitrarily, he en- treated them to vent thofe curfes on him, and difcharge themfelves thereby of the punifliment due to fuch as had forefworn themfelves, and who had been reduced^ to it by the unhappy fituation of their affairs. Theophraftus tells us, that in general (thefe words are borrowed from Plutarch) Ariftides, who executed all matters relating to himfelf or the public with the moil impartial and rigor- ous juftice, ufed to aft, in his adminiflration, fever al things, according as the exigency of affairs, and the wel- fare of his country, might require ; it being his opinion, that a government, in order to fupport itfelf, is, on fome occafions, obliged to have recourfe to injuftice, of which he gives the following example. One day as the Athe- nians were debating in their council, about bringing to their city, in oppofition to the articles of the treaty, the common treafures of Greece which were depofited in Delos, the Samians having opened the debate, w^hen it was Ariftides's turn to fpeak, he faid, that the diflodging of the treafure was an unjuft aftion, but ufeful, and made this opinion take place. This incident fliows that the pretended wifdom of the heathens was overfpread with great obfcurity and error. It was fcarce poilible to have a greater contempt for riches than Ariftides had. Themiftocles, who was not pleafed with the eacomiums beftowed on other men, hearing 00 Plut, in Arift- p. 33h 334* 264 HISTORY OF THE hearing Ariftides applauded for the noble difintereftednefs with which he adminiftered the public treafures, did but laugh at it ; and faid, that the praifes beftowed upon him, for it, fliowed no greater merit of virtue than that of a ftrong cheft, which faithfully prefer ves all the monies that are fliut up in it, without retaining any. This low fneer was by way of revenge for a ftroke of raillery that had ftung him to the quick. Themiftocles faying that, in his opinion, the greateft talent a general could poffefs, was to be able to forefee the defigns of an enemy: " This talent (replied Ariftides) is ncceflary; but there is an- other no lefs noble and worthy a general, that is, to have clean hands, and a foul fuperior to venality and views of intereft." Ariftides might very juftly anfwer Thenuftocles in this manner, ftnce he was really very poor, though he had poffefTed the higheft employments of the ftate. He feemed to have an innate love for po- verty ; and, fo far from being afliamed of it, he thought it reflefled as much glory on him as all the trophies and victories he had won. Hiftory gives us a iliining inftance of this. Callias, who was a near relation of Ariftides, and the moft wealthy citizen in Athens, was cited to appear be- fore the judges. The accufer, laying very little ftrefs on the caufe itfelf, reproached him efpecially with per- mitting Ariftides, his wife and children, to live in poverty, at a time when he himfelf wallowed in riches. Callias perceiving that thefe reproaches made a ftrong impreflion on the judges, he fummoned Ariftides to declare be- fore them, vv^hether he had not often prefled him to ac- cept of large fums of money ; and whether he had not obftinately refufed to accept of his ofter, with faying, that he had more reafon to boaft of his poverty, than Callias of his riches : that many perfons were to be found who had made a good ufe of their wealth, but that there were few who bore their poverty with magnanimity, and even joy; and that none had caufe to blufli at their abjeft con- dition, but fuch as had reduced themfeives to it by their idlenefs; their intemperance, and their profufion, or difib- iute PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 26^ lute condudl. (a;) Ariftides declared^ that his klnfman had told nothing but the truth ; and added, that a maa whofe frame of mind is fuch, as to fupprefs a deiire of fu- perfiuous things, and who confines the wants of life watb- in the narroweft limits, befides its freeing him from a thoufand important cares, and leaving him fb much maf* ter of his time, as to devote it entirely to the public, it alfo approaches him, in feme meafure, to the Deity, who is wholly void of cares or wants. There was no man in the affembly, but, at his leaving it, would have choien to be Arillides, though fo poor, rather than Callias with all his riches. Plutarch gives us, in few w^ords, Plato's glorious tefti- mony of Ariftides's virtue, for which he looks upon him as infinitely fuperior to all the illuftrious men his con« temporaries. ThemiliocleSy Cymon, and Pericles, (fays he), filled indeed their city with fplendid edifices, with porticoes, ftatues, rich ornam-ents, and other vain fuper- fluities of that kind ; but Ariftides did all that lay in hi^ power to enrich every part of it with virtue : Nov/, to raife a city to true happinefs, it mull be made virtuous, not rich. Plutarch takes notice of another circumftance in Ari^ ftides's life, w^hich, though of the fimpleft kind, refiefts the greateft honour on him, and may ferve as an excellent leffon. It is in -the beautiful (f) treatife, in which he in- quires, w^hether it is proper for old men to conl^ern them- felves with affairs of government ; and where he points out admirably well, the various fervices they may do the ft ate, even in an advanced age. We are not to fane 7, fays he, that all public fervices require great motion and hurry, fuch as to harangue the people, to prefide in the government, o^ to head armies : An old man, whofe mind is informed with wifdom, may, without going abroad, exercife a kind of magiftra /. iii. n. 31. 34. ■ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 269 and eafe, and was ftudious of nothing but his pleafures* * Artabanus, a native of Hjrcania, captain of his guards,, and who had long been one of his chief favourites, found that his diflblute conduct had drawn upon him the contempt of his fubjeds. He therefore imagined that this would ^ be a favourable opportunity to confpire againft his fo- vereign ; and his ambition was fo vail, that he flattered himfelf with the hopes of fucceedinghim in the throne (/). It is very likely, that he was excited to the commillion of this crime, from another motive. Xerxes had com« manded him to murder Darius, his eld eft fon, but for what caufe hiftory is lilent. As this order had been gi- ven at a banquet, and when the company was heated with wine, he did not doubt but that Xerxes would forget it, and therefore was not in hafte to obey it ; However, he was miftaken, for the king complained up- on that account, which made Artabanus dread his refent- ment, and therefore he refolved to prevent him. Accord- ingly, he prevailed upon Mithridates, one of the eunuchs of the palace, and great chamberlain, to engage in his^ confpiracy ; and by his means entered the chamber where the king laj^ and murdered him ia his fleep^ He thea went immediately to Artaxerxes, the third fon of Xerxes*.- He informed him of the murder, charging Darius, his eldeft brother, with it ; as if impatience to afcend the throne had prompted him to that execrable deed. He added, that to fecure the cro wn to himfelf, he was re- folved to murder him alfo, for which reafon it would be abfolutely neceffary for him to keep upon his guard, Thefe words having made fuch an impreiiion on Artax- erxes (a youth), aa Artabanus defired, he went imme- diately into his brother's apartment, where, being affil- ed by Artabanus and his guards, he-murdered him. Hy- ftafpes, Xerxes's fecond fon, was next heir to the crown after Darius ; but as he was then in Baclriana, of which he was governor, Artabanus feated Artaxerxes on the throne, but did not defign to fufFer him to enjoy it longer N 3 " than (/) Arifl. Foiit. l v. c lo. p. 404. This was ?20t the Art abanus uncle to Xsry es, 270 HISTORY OF THE than he had formed a faftion ftroiig enough to drive him from it and afcend it himfelf. His great authority had gained him a multitude of creatures ; befides this, he iiad feven fons, who Were of a very tall ftature, hand- fome, ftrong, courageous, and raifed to the higheft em- ployments in the empire. The aid he hoped to receive from them was the chief motive of his railing his views %o high. But, whilft he was attempting to complete , hh defign, Artaxer:xes being informed of this plot by Megabyzus, who had married one of his fifters, he en- deavoured to anticipate him, and killed him before he had an opportunity of putting his treafon In execution. His death eftablilhed this prince in the pofleffion of the king- dom. Thus we have feen the end of Xerxes, who was one of the m oft powerful princes that ever lived. It would be needlefs for me to anticipate the reader, with refpedt to the judgment he ought to form of him. We fee him furrounded with whatever is greateft and moft auguft in the opinion of mankind : The moft extenfive empire at that time in the world ; immenfe treafures, and an incre- dible nunaber of land as Vv cU as fea forces. But all thefe things are round him, not in him, and add no luftre to his natural qualities : For, by a blindnefs too common to princes and great men, born in the midft of all terreftrial bleffings, heir to boundlefs power, and a luftre that had poft him nothing, he had accuftomed himfelf to judge of his own talents and perfonal merit, from the exterior of ^ his exalted ftation and rank. He difregards the wife counfels of Artabanus, his uncle, and of Demaratus, who alone had courage enough to fpeak truth to him ; and he abandons himfelf to courtiers, the adorers of his for-, tune, whofe whole ftudy it was to footh his paffions. He proportions, and pretends to regulate the fuccefs of his enterprifes, by the extent of his power. The flavifti fub- miflion of fo many nations no longer foothes his ambi- tion ; and little afFefted with too eafy an obedience, he takes pleafure in exercifing his power over the elements, in cutting his way through mountains, and making them navigable ^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 271 navigable ; in chaftifmg the fea for having broken down his bridge, and in fooliMj attempting to fiiackle the waves, by throwing chains into them. Big- fwoln with a childifli vanity, and a ridiculous pride, he iooks upon himfelf as the a'rbiter of nature : He imagines that not a nation in the w^orld will dare to wait his arrival ; and fondly and prefumptuouflj relies on the millions of men and fnips which he drags after him. But when, after the battle of Salamin, he beholds the fad ruins, the fliameful remains of his numberlefs troops fcattered over all Greece ^ ; he then is fenfible of the wide difference be- tween an army and a crowd of men. In a w^ord, to form a right judgment of Xerxes, we need but contrail him wath a citizen of Athens, a Miltiades, Themiftocles, or Ariflides. In the latter we find all the good fenfe, pru- dence, ability in w^ar, valour, and greatnefs of foul^ in the former we fee nothing but vanity, pride, obftinacy 5. the meaneft and moft grovelling fentiments, and fome« times the moft horrid barbarity. N 4 BOOK * Stratufque per totam pafTim Grseciam Xerxes intellexit, quantum ab ^scrcitu turba diftaret* Sc7iec, de Betief, L vi. c, ^t^ I BOOK THE SEVENTH. THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. C H A P. 1. T^HIS chapter includes the hiftory of the Perfians and Greeks, from the beginning of Artaxerxes's reign^ to the Peloponnefian war, which began in the 42d year of that king's reign. Sect. I. Artaxerxes ruins the FaBion of Artabanus, and that of HystaspES, his elder Brother* *T^HE Greek hiilorians give this prince the furname of Longimanus. Strabo {a) fays, it was becaufe his hands were fo long, that when he ftood upright he could touch his knees w^ith them ; but according to {h) Plu- tarch, it was becaufe his right hand was longer than his left. Had it not been for this blemifli, he would have been the moft graceful man of his age. He v/as ftill more remarkable for his goodnefs and geaerofity. He reigned about forty-nine years. {c^ Although Artaxerxes, by the death of Artabanus^ was delivered from , a dangerous competitor, there ftill were two obftacles in his way, before he could eftablifh himfeli in the quiet poffeffion of his throne ; one of which, was his brother Hyftafpes, governor of Ba£lriana ; and the other, the faction of Artabanus. He began by the latter. Artabanus (/z) A. M. 3531. Ant. J. C. 473 i-'ib. xv p. 73j;. lb) In Aitax. p. loii. (t> Ctef. c. xxx^ PERSIANS' AND GRECIANS. 273 Artabanus had left feven fons, and a great number of partisans, who foon aflembled to revenge liis death. Thefe and the adherents of Artaxerxes. fougiit a bloody battle, in which a great number of Perfiau nobles loil their lives. Artaxerxes havi ig at laft entirely defeated his enemies, put to death all who had engaged in this confpiracy. He took an exemplary vengeance of thole who were concern- ed in his father's murder, and particularly of Mithrida- tes the eunuch, who had betrayed him, and who wat ex- ecuted in the following manner, (^d) He was laid on his back in a kind of horfe-trougii, and flrongly fattened to the four corners of it. Every part of him, except his head, his hands, and feet, which came out at holes made for that purpofe, was covered with auother trcugii. In this horrid fituation viduals were given him from tinie - to time; and in cafe of his retuiai to eat, it was forced down his throat : Honey mixed with milk was given him to drink, and all his face was fmeared with it, which by that means attra£led a numberleis multitude of flies, efpe- cialiy as he was perpetually expoied to the feorchmg rays of tne fun. The worms which bred in his exciements prtjyed upon his bowels. Th l/ j Died. 1. xi. pr J4. 274 HISTORY OF THE all fuch governors of cities and provinces from their em- ployments, as he fufpefted to hold a correfpondence with either of the faftions he had overcome, and fubftituted others on whom he could rely. He afterwards applied himfelf to reforming the abufes and diforders which had crept into the government. By his wife conduct and zeal for the public good, he foon acquired great reputation and authority, with the love of his fubjefts, the ftrongeft fup- port of fovereign power. Sect. H. Themistocles Jlies to Artaxerxes* is) A CCORDING to Thucydides, Themiftocles fled to this prince in the beginning of his reign but other authors, as Strabo, Plutarch, Diodorus, fix this incident under Xerxes, his predeceflbr. Dr. Prideaux is of the latter opinion ; he likewife thinks, that the Arta- xerxes in queftion, is the fame with him who is called Ahafuerus in fcripture, and who married Efther : But we fuppofe, with the learned Archbifliop Uftier, that it was' Darius the fon of Hyftafpes w^ho efpoufed this illuftrious Jewefs. I have already declared more than once, that I would not engage in controverlies of this kind ; and there- fore, with regard to this flight of Themiftocles into Per- fia, and the hiftory of Efther, I fhall follow the opinion of the learned Uftier, my ufual guide on thefe occafions. (h) We have feen that Ihemiftocles had fled to Ad- metus, king of the Moloffi, and had met with a gracious, reception from him ; but the Athenians and Lacedemo- nians would not fuffer him to live in peace, and required that prince to deliver him up ; threatening, in cafe of re- fufal, to carry their arms into his country. Admetus^ who was unwilling to draw fuch formidable enemies upon himfelf, and much more to deliver up the man who had fled to him for refuge, informed him of the great danger to which* he was expofed, and favoured his flight, Themiftocles went as far by land as Pydna, a city of Ma- cedonia,. (^) A. M. 3531. (/^ Thucyd. 1. i. p. 90,91. Pint, in Themift. p, Sv^i, u;, Piod. 1. xi. p. 4a, 44- Corn. Ncp. in 'ji hemift. c viii. Xo . PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 275^ cedonia, and there embarked on board a merchant fhip, which was failing to Ionia. None of the paffengers knew him. A ftorm having carried this veffel near the ifland of Naxos, then beheged by the Athenians ; the imminent danger to which Themiftocles was expofed, obliged him to difcover himfelf to the pilot and mafter of the fhip ; after which, hy entreaties and menaces, he forced tl^em to fail towards Alia. (^i) 1 hemiftocies might, on this occafion, call to mind the advice which his father had given him when an infant, viz. to lay verj little ftrefs on the favour of the common people. They were then walking together in the har- bour. His father pointing to fome rotten gallies thatlajr negledled on the ftrand, Behold tbere, fays he,yb//, (point- ing to them) thus do the people treat their gov ernoj^Sy when they can do them no further fer vice. He was now arrived at Cumae, a city of ^olia in Alia Minor. The king of Perfia had fet a price upoa his headj> and promifed two hundred * talents to any man who fliould deliver him up. The whole coall was covered' with people who were watching for him. He fled to -iiEgae, a little city of iEolia, where no one knew him, ex- cept Nicogenes, at whofe houfe he lodged. He was the moft wealthy man in that country, and very intimate with all the lords of thePerfian court. Themiilocles was concealed fome days in his houfe, till Nicogenes fent him under a ftrong guard to Sufa, in one of thofe covered cha- riots in which the Periians, who were extremely jealous^ ufe to carry their wives ; thofe who carried him telling every body, that they were carrying a young Greek lady to a courtier of great diftinftion. Being come to the Perfian court, he waited upon the captain of the guards,, and told him, that he was a Gre- cian by birth, and begged the king would admit him to audience, having matters of great importance to commu- nicate to him. The officer informed him of a ceremony^ which he knew was infupportable to fome Greeks, but N 6 Without . (7) Plat, in Themift. p. 112, f jTii/o hundred th oufand croimsj or acout 4 jf- c '^L Ste} hig. - ^>^6 HISTORY OF THE •without which none were allov/e.d to fpeak to the king and this was, to fall proflrate before him. Our laws," fays he, ^' command us to honour the king in ti) at man- ner, and to worlhip him as the living image of the im- mortal God, who ixiaintains and preferves. all things.'^^ Themlitocles promifed to comply. Being admitted to au- dience, he fell on his face before the king, after the Per- fian manner ; and afterwards riling up, " Great king % (fays he by an interpreter), I am Themillocles the A- *^ theniaii, who having been banilhed by the Greeks, am. come to your court in hopes of finding an afylum in it. I have indeed brought many calamities on the PeriianSp *^ but, on the other fide, 1 have done them no lefs fervi- ces, by the falutary advices I have given them more than once ; and I now am able to do them more im- poitant fervices than ever. My life is in your hands, ^' You may now exert your clemency, or difplay your vengeance : By the former you will preferve your fuppiiant ; by the latter you will deflroy the greateft. enemy of Greece." The king made him nq anfwer at this audience, thought he v\^as ftruck with admiration at his great fen fe and bold-, nef :> ; but hiilory informs us, he told his friends, that he coiifidered Themiftocles's arrival, as a very great happi- nefj \ that he implored his god Aramanius always to in- ipire his enemies with fuch thoughts, and to proinpt them, to baniih and make av>r.ay with their moft ilfu&rious per-. fonages. It is added, that when this king was afleep, he ftarted u.p three times in excefs of joy, ajid cried thrice^ 'I have got ^JhemiJlGcles the Athe^nian i The next morning at day-break, he fen t for the greateft , lords of his court, and commaiided Themiftocles to be brought Detbrc him, who expefted nothing but deftruc- tion ; efpecially after what one of his guards, upon hear- ing his name, hud faid to him the night before, eyen in^ the p2:eicnce«..chaXixber, juft as he. had left the king, ihou. ferpLtit * ThitcydHes inoh^s him / rv ^jery near the fame <:vords ; but informs ns that Themifiocies :id not fi-r^^-k fhcm to the kwg^ but fent them by ivay (f letter hp/ore he^^ i^uniiMce^l io j.im. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 277 ferpent of Greece, thou compound of fraud and malice^ the good ge?iius of our prince brings thee hither! However, the ferenity which appeared in the king's face feemed to pro* mife him a favourable reception. Themiftocles was not miitaken, for the king began by making him a prefent of two hundred * talents, which fum he had promifed to any one who fliould deliver him up, which confequently was his due, as Themiilocles had brought him his head,, by furrendering himfeif to him. He afterwards defired him to give an account of the affairs of Greece, But as Themiftocles could not exprefs his thoughts to the king without the afhitance of an interpreter, he defired time Blight be allowed him to learn the Ferlian tongue, hoping he then fliould be able to explain thofe things he v/as de- . firous of communicating to him, better than he could by the aid of a third perfon. It is the fame, fays he, with the fpeech of a man, as with a piece of tapeftry, which muft be fpread out and unfolded, to fliow the figures and other beauties wrought in it. Themiftocles having ftu- died the Feriian tongue twelve months, made fo great a progrefs, that he fpoke it with greater elegance than the Perlians themfelveb, and confequently could converfe with the king without the help of an interpreter. This prince treated him with uncommon marks of friendfliip and efteem ; he made him marry a lady defcended from one of the nobleft families in Perfia j gave him a palace and an equipage fuitable to it, and fettled a noble penfion on him. He ufed to carry him abroad on his parties of hunting, and every banquet and entertainment ; and fometimes converfed privately with him, fo that the lords Cif the court grew jealous and uneafy upon that accounte He eve.i prefented him to the princclTes, who honoured him wjth their elleem, and received his vifits. It is ob- ferved, as. a proof of the peculiar favour fho wed him, that by the king'ci fpecial order, Themiftocles was admitted to hear the kdiurcs and difcourfes of the Magi, and w^as inftructed by them in all the fecrets of their philofophy. Another Tiwo hundred thou£aTid Trench crowns ^ or about 45,000/, Sterlln^^ 278 HISTORY OF THE . Another proof of his great ciedit is related. Demara- tus of Sparta, who was then at court, being commanded by the king to alk any thing of him, he defired that he might be fufFered to make his entry on horfeback into the city of Sardis, with the royal tiara on his head : A ridi- culous vanity ! equally unworthy of the Grecian gran- deur, and the fimplicity of a Lacedemonian ! The king, exafperated at the infolence of his demand, exprefled his difgufl in the ftrongeft terms, and feemed refolved not to pardon him ; but Themiftocles having interceded, the king reftored him to favour. In fine, Themiftocles was in fuch great credit, that un- der the fucceeding reigns, in which the affairs of Perfia were ftill more mixed with thofe of Greece, whenever the kings were defirous of drawing over any Greek to their intereft, they ufed to declare exprefsly in their let- ters, that he fliould be in greater favour with them, than Themiftocles had been with king Artaxerxes. It is faid alfo, that Themiftocles, when in his moft flourifliing condition in Perfia, was honoured and efteem- ed by all the world, who were emulous in making their court to him, faid one day, when his table was covered magnificently : Children^ we Jh'^uld have been ruined^ if we bad not been ruined. But at laft, as it was judged neceffary for the king's intereft that Themiftocles fliould refide in fome city of Afia Minor, that he might be ready on any occafion^ W'hich fliould prefent itfelf ^ accordingly he was fent to Magnefia, fituated on the Meander ; and for his fubfift- ence, befides the whole revenues of that city (which amounted to fifty * talents every year), had thofe of My- unte and Lampfachus aflTigned him- One of the cities was to furnifli him with bread, another with wine, and a third wjth other provifions. Some authors add two more, viz. for his furniture and clothes. Such was the cuftom of the ancient kings of the eaft : Inftead of fet- tling penfions on perfons they rewarded, they gave them dties^ and fometimes even provinces, which under the name * Fifty thoufaiid crowns i or^ about 11, ^SPL .Sterlings PERSIANS A^^D GRECIANS. 279 name of bread, wine, &c. were to furnifli them abun»- dantly with all things neceffary for fupporting, in a mag^ nincent manner, their family and equipage. Themiilo- cles lived for fome years in Magnefia in the utmofi fplen-^ dour, till he came to his end in the manner which will be related hereafter. Sect. III. Cimon begins to make a Figure at Athens , His Jirjl Atchievement and double ViBory over the Per-' fiansy fiear the River Eurymedon. Death of Themis- TOCLES. (Ji) ^^HE Athenians having loft one of their moil dif- tinguiftied citizens, as well as ableft generals, by the banifliment of Themiftocles, endeavoured to re- trieve that lofs, by beftowing the command of the ar- mies on Cimon, who was not inferior to him in merit. He fpent his youth in fuch exceffes as did him no ho- nour, and prefaged no good with regard to his future condu6l (/). The example of this iiluftrious Athenian^ who paffed his juvenile years in fo diffolute a manner, and afterv/ards rofe to fo exalted a pitch of glory, fliows, that parents muft not always defpair of the happinefs of a fon, when wild and irregular in his youth ; efpecially when nature has endowed him with genius, goodnefs of heart, generous inclinations, and an efteem for perfons of me- rit. Such was the character of Cimon. The ill repu?. tation he had drawn upon himfelf, having prejudiced the people againft him, he at firft was very ill received by them; when being difcou raged by this repulfe, he re- folved to lay afide all thoughts of concerning himfelf with the affairs of the public. But Ariftides perceiving that his diffolute turn of mind was united with many fine qualities, he confoled him, infpired him with hope, pointed out the paths he fhould take, inftilled good prin- ciples into him, and did not a little contribute, by the excellent inllrudions he gave him, and the alFedion he expreffed {p) A. M. 3534, Ant. J. C. 470. Dlod. I. x5. p. 45, Plut. in C^-^^ p. 48;^, 483, ^l) Fliit.i^? Cim p. 480. 28p HISTORY OF THE expreffed for him on all occafions, to make him tlie man- he afterwards appeared. What more important fervice ■could he have done his country ? (?n) Plutarch obferves, that after Cimon had laid afide his juvenile extravagancies, his conduct was in things great and noble ; and that he was not inferior to Milti- ades eithei* in courage or intrepidity, nor to 1 hemiftocles in prudence and fenfe; but that he was more juft and vir* tuous than either of them ; and that without being at all inferior to them in military virtues, he furpaffed them far in the practice of the moral ones. It would be of great advantage to a ftate, if thofe, who excel in profeffions of every kind, would take pleafure, and make it their duty, to faiKion and initruft fuch youths as are remarkable for the pregnancy of their parts and goodnefs of difpofition. They would thereby have an op- portunity of ferving their country even after their death,, and of perpetuating in it, in the perfon of their pupils, a tafte and inclination for true merit, and the practice O'f the w^ifeft maxims. The Athenians, a little after Themiftocles had left his country, having put to fea a fleet under the command of Cimon, the fon of Miltiades, took Eion, on the banks of the Strymon, Amphipolis, and other places of Thrace; , and as this w^as a very fruitful country, Cimon planted a colony in it, and fent ten thoufand Athenians thither for that purpofe. (n) The fate of Eion is of too fingular a kind to be omitted here. Boges * was governor of it under the king of Perfia, and afted with fuch a zeal and fidelity for his fovereign, as have fev/ examples. When befieged by Cimon and the Athenians, it was in his power to have capitulated upon honourable terms, and he might have retired to Afia with his family and all his effeds. How- ever, {tn) Plut. in Cim. p. 481. («) Herod. 1. vii. c. 107. Plut. p. ^%%, * P hit arch calls hivi Butis. Herodotus fee?ns to place this h:/i -'ry un ier JCerxes ; but it is more ^rob»ble^ that it happened wider Artaxerxes hi^ ^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 281 ever, being perfuaded he could not do this with honour, he refolved to die rather than furrender. The city was affaulted with the utmofl: fury, and he defended it with in- credible bravery. Being at laft in the utmoft want of provifions,he threw from the walls into the river Strymon, all the gold and filver in the place ; and caufing fire to be fet to a pile, and having killed his wife, his children, and his whole family, he threw them into the mitift of the flames, and afterwards ruflied into them himfelf. Xerxes could not but admire, and at the fame time bewail, fa furprifing an example of generofity. The heathens, in- deed, might give this name to what is rather favage fe- rocity and barbarity. Cimon made himfelf matter alfo of the ifland of Scyros^ where he found the bones of Thefeus, the fon of ^geus who had fled from Athens to that city, and there ended his days. An oracle had commanded that fearch fliould be made after his bones. Cimon put them on board his galley, adorned them magnificently, and carried them to his native country, near eight hundred years after The* feus had left it. The people received them with the highefl: expreffions of joy ; and to perpetuate the remem-. brance of this event, they founded a difputation or prize for tragic writers, which became very famous and con- tributed exceedingly to the improvement of the drama, by the wonderful emulation it excited among the tragic, poets, whole pieces were reprefented in it. For Sopho- cles having, in his youth, brought his firfl: play on the flage, the archon, or chief magiftrate who prefided at thefe games, obferving there was a fl:rong faftioh among the fpe<3:ators, prevailed with Cimon, and the reil of the generals his colleagues {who u^ere ten in number, and cho- fen out of each tribe), to fit as judges. The prize was adjudged to Sophocles, which fo deeply afflifted ^fchy- lus, who till then had been confidered as the greateft dra- matic poet, that Athens became infupportable 'to him, and he withdrew to Sicily, where he died. (0) The confederates had taken a great number of Barbarian prifoners in Seftus and Byzantium ; and, as, a proof. (0) Plut. in Qim» p. 484.. 282 HISTORY OF THE a proof of the high regard thej had for Cimon, entreated him to diftribute the booty. Accordingly, Cimon placed all the captives (ftark naked) on one fide, and on the other all their riches and fpoils. The allies com.plained of this partition as too unequal ; but Cimon giving them the choice, thej immediately took the riches v^hich had belonged to the Perlians, and left the prifoners for the Athenians. Cimon, therefore, fet out with his portion, and was thought a perfon nowife qualified to fettle the diflribution of prizes : For the allies carried off a great number of chains, necklaces, and bracelets of gold ; a large quantity of rich habits, and fine purple cloaks ; whilfl: the Athenians had only for their ftiare a multitude of human creatures quite naked, and unfit for labour. However, the relations and friends of thefe captives came foon after from Phrygia and Lydia, and purchafed them all at a very high price ; fo that with the monies arifing from the ranfom of them, Cimon had enough to main- tain his fleet four months ; befides a great fum of money which was put into the exchequer, not to mention what he himfelf had for his own fliare. He afterwards ufed to take exceeding pleafure, in relating this adventure to his friends. (^) He made the beft ufe of his riches, as Gorgias the rhetor has happily exprelTed it in few, but ftrong and elegant words. * Cimon ^ fays he, amajfed riches^ only to ufe them ; and he employed them to no other iife^ hut to acquire ejleem and honour. We may here perceive (by the way), what was the fcope and aim of the moft ex- alted aftions of the heathens ; and with what juftice Tertullian defined a pagan, how perfedt foever he might appear, a vain-glorious animal, animal gloried. Ihe gardens and orchards of Cimon were always open, by his order, to the citizens in general ; who were allowed to gather whatever fruits they pleafed. His table was daily covered in a frugal, but polite manner. It was en- tirely . {p) Plut. in Cimon. p 484. Cornel. Nep. in Cim. c. iv. Athen. I. xii. p. 533» PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 283 tirelj different from thofe delicate and fumptuous tables^ to which only a few perfons of great dillindlion are ad- mitted; and which are covered merely to difplay a vain magnificence or elegance of taile Now that of Cimcn was plain, but abundant : and all the poor citizens were received at it without diftindlion. In thus baniflang from his entertainments, whatever had the leaft air of oftentation and luxury, he referved to himfelf an inex- hauftible fund, not only for the expences of his houfe, but for the wants of his friends, his domeftics, and a very great number of citizens; demonftrating, by this condii£t, that he knew much better than rnoft rich men, the true life and value of riches. He was always followed by fome fervants, who were ordered to flip privately fome piece of money into the hands of fuch poor as they met, and to give clothes to thofe who were in want of them. He often buried fuch perfons as had not left; money enough behihd them to de- fray the expences of their funeral ; and what is admirable, and which Plutarch does not fail to obferve, he did not a£l in this manner to gain credit among the people, nor to purchafe their voices j fince we find him, on all occalions, declaring for the contrary faftion, that is, in favour of fuch citizens as w ere moll confiderable for their wealth or authority. (^) Although he faw all the reft of the governors of his time enrich themfelves by the plunder and oppreffion of the public, he was always incorruptible, and his hands were never ftained with extortion, or the fmalleft pre- fent ; and he continued, during his whole life, not only to fpeak, but to ad fpontaneoufly, and without the leaft view of intereft, whatever he thought might be of advan- tage to the commonwealth; Befides a great number of other excellent qualities, Cimon had the fineft fenfe, extraordinary prudence, and a profound knowledge of the genius and chara£lers of men. The allies, beiides the fums of money in which each of them was taxed, were to furnifh a certain num- ber (^) Piut. in Cin?. p. 485, 284 HISTORY OF THE ber of men and fhips. Several among them, who, from the retreat of Xerxes, were ftudioiis of nothing but their cafe, and applied themfelves entirely to tilling and culti- vating their lands, to free themfelves from the toils and dangers of war, chofe to furniflb their quota in money rather than in men, and left the Athenians the care of manning with foldiers and rowers, the fliips they w^ere obliged to furniih. The other generals, who had no forecaft and penetration for the future, gave fuch people fome unealinefs at firft, and were for obliging them to obferve the treaty literally. But Cimon, when in power, a6led in a quite different manner, and fuliered them to enjoy the tranquillity they chofe ; plainly perceiving that the allies, from being warlike in the field, would infenfibly lofe their martial fpirit, and be fit for nothing but huf- bandry and trade ; whilfl the Athenians, by exercifing the oar perpetuall}^, w^ould be more and more inured to hardfliips, and daily increafe in power. What Ci- mon had forefeen happened ; this very people purchafed themfelves mailers at their own expcnce ; fo that they w^ho before had been companions and allies, became in fome meafure the fubjecls and tributaries of the Athe- nians. (r) No Grecian general ever gav€ fo great a blow to the pride and haughtinefs of the Perfian monarch as Cimon. After the Barbarians had been driven out of Greece, he did not give them time to take breath ; but failed immediately after them with a fleet of upwards of two hundred fhips, took their ftrongeft cities, and brought over all their allies ; fo that the king of Perfia had not one foldier left in Afia, from Ionia to Pamphylia. Still purfuing his point, he bravely attacked the enemy's fleet, though much flronger than his own. It lay near the mouth of the river Eurymedon, and confifted of three hundred and fifty fail of iliips, fupported by the land- army on the coaii. It was foon put to flight ; and two hundred fail w^ere taken, befides thofe that were funk. A great (r) Piut. in Cim. p. 485—487. Thucyd. 1. i. p. 66. Diod, 1. xl. P- 45—47. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 285 A great number of the Periians had left their fliips and leaped into the fea, in order to join their land-armj, which lay on the fliore. It was very hazardous to at- tempt a defcent in fight of the enemy, and to lead on troops which were already fatigued by their late battle, againft frefti forces much fuperior in number. However, Cimon finding that the whole army was eager to engage the Bar- barians, thought proper to take advantage of the ardour of the foldiers, who were greatly animated with their firfl: fuccefs. Accordingly, he * landed, and marched them diredly againft the Barbarians, who waited refo- lutely for their coming up, and fuftained the firft onfet with prodigious valour ; however, being at laft obliged to give way, they broke and fled. A great flaughter enfued, and an infinite number of prifoners, and immenfely rich fpoils, were taken. Cimon having in one day gained two vidlories which almoft equalled thofe of Salamin and Plataea, to crown all, failed out to meet a reinforcement of eighty-four Phoenician fliips which were come from Cyprus to join the Perfian fleet, and knew nothing of what had pafled. They were all either taken or funk^ and moft of the foldiers were killed or drowned. Cimon having atchieved fuch glorious exploits, returned In triumph to Athens ; and employed part of the fpoils in fortifying the harbour, and in beautifying the city. The riches which a general amafles in the field, are applied to the nobleft ufes when they are difpofcd of in this manner ; and muft refleft infinitely greater honour upon him, than if he expended them in building magnificent palaces for himfelf which muft one time or other devolve on ftran- gers y whereas works, built for public ufe are his pro- perty, in fome meafure, for ever, and tranfmit his name to the lateft pofterity. (j) It is well knovv^n that fuch embellifl:iments in a city give infinite pleafure to the peo- ple, who are always ftruck with works of this kind 5 and this, (/) Plut. de gerend. rep. p. 8i$. * JVe do notjind that the n?icie7its made ufe of Icng-hoats in making defcent s ; the reafon of nvhich perhaps luasi that as their gallies iverejiat-' hGitomed^ they were irou^ht to Jhore without any dijfculty. HISTORY OF THE this, as Plutarch obferves in the life of Cimon, is one of the fureft, and, at the fame time, the mofl: lawful me« thods of acquiring their friendfliip and efteem. (^) The jear following, this general failed towards the Hellefpont ; and having driven the Perfians out of the Thracian Gherfonefus, of which they had pofleffed them- felves, he conquered it in the name of the Athenians, though he himfelf had more right to it, as Miltiades his father had been its fovereign. He afterwards attacked the people of the iiland of Thafus, who had revolted from the Athenians, and defeated their fleet. Thefe maintained their revolt with an almoft unparalleled obfti- nacy and fury. As if they had been in arms againft the moll: cruel and barbarous enemies, from whom they had the worft of evils to fear, they made a law, that the firft man who fliould only mention the concluding a treaty with the Athenians, fliould be put to death. The fiege w^as carried on three years, during which the inhabitants fuffered all the calamities of war with the fame obfl:i- nacy. (.v) The women were no lefs inflexible than the men ; for the befieged wanting ropes for their military engines, all the women cut oS* their hair in a feeming tranfport ; and when the city was in the utmoft difl:refs by famine, which fwept away a great number of the in*, habitants, Hegetorides the Thafian, deeply afiJifted at feeing fuch multitudes of his fellow-citizens perifli, refo- lutely determined to facrifice his life for the prefervation of his country. Accordingly he put a halter round his neck, and prefenting himfelf to the aflfembly, Country- men," fays he, do with me as you pleafe, and do not fpare me if you judge proper ; but let my death fave the reft of the people, and prevail with you to abo- lifh the cruel law you have enafted, fo contrary to your welfare." The Thafians, ftruck with thefe vv^ords, aboliflied the law, but v/ould not fuffer it to coft fo gene- rous a citizen his life 5 for they furrendered themfelves to 6 the (0 Plut. in Cimon. p. 487. Thucyd. 1. i. p. 66, 67. Died. 1. xi. p. 5 J. (2/) Polyxan. Str. 1. ii. (a) Polycsan. 1. viii. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 287 the Athenians, who fpared their lives, and only difmantled their city. After CImon had landed his troops on the fliore op- pofite to Thrace, he feized on all the gold mines of thofe coafls, and fubdued every part of that country as far as Macedonia. He might have attempted the con qn eft of that kingdom ; and in all probability, could have eafily poffeffed himfelf of part of it, had he improved the oc- cafion. And indeed, for his negleft in this point, at his return to Athens, he was profecuted, as having been bribed by the money of the Macedonians and of Alexan- der their king. But Cimon had a foul fuperior to all temptations of that kind, and proved his innocence in the cleareft light. (j) The conquefts of Cimon ^nd the power of the Athenians, which increafed every day, gave Artaxerxes great uneafinefs. To prevent the confequences of it, he *refolved to fend Themiftocles into Attica, with a great army, and accordingly propofed it to him. Themiftocles was in great perplexity on this occafion. On one fide, the remembrance of the favours the king had heaped upon him ; the pofitive afTurances he had given that monarch to ferve him with the utmoft zeal on all occafions ; the inftances of the king who claimed his promife ; all thefe confiderations would not permit him to refufe the commiffion. On the other fide, the love of his country, which the injuftice and ill treatment of his fellow-citizens could not banifli from his mind ; his ftrong reludlance to fully the glory of his former laurels and mighty atchievements by fo ignominious a ftep ; perhaps too, the fear of being unfuccefsful in a war, in vvhich he fhould be oppofed by excellent generals, and particularly Cimon, who feerned to be as fuccefsful as valiant ; thefe different refledtions w^ouid not fuffer him to declare a- gainft his country in an enter prife, which, whether fuc- cefsful or not, would refled lhame on himfelf. To ( y) A. M. 3538. Ant. J» C. 466. Thucyd. 1 1 p. 9Z. Fluf. in The- mili, p 127. a88 HISTORY OF THE To rid himfelf at once of all thefe inward ftruggles^ he refolved to put * an end to his life, as the only method for him not to be wanting in the dutj he owed his coun- try, nor to the promifes he had made that prince. He^ therefore, prepared a folemn facrifice, to which he invited all his friends ; when, after embracing them all, and tak- ing a laft farewell of them, he drank bulls blood, or, ac- cording to others, fwallowed a dofe of poifon, and died in this manner at Magnelia, aged threefcore and five years, the greateft part of which he had fpent either in the go* vernment of the republic, or the command of the ar- mies, (ss) When the king was told the caufe and man- jier of his death, he efteemed and admired him ftill more, and continued his favour to his friends and domeftics^ But the unexpefted death of Themiftocles proved an ob- ftacle to the defign he meditated of attacking the G-reeks. The Magnefians erefted a fplendid monument to the, memory of that general, in the public fquare, and grant- ed peculiar privileges and honours to his defcendants. They continued to enjoy them in Plutarch's time, that is, near fix hundred years after, and his tomb was ftill ftanding. (^2) Atticus, in the beautiful dialogue of Cicero, intituled Brutus, refutes, in an agreeable and ingenious manner, the tragical end which fome writers afcribe to Themifto- cles, as related above ; pretending that the whole is a fic- tion, invented by rhetoricians, who, on the bare rumour" that this great man had poifoned himfelf, had added all the other particulars to embellifli the ftory, which otherwife would have been very dry and unafFefting. He appeals for this to Thucydides, that judicious hiftorian, who was an Athenian, and almoft contemporary with Themifto- cles. This author indeed owns, that a report had pre- vailed, that this general had poifoned himfelf ; however, his opinion was, that he died a natural death, and that his (2) Cic. de Senec. n. 7a. ] {a) Brut. n. 4^t, 43- * The nvijj^,heathe?i: did not think that a man was olUwd to lay lent hands o/i himfelf. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. ^ '289 Ills friends conveyed his bones fccretly to \thens, where, in (/)) Paufanias's time, his mauiol-juni v/as ftanding near' the 2;reat harbour. This account items much more pro- bable than the other. Themiftocles was ccrtainlj one of the greatcfl men that Greece ever producs.;d. Fie had a great foul, and invin- cible courage, v/hich danger even enflamed ; was fired "di an incredible thirft for giorj, Vvhich fometiir.es his country's love v/ould temper and allay, but which fome- times carried him too far ; ^ his prefence of mind was fuch, that it immediately fuggefled whatever it was mofc noceffary to aft : In fine, he had a fagacity and penetra- tion with regard to futurity, ihat revealed to him, in the clcareft light, the moft fecret defigas of his enemies j pointing out to him at a diilance, the leveral meafures ha fiiould take to difconcert them, and infpired him with great, noble, bold, extenfive viewis with regard to the ho- nour of his country. The moft efiential qualities of the mind were, however, v/anting in him, I mean fincerity, integrity, and fidelity : Nor was he altogether free from- fufpicions of avarice, which is a great biemifli in fuch as are charged with public affairs. (<:) Neverthelefs, a noble fentiment as well as action are related of him, which fpeak a great and difinterefted foul, f His daughter being afiied of him in marriage, he preferred an honeft poor man to a rich one of an indif- ferent charader : and gave for his reafon, Tbat in the choice of ci fon-ifi-law^ he would 77iuch 7^aiher have merit without riches^ than riches without merit. Vol. ill O , Sf,CT. {h^ Lib. i. p. I. Plut. in Themift. p. 12 r. * De inrcantibus, lit a't Thucydidcs, vcriiTmie judicabat, et de futurls , xallidifilmc conjicieb<:t. Co- n. Nep. lu Tbcmi^ . cup. i. t Themidoclcs cum corrfuleretur utrum bono viro paiiperl, an minus probato diviti fiiiam coUocarct Ego fro. inquit malo virum qui pe- CUNIA i^GEAT, qUAM f ZCU^^iAM QV IE. TIRO. dc, clc Ojju . U iu C* Jl, 2go HISTORY OF THE Sect.. IV. The Egyptians nfe againjl Ferjiajupported hy the Athenians. (^/) A BOUT this time the Egyptians, to free themfelves ^ ^ from a foreign yoke which was infupportable to them, revolted from Artaxerxes, and made Inaius, prince of the Ljbians, their king. They demanded aid of the Athenians, who having at that time a fleet of two hundred ftiips at the ifland of Cyprus, accepted the invi-* tation with pleafure, and immediately fet fail for Egypt ; judging this a very favourable opportunity to weaken the powder of the Perfians, by driving them out of fo great a kingdom. {e^ Advice being brought Artaxerxes of this revolt, he raifed an army of three hundred thoufand men, and refol- ved to march in perfon againft the rebels. But his friends advifing him not to venture himfelf in that expedition, he gave the command of it to Achasmenes, one of his bro- thers. The latter being arrived in Egypt, encamped his great army on the banks of tfie Nile. During this inter- val, the Athenians having defeated the Perfian fleet, and either deftroyed or taken fifty of their fliips, they went , again up that river, landed their forces under the com- mand of Charitimis their general ; and having joined Ina- rus and his Egyptians, they charged Achasmenes, and de- feated him in a great battle, in w^hich that Perfian gene- ral and an hundred thoufand of his foldiers w^ere flain. Thofe who efcaped fled to Memphis, whither the conque- rors purfued them, and immediately made themfelves mafters of two quarters of the city : But the Perfians having fortified themfelves in the third, called the %vhite ivall, which was the largeft and ftrongeft of the three, they were befieged in it near three years, during which they made a moft vigorous defence, till they were at laft delivered by the forces fent to their aid. (y^) Artaxerxes hearing of the defeat of his army, and how {d) A.M. 3538. Ant. J. C. 466. 3^— 35- l^iod. 1. xi p. 54—59- (/) A.M. 3546. Ant. J.C\4J8. Thucyd. 1. i. p. 68, • fliould be done Lhe:-i, t . : reflected principally 011 t him. He therefore left the court, and withdrew to Syria, 'k of which he was governor; and his difcontent was fo great, ■V that he raifed an aniiy, and revolted openly. (ji) The king feat Oiiris* who was one of the greatefc lords of the court, againft him with an army of two hun- dred thoiifand men, Megabyfus engaged Oiiris, wounded him, took him priioner, and put his arnij- to night. Ar- taxerxes finding to demand GiiriSj Megabyfus geueroufiy- dilmiiled bill), as foonas his wounds were cured. (0 ) The n ex t ye 7. ; lurn, the commar to Artarius t\\-' K CO 1. T - verxes fer ' v . agai nil: -h he g: . y foii •'Jier, and govLrnor oi Baby]^. /e fortunate than tlK: Mrcr. put to £iglii, and ' -us " as the former. O 3 Art::xerxe3 ?,T 3556. Ant. T, C. 4.-18. Ctef. c- P (^'^' Tiiucyd, 'I ^.nj A. M. 355-. Aat. J. C 447. (^0) A. Pvi.jJjS. Anc, 'ignal a \\ 294 HISTORY OF THE Artaxerxes finding he could not reduce him by force oi arms, fent his brother Artarius and \mjtis his fiftery. wl.o was the wife of Megab^^fus, with feveral other per- fo* s of the firfl quality, to perfuade the latter to return to his allegiance. They fucceeded in their negociation ; the king pardoned him and he returned to court. One day as they were hunting, a lion, railing himfelf on h 3 hinder feet, was going to rufli upon the king, when Megabyfus feeing the danger he was in, and fired with zeal and afieclion for his fovereign, hurled a dart at the lion which killed him. But Artaxerxes, upon pre- tence that he had affronted him, in darting at the lion firft, commanded Megabj-fas's head to be ftruck oiT. Amytis the king's filler, and Ameilris, with the greateft diiHculty prevailed on the king to change the fentence into perpetual banifliment. Megabyfus was therefore fent to Cyrta, a city on the Red- Tea, .and condemned to end his days there ; However, five years after, difguifing himfelf like a leper, he made his efcape and returned to Sufa, where, by the affiftance of his wife and mother-in- law, he was reftored to favour, and continued fo to his death, which happened fome years after, in the feventy- fixth year of his age. Megabyfus was extremely regretted by the king and he whole court. He was a man of the greateft abilities in the kingdom, and at the fame time the .bed general. Artaxerxes owed both his crown and life to him: * But it is of dangerous confequence for a fub- jecV, when his fovtreign is under too many ob'Jg.itions to him. This was the caufe of all the misfortunes of Me- gabyfus. It is furpriSng that fo judicious a prince as A^rtaxerxes fnould have been fo imprudent, as to be fired with j-a- luuTy againfl: a nobleman of his court, merely becaufe in a party of huntiT^g he had wounded the beaft they were puriuing befjre him. Couid any thing be fo weak; and was this placing the point of ho nour in a manner worthy a king ? Nevertheiefs, hiilory funiiflies us with many in- llances * Bf'^eficia eo iifqne iTta funt, dnm v'denMir rxolvi poffe ; ubi muitum antevertcre, pro gratia odium rtdditur. TacU. Annul* i. iv. c. 18. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 295 fiances of this kind. I am apt to believe, from feme ex- preffions of (/>) Plutarch, that Artaxerxes was afhamed of the wild fury to which this falfe delicacy had raifed him, and that he made fome public kind of atonement for it : For, according to this author, he publiflied a decree, importing, that any man who was hunting with the king, Ihould be allowed to throw his javelin firft at the beafr, if opportunity fliould offer; and he, according to Plutarch, was the firfl Perlian monarch who granted fuch a permif- fion. Sect. VI, Artaxfrxfs fends Esdras, and afterwards Nkhemiah, to ferufalem. T) EFORE I proceed in the hiftory of the Perfians and ^ Greeks, I fhall relate, in few words, the feveral th'ngs which happened to the people t)f God, during the firil twenty years of Artaxerxes, which is an effential part of the hiftory of that prince. (^) In the feventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes^ Erdra:^ obtained of the king and his feven counfellors aa a'Tiple commiflion, empowering him to return to Jerufa=- lem with all fuch Jews as would follow him thither, ia order to fettle the Jewiih government and religion agree- ably to their own laws. Kfdras was defcended from Sa- raia; who was high priefl of Jerufalem, when deftroyed \y 7 Nebachodonofor, and was put to death by his com-r mand. Efdras was a very learned and pious man, and was chiefl 7 diftinguilhed from the reft of the jews by his great k 10 vledge in the fcriptures ; it being faid of him,^ {r \ That he w is veri ready in the la%v of Mofes that %vas giv^n h y the Qjd of IfraeL He now fet out from Babylon \v; r i t'le g' ts a i-l offerings which the king, his courtiers, and iUG 1 iiVaelites as had ftaid in Babylon, had put into his hands for taefervice of the temple, and which he gave t'.^ the priefts upon his arrival in Jerufalem. It appears^ by the cjmmiiii:)n which Artaxerxes gave him, that this priiice had a high venerat;ion for the God of Ifrael, as, in O 4 com- (p) \ M. ^s^h ^nt. J. C. 467. Plut. in Apoththem. p. 175- .i. M. Jjj7. Ant. J. (J. 407. X Liaras vii. &c. \^rj i iifdras viii.-' history of the ^_ coriimandiag his officers to fur: " ' - Je%s with all things neceflarj for their v crfb: ::ds, (.f) Let all ; [formed after the t.i\-j cf God diligently^ vnto t . G^.-/, that wrcLth L^mc 7iot upoii'the kingd'jm of the hi. :>:s Jon. This commiffion, as I obferved, c " ■ ■• ■ iiiiii to fettle the rciM'ion and government of t. ^ parfuaiit to the hiw of vlofss ; to appoint ma- giilrates and judges to pnnilh evil doers, not only by im- prifo ■ '"^ ^- -^ons, arid coiil"^-'h- a- their poffciiions; hiit : Lheni into br .t, and evca fen^*. tencing them to aetith, accordiiig to the t. they ihouid commit. Sucl; w^s the novvcr v/ith v« • : .fdias was ia veiled, and which he exercifed faithaiil;/ cur::ig thirteen years, till Nehemiah brought a new conitnimon from the Feriian court. {{) Nehemiah was alio a Tew of chTL^o-nifhcd. merit and pietjy and one of the cup-bcerers to hi-;g \rtaxerxes; This was % very coDuderable employment in the Perfian court, becaufe the privilege anne\ed to h: • of being often near th<^ kh-v-'s neaon;. ar-d of ^ ehowed to fpeak to Ihm in :, . ie vourebl^:, ,e • . i:_.e.-. ever, neither his txaiccd itation, nor the iettiement cl ins family in that land of captivity, could obliterate from his mind the country ot his anceftorSj nor their religion ; Neither his love for the one, nor his zeal for the otkcf^, were abated ; and his h(;viri vv^as iihl in bicn. borne Jews, Vs^ho were come from Jerufalem, having informed him of the fad fiate of that ch.y, that its wails lay in ru hi/ its gates v/ere burnt down, and the inhabitants thereby expofed to the infults of their enemies, and made the Icorn of all their neighbours^, the aiiiifiion of his brethren, and the dangers with which they v/ere mena- ced ; made fuch an imprcffion on his mind, as might naturally be expected from' one of his piety. ( ne day as he was v/aithig upon the king, the latter obferviog an ujiufual air of meia.;choly in Nehemiah's countenance, alkcd him the caufe of it; a proof that this monarch had (s^ I ECdras viil. 25. (0 A. M. 3550. Ant. J. C 45/. c. i. ii. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 297 a tenderncfs of heart rarelj found in kings, and whicli is neverthelefs much more valuable than the moft ihliiln^ qualities. Nehemiah took this opportunitj to acquaint him with the calamiLOUs itate of the country; owned that was the fubjed. of his grief, and humbly entreated that leave might be given him to go to Jerufalern, in order to repair the fortifications of it. The kings of Perfia his predecefibrs had permitted the Jews to rebuild the temple, but not the walls of Jerufalern. But Artaxerxes imme- diately decreed, that the walls and gates of Jem fa] em fliould be rebuilt ; and Nehemiah, as governor of Judea^, was appointed to put this decree in execution. The king, to do him the greater honour, ordered a h^dy of horfe, commanded by a confiderable officer, to efcort him lhi« ther. He iikewife writ to all the governors of the pro- vinces on this fide the Euphrates, to give him all the af- fiftance^pomble in forwarding the work for which lie was lent. This pious Jew executed every part of his coni=« minion with incredible zeal and aftivity. ^ • (i^) It is fi-om this decree, enaaed" by Artaxerxes in the ^twentieth year of his reign, fbr the rebuilding of the wails of Jerufalern, that we date the beginning of the feventy weeks mentioned in the famous pronhecy of Da^ niel, after which the MelBah was to a!:;ijear and be ^^ut to death. ^ I ihall here infert the whole m-opheiy, but with, out giving the explication of it, as It may be fbund in other writers, and is not a part of this liiftory. (x) Thou art greatly beloved, tlierefore underfcand the matter, and coniider the vilion. Seventy weeks " are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy ' City, to^fmilh tiie tranfgreffion, and to make an^end of nns, ana to make reconciliation for iniouity, and to ^] bring m everlafting righteaufnefs, and to leal up the yuion and propliecy, and to anoint the Molt Tloly. - '\ Know, thereibre, and underftand, that from tfs GOING FORIH OF THE COMMAInBMENT TO KE&TORK AND ^ ''10 BUILD Jerusalem, unto the Meiiiah the nrinc^^ " ihall be fevea weeks^ and threeicoix and ^w^o\i4^cks O 5 ''the 298 HISTORY OF THE the flreet fliall be bailt again, and the wall, even iit *' troiiblous times. And after threefcore and two weeks ihall Meffiah be cut olT, hut not for himfelf : and the people of the prince that ftiall come, fhall deftroy the c'^nt and the fanftuary, and the end thereof fliall be \vi h a flood; and unto the end of the war defola- ti >:js are derermuied. And he fhall confirm the co* venp. it with many for one week ; and in the midil of the vvpeh he fhall caufe the facrifice and the obla- tio'i tov. i T", airi for the overfpreading of abpmina- ** t oris, he III Jl make it defolate, even until the coilfum- *' i-iaiio^^, and taat determined fliall be poured upon the folate." (/) When Efdras was in power, as his clfief view was to re - tore religion to i ts ancient puritj, he difpofed the books of fcripture into their proper order, revifed them all very carefully, and colleiled the incidents relating to the people of God in ancient times ; in order to compofe out of them the two books of Chronicles, to wliich he add.-.d the hiftory of his own times, which was finiihed by Nehemiah. It is their books that end the long hiilory v which Mofes had begun, and which the writers who came after them continued in a direct feries, till the re- pairing of Jerufalem. The reil of the facred hiftory is not written in that uninterrupted order, Whiift Efliras and :-ve':;crniah were compiling the latter part of that great work, ilerodotus, whom profane authors call the fatlier'of hifiory, b^gan to write. Thus we find, that the lateft authors of the books of fcripture fiouriiked a- bout the fame time with the firfl authors of the Grecian hiilory ; and when it began, that of God's people, to compute only from Abraham, included already fifteen cen- turies. Herodotus made no mention of the Jews in his liiPiory; for th? Greeks defired to Jie informed of fuch r.ririons only as were famous for their wars, their com- ir erre and i^rr.r^J.jur ; fo that as Judea was then but iufl xifincT from Us ruins, it did not excite the attention of that pecple. O) Blfjop of Manx's Vnivcrjal Hlfior^^^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 299 Sect. VII. CharaBer of Pericles. The Methods em^ ployed by him^ to gain the JffeBion of the People, I Now return to Greece. From the banifliment of Themiftocles, and the death of Ariflides (the exaft time of which is not known}, two citizens, Cimon and Pericles, divided ail credit and authority in Athens. Pe- ricles was much younger than Cimon, and of a quite dif- ferent chara£ler. As he will make a very confiderable figure in the following hiftory, it is of importance to the reader to know who he was, in what manner he had been educated, and his fcheme and method of govern^ meiit. (52) Pericles was defcended by the mother's as well as father's fide, from the greateil and mod illuftrious fami- lies of Athens. His father Xanthippus, who defeated at M 'cale, x\\ t king of Perfia's lieutenants, married Aga- riita, niece to Clyfthenes, who expelled the Pififtratides^, defceiid-t.its of Piiiitiatus the tyrant, and eflabliflied a po- pular government in Athens. Pericles had long prepared himfelf for the defign he formed of engaging in ftate af- fairs. He was brought up under the moft learned men of his age, aa-l pariiculariy Anaxagoras of Clazomene, fur- named the Intell geiit^ from hi:> being the firfl;,. as we are tol-.I, who afcribcd human events, as well as the forma- tion and government of the univeife, not to chance, as fome phiiofophers, nor to a fatal neceffity, but to a fui^e- rior intelligeacr:^, who difpofed and governed all things. With wifdom, Tnis tenet or opinion fubfiited long be- fore his time, but he perhaps fet it in a ftronger light than all others had done, and taught it methodically und from princiivles. Anaxagoras inftru6ted his pupii per- fedly in the part of phiiofophy that relates to nacure, and which is thertTore called ^ phyfics. This ftudy gave 0 6 hiia {%) Piut. in vit. Fericl. p T53 — T36. * T})e ancient u?iat this n dine, co7?i^i iht?i(Ud ^iuhat ive call ph\ fie cn-. inetaphyjics ; thot is, the l.QwleU^c 0/ jpintuul thuigs, as God and Joints J cuid that of bodi&j^ 300 . HISTORY OF THE him flrength and greatnefs of foul Vv^hich raifcd him above an infinite number of vulgar prejudices, and vain practices generally obferved in his time ; and which, in affairs of government and military enterprifes, either dif- concerted often tlie wifeft and mofl: neceflary meafures, o defeated them by fcrupulous delays, authorized and covered with the fpecious veil of religion. Thefe were fometimes dreams or auguries, at other times dreadful phssnomena, as eclipfes of the fun or moon, or elfe omens and prefages ; not to mention the wild chimeras of judiciary aitrology. The knowledge of nature, free from the grovelling and vv^eak fuperliiticns to Vv^hich igno- rance gives birth, infpired him, faj^s Plutarch, with a well-grouhded piety towards the gods, attended with a ftrength of mind that was immoveable, and a calm hope of the blefGngs to be expefted from them. Although he found inilnite eh:.rms in this ftudy, he did not, however, devote himfelf to it as a philofopher, but as a flatefman; and he had fo much power over himfelf (a v^ery ditBcult thing), as to prefcribe himfelf limits in the purfuit of knowledge. But the talent he cultivated with the greatell c:ire, be* caufe he looked upon it as the mofl neceflary iiiih u.i.i,iit to all who are defirous of condufting and governing the - people, was eloquence. And indeed, thofe who pof- iefled this talent, in a free ftate like that of At::ens, were, fure of reig^iing in the afien)blies, engrciiirig fulTrages, determining affairs, and exercifing a kind of ab folate povv'er over the hearts and minds of the people. He, therefore, made this his chief objec-, and the mark to w^iiich ail his" other improvements, as well as the feveral fciences he had learned from Ar»axagoras *, were direfted ; exalting, to borrow Plutarch's expreffion, the ibady of philofophy v/ith the dye of rhetoric ; the nK-jiMiiC-; ('f which is, that Pericles, to embellifii and ad . rii 1;^; dif. courfe, heightened the fhxngth and folidity of icfouiiigj, witli the colouring and graces of eloquence. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. ^ 302 He had no caiife to repent his having beftowed fo much time in this flndj, for his fuccefs far exceeded his utnioft hopes. ^ The poets, his contemporaries, ufed to faj, that his eloquence was fo powerful, thr.t he lightened, thunder- ed, and agitated all Greece, f It had thofe piercing and lively flrokes which reached the iiimoft foul ; and his dif- courfe left always an irreUitible incentive, a kind of fpui' behind it in the minds of his auditors. He had the art of uniting beauty with llrcngth ; and Cicero obferves^ that at the very time he cppofed, v. ifii the greateil tena- cioufnefs, the inclinations and deiires of the Athenians^, he had the art to make even feverity itfelf, and the kind of cruelty with which he fpoke againil: the flatterers of the people, popular. There was no refifting the folidity of his arguments, or the fweetnefs of his v/ords ; whence it was faidj that the goddefs of perfuafion^ with all her graces, relided on his lips. And, indeed, as Thucydides}^ his rival and adverfary, was one day aiked, whether he or Pericles was the bell: vvreiiler : Whenever," faj's he^ " .1 have given him a fall, he afl rms the contrary, in fuch ilrorsg and forcible terms, that he perfuades all tlie fpe£tators that I did not throv/ him, though thej themfelves faw him on the ground." Nor was he lefs pruderit -and reierved than fircng and vehement in his fpeeehes ; and it is related, that he never fpoke in pul:- iic, till after he had befouglit the gods not to fufi'er any expreffion to drop from him, cither iricongruous to his fiibjeii, or ofFenfive to the people. («) Whenever he Vv^ent into the alTembly, beiore he came out of his houfe he ufed to fay to himfelf ; Rcmcmhcr^ Pericles^ that thou art going to fbeah to men horn in the arms oj liberty ; to Greeks^ to Athenians^ The . Pint, in Symp. lib. i. p. 6io. * Ab Aridophane poeta fuleiirare, omnibus ct jiicunclum vldcrcti^r ; tovare, peniiifere Grecian! didlus ell. cujcs in labris vetercs conuci — le- Cic\ hi Ota!:, n. 29. poiem habiiafTe tiixerimr : taiiian:i- \ Qnid Pericles ? De cnjus dl- qi]e vim in eo fuiile, ut in eorum cendi copia fic accepin.us, ut^ cum nientibus, qui auciiiTent, quafi acu- coiiira Vi)Uintatem Athers^eLfium lo- Ifos quofdam reliiiqueret. Lie, lib* queietur pro falute patria;, fi^verius iii, de Orat. //. 138. tarnen id ip^um, quod iile contra po- \ Not the hijtorian>. pulaies homines diceret, populare 302 HISTORY OF THE Th^^ iicirrr^on endeavours wliich Pericles, according to hiil ri i-'C, 'i, in order to impiove his mind in know- led - , p. .d to artain to a perfedlion in eloquence, are an ezccile;it icjTon to fuch perfons as are one day to fill the important ofi^ces of Hate ; and a jufl: cerdure * of thofe, ivh difregarding whatever is called fl;udy and learning, brii.g into thofe emplovments (upon vs^hiich they enter witiiout knowledge or experience^ nothing but a ridicul.. ous felf-fufficiency, and a raOi boldnefs in deciding. (I?) Piucarch, in a treat Ife where he iliows, that it is to ftatef- men, that a phiiofophe^ ought chiefly to attach himfclf preferably to any other' clafs of men ; fbecaufe, in in- iirufling them, he, at the fame time, teaches whole cities and republics), verifies his affertion from the example of the greatefl men both of Greece and Italy, who derived this help from philnfophy. Fericles, of whom we now write, was taught by Anaxagoras ; Dioiiyiius of Syracufe, by Plato ; many princes of Italy^by Pythagoras ; C ^to, the famous cenfor, travelled to the" place where Atheuo- dorus lived, for the fame purpofe ; and, iailly, the famous Scipio, the deftroyer of Carthage, always kept Panctius the philcfopher near his perfon. One of the chief endeavours of Periales, alfo, w^as to ftudy thoroughly the genius and difpoiiti%of the Atheiii- aub, that he might diicover the fecret fprikgs which were to be employed in order to fet them in mc^ip.i ^ and the manner it was proper to aft for acquiringJMheir conti- derce ; f for it was principally in that th^great mea among the ancients ufed to make their Ik^U ^^d poiiiics confift. He found by the reflections he had made on the feveral tranfaftions of his time, that the predominant paffions of this people were,, a violent aveiiiunto tyianny aiid. (b) Plut. m Symp. lib. i p, 777. * Nunc contra plerique a^l houores adfpicerKlos, et ad remp. g'^r<^ndani, tiudi vcniunt et incrn.es, nulla cogni ioix r^rum, iiuila Lici.tia '.'-nan C,c\ lib. iii. (ie Otat. ??., 1 36. f Oiim nocenda vulgi natuia, et ijnihus modis 'empr anttr hubtr rur ; Senati:lque cc optimatiiirii ii:^- nij; qui rr.axiir.t p-ri didi. ciMnf , caiiUi tcrsi'> PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 303 and a ftrong love of liberty, which infpired them with fentiments of fear, jealoufv, and fufpicion, of all fuch ci* tizens as were too confpicuous for their birth, their per- fonal merit, their own credit and authority, or that of their friends. He not only was very like Pififtratus with regr^rd to the fweetnefs of his voice, and fluency of ex- preffion, but he alfo refembled hina very much in the fea-» tures of his face, and his w^hole air and manner ; and he obierved^ that the moft ancient Athenians who had feeu the tyrant, were prodigioufly ftruck at the refemblance. Befides, he was very rich, was defcended from an illuftri- ous family, and had very powerful friends. To prevent^ therefore, his being o blloxi ous to the fufpicion and jea- lou y of the people, he^TTirft fliunned ail affairs of go- vernment, which require a conftant attendance in the ci- ty ; and was folely intent upon diftinguiihing himftli iu w^ar and dangers. Seeing Ariiiides dead, Themiflocles banifhed, and Ci- mon engaged almoil continually in foreign wars, and ab- feut from Greece, he began to appear in public with greater confidence than before, and entirely devoted him- felf to the party of the people, but not out of inclination^^ for he was far from affedling popular power, but to re- move all fufpicions of his afpiring 10 the tyranny, and fliil more, to raife a ftrong bulwark againft the credit and au- thority of Cimon, who had joined with the nobles. At the fame time he quite changed his condudl and way of life ; and aifumed, in all things, the charafter of a ftatefman, wholly bufied in aftairs of government^ anct entirely devoted to the fervice of his country. He was never feen in the ftreets, except when he was going eitner to the aflembly of the people, or to the council, fie left off going to banquets, aflembiies, and other diverfions of that kind which he had ufed to frequent ; and during the many j^ears that he prefided in the adminiftration, he was never ften to go to fupper with his friends, except once at the nuptials of a near relation. 304 HISTORY OF THE («:) He knew that the people, who are naturally fickle and inconftant, comtnonlj increafe their difregarcl for thofe who are always in their fight ; and that too ftrong a defire to pleafe them, grows at laft tirefome and importunate ; and it was obferved that fuch a behaviour did Themiftocles great prejudice. To avoid this error^ be ufed to go very rarely to the affemblies ; and never ap- peared before the people but at intervals, in order to make himfelf defired ; and to preferve fuch an afcendant over their minds as might be always new, and not worn aiiu. in a manner withered by an over-great affiduity, wifely re- fer ving himfelf for great and important occaiions. (^) Hence it was faid that he imitated Jupiter, who, in the governmei-'t of the world, according to fome philofophers, bulled himfelf in great events only, and left the direction of thofe of Icfs importance to fubaltern deities. And in- deed, Pericles ufed to tranfaft all jDetty alTairs by his friends, and by certain orators that were entirely devoted to him, among whom was E-phialtes. (^e ) Pericles employed his whole indiiflry and applica- tion to gain the favour and eReem of the people, in or- der to counterbalance tlie fame and credit of Cimon. However, he could not equal the magnificence and libe- rality of his rival, whole immenfe riches gave him an opportunity of bellowing fuch largcffes as appear to us a noft incredible; fo much they diiTer from our behaviour i i that r f, ecf . Findrag it impofilble for him to rival C riion in tnis particular, he had recourfe to another ex- pedient ; in order to gain the love of the populace), no- lefs effeftual, jjcrhaps, but certainly not fo lav/fui and honourable. He was the firft who divided the conquered ^ lands ajaong the citizens ; vdio diftributed among them the public revenues for tine expcnce of their games and ' lho\vs, and annexed penlions to all public employments ; fo . (r) Plut. <^e f i laude p .141. (i) Plut. de ger rep. p. 8ri- - f^j Plii in ericl p 156. * nia oftrd -ITidiiiras, Servi, nefcis qiiantiuTi interdiim afferat hominl- Kus iaRici i, q a. tura laiieiutis Utrique noftrun\ dciiderium nihil ob- fuiilet. L.c.^'^o Mar. n» %1. s- PEilSIANS AND GHEGIANS. 305 fo tliat certaia fums were beftovved on them regularly, as well to gratify them at the games, as for tlieir prefcnce in the courts oLjuilice, and the public aHemblies. It is impoflible to fay, how fatal thefe rrhr-i;^' rolir'rs Vvcre to the republic, and the many l\ ; ^ - J were attended. For thele new reguiatic:.:;, beliJes iheir draining the public treafurv, gave the people a luxurious and difiblute turn of mind ; whereas they before were fober and modefl, ar.d contented themfelves yyith getting a livelihood by their fweat and labour. By * fuch arts as thefe Pericles had gained fo great an afcendant over the minds of the people, that he may be laid to have attained a monarchical po;vcr under a repub- lican -form of government ; moiilding the citizens into what iLape he pleafed> and prehdii.g v/ith unliniited au- thority ia all their ailemblles. And, indeed, Valerius Maximus makes icarce any other diltbrence between Piii^ flratus and Pericles, except that the one cxercifed a ty- rannical power by force of arms, and the other by the flirength of his eloquence, in which he had made a very g r e a t p r og r efs under An ax ago r as . This credit and authority, however enormous, could not yet reftrain the comic writers from lafliing him very feverely iji the theatres ; and it does not appear that any* cf the poets v/ho cenfured Pericles with fomiich boldnefs^ were ever punillied, or even called to account for it by tlie people. Perhaps it v/as out of prudence and policy that he did not attempt to curb this licentioufnefs of the ftage ; nor to lilence the poets, that he might amufe and content the people by this vain flriadow of liberty, and prevent their difcovering that they really were cnlhtved. (/) But Pericles did not flop here. He boldly refolved, if poiTible, to weaken the authority of the tribunal of the Areopagus^ (/) I'lut. in Perlcl. p. 157. In Cim. p 488. * Pericles feiicimmis natur.-c incrcmentis, fub Aj.'axp.gora pr:ercptore fumr^io ftr.dio perpolitu* et inilriichis, iibcris Athenaruni c^T''[cibu> j: gam ii-r • ' • ■[ : cj^it cnim iile uibens tt vtrravit arbitrio iuo Qnjd ii • r.^r'clvrm interruit n;i^ quod dk annutus, hit. iint armis^ ?>; 'uit ■ ;^ / 1. viii, c. 3o6 HISTORY OF THE Areopagus, of which he was not a member, becaufe he had never been eleded either * Archon, Thefmotheta, king of the facrifices, nor Polemarch. Thefe were dif- ! ferent employments in the republic, which, from time immemorial, had been given by lot ; and none but thofe who had behaved uprightly in them, were allowed a feat m the Areopagus. Pericles, taking advantage of Ciaioii's abfence, fet Ephialtes, who was his creature, at work clandellinely ; and at laft leiTened the power of that illuf- trious body, in which the chief . ftrength of the nobility confided. The people, emboldened and fapported by fo powerful a faftion, fub verted all the fundamental laws and ancient cuftoms ; took from the fenate of the Areo- pagus, the cognizance of moft caufes that ufed to be brought before it, leaving it very few, and fuch only as were of little confequence, and made themfelves abfolute mafters of all the tribunals. Cimon, being returned to Athens, was afHi£led to fee the dignity of the f v.-tj traiupled under foot, and there- fore fet every e:i \vj^ at work to reftore it to its prifline authority, a.iJ lo revive t'jj ariilocracy, in the fame iorm as it had be^ n eit.^biiilicd uader Giifthenes. Bat now his e .eaiies begaa to exclaim and ex:ite tlie people againil hi::i ; r~pr:;:ic!:--ig hirf), a.iiong many other things, for his ftroug .iv achaient to the Lacedemonians. Cunoa had himfdf givea foiae room for this reproach, by his not payiag fu^ticient regard to the Athenian del cacy : For in fpeaking to them, he wo ihl lor ever extol Lacedemo- nia ; and Vv^Iieaever he ce fured their conduft o i a iy oc- caGo j, he ufea to cry, ^Tbe '^partan^ do not aB in this manner. Such expreifions as thef^, drew upoa liim the envy and hatied of nis fellow citizens ; but a.i event in v/hich he, nevert^ielef-, had no ihare, made him the cb- jedt of their ucmoll detellation. Stct, * Jfter fo?ne changes had been made in r^-e form of the Afheiiid'' ^o- fvernment^ the fiip> erne authority 4vas at laft invejli'd in ni ic ni.;^^ jtrans^ failed li chnns. and hi/ted hut o-ne yea-\ On.-? (ailed '\;-a,', anoi . >• f^o^ Icmarchusy a third Ayr:, .■//. an / this ni.iy;iilra- 1 '.'a p>-'.p^r,y at the head of\he rqt, '.n-i ,. ave hi: a ime i the -ar ; and Jix ThefniQlhetce^ iwo pre-^ jided immediately ever tba la ws and decrees. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 507 Sect. VIII. An Earthquake in Sparta. ' InfiirreBion of the Helots, Seeds of Divifion arife between the Athenians and Spartans. Cimon is fnt into Banifi* ment. (^) T N the fourth year of the reign of Archidamus^ ^ there happened the mofh dreadful earthquake in Sparta tliat had ever been known. In feveral places the country was entirely fwallowed up j Taygetus and other mountains were ftiaken to their foundations ; many of their fummits being torn away, came tumbling down ; and the w^hole city was laid in ruins, five houfes only excepted. To heighten the calamity, the Helots, who were flaves to the Lacedemonians, looking upon this as a favourable opportunity to recover their liberty, flew up and down every part of the city, to murder fuch as had efcaped the earthquake : But finding them under arms, and drawn up in order of battle, by the prudent forefight of Archidamus, who had aflembled them round him, they retired into the neighbouring cities, and commenced that very day open war, having entered into an alliance with feveral of the neighboLiring iiaticr-s, snd beinf^ ftrengtheaed by the iV^eilinians, who at that time were engaged in a war with the Spartans. The Lacedemoni.a is in this extremity fent to Athens to implore fuccours ; but this was oppofed by Ephialtes who declared that it would be no vv^ay advifable to airill them, nor to rebuild a city that v/as tlia nval of Athens, wliich, he faid, ought to be left in its ruins, aiid the prida ^ of Sparf^ thereby humbled for ever. But Cimon being ftruck wath honor at thefe politics, did not hefitate a moment to prefer the welfare of the Lacedemonians to thj aggrandizing of his country; declaring in the Itro: g- eft terms that it was abfolutely weak and inconfiftent, to leave Greece lame of one of its legs^ and Athetis without a countetpoife ; the people tame irito his opinion, and ac- cordingly a fuccour was voted. Sparta and Athens might indeed (^) A. M, 3534. Ant. J. C. 470. Plut. in Cimon. p. 48S, 489, Sc8 HISTORY OF TRE ^ndeed bo confidcred as the two limbs on which Greece ftood ; fo that if one of them was deilro jed, the rei: Wv3re inevitably crippled. It is dk> cert?.in, that the A- thenians were fo ehite v-''-^^ f ---ndcur, and were be- come fo proud and e they wanted a curb ; for which none was £'j proper ai ^p;irta, ■ tc being the only one that was capable of beia;^ a j. :.._::rpoi[e to the headftrong difpoiition of the Atlicaians. Cinioa there- ibre marched to the aid of the Laeed^imonians with four tlioufand men. We have here an example of the pro liaicus influence which a man of fine talents and abilities has in a ftate, whja a r;rcat fund of merit unites in his perfon, with a wcU clhiolhacd 7 '-i for probity, dinr: ricreil-dnefs, ^r-^. 7/-.-1 for the i,-'-^^ - - i^is country. Cimen, Tvhh very I ..iculty, prevails fc far as to infpire the Athenians V le and magnanimoas fentiments, which in outward r . ee interfered w^:r. taeh* iatereil ; and this in fpite o: the fii^Tc^edions of ' eafv, which never fails Vo ihow itielF in the i:...^. .....::..^e manner on thele coca- lieas. By the aieendant and authority which his virtue gives him, he raifes them above the grovelling and unjuil (thGngii too common) poll Lical views, that prompt a peo^ pie to confider the calamities of their neighbours as an advantage, which the intereft of their own country per- rsiits, and even enjoins them to lay hold of. The coun- fels of Cimon were perfeftly wife and equitable ; but it is furprrfiQg, how lie could prevail fo far as to make a v.diole people approve them, fjnce this is all that could be expected from an ailcnnbly of the Vv^ifeft and gravcft fe- nators. (.'!') Some time after, the Lacedemonians again im- plored the aid of the Athenians agamft the Meffenians and Hel 'ts, vvdio had feized upon Ithoma. But thefe forces being arrived under the command of Cimon, the Spartajis b-gai\ to dread their intrep'dit\% their povv^er, ^nd gV'-at fam-e ; fo that they drronted them-fo fiir, as to fend them back, upon the fufpicion of their haiboari;5g ill (10 Plut. in Cim. Thucyd. l i. p. 0;, 6? PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 309 ill defignc., and of intending to turn their arms ngaiuft til cm. The Athenians being returned full of anger and refent- inent, they declared themfelves, from that very day, ene- mies to all who Ihould favour the Lacedemonian intereft ; for which reafon they banifiied Cimon by the oilracifm, the firft opportunity that prefented itfelf for that pnrpofe. This is the firft time that the mifunderftanding between thefe two nations, which afterwards augmented through mutual difcontent, difplayed itfelf in fo ftrong a manner. It vv^as neverthelefs fufpended for fome years, by truces and treaties, which prevented its confequences ; but it at laft broke out in the moll violent manner in the Pelopon^ nefian war. Thofe w^ho had fluit themfelves up in Ithoma, after making a ten years defence in it, furrendered at laft to the Lacedemonians, who gave them their lives upon con- dition that they fliould never return to Peloponnefus. The Athenians, to exafperate the Lacedemonians, received them w^ith their wives and children, and fettled them in Naupailus, of which they had jufl before poffeiTed them- felves. (/) The inhabitants of Megara at the fame time v/ent over from the Spartans to the Athenians. In this manner feveral leagues were concluded on both fides, and many battles • ere fought, the m^oft famous of which was that of Tanagra in Ba30tia, v/hich Diodorus equals v/ith thofe of Marathon and Platasa, and in which Mironides the Athenian general defeated the Spartans, who came to the aid^of the Thebans'. (i) it was on this occafion that Cimon, thinking him- felf difpenfed from his prefcription, repaired with fome foldiers to his tribe to ferve his country, and to fight in the A thenian army againfc the Lacedemonians : But his enemies caufed him to be ordered to retire* However, before he went away, he exhorted his companions, who v/ere no lefs fufpecled than himfelf of favouring the Lace- demonians, to exert themfelves to the utmoft, and fight vvith (z) \. M. 3j4S. Ant. J C. 456. Thucyd. 1. i. p. 69, 71. Ckd. I V' 5^J—()S' {f^) Plut, in Cim. p. 489. 31© HISTORY OF THE ^ith the greatell courage, to prove their innocence ; and if poffible, to eiFace from the minds of the citizens, a fuf- -picion fo injurious to them all. Accordingly, thofe brave foldiers, who were an hundred in number, fired by his -words, demanded his whole armour of him, which they placed in the centre of their little battalion, in order to have him in a manner prefent and before their eyes. They fought with fo much valour and fury, that they were all cut to pieces, to the great regret of the Athenians, w^ho deeply repented their having accufed them fo unjuftly. I omit feveral events of little importance. Sect. IX. Cimon is recalled. He ejlahlijijes Peace he-- tween the two Cities. He gains feveral ViBories^ which reduce Artaxerxes to the NeceJJity of coftcluding a T^reaty highly honourable to the Greeks. Cimon's Death. (/) 'TPHE Athenians perceiving the great occafion they had for Cimon, they recalled him from banifti- ment, in which he had fpent five years. It was Pericles himfelf who propofed and drew up that decree ; fo mo- derate in thofe times, fays Plutarch, were feuds and ani- mofities, and fo eafy to be appeafed, when the welfare of their country required it ; and fo happily did ambition, which is one of the ftrongeft and moft lively paffions, yield to the neceffity of the times, and comply with the occafions of the public. {m) The inftant Cimon returned, he ftifled the fparks of v/ar which were going to break out amongft the Greeks, reconciled the two cities, and prevailed with^ them to conclude a truce for five years. And to prevent the Athenians, who were grown haughty in efFeci of the many vi£lories they had gained, from having an oppor- tunity, or harbouring a defign to attack their neighbours and allies, he thought it advifable to lead them at a great dillance from home againft the common enemy ; thus eudea- (/) Plut. in CiiTi. p.- 490. {7ri) A» M, 3554. Ann J. C, 45'^- VIvl^. iir Cim. p. 490* Diod. 1, xii. p. 73, 74. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 311 endeavouring, in an honourable way, to inure the citizens to war, and enrich them at the fame time. Accordingly, he put to fea with a fleet of two hundred fail. He fent fixtj of thefe into Egypt to the aid of Amyrteus, and himfelf failed with the relL againft the ifland of Cyprus. Artabazus was at that time in thofe feas with a fleet of three hundred fail ; and Megabyfus, the other general of Artaxerxes, with an army of three hundred thoufand men, on the coafl of Cilicia. As foon as the fquadron Vs'hich Cimon fent into Egypt had joined his fleet, he failed and attacked Artabazus, and took an hundred of his fliips. He funk many of them, and chafed the reft as far as the coafts of Phoenicia. But, as if this viftory had been only a prelude to a fecond, he made a defcent on Cilicia in his return, attacked Megabyfus, defeated him, and cut to pieces a prodigious number of his troops. He afterwards returned to Cyprus with this double triumph, and laid fiege to Citium, a ftrong city of very great im- portance. His defign, after he had reduced that ifland, was to fail for Egypt, and again embroil the aflfairs of the Barbarians ; for he had very extenfive views, and medi- tated no lefs a profpeft than that of the entire fubverfion of the mighty empire of Perfia. The rumours which pre- vailed, that Themiilocles was to command againft him, added frefli fire to his courage ; and abnoft aflTured of fuc- cefs, he was infinitely pleafed with the occafion of try- ing his abilities with thofe of that general. But we have already feen that Themiftocles laid violent hands on him- felf about this time. (n) Artaxerxes, tired with a war in which he had fuf- tained fuch great loffes, refoived, with the advice of his council, to put an end to it. Accordingly, he fent orders to his generals to conclude a peace with the Athenians, Upon the moft advantageous conditions they could. Me- gabyfus and Artabazus fent ambaffadors to- Athens to propofe an accommodation. Plenipotentiaries were cho- fcn on both fides^ and Callias was at the head of thofe -oj Athens. The conditions of the treaty were as fol- low ; hi) Diod. p. 74, 15^ 312 HISTORY OF THE low: I. Th?»t all the Grecian cities of Afia ilioald en- joy tlieir liberty, with fuch laws and forms of govern- ment as they fnould think fit to choofe. 2. That no Per- lian ihip of v/ar Ihould be allowed to enter the feas be- tween the Cyanean and Chelidonian iflands, that is, from; the Euxine fea to the coafis of Pamphilia. 3. That no Periian general Ihould marcli any troops within three days march of thofe feas. 4. That the Athenians ftiould not invade any part of the doaiinions of the king of Perfia. Thefe articles being ratified by both parties, peace was proclaimed. (0) Thus ended this war, which, from the burning of Sardis by the Athenians, had lafted fifty-one years com- plete, and in which infinite numbers of Perfians as well as Greeks had perifned. (p) Whilft this treaty was ncgociating, CImon died, either of ficknefs, or of a wound he had received at the liege of Citium. When he was near his end, he com- manded his officers to fail with the fleet immediately for Athens, and to conceal his death with the vitmoft care. Accordingly, this vvas executed with fo much fccrecy^ that neither the enemy nor the allies once fufpecled it ; and they returned fafe to Athens, ftill under the conduft and aufpices of Cimon, though he had been dead above thirty days. Cimon v/as univerfally regretted ^, w^hich is no won-« der, fince he was poiTeiled of all thofe qualities that dig- nify the foul ; the moft tender fan, a faithful friend, zeal- ous for the good of his country ; a great politician ; an cccompliilied general ; rnodeft: when raifcd to the highefl employments and moft diilinguiflied honours; liberal and beneficent almoft to profufion ; iimple and averfe to oftentation of every kind, even in the midft of riches and abundance ; in fine, fo great a lover of the poor citizens, as to (hare his whole eilate with them, without being alhamed of fuch companions of his fortune. Hiftory mentinos (0) A.. M 3555. Ant. J C. 449. (/O'Pliit. inCIni p. a^)1. * Sic fe gerendo, mininic eft mirandum^ fi & vita ejus fuit f.cura, «Sc tiOn acerba. Corn, Ncp, in. Can. cap. iv. ' PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 313 mentions no llatues or monuments erefted to his memory, nor any magnificent obfequies celebrated after his death : Bat tlie greateft honour that could be paid him, was the fighs and tears of the people; * thefe were permanent and lafliing ftatues, which are not obnoxious to the inclemen- cies of weather, or the injuries of time, and endear the memory of the good and virtuous to the remoteil ages. For the moft fplendid Maufolaeums, the works* of brafs and marble that are railed in honour of wicked great men, are defpifed by pofterity, as fepulchres which enclofe no- thing but vile dufl and putrefaction, \Vhat followed proved more ftrongly the lofs which Greece had fuftained by his death ; for Cimon v/as the laft of all the Grecian generals who did any thing con- liderable or glorious againft the Barbarians. Excited by the orators, who gained the ftrongeil afcendant over the minds of the people, and fowed the feeds of divifion int their public aflemblies, they turned their animolity a- gainft each other, znd at lafh proceeded to open war, the fatal confequences of which no one endeavoured to pre- vent ; a circumltance that -was of great advantage to the king of Perlia, and the utmoft prejudice to the affairs of (jreece. Sect. X, Thucydides is oppofed to Pericles, "ih^ Envy raifed againft the latter. He clears himfelf^ and prevails to have Thucydides hanijhed, (?) T^HE nobles of Athens, feeing Pericles raifed to the higheft degree of power, and far above ail the reft of the citizens, refolved to oppofe him with a man, who, in fome meafure, might make head againft him, and prevent his great authority from growing up to mo- narchy. Accordingly, they oppofed him with Thucydides, Cimon's brother-in-law, a man who had difplayed his Vol. III. P ' \vifdom {h) Plut. j*n Penc. p. ^ * Ha: pulcherrimsi effigies & manfurae. *Nam, quae faxo ftruuntur, fi 'iudicium poilerorum in cdium vcrtit, pro fepulchris fptirnuntur. ^uqU. 3T4 HISTORY OF THE wifdom on numberlefs occafions. ^ He indeed did net pof- fcfs the military talents in fo eminent a degree as Pcn^i- cles ; but then he had as great an influence over the peo- ple /pnaplng their opinions, and diredlmg their affemblies as he pleafed: and as he never ftirred out of the city, but continuallj combated Pericles in al) his defigns, he foon reftored things to an equilibrium. On the other fide, Pericles was felicitous of pleafi.ig the people on all occafions, and flackened the rein more than ever ; en- tertaining them as often as pofilbie with iliows, feftivals, games, and other diverfions. He found means to maintain, during eight months m the year, a great number of poor citizens, by putting them on board a fleet, confiding of threeicore fiiips, which he fitted out every year ; and thereby did his country an important fervice, by training up a great number of fea- men for its defence.' He alfo planted feveral colonies m Cherfonefus, in Naxos, in Andros, and among the Bifalt^ in Thrace. There was a very noble one m Italy, of which we {hall foon have occafion to fpeak,and which.built Thurium. Pericles had different views in fettlmg thoie colonies, befides the particular defign he might have o£ sainincT the affedions of the people by that means. His chief motives were, to clear the city of a great number of idle perfons who were ever ready to dlllurb the govern- ment ; to relieve the wants of the lowed clafs of people^ who before were unable to fubfiil themfelves ; m fine, t3 awe the allies, by fettling native Athenians among them as fo many garrifons, which might prevent their engaging in any meafures contrary to the intereft of that people. The Romans aded in the fame manner; and it may be f.id that fo wife a policy was one of the moft efteaual methods ufed by them to fecure the tranquillity of the Hate But the circumftance which did Pericles the greateft honour in the fenfe of the people, was his adorning the city with magnificent edifices and other works, which railed the admiration and aftonifhment of all foreigners, and gave them a mighty idea of the power oi the Atne- PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 315 fiians. It is furpriling that, in fo fliort fpace, fo many works of architedure, fculpture, engraving, and paintinp-, fnould be performed, and at tlie fame tmie be caaried to the higheft peri^dion : for it is generally founds that edifices^ raifed in halle, boaft neither a folid and durable graced nor the regularity required in works of an exquifitely beautiful kind. Commooiy, nothing but length of time joined to aiiiduous labour, can give them fuch a ftrength as may preferve, aiid make them triumph over ages ; and this raifes our wo .der Hill more in regard to the works of Pericles, which were finiilied with fo much rapidity, and hov/ever fubfiited through fo great a length of time. For each of thofe v/orks, the very inftaat it was finiilied^ had the beauty of an antique ; and at this time, L e\ above five hu..dred years after, fays Plutarch, they retain, a frelhnets and you h as if juft come cut of the artill's' hands ; fo happily do they preferve the graces and charnis of novelty, which will not fuiicr time to diminiih their luftre ; as if an ever blooming fpirit, and a foul ex^ empt from age, were dilFufed into every part of thole w^orks. But that circumfiance which excited the admiration of the whole world, raifed the jealoufy of the people againft Pericles. His enemies were for ever crying aloud in the affembiies, that it was diinonoufable to the Athenians, to appropriate to themfdves the bank of all Greece, which he had fent for from Delos, where it had been depofited ^ that the allies muft neceffarily conluier fuch an attempt as a manifefc tyranny, when they found that the fums which had been e3:torted from them, upon pretence of their being employ ed in the xvar, were laid out by the Athe- nians in gilding and einbellifhing their city, in makii^ magnificent ftatues, and raifing temples that co^i millions, iheydidnot amplify on thefe occaiion . , for only the temple of Minerva, called the Parlhenone, had coft three •rniilions of livres Pericles, on the contrary, remonflrated to the Atheni- ans, that they were not obliged to. give the allies an e,c. ^ ^ count 3i5 HISTORY OF THE count of the monies they had received from them ; that it was enough thej defended them from, and repulfed, the Barbarians, whilft the allies furnillied neither foldiers, hories, nor fnips ; and were excufed for fome funis of money, which, from the inftant they were paid in, were no longer the property of the donors, but of thofe who received them ; provided they performed the conditions r.greed upon, and in confideration of which they -were received. He added, that as the Athenians were fufFici- ently provided with all things neceffary for* war, it was but jafi, that they fhould employ the reii of their riches in edifices and other works, which, when finiflied, would ^ive imir^ortal glory to the city; and, the whole time they were carrying on, difFufed a plenty of all things, and gave bread to an infinite number of citizens : that they them- felves had all kinds of materials, as timber, ftone, brafs, ivory, gold, ebony, and cyprefs wood ; and all forts of ^artificers capable of working them, as carpenters, mafons, Kiiiths, ftonecutters, dyers, goldfmiths ; artificers in e- bony, painters, embroiderers, and turners ; men fit to condu£l their naval affairs, as merchants, failors, and ex- perienced pilots ; others for land-carriage, as cartwrights, v/aggoners, carters, ropemakers, pavers, &c. That it was for the advantage of tlie ftate to employ thefe dif- ferent artificers and workmen, who, as fo many feparate bodies, formed, v/lien united, a kind of peaceable and do- meltic army, wdiofe diilercnt fun6lions and employments diilafcd gain and increafe throughout all fexes and ages : laRly, that whiill men of robuft bodies, and of an age fit to bear arms, Vv'hetlier foldiers or mariners^ and thofe who were in the diiieient garrilbns, Vv^ere fupported v/ith the public monies, it v/as butjiifl, that the red: of the people who lived in the city fi.ould alfo be maintained in their way; and that as all were members of the fame re- public, they all iliould reap the fame advantages, bj'^ do- ing it ier vices, which though of a different kind, did, however, all contribute to its fecuVity or ornament. One day as the debates w^ere growing warm, Pericles offered to defray the exjience of all thefc things, provided it PERSIANS AND GRECIANS, 317 Hiouid be declared in the public infcription?, that be caly had been at the charge of them. At thefe words, the poople, either admiring liis magnanimity, or fired with emulaticri, and determined not to let hun engrofs that glory, cried with one voice, that he might take out of the public treafurj all the iiims neceuary for his pur- pofe. Fliidlas, the celebrated fcufptor, prefided over all thefe works as diredlor general. It v^.'a.s he who particularly call the gold and ivory ilatue reprefenting Pallas, Vv^hich wa-v fo highly valued by all the judges of antiquity. Ti-ere arofe an incredible ardour and emulation among the feveral artiiicers, who all ftrove to excel each otherj, and immortalize their names by mafterpieces of art. The odeon, or muiic-theatre, which had a great num- ber of feats and coltimns within it, and Vv^hofe roof grew narrower by degrees, and terminated in a point, was built, as hiilory informs us, after the model of king Xerxes's tent, accordiug to the direflion of Pericles. It Vvas at that time he propofed, with great warmth, a decree by which it w^as ordained, that mufical games fhould be cele- brated on the feftival called Panathensea ; and having been chofen the judge and diftributor of the prizes, he regulated the manner in which muficians Ihouid play on the flute and the lyre, as well as fing. From that time^ the muiical gam.es were alvv'ays exhibited in this theatre. I have already taken notice, that the more the beauty and fplendor of thefe works v/ere admired, the greater en- vy and clamour were raifed againft Pericles. The orators of the oppoiitc faftion were eternally exclaiming againll him, end tearing his charafter to pieces ; accufmg him of fquandering the public monies, and laying out very un- feafo.r.ibly the revenues of the fcate in edifices, wliofe magniHcence was of no ufe. At laft, the rupture between him and Thucydides rofe to fuch a height, that one or P 3 other * Non Minerva Athcnis fadse amplitudiae utemur, cum ea fit cuhl^ torum xxvf. Ebore hxc et auro confhu. Fli/i, I. xxxvi. r. 5. '2 /jis • ?//£' 'Xw.Ij' l-.^.'e;i: y-jix C Libit S ill he-^ht» 3i8 HISTORY OF THE other of tliem muft neceffarlly be banifhed by the oflra- cifm. He got the better of Thucydides ; prevailed to have him banifned ; crufhed by that means the faftion which oppofed him, and obtained a defpotic authority over the city and government of Athens. He now dif- pofed at pleafure of the public monies, troops, and fliips. I'he iflands and fea were fubieft to him ; and he reigned iingly and alone in that w^de domam, which extended, not only over the Greeks, but the Barbarians a'fo, and which was cemented and ftren^thened by the obedience and fidelity of the conquered nations, by the frie'idihip of kingSj and treaties concluded with various princes. Hiilorians expatiate greatly on the magnificent edifices %md other works v/ith v/bich Pericles adorned Athens, and I have relat'-d faithfully their tefiimony ; but 1 can- not fay v^hether the complaiiits and murmurs raifed againfl him were very ill grounded. And. ir.deed, v/as it jiift in him to expend in fuperfluous buildings, and vain decorations^ the im.nenfe * fums intended for carrying on the war ; and would it not have been better to have eafed the allies of part of the contributions, which, in Pericles's adminiilration, were raifed to a third part more than before ? According to Cicero, (r) fuch edifices and other works only are worthy of admiration, as are of ufe to the public, as aqueducts, city- walls, citadels, arfenals, fea-ports ^ and to thefe we muil add, the work m.ade by Pericles, to join Athens to the port of Pir^us. But Ci- cero obferves at the fame time, that Pericles was blam- ed for fquandering away the public treafure, merely to embelliili the city with fuperfluous ornaments, (j) Pla- to, who formed a judgment of thmgs, not from their out- ward fplendor, but from truth, obferves (after his mailer Socrates) that Pericles, with all his grand edifices and ether work, had not improved the mind of one of the citizens (/ ) Ub ii. Cmc. r. Co. (0 hi Georg. p. 515. la -^^h'ib. c. i\ p. 159. '* T.jcy ar.iountecl to itpiiarJs of tc7iinillkr:s Yrs?ich money PEPvST ANS \ND GRECIANS, 319 citizens in virtue, but rather corrupted the purity and fuiiplicitj of their ancieiU manners. Sect. XT. Pericles cha?i es his CnnduEt wi:h 7'e:^rird to the People, his prodigious Authority, lAs Diyin-' terejledficjs* it) tTZHEN Perkl s faw < hi nfelf invefled with the whole authontv% hi: bjga i to change his belie- viour. He was not fo ui Id a d trncdable as before, nor did he fubniit or abdndp-i hi.nfeh' any loiiger to the whims and caprice of the people, as fo ma^iy winds ; bat draw- ing iu, fays Plutarch, the reins of tiiis tv)o loofc, popular government, in the lame manner as we fcre^v up the firings of an inftrunient when too fl^ck, he changed it into an ariftocracv, or rather a kind of monarchy, without departing, however, from the publ*c good. Chooiing al- ways what was moll expedient, and becoming irreproach- able in all things, he gained fo mighty an afcendarit over the minds of the people, that he turned a :d dire£led them at pleafure. Sometim.es, by his bare counfel, and by perfuafive methods, he v/ould win them over gently to his will, and gain their affent fpontaneoufly ; at other times, when he found them obflinate, he would in a man- ner drag them forward againfl; their will, to thofe things w^hich were for their good ; imitating on this occafion a fKilful phj^fician, who, in a tedious and flubborn difeafe, knows Vv'hat times are proper for him to indulge his pa- tient in inrtocent medicaments that are pleaiing ; in order after to adminider thofe of a flrong and violent nature, which indeed put him to pain, but are alone capable of reftoring his health. And, indeed, it is manifeil that the utmofl ikill and abilities were' required, to manage and govern a populace, haughty from their power and exceedingly capricious ; and on this occafion Pericles fucceeded wonderfully. He ' ufed to employ, according to the diiferent fituation of things, fometimes hope, and at other times fear, as a P 4 double (0 Fliit. in Pericl. p. i6i. 320 HISTORY OF THE double helm, either to check the wild tranfports and fcarts of the people, or to raife them when dejedted and def:;onding. Bj this condaft, he fliov/ed that eloquence, as Phito obfcrves, is only tlie art of direfting the minds cf the people at will; and that the chief excellency of this art coniifts in moving, feafonably, the various paf- fions, whether gentle or violent ; w^hich being to the foul v/hrit ft rings are to a muiical initrument, need only be toii::')ed by an ingenious and ildlful hand to produce their eff^a. It muft neverthelefs be confefled, that the circumllance ■which gave Pericles this great authority, was» not only the force of his eloquence ; but, as Thucydides obferves, the reputation of his life, and great probity. (ji) Plutarch points out in Pericles, one quality which is very elFential to ftatefmen ; a quality, well adapted to win the efteeni and confidence of the public, and which fuppoies a great fuperiority of mind ; and that is, for a man to be fully perfuaded that he wants the counfels of ethers, and h net able to manage and dire6l all things alone ; to alTorhil e v/ith hi-ijiielf perfons of merit in his labours, to em|4oj each of thefe according to his talents ; and to leave them the management of fmall matters, ■which only confurne time, and deprive him of the liberty of mind, fo neceffary in the condu6l of important af- fairs. Such a conclucl, fays Plutarch, is productive of tvvo advantages. Firft, it extinguilhes, or at leaft breaks the force of envy and jealoufy, by dividing, in fome mea« fure, a power, w^hich is grating and offenlive to us when we fee it united in one fingle perfon, as if all merit cen- tered in him alcne. Secondly, it advances and facilitates the execution oi aPiairs, and makes their fuccefs more certain. Plutarch, the better to explain his thought, cm- ploys a very natural and beautiful comparifon. The hand, fays he, which, from its being divided into five fingers, fo far from being v/eaker, is the ftronger, the more aftive, and better adapted to m^otion on that very account. It is the fame of a ftatefman, who has the ikill Plut. In prcec. de rep, ger. p. 8i2. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 321 feUl to divide his cares and fuiiftions in a proper manner,^ and who by that means makes his authority more aftive, more extenfive, and decifive : Whereas the indifcreet lire of a narrow-minded m.aii, who takes umbrage at, and is for engroffing all things, ferves to no other purpofe but to fet his weaknefs and incapacity in a flronger light, aud to difconcert his affairs. But Pericles, fays Plutarch, . did not ad: in this manner. Like a Ikilful pilot, who, though he ftands almoft motionlefs himfelf, however puts every tiling in motion, and v/ill fometimes feat fubaltem ofhcers at the helm ; fo Pericles was the foul of the government ; and, feeming to do nothing of himfelf, he - actuated and governed all things ; employing the elo- quence of one man, the credit and interett of another, the prudence of a third, the bravery and courage of a fourth, and fo on. (^x^ To what has been here related, we may add anc- tiier quality which is no iefs rare and valuable, I mean, a noble and diiinterefled foul. Pericles had io great a ciifinclination to the receiving of gifts, fo utter a cont empt for riches, and was fo far above all rapacioufneis and ava«. rice, that though he had railed Athens to the richeft and moil Hourilhing ftate; though his power had furpailed that of many tyrants andkir.gs; though he had long dif- pofed, in an abfoluce manner, of the treafurcs of Greece, he did not however add a iiiigie drachma to the euate he inherited from his father. This was the fource, the true caufe of the fapreme authority of Pericles in the re- public ; thejuiland deferved fruit of his integrity aiid perfedl difinterenednefs. It was not only for a few iliort moments, nor during the firft heats of favour, which are generally ihort-iivtap that he preferved his authority. He maintained it forty years, notvviihftanding the cppofition of Cimon, of To]- mides, of Thucydides, and many others, who had all declared agairiit him ; and of thefe tony years lie f^^ent fifteen v/ithout a rival, from the time of Thucyclide.>'3 baniihiucnt, and difpofed ail afR^irs with abfolute power. P 5 Never- - (x) Flut. in vit. 'P^rid p. i6l, iCz. i 322 HISTORY OF THE Neverthelefs, in the midft of tiiis fupreme autliorltj, which he had rendered perpetual and uhiimited in his own perfon, his foul as always fuperior to the charms and allurenieents of wealth, though he never neglefted improving his eltate to the utmolt of his power. For Pericles did not aft like thofe rich men, who, not- wathflanding their immenfe revenues, either through negligence or want of economy, or the expences of pride and folly, are always poor in the midft of their riches p unable and unwilling to do the leaft fervice to their vir- tuous friends, or their faithful and zealous domeftics 5 and at laft die in every one's debt, whence their name and memory are had in the utnioft deteftation by their un- fortunate creditors. I (hall not expatiate on another ex- treme, to which this negligence and want of economy generally lead, I mean rapine, a love of gifts and ex- a6lions ; for here, as well as in the management of the public monies, the maxim of Tacitus takes place, * vvz. that when a man has fquandered away his eftate, he then makes it his whole ftudy to retrieve the lofs of it by all forts of methods, not excepting the moft crimi- nal. Pericles knew much better the ufe a ftatefman ought to make of riches. He was fenfible that he ought to ex- pend them in the fervice of the public, fuch as the pro- curing of able men to affift him in tlie adminiftration 5 the relieving good ofFicers, who too often are in unhappy circumftances ; the rewarding and encouraging merit of every kind, and a thoufand fuch things; to which, doubt- lefs, either on account of the exquifite joy they give, or the folid glory that refults from them, no one will be fo thoughtlefs as to comp'cijre the expences lavifhed away in entertainments, equipages, or gaming. In this view, Pericles managed his eftate with the utmoft economy ; having himL4f taught one of his old fervari^s to take care of his, domeftic concerns; and he always had the ac- count brought him at ftated times^ of all things that had been * Si ambitlone .arrariu;u tiiha. fcrimus, perfcckra fupplendum eiit. ^a- .tU^ Annat. \. ii\ c. * PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 323 been received as well as expended ; confining himfelf and his family to a decent fubfittence (from which he banifn- •ed feverely all fuperfluiries of a vain and oflentatious. kind), fuitable to his eftate and condition. This way of life, indeed, did no way pleafe his children, when they were come ta years of maturity, and much lefs his w^ife. They thought Pericles did not live at a fufficient expence for perfons'^of their rank ; and murmured at that low for- did economy as they called it, which carried no air of the plenty which generally reigns in houfes where riqhes. and authority are united. However, Pericles had little regard to thefe complaints, and direfted his views to things of much greater importance. I believe it will not be improper to apply on this occa- fion, a very jufl remark of Plutarch in his parallel of Ariftides and Cato. After faying that political virtue, or the art of governing cities and kingdoms, is tne greateft and mod perfect that man can acquire, he adds^ that economy is not one of the moft inconfiderable branches of this virtue. And indeed, as riches are one of the means which may moft contribute to the fecu« rity or ruin of a ftate ; the art that teaches to difpofe of, and make a good ufe of them, and which is called economy, is certainly a branch of the art of policy ; and not one of the moft inconfiderable branches of itp fince great wifdom is required^ in order to the obferving a juft medium on thefe occafionsj, and to the baniihing poverty and too great opulence from a country. It is this art, which, avoiding induftrioufly all trifling and needlefs expences, prevents a mag/ftrate from being forced to over- burden a people with taxes ; and keeps always in referve^ in the public coffers, monies fofhcient for the fupportmg a war that may break out, or for providing againft any unforefeen accident. Now, what is faid of a kingdom, or a city, may be applied to particular perfons. l^or a city^ , which is compofed of an affcmbiage of houfes, and which forms a whole of feveral parts united, is either po er- ful or weak when taken together, in proportion as ail the members of which it confifts are pov/erf ul or weak. P 6 Penciev^ 324 HISTORY OF THE Pericles certainlj acquitted himfelf well with regard to that part of this fcience which relates to the govern- meat of a family : But I do not know whether the fam^ maj be faid of his adminift ration of the public reve- rjues. Sect. XII. yealoiify and Contejls arife hetween the thenians and LacedeTnonians. A "Treaty of Peace is con-^ eluded for thirty Tears. (j) C U G H was the conduct of Pericles w4th refpefl ^ to his domeftic concerns : and he was no lefs famous for his adminiftration of public affairs. The L edj noniaus beginning to grow jealous of the pro- fp :riry of the Athenians, and to take umbrage at it, Pe3\cles, to infpire his citizens VvUth greater courage and iriagnanimity, publiihed a decree, importing, that orders flio;;ud be fei-l; to all the Greeks, inhabiting either Eu- r ■ e or Afia, and to ail the cities great or fmall, to fend : a) iicdi itely their deputies or reprefentatives to Athens, to (rxa nine and debate on ways and means to rebuild the temples that had been burnt by the Barbarians ; to per- form the facriSces, which they had engaged themfelves to oiFer up, for the prefervation and fafety of Greece when xvar was ctirrying on againil them ; as alfo, to con- iider on the neceilary expedients for eftabliihing fuch an order and difcipline in their navy, that all lliips might fail in fafetj, and the Greeks live in peace one with an- other. Accordinglv, twenty perfons were chofen for this em- banTy, each of whom was upwards of fifty years old. Five of thefe were fent to the lonians and Dorians of AGa, and the inhabitants of the iflands as far as Lefbos and Rhodes ; five to the countries of the Hellefpont and Thrace, as far as Byzantium. Five wei'e ordered to go to Boeotia^ to Phocis, and Peleponnefus ; and from thence by the country of the Locrians, to proceed to the feveral cities of the upper continent as far as Arcaruania and Am- bracia, {y) Piut. in PciicL p. l6% PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 325 brack. 1 he laft five were ordered to crofs Euboea, and to go to the people of mount CEta, and thofe of the gulf of Malea, and to the inhabitants of Phthiotis, of Achaia, and of Theflalj ; to induce the feveral nations to come to the affemblj convened in Athens, and to ailiit at the de- bates V^hich fliould be there carried on concerning peace, and the general aiFairs of Greece. 1 judged it neceflkry to enter into this detail, as it iliows how far the power of the Greeks extended, and the authority which the Athenians enjoyed among them. But all thefe iblicitations were in vain ; the cities not fending their deputies, which, according to hiftorians, was owing to the oppoiition made by the Lacedemonians ; a circumitance we are not to wonder at. They were fen^ lible, that Pericles 's deiign was to have Athens acknow- ledged as millrefs and fovereign of all the otiier Gre- cian cities ; and Lacedemon was far from aliowmg it that honour. A fecret leven of diffention had, for lome years, began to diflurb the tranquiliity of Gieece ; and v/e fhalL find by the fe^juel, that difguits augmented con- tinuallJ^ Pericles had acquired great fame for the wifdom with which he formed and condu6ted his enterprifes. The troops repofed the highefi confidence in him, and when- ever they followed him, aifured themfelves of fuccefs. His chief maxim of war was, never to venture a battle^ uniefs he were aimoii certain of vid:ory, and not to lavnli the blood of the citizens. Pie ufed to fay frequently, that, were it in his po v er, they fhouid be inimortal: that when trees were felled, they fhoot to life again in a little time, but wlien once men die, they are loll forever. A vid:o- ry that was only the eifedt of a happy temerity, appeared to him as little worthy of praile, though it oiten was much admired. His expedition into the Thracian Cherfonefus did him great honour, and was of great advantage to ail the Greeks of that country ; for he not only lirength- ened tiie Grecian cities of that peninfula, • by the colo-. nies of Athenians^ w-hich he carried thither^ but alfa flrat Si6 HISTORY OF THE {hut up the ifthmus with a ftrong wall, with forts at pre per diftances from fea to fea ; fecuring by that means the whole country from the perpetual incurfions of the Thra* cians, who were very near neighbours to it. He alfo failed with an hundred fliips round Peloponne- fus, fpreading the terror of the Athenian arms wherever he came, the fuccefs of which was not once interrupted on this occafion. He advanced as far as the kingdom of Pontus, with a. large, well-manned, and magnificent fleet ; and granted the Grecian cities all they thought fit to aik of him At the fame time he difplayed to the Barbarian nations in that neighbourhood, to their kings and princes, the greatnefs of the power of the Athenians ; and proved to them, by the fecurity with which he failed to all parts, that they poflefied the empire of the feas without a rival. (is) But fo conftant and fhining a fortune began to daz- zle the eyes of the Athenians. Intoxicated with the idea of their power and grandeur, they now revolved nothing but the boldeft and mod lofty projefts. 1 hey were for ever talking of new attempts upon Egypt ; of attacking the maritime provinces of the great king ; of carrying their arms into Sicily (a fatal and unhappy defign which ^ rit that time did not take effeft, though it was revived foon after) ; and to extend their conqueit towards Hetru- ria on one fide, and Carthage on the other. Pericles was far from giving into fuch idle views, or fupporting them with his credit and approbation. On the contrary, his whole ftudy was to damp that reftlefs ardour, and check an ambition which no longer knew either bounds or mea- fure. It was his opinion that the Athenians ought to employ their forces for the future, only in fecuring and preferving their prefent acqulfitioiis ; and he thought he had gained a great point, in rellraining the power of the Lacedemonians, the reducing of which he always me- ditated J and this was particularly feen in the facred war. This (2) Plut. in Pericl.p 164.^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS, 327 (<7) This name was given to the war which was raifed on account of Delphos. The Lacedemonians, having ^^ntered armed into the country where that temple is Stuated, had difpolleffcd the people of Phocis of the fu- perintendence of that temple, and bellowed it on the Del- phians. As foon as they left it, Pericles went thither^ with an army, and reftored the Phocenfes. The Euboeans having rebelled at the fame tin:e, Peri- cles was obliged to march thither with an army. He was no fooner arrived there, but news vv^as brought that the inhabitants of Megara had taken up arms ; and that the Lacedemonians, headed by Pliilonax their king, were on the frontiers of Attica. 1 his obliged him to quit Eu- bcea, and to go with all poSble expedition to defend his country. The Lacedemonian army being retired, he re- turned againfl the rebels, and agam lubjetted ail the cities of Euboea to the Athenians. Alter this expedition, a truce for thirty years \\?.s concluded between the Athenians and Lacedemonians, This treaty reftored things to a iranquiility for the pre- fent: but as it did not deicend to the root of the evJ, nor cure the jealoufy and enmity of the two nations, this caiiu w^as not of long duration. Sect. XIII. A^^t^ fuljcBs of coritentiori letixeen the twa Is'ati07is\, occajioned by ihe jnthLmuiis U-yiiig Jiege to 5'^- niGS ; by their JucLQuririg the people cj Li? cyruy and bejieging Fotiacea, open Kti^tui'e enjue^i, (c) .n""" H E Athenians, fiX years after, took tip arms ^ againft bamos in la^-^ur of- Milttus. ILtfe two cities Vvere conteiting for that ot I iicne, to which each claimed a right. It is pretended, ih?t Feiieles fo- mented this Vv^ar to pleafe a ian.ous couittian, of whcra he was very fond j her name was Afpalidj a native of Miletus. {a) Plut. in Perid. p. 1 64. {h) A. M.3558 Ant. J. C. 440. Thiicyd I. 1. J . -'.v. D.od. 87. {c) A. M, jer put on his coat of mail; as w^ell as to confider his beha- viour and condii£l in a battle. There v/as not a foldier in the w^hole army Vvho fo refolutely fnpported all the toils and fatigues of the campaign^ as Socrates. Hunger, thi til, and cold were enemies he had long accuftomied himfelf to defpife and fubdue with eafe. Thrace, the fcene of this expedition, was a frozen region. Whilft the other foldiers, covered with thick clothes and warm furs, lay clofe in their tents, and fcarce ever dared to flir out of them; Socrates ufed to come into the open air as thin clad as ufual, and bare-footed. His gaiety and wit were the life of all tables : and induced others to put the glafs round cheerfully, though he himfeif never draijk wine to excefs. When the armies engaged, he performed his duty to a miracle. Alcibiades having been thrown dowa and wounded, Socrates placed himfelf before him, de» fended him valiantly, arid, in fight of the w^hole aimy, prevented him and his arms frcm being taken by the ene- my. The prize of valour w^as jufily due to Socrates: but as the generals feemed inclined to decree it to Alcibiades^ on account of his illuftrious birth, Socrates, who only fcuglit for opportunities to inflame him with defire of ti ue glory, contributed more than any other perfon, by the noble eulogium he made on liis courage, to caufe the crown and comiplete fuit of arm.our (which was the prize of valour) to be adjudged to Alcibiades, Notv/ith- (/) ^^''^t. in Coiiviv. p. aip, 2:0. Plut. m -Alcib- p. 104. 332 HISTORY OF THE Notwithftanding the lofs which the Corinthians had- fuilaiyied in tiie battle, the inhabitants of Potidcea didi not change their condaci. The citj was therefore be-i fieged. The Corinthians, fearing to ]ofe a phice ofi fo much importance, addreifed their allies in the ftrciigelli terms ; who, all in conju ittion with them, fent a depu- I tation to Lacedemon, to complain of the Athenians, as., having infringed the articles of p?'ice. T^^-; Lacedt:tnc nians admitted thexn to and", ■ ' ■ ■ '' their ordinary:' affemblies. The People , di very much: difgufted at thj Vt'ij i^i as, dm not fend a deputation ! public! V t];;.hv:r, for f^ar of giving umbrage to a re- 1 public to vhich they were fubjeil, but they acted iai fee ret as ft dy as the reft. The Megarians com- : plained veLv. y againft the Athenians, that (contrary! to the law of nat-ions, and in prejudice of the treaty con- clndcd betVi^een the Greeks) they had prohibited them, by a pablic decree, accefs to their fairs and markets, and ex-i i eluded them from all the porto dependent on them. (Z?) By that decree, according to Plutarch the Athenians declared an eternal and irreconcileable hatred againil Megara ; and ordained that all Megarians ihould be put to death, that fet foot in Athens ; and that all the Athenian gene- rals, when they took the ufual oath, fhouid fwear ex- prefsly, that they would fend a body of foldiers twice a year, to lay wafle the territories of the M- garenfes. The chief complaints were made by the Corhithlan ambafTador, who fpoke wath the utmoil force and free- dom. He reprefented to the Lacedemonians, that as they themfelves never fwerved from the moft invioLibie integrity, either in public or private tranfa£lions, thej^, for (^'5 Thucyd. 1. i p. 43 — 59. (b) Plut. in Pericl. p. 168 * According to Plutarch, fome ptr- reproaches Perish s nxiih this aBisn. But forts preievded that Pericles had cuafcd Tb 'cydidis . a coutewporary author^ and this decree to be enaSicd to re'oen^e the wvo ivas 'v?r .' ivell acq-^aintsd r/ /; private injury done to Afpau'.fiom ail the tr anf actions cf Athsns^ does not ivhofe boufe the peaple of A^egura had f iy a Kx ord of this affair cird he is carried off ixvo , ourie-aTis j and be cites much more 'zcu.-f ■ ? i f than a p'jgt fome veifes of Ariffphanesy, 'U'bo, in a ii'he ii at a . -'/i/ u^id Ju" comedy intitultd, i he Acha. nanians, li^ijh PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 333 for that very reafon, were lefs fufpicious of the probity of ctliers ; and that their own moderation prevented their difcovering the ambition of their enemies : That inftcad of flying with inflant aftivity, to meet dangers and cala- mities, they never attempted to remedy them, till they were quite cruflied by them : That by their indolence and fupinenefs they had given the Athenians an opportu- nity of attaining, by infenfible degrees, their prefent height of grandeur and power : That it v/as quite different with regard to the Athenians : That this a£live, vigi- lant, and indefatigable people were never at reft theni- " felves, or w^ould fuifer any other nation to be fo. Em- ** ployed (fays he) wholly in their projefts, they form on- ^' ly fuch as are of the greateft and moft intrepid nature 5 *^ their deliberations are f|jeedy, and their executions the fame. One enterprife ferves only as a ftep to a fe- " cond. Whether they are fuccefsful or unfortunate, they tarn every thing to their advantage ; and never ftop in their career, or are difcouraged. But you, who are opprelTed by fuch formidable enemies, are lulled afieep in a fatal tranquillity ; and do not reflefl that a mPvU who defires to live calm and eafy, muft not only forbear injuring others, but alfo not let any ill be done to himfelf ; and that juftice confifts, not only in for- ^' bearing to com.mit evil ourfelves, but in avenging that done to us by others. Shall I be fo free as to fay it? Your integrity is of too antique H caft for the prefent ftate of affairs. It is neceflary for men in politics, as well as in all other things, to conform always to the times. When a people are at peace, they may fol- lov7 their ancient maxims ; but vv'hen they are involved in a variety of diiTiculties, they muft try new expedi- " ents, and fet every engine at work to extricate thenn- felves. It was by thefe arts that the Athenians have increafed their power fo much. Had you imitated ^' their activity, they w^ould not have difpofiefled us of Corcyra, and would not now be laying iiege to Po- tidsca. Follow, at leaft*, their example on this ccca- fioii; by fuccouring the Pctidasans and the reft of your allies. 334 HISTORY OF THE allies, as your duty obliges you ; and do not force your friends and neighbours, by forfaiting them, to have re- courfe, out of deipair, to other powers." The Athenian ambafiador, who was come to Sparta upon otlier afFdirs, and was in the affsmbly, did not thiiik it advi fable to let this fpeech go unanfwered : But he put the Lacedemonians in mind of the iHU recent fervices that the republic, by which he was fent, had done to all Greece, which (he faid) merited fome regard ; and that therefore it ought not to be envied, much lefs fliould en- deavours be ufed to leffcii its power. That the Atheni- ans could not be charged with having ufurped any empire over Greece ; fince it was merely at the entreaty of their allies, and in fome meafure with the confent of Sparta, that they had been forced to take the abandoned helm : That thofe who murmuredj did it without grounds ; and only from the avenion which mankind in general have to dcpeudence and fubjeftion, though of the ge.itleft and mod equitable kind : That he exhorted them to employ a fufficient time in deliberating, before they came to a re- folution ; and not involve themfelves and all Greece in a war, which wpuld neceffarily be attended v/ith the moil fatal confequences. I'hat gentle methods may be found, for terminating the dliFerences of the allies, without break- ing at once into open violence. However, that the Athe- nians, in cafe of an mvafion, were able to oppofe force with force ; and \'?'ould prepare for a vigorous defence, after having invoked, againil Sparta, the deities who take vengeance on thcfo that forfvvcar themfelves, and who vi 'late the faith of treaties. The ambaffadors being withdrawn, and the affair de- bated, the majority were for war. But before it pafTed into an aft, Archidarn. s king of Sparta, fetting himfclf above thofe prejudices which fo ftrongly biaffed the reft, and dircfting his views to futurity, made a fpeech in which he fet forth the dreadful confequences of the war they were going to embark in : lliowed the Itrength of the Athenians ; exhorted them firit to try gentle methods, which they themfelves had fcemed to approve ; but to makQ^y PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 335 make, in the mean time, the necefiary preparations for carrying on fo important an enterprifc, and not to be un-. der any apprehenfions, that their moderation and delays would'be branded with the name of cowardice, fince their pad adions fecured them from any fufpicion of that kind. But, notwithftanding all thefe wife expoftulations, a war was refolved. The people caufed the allies to re- turn into the affembly, and declared to them, that in their opinion the Athenians were the aggreflors; but that it would be expedient firfl to aflembie all who were in the alliance, in order that peace or war might be agreed upon unaniffioufly. This decree of the Lacedemonians was made the fourteenth year of the truce ; and was not ow- ing fo much to the complaints of the allies, as to the jea- loufy of the Athenian power, which had already fubjefted a confiderable part of Greece. (/) Accordinpjy the allies were convened a fecond time. They all gave their votes, in feveral turns, from the greateft city to the leaft, and w^ar was refolved by a gene- ral confent. However, as they had'not yet made any preparations, it was judged advifable to begin them im- mediately; and while this w^as doing, in order to gain tim.e, and obferve the neceffary formalities, to fe ncl am— bailadors to Athens to complain of the violation of the treaty. The firfl who were fent thither, reviving an ancient complaint, required of the Athenians to expel out of their city the defcendants of thofe who had profaned the tem- ple of Minerva in the aiFairof * Ceylon. As Pericles was of that family by the mother's fide, the view of the La- cedemonians, in their making this demand, was, either to procure his banifhment, or lellen his authority. How- ever^ (, ) Thucyd. 1. 1- p. 77—84, and 9.^. * l^hh Ceyhn feized on the cHadel of All: em above ati hundred years he fore ^hofe Xl'ho fol'oiL-cd h'lm^ being bfieged in it^ and reduced to extreme famine^ fled for Jhelter to the temple of Miner^a^ ivhere they afierivards uceye taken out by fores and^gut to pieces, Tlofi ivho advifed this murder icere declared guilty of impiety andJacriUge^ and as Jmh bcinij:-d^ I{(iivcver^ they ive/s rccalicd Jm time after ^ 336 HISTORY OF THE ever, it was not complied with. The fecond ambafTa- dors required, that the fiege of Potidaea fliould be raifed, and the liberty of ^gina reftored, and above all, that the decree againft tlie Megarians iliould be repealed ; de- daring, that otherwife no accommodation could take place. In fine, a third ambaffador came, who took no notice of any of thefe particulars, but only faid, that the Lacedemonians v/ere for peace ; but that this could ne-~ ver be, except the Athenians fhouid ceafe to infringe the liberties of Greece. Sect. XIV. Troubles excited againjl Pericles. He determines the Atheniafis to e?igage in War againjl the Lacedemonians* (I) TjERICLES oppofed all thefe demands with' great vigour, and efpeclally that relating to the Megarians. rie had great credit in Athens, and at the fame time had many enemies. Not daring to attack him at firft in perfon, they cited his mo (I intimate friends, and thofe for whom he had the greateft efteem, as Phidias, Afpafia, and Anaxagoras, before the people ; and their defign in this was to found how the people ftood alte6led towards Pericles himfelf. Phidias was accufed of having embezzled confiderable fums in the calling the ftatue of Minerva, which was his mafterpiece. The profecution having been carried on with the ufual forms, before the affembly of the people, not a fingle proof of Phidias's pretended embezzlement appeared : For that artift, from beginning that ftatue, had, by Pericles's advice, contrived the workmanfliip of the gold, in fuch a manner, that all of it mJght be taken off and weighed ; which accordingly Pericles bid the infor- mers do in prefence of all the fpeftators. But Phidias had witneffes againft him, the truth of whofe evidence he could neither difpute nor filence \ thefe were the fame and beauty of his v/orks, the ever-exifting caufes of the envy which attacked him. The circumftance which they PlutJn Pcricl p. i68, i6i). PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 337 they could leaft forgive in him was, his having reprcient- ed to the life (in the battle of the Amazons, engraved on the fliield of the goddefs) his own perfon, and that of Pe- ricles (/): And, by an imperceptible art, he hadfo blend- ed and incorporated thefe figures with the whole work, that it was impoflible to erafe them, without disfiguring and taking to pieces the whole ftatue. Phidias was there- fore dragged to prifon, where he came to his end, either by the common courfe of nature, or by poifon Other authors fay, that he was only baniftied, and that after his exile, he made the famous ftatue of Jupiter at Oiympia. It is not poffible to excufe, in any manner, the ingratitude of the Athenians, in thus making a prifon or death the reward of a maftcrpiece of art ; nor their exceflive ri- gour, in punifliing, as a capital crime, an a£lion that ap- pears innocent in itfelf ; or which, to make the worft of It, was a vanity very pardonable in fo great an artiit» Afpafia, a native of Miletus in Alia, had fettled in Athens, where fhe was become very famous, not fo much for the charms of her perfon, as for her vivacity and foli- dity of wit, and her great knowledge. All the illuilri-. ous men in the city thought it an honour to frequent her houfe. (//i) Socrates himfelf ufcd to vifit her conftantly ; and was not afliamed to pafs for her pupil, and to own that he had learned rhetoric from her. Pericles declared alfo, that he was obliged to Afpafia for his eloquence, which fo greatly diftinguifhed him in Athens ; and that it was from her converfation he had imbibed the principles of the art of policy ; for flie was exceedingly well verfed in the maxims of government. Their intitnacy was owing to ftill ftronger motives. Pericles did not love his wife ; he refigned her very freely to another man, and fupplied her place with Afpafia, whom he loved paffion- ately, though her reputation was more than fufpicious, Afpafia was therefore accufed of impiety, and a diliolute conduft ; and it was with the utmoft difficulty that Peri~ clefs faved her, by his entreaties and by the compaflion he Vol. hi. ' had (/) Ariftot. in Tiacjlat. dc Mund, p, 613. Plut. in Menex. p. 235, 338 HISTORY OF THE iiad railed in the judges, by fliedding abundance of tearo whilft her caufe was pleading, a behaviour little confident with the dignity of his charafter, and the rank of fupreme , head of the moll powerful Hate of Greece. A decree had paiTed, by which informations were or- dered to be taken out againft all fuch * perfons as denied what was afcribed to the miniftry of the gods ; or thofe philofophers and others who taught preternatural things, and the motions- of the heavens, doftrines on this occafion confidered injurious to the eftabliflied religion. The fcope and aim of this decree was, to make Pericles fuf- peeled v»^ith regard to thefe matters, becaufe Anaxagcras had been his mailer. This philofopher taught, that one only intelligence had modified the chaos, and difpofed the univerfe in the beautiful order in which we now fee it ; v/hich tended direftly to depreciate the gods of the pagan fyilem. Pericles, thinking it would be impoffible for him to fave his life, fent him out of the city to a place of fafety. The enemies of Pericles, feeing that the people ap- proved, and received with pleafu t-, all thefe accufations, they im.peached that great man himfelf, and charged him with embezzling the public monies during his admini- llration. A decree was made, by which Pericles v/as obliged to give in immediately his accounts ; was to be tried for oppreflion and rapine the caule to be adjudg- ed by fifteen hundred judges. Pericles had no real caufe of fear, becaufe, in the adminiflration of the public afi^airs, his condudl had always been irreproachable, efpecially on the fide of intereft : He could not, however, but be under fome apprehenfions from the ill-will of the people, when he confidered their great levity and inconftancy. One day when Alcibiades (then very young) went to vifit Pericles, Jie was told that he was not to be fpoke with, becaufe of fome .An X'r^i.r. tf aching that the dvi ine uitclligcnce alone ga caiegui.ir ^not ':cn to ail the parts of nature^ and prejit.id in ihe go eniment of the imivcrfc ; ft' eyed, by that fyfein. the plurality of gcds^ their pou'ers ani mU the peculiar JmMiuns which nvere afcribed to thcrn, 3 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 339 ^^ome afFairs of great confequeiice in which he was en- I gaged. Alcibiades inquiring what thefe mighty affairs ! were, was anfvvered, that Pericles was preparing to give in his accounts* He ought rather y fays Alcibiades, not .giue the?n i?i : And, indeed, this was what Pericles at laft refolved. To allay the ftorm, he made a refolution to op- pofe the inclination the people difcovered for the Pelo- ponnefian war no longer, preparations for which had been long carrying on, firmly perfiiaded that this would filence all complaints againft him , that envy would yield to a more powerful motive ; and that the citizens, when in fuch I imminent danger, would not fail of throwing themfelves into his arms, and fubmit implicitly to his condudl, from his great power and exalted reputation. ^ (//) This is vvhat feme hiilorians have related; and i the comic poets, in the life time; and under the eye as lit were, of Pericles, fpread fuch a report in public, to fully, if poffible, his reputation and merit, which drew up- on him the envy and enmity of many. Plutarch, on this occafion, makes a refledlion which may be of great fervice not only to thofe in the adminifliration of public affairs^ but to all forts of perfons, as well as of advantage in the ordinary commerce of life. He thinks it ft range, when aftions are good in themfelves, and manifeftly laudable in I all refpefts, that men, purely to difcredit iiiuftrious pei fon- ages, ihould pretend to dive into their hearts; a.id from a fpirit of the vileft and moft abjeft malice, fliould afcribe fuch views and intentions to them, as they polTibly never ;fo much as imagined. He, on the contrary, wifhes, when the motive is obfcure, and the fame action mav be confi- dered in different lights, that men would always view it in the moft favourable, and incline to judge candidly of it. He applies this maxim to the reports which had been fpread concerning Pericles, as the fomenter of the Pelo- ^ Iponnefian w^ar, merely from private views of intereft : Whereas, the whole tenor of his paft conduft ought to J have convinced every body, that it was wholly from rea- ^ fons oi itate, and for the good of the public, that he at rf| 0^2 laft I {n) Plut. de Hcicd. a.align. p. 855, 8j6. I • 340 HISTORY OF THE laft acquiefced in an opinion, which he hitherto thought it incumbent on him to oppofe. (o) Whilft this affair was carrying on at Athens, the Lacedemonians fent feveral embaffies thither, one after another, to make the various demands above mentioned. At laft the affair was debated in the afferably of the peo- ple, and it was refolved they iliould firft deliberate upon ail the articles, before they gave a pofitive anfwer. Opi- nions, as is ufuai in thefe cafes, were divided and fome were for abolifliing the decree enaded againft Megara, which feemed the chief obftacle to the peace. Pericles fpoke on this occafion with the utmoft force of eloquence, which his view to the public welfare, and the honour of his country, rendered more vehement and tn- umphant than it had ever appeared before. He fliowed, in the firft place, that the decree relating to Megara, on which the greateft ftrefs was laid, was not of fo little con- fequence as they imagined : That the demand made by the Lacedemonians on that head, was merely to found the difpofition of the Athenians, and to try whether it would be poffible to frighten them out of their defign : That fliould they recede on this occafion, it would betray fear and weaknefs : That the affair was of nolefs importance than the giving up to the Lacedemonians the empire which the Athenians had poffeffed during fo many years, by their courage and refolution : That fliould the Athe- nians fubmit on this occafion, the Lacedemonians would immediately prefcribe new laws to themf as to a people feized with dread ; whereas, if they made a vigorous refiftance, their opponents would be obliged to treat them at kaft, on the foot of equals : That with regard to the prefent matters in difpute, arbiters might be ,chor fen in order to adjuft them in an amicable v/ay ; but that it did not become the Lacedemonians to command the Athenians in a magifterial way, to quit Potidaa, to free /Egina, and revoke the decree relating to Me^ gara • That fuch imperious behaviour was diredly con- trary to the treaty, which declared in exprefs tenns, (o) ThttcyJ. 1. i. p. 9J— ??• Diod. 1. xii. P- 9*5—97- PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 342 lhat jhould any dijputes arife among the allies^ thcyJJjould he decided by pacific methods^ and WITPIOUT any p.\R- ty's being obliged to give up any part of what THiLY POSSESSED : That the fureft way to prevent a go- vernment from being eternally contefting about its pof- feluons is to take up arms^ and difpute its rights fword in hand : That the Athenians had juft reafon to believe they would gain their caufe this way.; and to give them a ftronger idea of this truth, he fet before them, in the moft pompous light, the prefent Hate of Athens, giving a very particular account of its treafures, revenues, fleets, land as well as fea forces, and thofe of its allies ; contrafc- ing thefe feveral things with the poverty of the Lacede- monians, who (he faid) had no money^ which is the fi- nev/s of war, not to mention the poor condition of their navy, on which they moil depended. (/>) And, indeed, it appeared by the treafury, that the Athenians had brought from Delos to their city nine thoufand fix hundred talents, which amount to above twelve hundred thoufand pounds Sterling. > The annual contributions of the allies amount- ed to four hundred and iixty talents, that is, to near four- teen hundred thoufand French livres. In cafes of necef- fity, the Athenians would find infinite refources from the ornaments of the temples, fince thofe of the ftatue of Mi- nerva only, amounted to fifty talents of gold, that is, fif- teen hundred thoufand French livres, which might be taken from the ftatue without fpoiling it in any manner, and be after\^jards fixed on again in more aufpicious times. With regard to the land forces, they amounted to very near thirty thoufand men, and the fleet confifted of three hundred gallies. Above all, he advifed them not to ven- ture a battle in their own country againft th% Peloponne- fians, whofe troops were faperior in number to theirs ; not to regard the laying v^^afte of their lands, as they" might eafily be reftored to their former condition ; but to confide'r the lofs of their men as highly important, be- caufe irretrievable ; to make their whole policy confift in defending their city, and preferving the empire of the (/>) Diod. I. xii. p. 96, 97. T,^z HISTORY OF THE lea, which would certainly one day give them th€ fupe, riority over their enemies. He laid down the plan for carrying on the war, not for a fingie campaign, but dur- ing the whole time it mJght Taft ; and enumerated the evils they had to fear, if tiiey deviate d from that fyltem. Pericles, a^ter adding other coimaerai oi taktn frcm the geii-u,, or ci'.arr.cicr, and t:;e internal government of the t ' J c;.-' urc : ; ill: oi.e n.-icei tain and fluctuating in its ' > a..a rerdered itiil flov^er in the extcution, : fg obl/ged to wait tV>r the confent of its allies; ti... . ..d/, dt;ierminritv-, maepei.dcni, and miitrefs of iiD -J... ;U.uns, which is no ind ulcient ciicumltance with re/ a.d to tne fucceis of Ct.tcrpi ii^:s : Peiicic:s, 1 fay, cfin- ciuued ills ipeeclj, a..d gave his opinion as follow^ : We i a ve iio .i.ord to do but to difmifs the amibijffidors, and. to give them this anfwer, that we permit thofe of Me- " gaia to trade with Athens, upon condition that the La« cedcmonians do not prohibit either us or cur allies to trade witl] them. With regard t^- the cities of Greece^ " we fliall leave thofe free who were fo at4he time of " our agreement, provided they fliall do the lame with re- gard to thofe dependent on them. We do not refufe ta fubmit the decifion of our difFerences to arbitration, and will not conjmit the firft hcibhties : However, in cafe of being attacked, we fliall make a vigorous de- fence." The ambaffadors w^ere anfwered as Pericles had diftat- ed. They returned hon^.e, and never ca^e again to A- thens; fcon after which the Peloponnehan vvar broke out* ^ CHAP. H. ^ranfaciions of the Greeks in Slaly and Italy* AS the Peloponntfian war is a great event of confi- derable duration, before I enter upon the hiflory of it, it may be proper to relate, iii few v/ords, the moil coii'' ■ ■ ' o^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 343 confiderable tranfa6l?ons which had happened in Grecia Major, to the time we novv fpeak of, whether in Sicily or Italy. S-iiCT. I. '^he CurthnginiaJis are defeated in Sicily, The- Ro>J, I'yraiit of Agrigentu??!. Reigfi of G¥.L,o^ in Sy-- raciifcy and his two hf others. Liberty is rejlored, I. Gelon. WE have feen that {q) Xerxes, whofe projcft tended to no lefs than the total extirpation of the Greeks^ had prevailed with the Carthaginians to make war agaiaft the people of Sicily. They landed in it an army of eibove three hundred thoufaiid men, and fent thither a fleet of: two thoufand Ihips, and upwards of three thoufand fmall v^ffels for the baggage, &c; Hamilcar, the ableft of tha Carthaginian generals at that time, was charged with this expedition. However, the fuccefs was not anfwerable to thefe mighty preparations ; the Carthaginians were en- tirely defeated by Gelon, who, at that time, had the chief authority in Syracufe. (r) This Gelon w^as born in a city of Sicily, fituated on the fouthern coafi between Agrigentum and Camo- ina, called Gelas, whence perhaps he received his name. He had fignalized himfeif very much in the wars which Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela, carried on againft the neighbouring pov/ers, moft of whom he fubdued, and was very near taking Syracufe. After the death of Hip-- pocrates, Gelon, upon pretence of defending the rights and polTciiions of the tyrant's children, took up arms .againft his own citizens, and having overcome them in a battle, polTeffed himfeif of the government in his own name. Some time after he made himfeif mafter a.lio oi Syracufe, by the aUiilance' of feme exiles w^hom he had caafed to return into it, and vv'ho had engaged the popu- lace to open the gates of that city to him. He then gave Gela to Hiero his brother, and applied himfeif wholly 0^4 in (^q) \ M 3 c 20. Ant. T. C. 484* Diod, I. xi. p. I. & l6— S^. CO Hsr. i. vii. c. 153— 167. 344 HISTORY OF THE extending the limits of the territory of Sjracufe, and ^oon rendered himfeif very powerful. We may form a judgment of this * from the army which he oiFered the Grecian ambafladors who came to delire his aid againft the king of Perlia ; and by his demand of being appoint- ed generaliffimo of all their forces, which, hoivever, they refufed. The fear he was in at that time of being foon invaded by the Carthaginians, was the chief occafion of his not fuccouring the Greeks. He was extremely po- litical in his conduft j and when new^s was brought him of Xerxes's having crofTed the Hellefpont, he fent a trufty perfon wath rich prefents, with orders for him to wait the iffue of the firft battle, and in cafe Xerxes fbould be victorious, to pay homage to him in his name, otherwife to bring back the money. I now return to the Cartha- ginians. They were landed in Sicily at the earnefl folicitations ef Terillus, formerly tyrant of Himera, but dethroned by Theron, another tyrant, who reigned at Agrigentum. The family of the latter was one of the moft illuflrious of all Greece, being defcended in a diredl line from Cad- mus. He married into the family, which at that time luled at Syracufe, and which conlifted of four brothers, Gelon, Hiero, Polyzelus, and Thrafybulus. He mar- ried his daughter to the firft, and himfeif married the daughter of the third. Hamilcar, having landed at Panormus, began by lay- ing fiege to Himera. Gelon haftened with a great army to the fuccour of his father-in-law ; w^hen uniting, they defeated the Carthaginians. This was, perhaps, the moll complete victory ever gained. The battle was fought the fame day w'Ah that of f Thermopylae, the circumftances of which 1 have re- lated * ?Ie promifed to fiirtiifi t-wo hun- ivhich they luould not ha^ve done af~ dred fiips, and thirty thoufand men. ter the battle of SaUnnin^ that exalte \ Herodotus Jay that this battle ed their courage fo much, that after fivas fon^ht the fame day ninth that-' thi~^~h^liile, they i?ria fined therrfclvet of SaUwiin-i ivhich does not appear froiig enoagh to refji their enemies, f'j probable. For the Greeks, in- and to put an e?id to the nvar, to ' for?nedGfGelo7i'sfucceJles,e7itreatcd their o^ojn advantage, n.vithoui ih'^ bim to fuccQiir them againjt Xerxes, affifance of any other power* PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 345 hfed in the (j) hiftory of the Carthaginians. One re- markable circumftance in the conditions of the peace^ which Gelon prefcribed the conquered, was, that they fliouid ceafe to facrifice their children to the god Saturn ; which fliows, at the fame time, the cruelty of the Car- thaginians, and the piety of Gelon. The fpoils won on this occafion were of iinmenfe va-r lue. Gelon allotted the greatefl part of them for the or- nament of the temples in Syracufe. They alfo took an in- credible number of prifoners. Thefe he fkared with the utmoft equity with his allies, who employed them^ after putting irons on their feet, in cultivating their lands, and in building magnificent edifices, as well for the ornament, as the utility of the cities.. Several of the citizens of Agrigentum had each five hundred for his own fkare. (^t) Gelon, after fo glorious a victory, fo far from grow- ing more proud and haughty, behaved with greater affa- bility and humanity than ever towards the citizens and his allies. Being returned from the campaign, he con- vened the affembly of the Syracufans, who were ordered to come armed into it. However, he himfelf came unarm-- ed thither : declared to the affembly every ftep of his con- du61: ; theufesto which he had applied the feveralfums wltli: which he had been iiitrufted, and in what manner he had employed his authority ; adding, that if they had any com- plaints to make againft him, his perfon and life were at their difpofal. All the people, ft ruck with fo unexpected a fpeech, and ftill more with the unufual confidence he re- pofed in them^ anfwered by acclamations of joy, praife,^ and gratitude ; and immediately, v/irh one confent, in- verted him with the fupreme authority, and the title of king, (r/) And to preferve to the lateft pofterity the re- membrance of Gelon's memorable aftion, who had come into the affembly, and put his life into the hands of the Sy- racufans^ they erefted a ftatue in honour of him, wherein he was reprefented in tlie ordinary habit of a citizen, uii- S girded (j) Vol. T.. Plut in Apophth. p 175. (t) AJM. 3525. Ant. J. C. 4.79> (//) Plut. in Tiniol. p. 247. u^lian. I xiii, c. 37^ 3^6 HISTORY OF THE girded, and Unarmed, This ftatue met afterwards with a very fingular fate, and worthy of the motives which had occafioned its fetting up, Timoleon, above a huiidred- and thirty years after, having reilored the Sjracufans to their liberty, thought it advifable, in order to erafe from it all traces of tyrannical government, and, at the fame time, to aflift the w^ants of the people, to fell publicly ail the ftatues of thofe princes and tyrants who had govern- ed it till that time. But, firft, he brouglit them to a trial' as fo many criminals ; hearing the depofitions and wit- neffes upon each of them. They all were condemned un- animoufly, the ilatue of Gelon only excepted, which found an eloquent advocate and defender in the warm and fincere gratitude which the citizens rttained for that great man, whofe virtue they revered as if he had been ilill alive. The Syracufans had no caufe to repent their having intruPced Gelon with unlimited power and authority. This did not add to his known zeal for their intereits, but only enabled him to do them more important fer~ vices, (^x) For, by a chai^ge till then unheard of, and of "which * Tacitus found no example except in Vefpafian, he was the firft man whom the foveieignty made the bet- ter man. He made upwards of ten thoufar.d foreigners, who had ferved under him, denizens. His views were, to people the capital, to increafe the power of the ftate, to reward the fcr vices of his brave and fanhful foldiers ; and to attach them more ftrorgly to Syracufe, from the fenfe of the advantageous fettlement they had obtained in. i being incorporated with the citizens. (ji/) tie was particularly famous for his inviolable fin- ceriry, truth, and fidelity to his engagements ; a quality very effeiitial to a prince, the only one capable of gaming him the love and confidence of his fubjefts and of toreign- ers, and which, therefore, ought to be confidered as the ba- fis of all juil policy and good government. Having oc- cafion for money to carr^ on an expedition he meditated (x) Diod. 1- xi p^5. (.y) Plut. in Apophth. p. 175.^ * Solus omiium ante fe princlipuiii in mciius mutatus eft. hi/i. I i. c. PERSIA.NS AND GRECIANS. 347 (this, very probably, was before he had triumphed over the Carthaginians), he addreffed the people, in order to obtain, a ontribution from them ; but finding the Sjracufana unwilling to be at that expenfe, he told them, that he alked nothing but a loan, and that he would engage to repay it as foon as the war fliould be over. The money was advanced, and repaid punftually at the promifed time. How happy is that government where fucli ju (lice and equity are exercifed; and how miilaken are thofe miniilers and princes who violate them in the leaft ! («) One of the chief objects of his attention, and in which his fucceiror imitated him, was to make the culti- vation of the lands be confidered as an honourable employ- ment. It is well known how fruitful Sicily was in corn 5 and the immenfe revenues which might be produced from fo rich a foil when indullrioufly cultivated. Ho- ani- mated the huibandman by his prefence, and delighted fometimes in appearing at their head, in the fame man- ner as on other occafions he had marched at the head of armies. His intention, fays Plutarch, was not merely to make the country rich and fruitful, but alfo to exercife his fubjefts, to accuftom and inure them to toils, and by that means to preferve them from a tlioufand diforders^ which inevitably follow a foft and indolent life. There are few maxims (in point of policy) on which the an- cients have inlifted more ftrongly, than on that relating to the cultivation of their lands; a manifeft proof of their great wifdbm, and the profound knowledge they had of what conilitutes the lirength and folid happinefs of a Hate. («) Xenophon, in a dialogue, the fubjecl of which is government, intituled Hiero, ihows the great advan- tage it would be to a Rate, were the king Itudious to reward thofe who iliouid excel in hufbandry, aud what- ever relates to the cultivation of lands. He fays the fame of war, of trade, and of all the arts : on which occafion^ if ho iours were paid to all thofe who ibould diftinguiih themfelves in them, it would give univei fai life and mo- tion j would excite a noble and laudable emulation a 0^6 , mong {^') Plus, in Ap^jphthegm. p. 175. (.7) Ibid. p. 916, 917. 348 HISTORY OF THE mong the citizens, and give rife to a thouiund inventions for the improvement of thofe arts. It does not appear that Gelon had been educated in the fame manner as the children of the rich among the Greeks, who are taught mufic and the art of playing on inftruments very carefully. Poffibly this was becaufe of his mean birth, or rather was owing to the little value he fet on thofe kind of exercifes. One day at an enter- tainment, when, according to the ufual cuftom, a lyre was prefented to each of the guefts, when it was Gelon's turn, inftead of touching the inftrument as the reft had done, he caufed his horfe to be brought, mounted him with wonderful agility and grace, and fhowed that he had learned a nobler exercife than playing on the lyre. (c) From the defeat of the Carthaginians in Sicily, the feveral cities of it enjoyed a profound peace, and Syracufe was particularly happy in its tranquillity, under the aufpicious government of Gelon. He was not born at Syracufe, and yet all the inhabitants of that city, though fo extremely jealous of tlueir liberty, had forced him in a manner to be their king. Though an alien^ the fupreme power went in fearch of him, not courted, with any art or inducement but thofe of merit. Gelon was thoroughly acquainted with all the duties of the regal office, as w^ell as its great weight ; and he accepted it with no other view but the good of his people. He thought liimfelf only king for the defence of the ftate,. TO preferve the good order of fociety, to proteft innor cence and juftice, and to exhibit to all his fubjefts, in his fimple, modeii:, aftive, and regular life, a pattern of every civil virtue. The whole royalty that he affumed was the toils and cares of it, a zeal for the public wel- fare, and the fweet fatisfaftion which refults from mak- ing millions happy by his cares : In a word, he con- iidered the fovereignty as an obligation, and a means to procure the felicity of a greater number of men. He banifhed from it pomp, oftentation, licentioufnefs, and impunity for crimes. He did not affe£l the appearance (i>) Flat, in Apophth^p I75, (r) Diod. 1. xl p, ap, 3.0. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 349 of reigning, but contented himfelf with making the laws reign. He never made his inferiors feel that he was their mailer, but only inculcated to them that both himfelf and they ought to fubmit to reafon and juftice. To induce their obedience, he employed no other methods but per- fnafion and a good example, which are the weapons of virtue, and alone produce a fincere and uninterrupted obe- dience. A revered old age, a name highly dear to all his fub- je£ts, a reputation equally diflufed within and without his kingdom ; thefe were the fruits of that wifdom which he retained on the throne to the lafl: gafp. His reign was Ihort, and only juft Ihowed him in a manner to Sicily, to exhibit in his perfon an example of a great, good, and true king. He left the world after having reigned only feven years, to the infinite regret of all his fubjects. Every family imagined itfelf deprived of its beft friend, its proteftor and father. The people erected, in the place where his wife Demarata had been buried, a fplen- did maufoleum, furrounded with nine towers of a fur- prifing height and magnificence ; and decreed thofe ho- nours to him, which v/ere then paid to the demigods or heroes. The Carthaginians afterwards demolifhed the maufoleum, and Agathocles the towers : But, fays the hiftorian, neither violence, envy, nor time, which de- ilroys all grofler things, could deftroy the glory of his name, or abolifti the memory of his exalted virtues and noble a£lions, which love and gratitude had engraved ia the hearts of the Sicilians. II. HiERO. (^d) After Gelon's death, the fceptre continued near twelve years in his family. He was fucceeded by Hiero, his eldeil brother. It will be neceffary for us, in order to reconcile the authors who have writ on this prince, fome of whom declare him to have been a good king, and others a de- teilable tyrant , it will be neceffary, 1 fay, to diftinguifh the (i) A, M.zs3^' Ant J. C. 472» .3?o HISTORY OF THE the periods. . It is very probable that Hiero, dazzled la the beginning of his reign, by the glitter of fovereigii power, ^nd corrupted by the flattery of his courtiers, ftadioufly endeavoured to deviate -from that path which his predecelTor had p ointed out to him, and in waich he had found himfelf fo happy. (e) This young prince v/as avaricious, headftrong, un- juft, and ftudious of nothing but the gratification of his paflions, without ever endeavouring to acquire the efteem and affection of the people ; who, on the other fide, had the utmoft averfion for a prince, whom they looked upon as a tyrant over them, rather than as a king ; and no- thing but the veneration they had for Gelon's memory prevented them from breaking out. (y) Some time after he had afcended the throne, he had violeiit fuf jicions of Polyzelus, his brother, whofe great credit among the citizens made him fear that he had a defign to depofe him. However, in order to rid himfelf without noife of an enemy whom he fancied very dangerous, he refolded to put him at the head of fome forces he was going to fend to the fuceour of the Sibaritce againft the Crotonienfes, hoping that he would periih in the expedition. His brother's refufal to accept this com- mand, made him the more violent againft him. The- ron, who had married Polyzelus's daughter, joined with his fathei-iii-law. This gave rife to great differences of lo gda'at = o:i bc^tween the kings of Syracufe and Agri- gentum ; however, they at iaft were reconciled by the Wife mediation of (^•) Simonides the poet ; and to make their reconciliation la:t!iigj they cemented it by a nev/ alli- ance, Biero marryi ig Tneron's fiiter ; after which the two kini^i> always lived in g^od intelligence with each other. (^h) At iirii, an infirm llate of health, which was in- cr jafed by rep. ated illaelTes, gave Hiero an opportunity of thi.iking ferioufly; after which he refolved to fend for rivcA of learning, wiio might converfe agreeably with ■ him^ and furniih him witn ufeful inftrudions. The moft {e) Diod 1. xxl. p 51. ('/) Tbld 1. xi p. 36- {j\ Schoi. in Find. (/^ iEiian. 1. xv. c. i c. " PERSIANS AND GRFCIANS. 351, moft famous po- ts of the age came to his court, as SImo- nicies, Pmdar, Bicchylides, and Epicharmus; and it ia aftirmed, that their delightful converfaiion did not a little contribute to ioften the cruel and favage difpofition of Hiero. (/) Plutarch relates a noble faying of his, which fliows an excellent difpoiition in a prince. He declared, that his palace and his ears Ihould be alv/ays open to every man who would tell him truth, and that without difguife or referve. The poets above-m.entioned excelled not only in poetry but were alfo poffeffed of a great fund of learning, and confidered and confulted as the fages of their times. This -is what Cicero* fays particularly of Simonides. He had a great afcendant over the king ; and the only ufe he made of it was, to incline him to virtue. They often ufed to converfe on philofophical fubjeds. I obferved on another occafion,^ that HierOj, in one of thefe converfations, afeed Simonides his opinion with regard to the nature and attributes of the Deitv. The latter defired one day's time to coiifider of it""; the next day he aflied two, and went on increaf- iuF in the fame proportion. Ihe prince preffing him to^'^^ive his leafons for tiiefe delays: he confeffed that the^fubjedl v/as above his comprehenfion, and that the more lie refleaed, the more obfcure it appeared to liim. ^ ■ . 4v;„ Xenophon has left an excellent treatife on the art of rroverning well intituled Hitro, and writ by way of dia- fop-ue between this prince and Simonides. Hiero under- takes to. prove to the poet, that tyrants and kings are not fo happy as is generally imagined. Among the great number of proofs alleged by him, he miifts chieflj. on their vaft unhappincfs m being deprived of the greateft comfort and bleffing in this life, mz. the enjoyment of a true (0 In Apophth p. 175. (0 Cic. 1 i. de Nat. De^ r. p. 60 * S monides non potra I'dum fujvis v< rum etiam cxcero^ui dcan^ fapi£nf<)ue traditur. L b. i. d^. Nac Dcji . «. 60. 352 HISTORY OF THE true friend, to whofe bofom they may fafely, confide tlj|ir fecret aflliflions ; who may fliare with them in their joy and forrow; in a word, a fecond felf, who may form but one heart, one foul with' them. Simonides on the other lide, lays down admirable maxims with re- fped to the well governing of a kingdom. He reprefents to him, that a king is not fo for himfelf, but for others : That his grandeur confifts, not in building mag- nificent palaces, for his own refidence, but in erefting temples, and fortifying and embellifliing citiet : That it rs his glory, not that his people ihould fear but be afraid for him : That a truly royal care is, not to enter the lifts with the firft comer at Olympic games (for the princes of that age were paffionately fond of them, and efpecially Hiero *) but to contend with the neighbouring kings^ who fliould fucceed beft in difFufing wealth and abundance throughout his dominions, and in endeavouring to form the felicity of his people. Neverthelefs, another poet (Pindar) praifes Hiero for the victory he had won in the horfe-race. This prince ^' (fays he, in his ode) who governs with equity the inhabitants of opulent Sicily, has gathered the faireft flower in the garden of virtue. He takes a noble de- light in the moft exquifite performances of poetry and mufic. He loves melodious airs, fuch as it is cuf- tomary for us to play, at the banquets given us by our deareft friends. Roufe then thyfelf, take thy lyre, and ** raife it to the Doric pitch. If thou feeleft thyfelf ani« mated by a glorious fire in favour of f Pifa and Phoe- renice ; if they have waked the fvfeeteft tranfports in thy breaft, when that generous courfer (without being quickened by the fpur) flew along the bank of the AU plieus, and carried his royal rider to glorious viftory : O fing • It is /aid that Themijlocles, feeing him arrive at tiye Clympic games' •with a fflejtdid equipage y ^juould ka^-ce had him forbid thern^ hecaufe he had not fuccGured tije Greeks againji ti e ecmmon cnemy\ any more than Gelorz his brother ; luhich motion did honour te the Athetziim general. Julian, i. ix. c. 5. t Pifa ivas the city, near to luhich the Oly?npic games ivere fohm?ii:vec magis his aliena nialis. Nil mi ofiicit unquam, Bitior hie aut eft quia do6tior. tH locus uni- Cuique fuus. HoR. /id. i. Sat. ^, That is, Sir, yon mijiahe, that* s not our courfe of lifcy We k?iOu.v 710 jeaicnjies, no bra wls, vo Jlrife ; From- all thofe ills our patro?t'* s hovfe is free, Sone \aife more learn d or ni'talthy, troubles me * I'Vc ha^s our JiatiQ7is, all tkeir own pwfue^ &c. Creec^ 354 HISTORY OF T^te (/) Bat It was far otherwife in the court of Hiero, or of Theroii. It is faid that Simonides, a;id Bacchjlides, his naphew, employed all kinds of criticifm, to leflen the efteein wliich thofe princes had for Pindar's works. The latter, by way of reprifal, ridicules them very ftrongly in his ode to Therofi, in comparing them to ravens^ who croak in maiu^ ggQi nQ the divine bird of Jove, But mo- d'Jlly WIS not uw virtue which diftinguiQied Pindar. {j7i) Fliero, having drove the ancient inhabitants of Carta and Naxos from their country, fettled a colony of ten thoufand men there, half of whom were Syracufans, and the re it Pelopoanelians. This prompted the inhabi- tants of thofe two cities to appoint, after his death, the" fame f >lennities in his honour, as were bellowed on he- roes, or demigods, bccaufe they confidered him as their founder. . (;^) He fnovs^ed great favour to the children of Anaxi- laus, formerly tyrant of Zancle, and a great friend to Gelon, his brother. As they were arrived at years of maturity, he exhorted them to take the government mto their own hands, after Mycithu?, their tutor, fhould have informed them of the perfeft ftate of it, and how he himfelf had behaved in the admmiftration. The lat- ter, having aflembled the neareft relations and moft inti- mate frie^^ds of the young princes, gave, in their pre- fc^.ce, fo p;ood aa account of his guardianfliip, that the whole affembly (in perfect admiration) beftowed the higheft e •-comiums on his prudence, integrity, and juf- tice, Matrers .vere car i.^d fo tar, th it t])e young princes were extre iicl' uriTent with him to prefide in the admi- niftratio , as he iiad hitherto do:ie. However, the wife tutor pr^fjrri ig the fvveets of eafe, to the fjjlendour of authority, and ptrfnaded, at the fame time, that it would be for the inrered of th- ll:;ite, if the young princes took the governmeiU into their own liands, he refolved to re- tire from baliiiefs. Hiero died, after having reigned ©levcn years. III. Thra^ Scholiaft. Find, {m^ Diod. 1. xi. p. 37. (?0 Ibid. p. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 355 III. Thrasybulus. (0) He was fiicceedcd by Thrafybulus his brother, who, by his evil conduct, coiuributed very much to the making him be re; retted. Swelled with pride and a bru- tal hau^htinefs, he coniidered men as mere worms ; vain- ly fancying that they were created forhim. to trample « upon, and that he was ol a quite diffeWnt nature from them. He abandoned himfelf implicitly to the flattering counfels of the giddy young courtiers who furrounded him He treated all his lubjecls j>^Jith the utmoft feverity ; ■ baniihing fome, cor-fifcating the poffefiions of others, and putting great numbers to death, bo ftvere a flavery grew foon infupportabie. to the vSyracufaT s, anc, therefore, they implored the fucccur of the neighbouring cities, whofe intereft it was alfo to throw off the tyrai.t's yoke. Thra- fybulus was befieged even in Syracufe, the lovereignty of part of which he had referved to himfelf, viz- Achradina, and the ifland which was very well fortified ; but the third quarter of the city, called Tyche, was poffefl'ed bj the enemy. After maki)'.g a feeble rehftance, and demand- ing to capitulate, he left the city^ and witiidrew into ba- niihment among the Locrians. He had reigned but a year. In this manner the Syracufans recovered their li- berty. They alfo delivered the reft of the cities of Sicily from tyrants ; ellablifhed a popular government in all phices, and maintained that form themfelves during three- fcore years, till the reign of Dionyfius the tyrant, v/ho a- gain enflaved them. (^p) After Sicily had been delivered from the govern- ment of tyrants, and all the cities of it were reitored to their liberty; as the country was extrtmeiy fruitful in it- fel'. and the peace which all places enjoyed, gave the in- habitants of this iiland an oppoitunity of cultivating theii: lands, and feeding their flocks, the people grew very- powerful, and amaffed great riches. To perpetuate to lateR pofterity the remembrance of the happy day in which the J {') Diod. 1. XI*. p. 51, 52. ■ - 3J j4- Anr. J. C. 460. Diod. 1. xl- p. 55, 356 HISTORY OF THE they had thrown off the yoke of flavery, by the banifli- ) ment of Thrafybulus, it was decreed in the general af- j fembly of the nation, that a colloflal ftatue fliould be fet 1 lip to Jupiter the Deliverer ; that on the anniverfary of f this day, a feftival fliould be folemnized, by way of ' thankfgiving, for the reftoration of their liberty ; and that there fliould be facrificed, in honour of the gods, four hundred and fifly bulls, with which the people fliould be entertained as a common feafl:. There neverthelefs lay concealed in the mind of many, I know not what fecret leaven of tyranny, which fre- quently difl:urbed the harmony of this peace, and occa- fioned feveral tumults and commotions in Sicily, the par- ticulars of which I fliall omit. (^q) To prevent the evil confequences of them, the Syracufans efl;abliLhed the Petalifm, which differed very little from the Athenian Oftracifm ; and was fo called from the Greek TrirccXoy, fignifying a leaf, becaufe the votes were then given on an olive leaf. This judgment was pronounced againft fuch <:itizens whofe great power made the people apprehen-^ five that they afpired at the tyranny, and it baniflied them for ten years : however, it did not long continue ^ in force, and was foon aboliflied ; becaufe the dread of falling under its cenfure, having prompted the mofl vir- tuous men to retire, and renounce the government, the ' chief employments were now filled by fuch citizens only jj as had the leafl: merit. (r) DsucETius, according to Diodorus> was chief over the people who were properly called Sicilians. Hav- ing united them all (the inhabitants of Hybla excepted) , into one body, he became very poiverful, and formed fe-i veral great enterprifes. It was he who built the city Pa- lica, near the temple of the gods called Palici. This city was very famous on account of fome wonders w^hich are related of it ; and fl:ill more from the facred nature of tlie oaths which were there taken, the violation whereof was faid to be always followed by a fudden and exemplary punifliment. This was a fecure afyium for all perfons ^ whojj (^) Diod. l. xl p. 65. (r) Ibid. p. 67— 7c. j PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 357 who were oppreffed by fuperior power ; and efpeciallj for Haves who were unjuftly abufed, or too cruelly treated by their rnafters. They continued in fafety in this tem- ple, till certain arbiters and mediators had made their X>eace ; and there was not a fingle inftance of a mailer's having ever forfeited the promife he had made to pardon his flaves : fo famous w^ere the gods who prefided over this temple, for the fever e vengeance they took on thofe who violated their oath. This Deucetius, after having been fuccefsful on a great many occafions, and gained feveral viftories, particular- ly over the Syracufans, faw his fortune change on a fud- den by the lofs of a batt^le, and was abandoned by the greateft part of his forces. In the confternation and de- fpondency into which fo general and fudden a defertion threw him, he formed fuch a refolution as defpair only could fuggeft ; He withdrew in the night to Syracufe, advanced as far as the great fquare of the city, and there, falling proftrate at the foot of the altar, he abandoned his life and dominions to the mercy of the Syracufans, that is, to his profeffed enemks. The fiiigularity of this fpec- tacle drew great numbers of people to it 'i he magiltrates immediately convened the people, and debated on the af- fair. They firfl: heard the orators, whofe bufinefs was generally to addrefs the people by their fpeeches 5 and thefe animated them prodigioufly againft Deucetius, as a public enemy, whom Providence feemed to throw into their way, to^ revenge and jpunifli, by his death, all the injuries he had done the republic. A fpeech in this call ftruck all the virtuous part of the affembly with horror. The mofl: ancient and wifeft of the fenators reprefented. That they were not to confider what puniiliment Deu- cetius deferved, but how it behoved the Syracufans to behave on that occafion ; that they ought not to look'upon hmi any longer as an enemy, but as a fup- pliant, a chara6ler by which his perfon was become facred and inviolable. That there was a goddefs (Ne- *^ mefis) who took vengeance of crimes, efpecially of *^ ci'uelty and impiety, and v/ho doubtlefs would not fuf- fer 358 HISTORY Of THE fer that to go unpunifhed : That befides the bafenefs *^ and iiihumaiiity there is in infulting the unfortunate, and in cruftiing thofe who are already under one's foot; it was worthy the grandeur and goodnefs natural to the Syracufans, to exert their clemency even to thofe who leaft deferved it." All the people came into this opinion, and, v/ijli one confent, fpared Deucetius's life. He was ordered to refide in Corinth, the metropolis and foundrefs of Syracufe ; and the Syracufans engaged to furnifh Deucetius w^ith all things neceffary for hi^ fubfift- ing honourably there. What reader, who compares thefe two different opinions, does not i3erceive which of them was the noblefl: and moft generous •? Si^CT. II. Of fome famous Pejfo?is and Cities in Greci^ Major. P^tTHAGORAS, ChaRONDAS, ZaLEUCUS, MI- LO the Athleta : Croton, Syjbaris, and Thurium, I. PrXHAGORAS. TN treating of what relates to Grccia Major* in Italy^ I mufl not omit Pythagoras, who was the glory of it. {i) He was born in Samos. After having travelled into a great many regions, and enriched his mind with the moft excellent learning of every kind, he returned to his native country, but did not make a long flay in it^ becaufe of the tyrannical government Polycrates had eila- bliihed in it, w!io, however, had the higheft regard for him, and ftiowed him all the efteem due to his rare merit. But tiie ftudy of the fciences, and particularly of .philofo- phy, i- fcarce compatibly with flavery, though of the mildeft and moft honour|ible kind. He therefore went into Italy, and refided ufi\ally either at Croton, Meta- pontum, '-ieraclea, or Tar^ntum {f) Servius TuUius, or Tarquinius Suuerbus reigiaed in Rome at that time ; wruch abfolutely refutes the apinion of thofe who ima- gined that Numa Pompilius, the fecond king of the Ro- mans who lived upwards of an hundred years before^ had {s) A M. 3 80 Ant. J. C. DIog. Laert. in vit. Pytha^. i^tj Liy. 1. i. n, 18. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 359 liad been Pythagoras's difciple ; an opinion that very pro- bably was grounded on the refemblanoe of their manners, difpofition, and principles. * The whole country foon felt very happy effects from the prefence of this excellent philofopher. An inclination for ftudy, and a love of wifdom dilFufed themfelves al- moil univerfally in a very iliort time. Pvlultitudes flocked from all the neighbouring cities to get a fight of Pythagoras* to hear him, and to improve by his falutary couafels. The feveral princes of the country took a plea- fure m inviting him to their courts, which they thought honoured by his prefence ; and all were delighted with his converfation, and glad to learn from him the art of governing nations with wifdom. His fchool be- came the moll famous that had ever been till that age« He had no lefs than four or five hundred difciples. Be« fore he admitted them in that quality, they were proba* tioners five years, during which time he obliged them to keep the ftrifteil filence; thinking it proper for them to be in{Lru6led before they ftiould attempt to fpeak. I SolM. take notice of his tenets and fentiments, when I come to fpeak of the various fefts of philofophers : it was well known that the tranfmigration of fouls was one of the chief of them. His difciples had the greateft reve- rence for every word he uttered ; and, if he did but barely aver a thing, he was immediately believed wi-thout its being once examined ; and to affirm the truth of anj thing, they ufed to exprefs themfelves in this manner. The majler f id it. However, the difciples carried their deferei^ce and docility too far, in thus waving all inquiry, and in ficrificing irvphcitiy their reafon and underftand- ing; a facrifice that ought to be made only to the Divine authority, which is infinitely fuperior to our reafon and all our knowledge; and which, confequently, is autho- rized to prefcrxbe laws to us, and didlate abfolute obe« lience. The (u^ Kurd iipci. * Pytharroras, cum in Tea i:M> vt i ;iT r., ^xornavlt earn Grr^ciam, qug; iiiagiia d c5la eM . & rivatim c>r pubace, prselUiiliffians inihtuiis, & aru« Bus. 6VV. r/ci.'l ^Itf^t, l.v. n. io. 35o ■ HISTORY OF THE The fchool of Pythagoras bred a great number of il- luftrious difciples, ^ho did infinite honour to their maf- ter; as wife legiflators, great politicians, perfons Ikilled in all the fciences, and capable of governing Hates, and being the miniflers of the greateft princes A long time after his death, that part of Italy which he had cul- tivated and improved by his inftruftions, was ftill confi- dered as the nurfery and feat of men ikilled in all kinds of literature, and maintained that glorious charafter for feveral ages, (.v) The Romans certainly entertained a high opinion of Pythagoras's virtue and merit, lince the oracle of Delphos having commanded that people, during the war of the Samnites, to ere£l two ftatues in the moft confpicuous part of Rome, the one to the wifeft, and the other to the moft valiant among the Greeks ; they accordingly fet up two in the Cojnitiuni^ reprefenting Py- tbagoras and Themiftocles. Hiftorians are not exa<3: with refpedl to the time and place of Pythagoras's death, II. Croton. Sybaris. Thurium. ( Croton was founded by Myfcellus chief of the Achaians, the third year of the feventeenth Olympiad. This Myfcellus being come to Delphos to confult the oracle of Apollo, about the fpot on which he fcould build his city, met Archias the Corinthian there, who was arrived upon the fame account. The god gave them a fa- vourable audience, and after having determined them w^ith regard to the place that would beft fuit their new fettle- ments, he propofed different advantages to them, and left them, among other particulars, the choice of riches or health. The offer of riches ftruck Archias, but Myfcel- lus defired health ; and if hiflory is to be credited, Apollo performed his promife faithfully to both. Archias founded Syracufe, {k) Plin. 1. xxxlv c. 6. {si) A M. 3295. Ant. J C 709. Strab. \. vi p. 262. & 269. Dionyf. Halicarn Antiq. Rom. 1. ii. p. i^ii. * Pyihagoras tcnuit m:ignam illam Grseciam cum bonore, & difcipllna, turn etiam audloritate, multaquc fecula poftea fic viguit Pythagoreorura liomen, utnulU alii dofti vidercntur. Tufc ^aji, 1. i. n 38. X PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 361 Syracufe, which foon became the moft opulent city of Greece. (2;) Myfcellus laid the foundations of Croton, which became fo famous for the long life and innate ftrength of its inhabitants, that its name was ufed pro- verbially, to fignify a very healthy fpot, whofe air was ex- tremely pure. The people of it fignalized themfelves in a great number of vi6lories in the Grecian games j and Strabo relates, that in the fame Olympiad, feven Crotoni- ans were crowned in the Olympic games, and carried off all the prizes of the fliadium. (ji) Sybaris was ten leagues (two hundred fladia) from Croton, and had alfo been founded by the Achaians, but before the other. This city became afterwards very" powerful. Four neighbouring ftates, and twenty-five cities, were fubjefl: to it, for that it was alone able to raife an army of three hundred thoufand men. The opu- lence of Sybaris was foon followed by luxury, and fuch a diffolutenefs as is fcarcely credible. The citizens em- ployed themfelves in nothing but banquets, games, fliows, parties of pleafure, and caroufals. Public rewards and marks of diftinftlon were bellowed on thofe who gave ^e moft magnificent entertainments, and even to fuch cooks as were beft Ikilled in the important art of making new difcoveries in the dreffing difhes, and invented new refinements to tickle the palate. The Sybarites carried their delicacy and efreminacy to fuch a height, that they carefully removed from their city, all fuch artificers whofe work w^as noify, and would not fuffer any cocks in it, left their flirill piercing crow fliould difturb their balmy flumbers. , {!)) All thefe evils were heightened by diflenfion and difcord, which at laft proved their ruin. Five hundred of the wealthieft in the city having been expelled by the faction of one Teiys, fled to Croton. Telys denianded to have them furrendered to him ; and, on the refafal of the Crotonians to deliver them up (prompted to this ge- VoL. III. R nerous ' (a) Strab. 1. vi. p. 263 " Athcn. 1. xn p. 518 — T20. . (^0 A. M. 3474, Ant. J. C. s^o. Diod. 1. x'li. p. 76— §5. 362 HISTORY OF THE nerous refolution bj Pjtliagoras who then lived among them), warr was declared. The Sybarites marched three hundred thoufand men into the field, and the Crotonians onlj an hundred thoufand ; but then thev were headed by Miio, the famous champion (of whom we lhall foon have occaiion to fpeak), over whofe flioulders a lion's Ikin v/as throv/n, and liimfeif armed with a club, like another Hercules. The latter gained a complete viftory, and made a dreadful havoc of thofe who fled, fo that very few. efcaped, and their city was depopulated. About threefcore. years after, fome Theffalians came and fettled in it ; how- ever, they did not long enjoy peace, being driven out by the Crotonians. Being thus i-educed to the moft fatal ex- tremity, they implored the fuccour of the Lacedemonians and Athenians. The latter moved to compailion at their deplorable condition, after caufmg proclamation to be made in Peloponnefus, that all who w^ere willing to aflift that colony, were at liberty to do it, fent the Sybarites a fleet of ten iliips under the command of Lampon and Xenocrates. f^c) They built a city ne^r the ancient Sybaris, and called it Thurium. Two men, greatly renowned fo^, their learning, the one an orator, and the other an hifto- rian, fettled in this colony. The firft w^as Lyfias, at that time but fifteen years of age. He lived in Ihurium, till the ill fate which befel the Athenians in Sicily, and then went to x\thens. The fecond was Herodotus. Though he was born in Halicarnalfus, a city of Caria, he was, however, confidered as a native of Thurium, becaufe he fettled there with that colony. I iball fpeak more largely of him hereafter. Bivinons foon broke out in the city, on occafion of the new inhabitants, whom the reft would exclude from all public employments and privileges. But as thefe were much more numerous, they repulfed all the ancient Sy- barites, and got the fole poffeffion of the city. Being fup- portedby the alliance they made with the people of Croton, they (c) A. M 3560. Ant. J. C. 444. Dionyi Halicarn. in vit, Lyf. p. 82. ab. .1 xvi. p. 656. ^ . PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 363 they foon grew vaftly poxverful ; and having fettled a po- puhir form of government in their city, they divided the citizens into ten tribes, which they called by the names of the diiferent nations whence they f|_3rung. " III. GllAROKDAS t/je Legifuiio}\ They now bent their whole thoughts to the ftrentrth- ening of their government by wholefome laws, for which purpofe they made choice of Charondas, who had been educated in Pythagoras's fchool, to digeft and draw them up. I fhali quote fome of them in this place. 1 . He excluded from the fenate, and all public em« ployments, all fuch as fliould marry a fecond wife "in cafe any children by their firft wife w^ere livincr ; bein^i perfuaded, that any man who was fo regardlefs of his children's intereft, would be equally fo of his coun- try's, and be as worthlefs a magiftrate as he had been a father. 2. He fentenced all falfe accufers to be carried through every part of the city crowned with heath or broom, as the vileft of men ; an ignominy which mofl: of them were not able to furvive. The city thus delivered from thofe pefts of fociety, was reftored to its former tranquillity. And indeed from calumniators generally arife all feuds and contefts, whether of a public or private nature ; and yet, according to Tacitus's obfervation, they are too much tolerated in mofl governments. ^ 3. He enaded a new kind of lav/ againll another fpe- cies of pefts, which in a ftate generally firft occafions de- pravity of manners ; by fuifering all thofe to be profecuted who fliould form a correfpondence, or contract a friend- ftiip with wicked men, and by laying a heavy fine up- on them. . 4. He required ^ill the children of the citizens to be educated in the Belles Lcttres j the effect of which is to R 2 polifli * Delatores, genus hom'num vublico exirio repertum, ct pcenis ct:idcm 364 HISTORY OF THE polilh and civilize the minds of men, infpiring them witl: gentlenefs of manners, and inclining them to virtue; all which conftitujie the felicity of a ftate, and are equally neceiTary to citizens of all conditions. In this view, he appointed falaries (paid by the ftate) for mafters and pre- ceptors, in order that learning, by being communicated gratis^ might be acquired by all. He confidered igno- rance as the greateft of evils, and the fource whence all vices flowed. 5. He made a law with refped to orphans, which ap- pears fufficiently judicious, by intrufting the care of their education to their relations by the mother's fide, as their lives would not be in danger from them ; and the ma- nagement of their eftates to their paternal relations, it being the intereft of thefe to make the greateft advantage of them, fince they would inherit them, in cafe of the -demife of their wards. 6. Inftead of putting deferters to death, and thofe who quitted their ranks and fled in battle, he only fentenced thera to make their appearance during three days, in the city, drelTed in the habit of w^omen, imagining, that the dread of fo ignominious a punilhinent would produce the fame effect as putting to death ; and being, at the fame time, defirous of giving fuch cowardly citizens an oppor- tunity of atoning for their fault. 7. To prevent his laws from being too raflily or eafily abrogated, he impofed a very fevere and hazardous con- dition on all perfons v/ho fliould propofe to alter or amend them in any manner. Thefe were fentenced to appear in the public affembly with a halter about their necks ; and, in cafe the alteration propofed did not pafs, they were to be immediately ftrangled. There were but three a- mendments ever propofed, and all of them admitted. Charondas did not long farvive his own laws. Re- turning one day from purfuing fome thieves, and findiiig a tumult in the city, he came armed into the aflembly, though he himfelf had prohibited this by an exprefs law. A certain perfon obje£led to him in fevere terms, that he violated his ov^n laws ; I do not violate them ^ fays he, hut PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 365 thus feal the??i with my blood ; faying Vv^hich, he plunged his fword into his bofom, and expired. IV. Zaleucus, another Lawgiver, {d) At the fame time there arofe among the Locrians another famous legiilator, Zaleucus by name, who, as I well as Charondas, had been Pythagoras's difcipie. There is now fcarce any thing extant of his^ except a kind of preamble to his laws, which gives a moil advantageous idea of them. He requires, above all things, of the citi- j zens, to believe and be firmJy perfuaded^ that there are I gods ; and adds, that the bare cafting up our eyes to the heavens, and contemplating their order and beauty, arc fuilicient to convince us, that it is impoffiblc fo wonder- ful a fabric could have been formed by mere chance or human power. As the natural confequence of this be- lief, he exhorts men to honour and revere the gods, as the authors of whatever is good and jufl among mortals ; and to honour them, not merely by facrifices and fplen- did gifts, but by a fage conduft, and by purity and inno- cence of manners : thefe being infinitely more grateful to the immortals, than all the facriiices that can be offered. After this religious exordium, in which he defcribes the Supreme Being, as the fource whence all laws flow, as the chief authority which commands obedience to them, as the moft powerful motive for our faithful obferv- ance of them, and as the perfefl model to which man- kind ought to conform; he defcends to the particulars of thofe duties which men ovv^e to one another ; and lays down a precept which is very well adapted to preferve peace and unity in fociety, by enjoining the individuals of it not to make their hatred and diflenfions perpetual, which would argue an unfociable and favage difpofition ; but to treat their enemies as men who would foon be their friends. This is carrying morality to as great a per- fection as could be expeded from heathens. R 3 With {d) Diod. I xii. p. 79— 8-5» 366 HISTORY OF THE With regard to the duty of judges and magiftrates, after reprefenting to them, that in pronouncing fentence the J ought never to fulTer themfelves to be biafled by friendfhip, hatred, or any other paffion ; he only exhorts thern'not to behave v/ith the leail: haughtinefs or feverity towards the parties engaged in law, fince fuch are but too iinhappy, in being obliged to undergo all the toils and fatigues infeparable from law- fu its. The office indeed of judges, how laborious foever it may be, is far from giving them a right to ufe the contending parties with ill- Tiature ; the very form and eflence of their employment requiring them to behave with impartiality, and to do juilice on all occafions ; and when they diftribute this even with mildnefs and humanity, it is only a debt they pay, and not a favour they grant. To banifli luxury from his republic, w^hich he looked upon as the certain deftruftion of a government, he did not fellow the practice eftablifhed in fome nations, where it is thought fufficient, for the reftraining it, to punifli, by pecuniary mulfts, fuch as infringe the laws made on that occafion, but he a£led, fays the hiftorian, in a more artful and ingenious, and at the fame time more eifeftual manner. He prohibited women from wearing rich and coftly fluifs, embroidered robes, precious ftones, ear-rings, necklaces^ bracelets, gold rings, and fuch like ornaments ; excepting none from this law but common proftituteg. He enaSed a like law with regard to the men ; except- ing, in the fame manner, from the obfervance of i^, fuch only as were willing to pafs for debauchees and infamous wretches. By thefe regulations he ealily, and without violence, preferved the citizens from the lead approaches to luxury and eiFeminacy *. For no perfon was fo aban- doned to all fenfe of honour, as to be willing to wear the badges of his fliame, under the eye, as it were, of all the citizens; fince this would make him the public laugh- ing-ftock, and refled: eternal infamy on his family. . V. MiLO, * More intei:,veteres recepto, qui fatis poenarum adverfiis impudicas in Jpfa profcfiione flagitii credebant. Tacit. Annate. I ii. c 8j. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 367 V, MiLo, the ChaTjipicn, • We have feen him at the head of an army obtain a great vidlory. However, he was liill more renowned for his athletic ftrength, than for his military bravery. He was furnamed Crotonienjls^ from Croton, the place of his .birth. It was his daughter, whom, .as -was before re- lated, Democedes, the famous phyiician, and Milo's cGun>- tryman^ married, after he had fied from Darius's court to Greece, his native country. Paufanias relates, that Milo, when but a child, was feven times viftorious in one day at the Pythian games-; that he won fix victories (at wreftlingj in the Olympic games, one of w^hich was alfo gained in his childhood ; and that challenging a feventh time (in Olympia), any perfon to wreftle with him, he could not engage for want of an opponent. He would hold a pomegranate in fuch a manner, that, without breaking it, he would grafp it fo- fail in his hand, that no force could poffibly v/reft it from him. He w^ould ftand fo firm on a difcusy which had been oiled to make it the more flippery, that it was im- poffible to move him on thofe occafions. He would bind his head with a cord, after which, holding his breath ftrongly, the veins of his head would fwell fo prodigiouf- ly as to break the rope. When Milo, fixing his elbow 011 his fide, ftretched forth his right hand quite open, with his fingers held clofe one to the other, his thumb except- ed, w^hich he raifed, the utmoft ftrength of man could not feparate his little finger from the other three. All this w^as only a vain and puerile oftentation of his ftrength. Chance, however, gave him an opportunity of making a much more laudable ufe of it. (y) One day as he was attending the leftures of Pythagoras (for he was one of his moft conftant difciples), the pillar whicli fupported the cieling of the fchool in which the pupils were aflembled, being fliaken by fome accident, Milo R 4 fupported; (j) Lib, VI. 369, 370, (/) Strab. 1. vi. p. 263. This d'ljcui iVLis a k'md of quoit, flat and rcu?id. 368 HISTORY OF THE fupported it by his fingle ftrength, gave the auditors time to get away, and afterwards he efcaped liimfelf. What is related of the vorcicious appetite of the Ath- leta; is almoft incredible, (^g') Milo's appetite was fcarce fatiated with twenty minae (pounds) of meat, the fame quantity of bread, and three ^'co?igii of wine every day, Athen^sus relates, that this champion having run the whole length of the ftadium, with a bull of four years old on his flioulders, he afterv/ards knocked him down with one flroke of his fift, and eat the whole beaft that very- day. I will take it for granted, that all the other parti- culars related of Milo are true ; but is it probable, that one man could devour a whole ox in fo iliort a time ? (A) We are told that Milo, v/hen advanced to a very great age, feeing the reft of the champions wreftling, and gazing upon his own arms, which once were fo vigorous and robuft, but were then very much enfeebled by time,, lie burft into tears, and cried, Alas ! thefe arms are nom dead. (i) And yet he either forgot or concealed his weaknefs from himfelf ; the ftrong perfuaiion he entertained of hi$ own ftrength, and which he preferved to the laft, proving fatal to him. Happening to meet, as he was travelling, an old oak, which had been opened by fome wedges that were forced into it, he undertook to fplit it in two by his bare ftrength. But, after forcing out the wedges, his. arms v/ere catched in the trunk of the tree, by the vio-. lencQ with which it clofed ; fo that being unable to dif- engage his hands, he was devoured by wolves. (k^ An author has judicioufly obferved, that this furprifingly robuft champion, w^ho prided himfelf fo ^ much in his bodily ftrength, was the weakeft of men with regard to a pafiion w^hich often fubdues and cap- tivates the ftrongeft ; a courtefan having gained fo great an afcendant over Milo, that flie tyrannized over him ia (0 Athen. I. x. p. 4*^3. Cic. de Sened. n. 37. i-aufan. i. vi p. 370. (^0 ^iian. 1. ii. c. 24, * Thirty pound s, or ^fteen quarts*. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 369 tlie moft imperious manner, and made him obey whatever command flie laid upon him. CHAP. III. ne War of Peloponnesus. HE Peloponnefian war, w^hich I am now entering upon, began about the end of the firft year or eighty-feventh Olympiad, and lafted twenty- feven years: Thucydides has written the hiftory of it to the twenty- firft year inclufively. He gives us an accurate account of the feveral tranfadlions of every yeax% which he divides into campaigns and winter quarters. However, I ihall not be fo minute, and ihall only extrafl: fuch parts of it as appear moft entertaining and inftruftive. Plutarch and Diodorus Siculus wdll alfo be of great affiftance to me ou this occalion. Sect. I. The Siege of Flatcece hy the Thehans. Alter-- nate Ravages of Attica ajiii Feloponnefus. Ho?iours paid to the Athenians who fell i?t the firjl Campaign* THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR. (^0 'T'HE firft afl: of hoftility by which the war began;, ^ was committed by the 1 hebans, who befieged Plat^ae, a city of Bgeotia, in alliance with Athens. They were introduced into it by treachery ; but the citizens, falling upon them in the night, killed them, about two hundred excepted, who were taken prifoners, and who a little after w^ere put to death, . The Athenians, as foon as the new^s was brought of the aftion at Plataeae, fent fuc* cours and provinoas thither, and cleared the city of all perfons who w^ere incapable of bearing arms The truce being evidently broke, both fides prepared openly for war ; and ambaffadors were fent to ail places Pv 5 to . {l\ A. M. 3573. Ant. J. C 43r- (»0 Thucyd. 1. ii. p. 99—12?. xii.p. 97-— :0Q. ^im. in Fericl. p. 17c, 370 HISTORY OF' THE ftrengthen tliemfelves by tlie alliance of the Greeks and Barbarians. Everj part of Greece was in motion, fome few ftates and cities excepted, which continued neuter^ till they fliould fee the event of the war. The majority were for the Lacedemonians ; as being the deliverers of Greece, and efpoufed their intereft very warmly, becaufe the Athenians, forgetting that the moderation and gentle- nefswith which they commanded over others had pi^ocured them many allies, had afterwards alienated the greateft part of them by their pride and the feverity of their go- vernment, and incurred the hatred, not only of thofe w^ho were then fubjeft to them, but of all fuch as were apprehenlive of becoming their dependents. In this tem- per of mind were the Greeks at that time. The confede- rates of each of thofe ftates were as follow. /ill Peloponnefus, Argos excepted, which ftood neuter, had declared for Lacedaemonia. The Achaians, the j.nha- bitants of Pellene excepted, had' affo joined them ; but the latter alfo engaged infenfibly in that war. Out of Peloponnefus were the people of Megara, Locris, Boeotia, Phocis^ Ambracia, Lcucadia, and Anadorium. The confederates of the Athenians were, the people of Chios, Lefbos, Piataeae, the Meflenians, of Naupac-* tus ; the greateft partof the Acarnanians, Gorcyrans, Ce- phalenians, and Zacynthians, befides the feveral tributary countries, as maritime Caria, Doria, which lies near i^, Ionia, the Hellefpont ; and the cities of Thrace, Chalcis and Potidaea excepted ; all the iflands between Crete and Peloponnefus, eaft ward j and the Cyclades, Melos and rhera excepted. Immediately after the attempt on Plataese, the Lacede- monians had ordered forces to be levied both within and without Peloponnefus ; and made all the preparations ne- ceffary for entering the enemy's country. All things be- ing ready, two-thirds of the troops m^arched to the Ifth* mus of Corinth, and the reft were left to guard the coun- try. Archidamus, king of Lacedemonia, who com- manded the army, afiembled the general and chief officers, :^ud calling up the reiaembrance of the great aftions per. formed 4: PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 37^ formed by their anceftors, and thofe they themfelves had done, or been eje-witneffes to, he exhorted them to fup- port, with the utmofh efforts of their valour, the prilUne glory of their refpeftive cities, as well as their own fame* He declared, that the eyes of all Greece were upon them ; and that, in expedlation of the iffue of a war which would determine its fate, they were inceffantly addreffing Hea- ven in favour of a people, who was as dear to them as the Athenians were become odious ; That, however, he could uQt deny, but that they were going to march againft an enemy, who, though greatly inferior to them in num- bers and in ftrength, were neverthelefs very powerful^ warlike, and daring ; and whofe courage would doubtlei's be. ftill more inflamed by the fight of danger, and the lay- ing Vv^afte of their territories : That, therefore, they muft exert themfelves to the utmoft, to fpread an immediate terror in . the country they w^ere going to enter, and in- fpire the allies with new vigour. The whole army an- fwercd in the loudeft acclamations of joy, and affured their generals that they would do their duty. The aiiembly breaking up, Archidamus, ftill zealous for the welfare of Greece, and meditating how he might bell prevent a rupture, the dreadful confequences of which he forefaw, fent.a Spartan to Athens, to endeavour, be- fore they fiiould come to hoftilities, to prevail, if poffibie, w^ith the Athenians to lay afide their defigns ; fince other- wife an arniy would foon march into Attica* But the Atlie- nians fo far from admitting him to audience, hearing his reafons, would not fo much as fuifer him to come ii^to their city : Pericles having prevailed with the people to make a-n order, that no herald or ambaflador fhouid be received from the Lacedemonians, till they had firit laid dowm their arm|. In confeq^uence of this, the Spartan was com- maOTed to leave the country that very day; and an efccrt was lent to guard him to the frontiers, and to prevent his fpeaking to any perfon by the way. At his taking leave . R 6 _of * Gnarus primis eventibus metum aut liduclam gigni. T't.v/^ ^unaL ^. %'w, c. 31. 37^. HISTORY OF THE of the Athenians, he told them, that from that day great calamities v/ould enfue to all Greece. Archidamus, fee- ing no hopes of a reconciliation, marched for Attica, at the head of lixty thoufand chofen forces. Pericles, before the Lacedemonians had entered this country, declared to the Athenians, that ihould Archida- mus, w hen he was laying wafte their territories, fpare his (Pericles^ lands, either on account of the right of hofpita- lity which fubnifed between them, or to furnifti his ene- mies, and thofe who envied him, with a handle to ilander liim, as holding intelligence with him, he declared that from that day he made over all his lands and houfes to the city of Athens. He remonftrated to the Athenians, that it was their intereft to confume the enemy's troops, by protrafting the war ; and that, for this purpofe they mull immediately remove all their eiFed:s out of the country, retire to the city, and fliut themfelves up in it without ever hazarding a battle. The Athenians, indeed had not forcts, enougli to take the field and oppofe the enemy. Their troops, exclufive of thofe in garrifon, amounted but to thirteen thoufand heavy- armed foldiers, and fix teen thou- fand inhabitants, including the young and old, the citizens as well as others, who were appointed to defend Athens : And beiides the fe, twelve hundred troopers, including the archers, who rode on horfe-back, and fixteen hundred foot firchers. This was the v/hole army cf the Athenians. B*Jt their chief ftrength confiiled in a fleet of three hundred galiies, part of which were ordered to lay v/afte the ene- my's country, and the reft to awe the allies, on whom contributions were levied, without which the Athenians could not defray the expences of the war. The Athenians, animated by the warm exhortations of Pericles, brought ftom the country their wives, their children, their moveables, and all their eftecLS, after which they pulled down their houfes, and even carried: off the timber af them^ With regard to the cattle of all kinds, they conveyed thera into the illand of Kuboea, and the neighbouring ifles. However, they were deeply af- fiicled at the fad an:d precipitate migration, and it even PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 373 forced tears from their eyes. From the time the Perfians left this country, that is, for near fifty years, they had enjoyed the fweets of peace, wholly employed in culti- vating their lands, and feeding their flocks. But now (fad fate of war) ! they were obliged to abandon every thing. They took up their habitations in the city, as conveniently as they could in the midft of fuch confufion ; retiring either to their relations or friends ; and fome withdrew even to the temples and other public places. In the meantime the Lacedemonians, being fet out upon their march, entered the country, and encamped at CLnoe, which is the firil fortrefs towards Boeotia. They employed a long time in preparing the attack, and raifing the batteries ; for wtiich reafon complaints were made agamil Archidamus,. as if he carried on the war indo- lently, becaufe he had not approved of it. He was ac- Gufed ot being too flow in his marches, and of encamip- ing too long near Corinth. He was aifo charged with having been too dilatory in raifing the army, and having defired to give the Athenians opportunity to carry off alL their effeiirls out of the country y whereas (^they faid) had he marched fpeedily intoil, all they had might have beert plundered and deftroyed. His deiign, however, was to engage the Athenians, by thefe delays, to agree to an ac- commodation, and to prevent a rupture, the confequen- ces of which, he forefaw, would be pernicious to all Greece. Finding,, after iniaking feveral aflaults, that it would be impoflfible for him to take the city, he railed the fiege, and entered Attica in the midfl of the harveft. Having laid w^afl:e the whole country, he advanced as far as AcharncS, one of the greateft towns near Athens, and but fifteen hundred paces from the city. He there pitch- ed his camp, in hopes that the Athenians, exafperated to fee him advanced fo near, would faliy out to defend their country, and give him an opportunity of coming to a battle. It was, indeed, a great mortification to the Athenians^ (haughty and imperious) to be braved and infulted m this manner by an enemy, whom they did not think fuperior to 374 HISTORY OF THE to themfelves in courage. They were eye-witnefies of the dreadful havoc made of their lands, and faw all their houfes iand farms in a blaze. This fad fpedlacle was now fo ftiocking, that they could not bear it any longer, and therefore demanded fiercely to be led out againft the Lacedemonians, be the confequence what it would. Pe^ ricies faw plainly, that the Athenians would thereby ha- zard every thing, and expofe their city to certain dellruc- tion, jfliould they march out to engage, under the walls of their city, an army of fixty thoufand fighting m.en, compofed of the choiceft troops at that time in Eceotia and Peloponnefus. Befides, he had made it his chief maxim, to fpare the blood of the citizens, fince that was an irreparable iofs. Purfuing inflexibly, therefore, the plan he had laid down, and vludious of nothing but how he might check the impatience and ardour of the AthenianSj, he was particularly careful not to affemble either the fe.- nate or the people; lelr tliey frould form fome fatal re- folution, in fpite of ail the oppofition in his power. His friends ufed all the entreaties imagiiiable,. to make him change his conduft. His enemies, on the other lide, en- deavoured to ftagger him by their menaces arid flandei ous difcourfes. They ftrove to roufe him by fongs and fa« tires, in which they afperfed him as a man of a cowardly infenfible caft of mind, who bafely gave up his country to the fword of the enenny. But no man fhowed fo much rancour againft Pericles as * Cleon. He was the fon of a. currier, and alfo follov/ed that trade. Pie had raifed himfelf by faftion, and probably by a fptcies of merit which thofe muil polTefs who v/.ould rife in popular governments. He had a thundering, . and, at the fame time, a fpecious voice ; and befides he poiTeflred, in a v/on- derful manner, the art of gaining the people, and brings-"^ ing them over to his intereft. It v/as he who enabled a law, that the three oholi (not two as before) fhould be given to each of the fix thoufand judges. The charaderi- iilics which more immediately diftinguifiied him were,, an * It isheivhotn Arifiophanci has inijcighea much agaitiji^ mfeuens^. iff hi^ comedies. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 375 an infupportable vain opinion of his own abilities, a ridi- culous perfuafion of his uncommon merit ; and a bold- nefs of fpeech, which he carried to fo high a pitch of in- folence as to fpare no man. But none of thefe things could inove Pericles "*. His great flrength of mind raif- ed him above low vulgar clamours. Like a good pilot in a raging ftorm, who, after he has given out the proper or- ders, and taken all the precautions necellary, is ftudions ^of nothing but how to make the beft ufe of his art, with- out fuiFering himfelf to be moved by the tears and en- treaties of thofe whom fear has diftradled ; Pericles, in like manner, after having put the city in a good pofture of defence, and polled guards in all places to prevent a furprife, followed thofe counfels which his prudence fug- gefted, entirely regardlefs of the complaints, the taunts, and licentious diicourfes of the citizens ; from a firm per- fuafion, that he knew much better than they in what manner they were to be governed. It then appeared evidently, fays Plutarch, that Pericles was abfolute maC- ter of the minds of the Athenians, fince he prevailed fo far (at fuch a junfture as this) f as to keep them from fallying out of the city, as if he had kept the keys of the city in his own poffeflion ; and fixed^ on their arms, tlie feal of his authority, to forbid their making ufe of them. Things happened exafily as Pericles had foretold ; for the enemy, finding the Athenians were determined not to ftir out of their city, and having advice that the enemy's fleet carried fire and fword into their territories, they raifed their camp, and, after making dreadful havoc in the whole country, through which they marched, they returned to Peloponnefus, and retired, to their feveral homes. It migLt here be alked, why Pericles afted, on this occafion, in a quite different manner from what The*- miftocles had done about fifty years before, when, at Xerxes's approach, .he made the Athenians march out O'f their (« Plut. An Seni ger. fit.refp. p. * Spernendis runioribus validus. Tacit. 37^ HISTORY OF THP: their city, and abandon it to the enemy. But a little re- fleftion will fiiow that the circumftances differed widely. Themiftocles, being invaded by all the forces of the Eaft,. jiiftly concluded that it would be impoffible for him to withitand, in a fmgle city, thofe millions of Barbarians who would have poured vipon it like a deluge, and de- prived him of all hopes of being fuccoured by his allies. This is the reafon given by Cicero. FluBum enim totius ^Barharice fe7're urbs una non poterat^ It was, therefore, prudent in him to retire for fome time, and to let the confufed multitude of Barbarians confume and deftroy one another. But Pericles was not engaged in fo formida- ble and oppreffive a war. The odds were not very great, and he forefaw it would allow him time to breathe. Thus, like a judicious man, and an able politician, he kept clofe in Athens, and could not be moved either by the remonftrances or murmurs of the citizens, (o) Ci- cero, writing to his friend Atticus, condemns abfoluteiy the refolution which Pompey formed and executed, to abandon Rome to Caefar ; whereas he ought, in imita- tion of Pericles, to have ftiut himfelf up in it with the fenate, the magiflrates, and the worthieft of the citizens who had declared in his favour. After the Lacedemonians were retired, the Athenians put troops into all the important pofts both by fea and land, purfuant to the plan they intended to follow as long as the war continued. They alfo came to a refolution, to keep always a thoufand talents in referve and an hundred gallies ; and never to ufe them, except the ene- my Ihould invade Attica by fea ; at the fame time mak- ing it dejth for any man to propofe the employing them any other way. The galleys v%^hich had been fent into Peloponnefus made dreadful havoc there, which confoled the Athe- nians, in fome meafure, for the loffes they had fuftained. One d -y, ab the forces were going on board, and Pericles V £ V .'g his own fliip, a fudden and total eclipfe of the iuii eiiiued, and the earth was over-fpread with the deepefi (o) Lib. vii. Epift. Ii; * Ikrec ?niUions, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 377 dcepefl gloom. This phenomenon filled the minds of the Athenians "with the utmoft terror, fuperftition, and the ignorance of natural caufes, making them confider fiich events as fatal omens. Pericles, feeing the pilot who was on board his fliip aftonifhed, and incapable of managing the helm, threw his cloak over his face, and aflced him whether he faw : The pilot anfwering, that the cloak took away all objefts from his fight , Pericles then gave him to underftand, that a like caufe, viz. the interpofition of the vaft body of the moon between his eyes and the fun, prevented his feeing its fplendour. (j^) The firft year of the war of Peloponnefus being now elapfed, the Athenians, during the winter, folem- nized public funerals, according to ancient cuftom (a praftice truly humane, and exprellive of a juft gratitude) in honour of thofe who had loft their lives in that cam- paign, a ceremony they obferved during the whole courfe of that war. For this purpofe they fet up, three days before, a tent, in which the bones of the deceafed citi- zens w^ere expofed, and every perfon ftrewed flowers, in- eenfe, perfumes, and things of the fame kind upon thofe remains. They afterwards were put on a kind of cha-- riots, in coffins made of cyprefs wood, every tribe hav- ing its particular coffin and chariot ; but in one of the latter, a large empty * coffin was carried, in honour of thofe whofe bodies had not been found. The proceffion marched wuth a grave, majeftic, and religious pomp 5 a. great number of inhabitants, both citizens and foreigners^ affifted at this mournful folemnity. The relations of the deceafed officers and foldiers ftood weeping at the fepul- chre. Thefe bones were carried to a public monument, in the fineft fuburb of the city, called the Ceramicus ; v/here were buried, in all ages, thofe who loft their lives in the field, except the warriors of Marathon, who, to immortalize their rare valour, were interred in the field of battle. Earth w^as afterwards laid over them, and then one of the citizens of the greateft diftindlion pronounced their funeral oration. Pericles was now appointed to ex- ercifc^ (/;) Thucyd. 1. ii. p. II2 — 130, ^ '/ befc are called Ccnotdpk.a. 378 HISTORY OF THE ercife this honourable office. When the ceremony was ended, he went from the fepulchre to the tribunal, in or- der to be the better heard, and fpoke the oration, the whole of which Thucydides has tranlmitted to us. Whe- ther it was really compofed by Pericles, or by the hifto- rian, we may affirm, that it is truly worthy the reputa- tion of both thofe great men, as well for the noble fim- plicity of the ftyle, as for the juft beauty of the thoughts, and the greatnefs of the fentiments which fliine in every part of it. After having paid, in fo folemn a man- ner, this double tribute of tears an-d applaufes, to the memory of thofe brave foldiers ^vho had facrificed their lives to defend the liberties of their country ; the public, who did not confine their gratitude to empty ceremonies and tears, maintained their widows, and all their infant orphans. This was a powerful * incentive to animate the courage of the citizens ; for great men are formed, where merit is beft rewarded. About the clofe of the fame campaign, the Athenians concluded an alliance with Sitalces, kmg of the Odryfi- ans in Thrace ; and, in confequence of this treaty, his fon was admitted a citizen of Athens. They alfo made an accommodation with Perdiccas, king of Macedonia, by reftoring him the city of Thermae ; after which they joined their forces, in order to carry on the war in Chalcis. Sect. II. ^he plague ?nakes dreadful havoc in Africa* Pericles is divefted of the command. The Lacedemo^ nians addrefs the Ptrjians for aid, Potidcici is taken by the Athenians, Pericles is reflored to his employ- ment. His deaths and that of Anaxagoras. SECOND AND THIRD YEARS OF THE WAR. (r) TN the beginning of the fecond campaign, the ene-' my made an incurfion into the country as .before, and laid it wafle. But the plague made a much greater devaftation (q) Thucyd. I. ii. p. 130. (r) A. M. ,^574. Ant. J. C. 430- Thucyd. 1. ii. p. 13c — 147. Diod. p. loi, lOZ. Pint, in Ptricl. p. 171. * 'A^Atf* yccp oi'i ziiTsii u^iTA<^ ^I'^yiroCy roi^ ol koh dvo^ig d^i^oi ttoM- ; PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 379 devaftation in Athens : the; like having never been known. - It is related, that it began in Ethiopia, whence it de- fcended into Egypt, from thence fpread over Libya, and -a great part of Perfia ; and at laft broke at once, like a flood, upon Athens. Thucydides, W'ho himfelf was feized with that deadly difeafe, has defcribed very minutely tlie feveral circumftances and lymptomsof it, in order, fays he, that a faithful and exact relation of this calamity may ferve as an inftruelion to poilerity, in cafe the like fliould ever happen, (s") Hippocrates, who w^as employed to vifit the fick, has alfo defcribed it in a medical, and (t) Lucretius in a poetical w^ay. This peililence baffled the utmoft ef- forts of art ; the moft robufl: conftitutions were unable to withftand its attacks ; and the greateft care and ikill of the phyficians v/ere a feeble help to thofe who v. ere in- fecled. The inftant a perfon ivas feized, he was ftruck with defpair, w^hich quite difabled him from attempting a cure. The affiftance that was given them was inefFeftual, and proved mortal to all fuch of their relations as had the courage to approach them. Ihe prodigious quantity of baggage, which had been removed out of the country into the city, proved very noxious. Moft of the inhabitants, for want of lodging, lived in little cottages, in which they could fcarce breathe, during the raging heat of the fummer, fo that they were feen, either piled one upon the other (the dead as well as thofe who v/ere dying) or elfe crawling through the ftreets ; or lying along by the fide of fountains, to which they had dragged themfelves, to quench the raging thirft which confumed them. The very temples w^ere filled with dead bodies, and every part of the city exhibited a dreadful image of death ; w^ithout the leaft remedy for the prefent, or the ieaft hopes with regard to futurity. (z/) The plague, before it fpread into Attica, had made wild havoc in Perfia. Artaxerxes, who had been in- formed of the mighty reputation of Hippocrates of Cos, the greateft phyfician of that or any other age, caufed his governors to write to him, to invite him into his dominions, in order that he might prefcribe to thofe who w^ere in- fe£led, (i) Epidem, I. iii. § 3, {f ) Lib. ii. c. 47. 0;} Hippocrat. in Epift, 38o HISTORY OF THE feded. The king made him the moft advantageous of-, fers ; fetting no bounds to his rewards on the fide of in- tereft, and, with regard to honours, promifmg to make him equal with the moft confiderable perfons in his court. The reader has already been told, the prodigious regard ■which was fliown to the Grecian phyficians in Perfia j and, indeed, was it poiTible that fo ufeful a man as Hip- pocrates could be too well rewarded ? However, all the glitter of the Perfian riches and dignities v/ere not capable to corrupt him ; nor ftifle the hatred and averfion which was become natural to the Greeks for the Perfians, ever fince the latter had invaded them. This great phjfician^ therefore, fent no other anfwer but this, that he was free from either wants or defires : That he owed all his care to his fellow-citizens and countrymen ; and was under no obligation to Barbarians, the declared enemies of Greece*. Kings are not ufed to denials, Artaxerxes, therefore, in the higheft tranfports of rage, fent to the city of Cos, the native place of Hippocrates, and where he was at that. tmie ; commanding them to deliver up to him that info- lent wretch, in order that he might be brought to condign punilhment ; and threatening, in cafe they refufed, to- lay wafte their city and ifland in fuch a manner, that not the leaft footfteps of it Ihouid remain. However^ the in- habitants of Cos were not under the leaft terror. They made anfwer, that the menaces of Darius and Xerxes had not been able to prevail with them to give them earth and water, or to obey their orders ; that Artaxerxes's threats would be equally important ; that, let what would be the confequence, they would never give up their fel- low-citizen J and ^hat they depended on the proteftion of the gods. Hippocrates had faid in one of his letters,, that he ow- ed himfeif entirely to his country. And indeed, the in- ftant he was fent for to Athens^ he went thither, and did not once ftir out of the city till the plague was quite ceaf- ed. He devoted himf-lf entirely to thelfervice of the fic'. and to multiply himfeif, as it were, he fent feveral of h^ 4ifciples ixito all parts of thecoui^try afterhaving inftrud^ ed PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 381 them in what manner to treat their patients. The Athenians were ftruck with the deepeft fenfe of gratitude for this generous care of Hippocrates. Thej therefore ordained, bj a public decree, that Hippocrates fhould be initiated in the moil exalted myfteries, in the fame man- ner as Hercules the fon of Jupiter ; that a crown of gold ihouldbe prefented him of the value of a thoufand ftaters*^ amounting to five hundred piftoles French money ; and that the decree by v/hich it was granted him fliould be read aloud by a herald in the public gam^es, on the folemn feftival of Panathenaea : That the freedom of the city fliould be given him, and himfelf be maintained at the public charge, in the Prytaneum all his life- time, in cafe _he thought proper : In fine, that the children of all the people of Cos, whofe city had given birth to fo great a man, might be maintained and brought up in Athens, in the fame manner as if they had been born there. In the mean time the enemy having marched into At- tica, came down towards the coaft, and advancing ftill for- ward, laid wafte the whole country. Pericles ftill adher- ing to the maxim he had eftablifhed, not to expofe the fafety of the ftate to the hazard of a battle, would not fuf- fer his troops to fally out of the city : However, before the enemy left the plains, he failed to Peloponnefus with an hundred galleys, in order to haften their retreat by his making fo powerful a diverfion, and after having made a dreadful havoc (as he had done the firft year), he return- ed into the city. The plague was ftill there as well as in the fleet, and it fpread to thofe troops that were befieging Potidaea. The campaign being thus ended, the Athenians, who faw their country depopulated by two great fcourges, war, and peftilence, began to defpond, and to murmur againft Pericles ; confidering him as the author of all their calamities, as he had involved them in that fatal war. They then fent a deputation to Lacedemonia, to obtain, if poffible, an accommodation by fome means or other, firmly * The Attic Jfater auas a gold coin W€ighi7ig two drothms. It is in the 'Original^ ^(>vife>.'v ^i>..tm. 5 382 HISTORY OF THE firmlj refolved to make whatever coaceiTioiis fiiould be demanded of tlieui : Kowever, the ambaiiadors returned back without being able to obtain any terms. Com- plaints and murmurs now broke out a frefli, and the whole city was in fuch a trouble and confaiion, as feemed to prognoflicate the worft of evils. Pericles, in the midft of this univerfal confternation, could not forbear affem- bling the people; and endeavouring to foften, and at the fame time to encourage them, by juflifying himfelf. " The reafons (fays he), which determined you to undertake this war, and which you approved at that time^ are ftill the fame ; and are not changed by the alteration of circumftaaces, wdiich neither you nor myfelf could *^ forefee. Had it been left to your option to make choice of peace or war, the former would certainly have been the more eligible : But as there was no other means for preferving your liberty, but by dravving the fword, was it poffible for you to hefitate ? If we are citizens «^ who truly love our country, will our private misfortunes make us neglefl: the common welfare of the ftate ? Every man feels the evil which afflicls him, becaufe it is prefent ; but no one is fenfible of the good which will ^* refult from it, becaufe it is not come. Have you for* got the ftrength and grandeur of your empire? Of the two parts which form this globe of ours, viz. the land and fea, you have abfolutc poffeflion of the latter ; and no king, or any other pov/er, is able to oppofe your fleets. It is now your duty to preferve this glory and this empire, or to refign it for ever. Be not there- fore grieved becaufe you are deprived of a few country- *^ houfes and gardens, which ought to be confidered no otherwnfe than as the frame of the pifture, though you would feem to make them the piclure itfelf. Confider that if you do but preferve your liberty, you w^ili eafily recover them ; but that fhould you fuffer yourfelves to be deprived of this bleffing, you will lofe every valu- able poffeilion with it. Do not £hov/ lefs generofity than your anceltors, wlio, for the fake of preferving it, aban- doaed even their city j and who^ though they had not iaherited PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 385 Inherited fuch a glory from their anceftors, yet fuiTered the worft of evils, and engaged in the moll perilous enterprifes, to tranfmit it to you. I will confefs that *^ your prefect calamities are exceedingly grievous, and I myfelf am duly fenfible, and deeply afflided for them. But is it juft in you to exclaim againft your general, merely for an accident that was not to be diverted by all the prudence of man ; and to make him refpon- fible for an event, in which he has not the leaft concern? We muft fubmit patiently to thofe evils which Hea- ven infli6ls upon us, and vigoroufly oppofe fuch as arife from our fellow-creatures. As to the hatred and jea- loufy which attend on your profperity, they are the *^ ufual lot of all who believe themfelves worthy of com- manding. However, hatred and envy are not long- lived, but the glory that accompanies exalted adions is immortal. Revolve, therefore, perpetually in your minds, how fliameful and ignominious it is for men to bow the neck to their enemies, and how glorious it is to triumph over them ; and then, animated by this double refleftion, march on to danger with joy and in- trepidity, and do not crouch fo tamely in vain to the *^ Lacedemonians ; and call to mind that thofe who dif- ** play the greateft bravery and refolution in dangers,, ac- " quire the moft efieem and applaufe." The motives of honour and fame, the remembrance of the greBt adions of their anceftors, the foothing title of fovereigns of Greece, and above all, the jealoufy of Spar- ta, the ancient and perpetual rival of Athens, were the ufual motives which Pericles employed to influence and animate the Athenians, and had hitherto never failed of fuccefs. But on this occafion, the fenfe of the prefent evils prevailed over every other conlideration, and ftifled all other thoughts. The Athenians, indeed, did not defign to fue to the Lacedemonians any more for peace, but the fight and prefence only of Pericles was infupportable to them. They, therefore, deprived him of the comm.and of the arm^y^ and fentenced him to pay a fine, v/hich, accord- ing 584 HISTORY OF THE ing to fome hiftorians, amounted to fifteen talents % and, according to others, fifty. However, this public difgrace of Pericles was not to be very lading. The anger of the people was appeafed by this firft effort, and had fpent itfelf in this injurious treatment of him, as the bee leaves its fting in the wound. But he was not now fo happy with regard to his domeftic evils ; for, befides his having loft a great number of his friends and relations by the peftilence, feuds and divifions had long reigned in his family. Xanthippus his eldeft fon, who himfelf was extremely profufe, and had married a young wife no lefs extravagant, could not bear his fa- ther's exaft economy, who allowed him but ar very fmall fum for his pleafures. This made him borrow money in his father's name. When the lender demanded his debt of Pericles, he not only refufed to pay, but even profecuted him for it. Xanthippus was fo enraged, that he inveighed in the moft heinous terms againft his father, exclaiming againft him in all places, and ridiculing, open- ly, the aflemblies he held at his houfe, and his confer- ences with the Sophifts. He did not know that a fon, though treated unjuftly (which was far otherwife in. his cafe), ought to fubmit patiently to the injuftice of his father, as a citizen is obliged to fuffer that of his country. The plague carried off Xanthippus. At the fame time Pericles loft his fifter, with many of his relations and beft friends, whofe affiftance he moft wanted in the admini- ftration. But he did not fink under thefe loffes ; his ftrength of mind was not ftiaken by them ; and he was not feen to weep or fliow the ufual marks of fon'ow at the grave of any of his relations, till tlie death of Paralus, the laft of his legitimate children. That rude ftroke quite amazed him, though he did his utmoft to preferve his ufual tranquillity, and not ftiow any outward fymptoms of for- row. But when he was to put the crown of flowers upon • the head of his dead fon, he could not fupport the cruel fpedacle. * fifteen or fifty thoiifand Vrench crowis* PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 385 fpe£lac1e, nor ftifle the tranfports of his grief, which forced its way in cries, in fobs, and a flood of tears. Pericles, mifled by the principles of a falfe philofophy, imagined, that bewailing the death of his relations and children would betray a weaknefs that no way luited the greatnefs of foul he had ever fliown ; and that on this oc- cafion, the fenfibility of the father wo.uld fully the glory of the conqueror. Exceeding error, chiidiih illufion, * which either makes heroifm confift in wild and favage cruelty ; or leaving the fame grief and confufion in the mind, aflumes a v&in outfide of conftancy and refolution, merely to be admired. But does martial bravery extin- guifli nature ? Is a man dead to all humane fentiments, becaufe he makes a confiderable figure in the ftate ? An- toninus the emperor had a much jufter way of thinking, v/hen on occafion of Marcus Aurelius's lameiiting the death of the perfon who had brought him up, he faid ; * Suffer him' to he a inan^for neither philofophy ?iQr fovc" reignty renders us infenjible, Ficklenefs and inconftancy w^ere the prevailing charac- i:ers of the Athenians ; and as thefe carried them on a fudden to the greateft exceffes, they foon brought them back again within the bounds of moderation and gentle- nels. It was not long before they repented the injury they had done Pericles, and ea^neftly w^iihed to fee him again in their alTembli-s. By dint of fuiTering, they be- gan to bear patiently their domeiiic misfortunes, and to be fired more and more with a 7xal for their country's glory-; and in their ardour for reinftating its affairs, they did not know any perfon more culpable than Pericles of the adminiftration. Pericles, st that time, never ftirred out of his houfe, and was in the utnioft grief for the lofs lie had fuftained. However, Alcibiades and the reft of his friends entreated him to go abroad, and ihov^^ himfelf in public. The people alked him pardon for their un- grateful ufage of him ; and Pericles, moved with their en- treaties, and perfuaded tliat it did not become a r ood man Vol. III. S • "to * Permitte illi ut homo fit : ncque cnim vel pliilcfoplib vtl inroeriuni toUit affc;iUis. juU Ca^itQl, in vii, AntQ?iini I'll, 386 HISTORY OF THE to harbour the leait relentment againft: his country, re- fumed the government. i^bout the end of the fecond campaign, fome ambaffa- dors had fet out frorn Lacedemon, in order to folicit the king of Periia's aUiance, and engage him to furnifli a fum of money for maintaining the fleet ; This reflefted great ignorainy on the Lacedemonians, who called themjfelves the deliverers of Greece, lince they thereby retracted or f allied the glorious a£lions they had formerly atchieved in her defence againft Perfia. They went by the way of Thrace, in order to difengage, if poffible, Sitalces from the alliance of the Athenians, and prevail with him to fuc- cour Potidasa. But they here met with fome Athenian ambaiTadors, who caufed them to be arrefted as difturbers of the public peace, and afterwards to be fent to Athens, where, v/ithout fufFering them to be heard, they were put to death the fame day ; and their bodies thrown into the open fields, by way of reprifal on the Lacedemonians, who treated all who w^ere not of their party in the fame inhuman manner. It is fcarce poffible to conceive how two cities, which, a little before, v/ere fo ftrongly united, and ought to have fliown a mutual civility and forbear- ance for each other, could contraft fo inveterate a hatred, and break into fach cruel a£ls of violence, as infringe all tlie law^s of v/ar, humanity, and nations ; and prompted tliem to exercife greater cruelties upon one another, than if they had been at v/ar with Barbarians. PotidGiea had now been befieged aimoft three years ; when the inhabitants, reduced to extremities, and in fuch v/ant of provinons that fome fed on human flefli, and not jexpecling any fuccours from the Peloponnefians, whofe attempts in Attica had all proved abortive, furrendered on conditions. The circumftances which made the A- thenians treat them with lenity, were, the feverity of the weather, which exceedingly annoyed thebefiegers ; and the prodigious expence of the fiege, which had already coft * two * The army n.vhirh bef.egcd Potiddca confijled of thjre thovfcuid men, cx- ciiiftve of Jh'c (ixtetn hii7idred ^ivho had been JcJit midcr the cQvunaiid of\ Phonnio. K-~ery foldier recei^ued {daily') t^io drachms, or Uveiity pence .( French) for imifcr and_ ma?i^ and tbofe of the galleys had the fame pay. Thiicyd. i. iii. p. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 3S7 two tlioufand talents'^. They, therefore, came out of the city with their wives and children, as well citizens as foreigners, with each but one fuit of clothes, and the wo- men two, and only a little money to carry them hom.e. The Athenians blamed their generals for granting this capitulation without their order ; bccaufe otherwife, as the citizens were reduced to the utmofl: extremities^, they would have furrendered at difcretion. They fent a cclo- ny thither, (a;) The firft thing Pericles did, after his being re- el eded generaliffimo, w^as to propofe the abrogating of that law which he himfelf had caufed to be enafied againft ballards when there were legitimate children. It declared, that fuch only fnould be confidered as true and legitimate Athenians, whofe fathers and mothers were both natives of Athens ; and it had been executed juft before with the utmoft rigour. For the f king of Egypt having fent to Athens a prefent of forty thoufand mxeafures of corn, to- be diftributed among the people, the baftards, on account of this new law, were involved in a thoufand -difficulties, till then unpraftifed, and Vv^hich had not been fo much as thought of. Near five thoufand of them were condemned and fold as flaves, whilft fourteen thou- fand and forty citizens were confirmed in their privileges, . and recognized as true Athenians. It was thought very ftrange, that the author and promoter of this lav/ Ihould liimfelf denre to have it repealed. But the Athenians were moved to compaffion at the domeftic calamities of r Pericles ; fo that they permitted him to enter his baftard in his own name, in the regifter of the citizens of his I tTibe. '• A little after, he himfelf was infecled with the pefti-. [ lence. Being extremely ill, and ready to breathe his i laft, the principal citizens, and fuch of his frien-ds as I S 2 had j ... (^0 A- 3575, Ant J. C. 429. * Six 7miHons. I Fh/farch dees 7iot 7Hi?nc this king. Pe?haps 'it '^vas hiarus, fon to Pf/im?netichiis -ki?ig of Lydia, ivho had caufed .part 'of the Egyfjtians to 1 take up arms againft ArtaxerxeSy a?id to ni'ho?n the Athenians, ahove thir- \ tv years before ^ had fc lit fiiccours agaifift the r^'fa-; ^ Thvicyd. j. i. p. 63, 388 HISTORY OF THE had not forfaken him, difcoiirfing together In his ""bed- chamber about his rare merit, they ran over his exploits, and computed the number of his vi£lories ; for whilft he was generaliffimo of the Athenians, he had erefted for |. the glory of their city nine trophies, in memory of as many battles gained by him. They did not imagine that Pericles heard what they were faying, becaufe he feemed to have loft his fenfes ; but it was far otherwife, for not a fingle word of their difcourfe had efcaped him ; w^hen, breaking fuddenly from his filence ; ^* I am furprifed (fays he) that you fliould treafure up fo well in your I ^' mem.ories, and extol fo highly a feries of aftions, in^ which fortune had fo great a fliare, and which are *^ common to me, with fo many other generals ; and at '^^ the fame time ihouid forget the moll glorious circum^ ftance in my life ; I mean, my ?iever having caufed a ^''Jingle citixen to put on mourningy Excellent words ! which very few in high ftations can declare with truth. The Athenians were deeply afflifted at his death. The reader has doubtlefs obferved, from what has been 1 faid of Pericles, that in him were united moft qualities xvhich conftitute the great man ; as thofe of the admiral, i by his great fkill in naval affairs ; of the great captain, by his conquefts and victories ; of the high-treafurer, by the excellent order in which he put the finances ; of the great politician, by the extent and juftnefs of his views, by his eloquence in public deliberations, and by the dex- terity and addreis with which he tranfacled affairs ; of a minifter of ftate, by the methods he employed to increafe trade and promote the arts in general ; in fme, of father of his country, by the happinefs he procured to every individual, and which he always had in view, as the true fcope and ^nd of his adminift ration. But I muft not omit another charadteriftic which* was peculiar to him. He a£led with fo much wifdom, mo- deration, diiintereftednefs and 2.e4 for the public good ; he difcovered, in all things, fo great a fuperiority of ta- j lents, and gave fo exalted an idea of his experience, capa- j city, and integrity, that he acquired the confidence of allj PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 389 the Athenians ; and fixed (in his own favour) during forty years that he governed the Athenians, their natural iicklenefs and inconftancy. He fuppreffed that jealoufy, which an extreme fondnefs for liberty had made them en-^ tertain againfl: all citizens dlllinguiihed by their merit and great authority. But the mofl furprifmg circumftance is, he gained this great afcendant merely by perfuafion, with- out employing force, mean artifices, or any of thofe arts which a mean politician excufes in himfelf, upon the fpe- cious pretence, that the neceffity of the public affairs, and reafons of ilate make them neceiiary. (j/) Anaxagoras died the fame year as Pericles. Plu- tarch relates a circumftance concerning him, that hap« pened fome time before, w^hich muft not be omitted. He fays, that this philofopher, who had voluntarily re- duced himfelf to exceffive poverty, in order tliat hemiglit have the greater leifure to purfue his ftudies ; finding himfelf neglefted, in his old age, by Pericles, who, in the multiplicity of the public affairs, had not always time to think of him, * wrapped his cloak about his head, and threw himfelf on the ground, in the fixed refolutiou to ftarve himfelf. Pericles, hearing of this accidentally, ran with the utmoil hafte to the philofopher's houfe, in the deepefi: aiBiftion. Pie conjured him., in the ffrongefl and moft moving terms, not to throw his life away ; adding, that it v/as not Anaxagoras but himfelf that was to be lamented, if he w^as fo unfortunate as to lofe fo wife and faithful a friend ; one who was fo capable of giving him wholefome counfels, v/ith regard to the preff- ing occafions of the ilate. Anaxagoras, then, imcover- ing a little his head, fpoke thus to him : Pcficles^ thofe who ufe a lamp take care to feed it vjith oiL This was a gentle, and, at the fame time a ftrong and piercing re- proach. Pericles ought to have fuppiied his Vv^ants un- atked. Many lamps are extinguilhed in this manner iu S3 a coun- Plut. in Fericl. p. i6z. * It ^.uas the cvftornfcr th:.fe to cover their heads luitk their cl'^aks^ who ^ivcre rc 1C9, PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 3<3'5^ are fenfible (fa;d the ambaffadors), that it is the ciif- torn to ufe deferters well at fir ft, becaufe of the fervice they do thofe Vvhom thej fly to ; but to defpife tJieai afterv>7ards, as traitors to their country and fii.-nds. This is far from being unjuft, when they have no in- ducement to fuch a change ; when the fame union fub~ fifts, and the fame aid is reciprocally granted.' But it is far other wife between us and the Athenians ; and we entreat you not to be prejudiced againft us, becaufe, af- ter having been treated mildly by the Athenians dur- ing the peace, vv^e now renounce their alliance when they are unfortunate. For being come hither to de- mand admittance into the number of your friends and allies, we ought to begin our own juftification, by ihow« ing the julrice and neceflity of our procedure ; it being impoiuble for a true frieiidihip to be eft abliftied betv/eeu individuals, or a folid alliance betv/een cities, unlefs '^^ both are founded on virtue, and uniformity of princi- ■V pies and fen time nts. To come to the point : The treaty we concluded with the Athenians, v/as net to enilave Greece, but to free it from the yoke of the Barbarians ^ and it was concluded after the retreat, of the Perfiaub, when you renounced the command. We adhered to it with plea- fure, fo long as the Athenians continued to entertain juft defigns ; but, when v/e faw that they difcontinued the war they wiere carrying on againft the enemy, ^' merely to opprefs the allies', we could not but fafpeft ' their condu<^t. And as it was extremely diiTicult, in fo great a, diverfity of interefts o-nd opinions, for all o'c therm ftp continue in ilrifl: union; and ftili harder to make head againft them, when alone, and feparated , they have fubje<^ted, by infenfible degrees, all the allies , except the inhabitants of Chios, and our people ; and ufed our own forces for this end. For, at the fame time that they left us feemingly at our liberty,-. they obliged us to follow them ; though we could no longer ^' rely on their words, and had the ftrongeft reafon to fear the like treatment. And, indeed, what probabilit3^-i3 ;0 HISTORY OF THE there, after their enflaving all the other iiates, that tbey liionld fticw a regard to us only, and adinit us upon tiie *^ foot of equals if they may become our niaflers when- ever they plea fe ; efpecially as their power increafes daily, in proportion as ours leffens ? A mutual fear between confederates, is a ftrong motive to make an- *^ alliance lading, and to prevent unjuft and violent at- tempts, by it^ keeping all things in an equilibrium. Their leaving us the enjoyment of our liberties, was merely becaufc they could not intrench upon them by open force, but only by that equity and fpecious mo- *^ deration they have fiiown us. Firft, they pretended to prove, from their moderate conducl in regard to us, that as we are free, we fhould not have marched in con- junction with them againft the other allies, had they not given them juft grounds for complaint. Secondly, by attacking the w^eakeft firil, and fubduing them one after another, they enabled themifelves, by their ruin, to fubjefl the moit powerful without difficulty, Vvho at lad would be left alone and without fupport : Whereas, had they begun by invading us, at the time that the allies wevQ polTeffed of all their troops, and were able to make forne iland, they could not fo eafily have com- pie ted their defigns. Belides, as we had a large fleet, which would ftrengthen confiderably whatever party w^e fnould declare for, this was a check upon them. Add to this, that thehigh regard we have always fliown for their republic, and the endeavours we have ufed to gain the favour of thofe who commanded it, have ^' fufpcnded our ruin. But we had been undone, had '^^ not this V7ar broke out j which the fate of others leave no room to doubt. What frisndiliip, then, what lading alliance can be concluded with thofe who never are friends and allies, but vv^lieii force is employed to make them continue fuch ? For, as they were obliged to carefs us during. *^ the v/ar, to prevent our joining with the enemy, we were conftrained to treat them with the fame regard in time of peace, ta prevent their laliing upon us. That PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 397 That whicli love produces in other places, was with us the effe6l of fear. It was this circumftance that made an alliance fubfifl fome time, which both parties were *^ determined to break upon the v^erj firft favourable oc- cafion : let, therefore, no one accufe us for the advantage *' we now take. \Ve had not always the fame oppor- tunity to fave, as they had to ruin us ; but were under a neceffity of waiting one, before wc could venture to declare ourfelves. " Such are the motives which nqw oblige us to folicit " your alliance ; the equity and juftice of which appear ^' very flrong to us, and confequently call upon us to pro- vide fcr our lafety : We fhould have claimed your pro* teftion before, had you been fooner inclined to afford it us ; for wc offered ourfelves to you, even before the war broke out : We are now come, at the perfuafion of the Boeotians, your allies, to difengage ourfelves from the oppreffors of Greece, and join our arms with its de- fenders ; and to provide for the fecurity of our flate^ which is nov/ in imminent danger. If any thing can be ^' objefted to our conduft, it is, our declaring fo precipi- tately, with more generofity than prudence, and with- out having mjade the leaft preparations. But this alfa ought to engage you to be the more ready in fuccour- # ing us ; that yovi may not lofe the opportunity of pro- tecting the oppreffed, and avenging yourfelves on your enemies. There never was a more favourable conjunc- ture than that which now offers itfelf ; a conjuncture, when war and peftilence have confumed their forces, " and exhaufled their treafure : Not to mention that their fleet is divided, by which means they will not be-in a condition to refill you, lliould you invade them at the fame time by fea and land. For, they either will leave us to attack you, and give us an opportunity of fuccour- ing you ; or they will oppofe us all together, and thea you v/ill have but half their forces to deal with. For the reft, let no one imagine that you will expofe yourfelves to dangers for a people incapable of doing you fervice. Our country, indeed^ lies at «i confider- able 398 HISTORY OFTHE able diftance from you, but our aid is near at hand, " For the war will be carried on, not in x\ttica, as is fup- pofed, but in that country whofe revenues are the fup- port of Attica, and we are not far from it. Conlider, *' alfo, that in abandoning us, you will increafe the power of the Athenians by the addition of ours ; and that no ftate will then dare to take up arms again ll them. But in fuccouring us, you will ftrengthen yourfelves with a fleet which you fo much want ; you will induce ma- ny other people, after our example, to join you ; and you will take off the reproach call, upon you, of aban- doning thofe who have recourie to your protection,, which will be no inconliderable advantage to you dur- ing the courfe of the war. We therefore implore you, in the name of Jupiter Olympius, in whofe temple vve now are, not to fruf- trate the hopes of the Greeks, nor rejeft iuppliants, ^' whofe prefervation may be highly advantageous, and whofe ruin may be infinitely pernicious to you. Show yourfelves fuch now, as the idea entertained of your ^' generoiity, and the extreme danger to which we are re- duced, may demand ; that is, the protediors of the af- " flifted, and the deliverers of Greece," 1 he allies, flruck with thefe reafons, admitted them into the alliance of. Peloponnefus. An incurlion into the enemey's country was imm.ediately refolved, and that the allies fliould rendezvous at Corinth with two thirds of their forces. The Lacedem.onians arrived firfi, and pre- pared engines for tranfporting the iLips from the gulf of Corinth into the fca of Athens, in ord(?r to invade Attica both by fea and land. The Athenians Vv^ere no lefs ac- tive on their fide ; but the allies, being employed in their barvefl:, and beginning to grow weary of the war, were a long time before they met. During this interval, the Athenians, who perceived that all thefe preparations were made againft them, fromafup- pofition that they were very weak; t© undeceive the world and fnow that they alone were able to fupport a fleet without the aid of Leibos, put to fea a fleet of an hundred fail,. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 399 fail, which they manned with citizens as well as foreign- ers ; not exempting a lingie citizen, except fuch only as were obliged to ferve on horfeback, or vvhofe revenue a* mounted to five hundred meafures of corn. After having fliowed themfelves before the Ifthmus of Corinth, the more to' difplaj their power, thej made defcents into whatever parts of Peloponnefus they pleafed. • The v/orld never faw a finer fleet. The Athenians guarded their own country, and the coafts of Eubcea and Salamis with a fleet of an hundred fliips. They cruized round Peloponnefus with another fleet of the like number of veflels, without including their fleet before Lefoos and other places. t he whole amounted to upwards of two hundred and fifty galleys. The expences of this powerful armament entirely exhaufled their treafure, which had been very much drained before by that of the fiege of Potidac-a. 1 he Lacedemonians, greatly furprifed at fo formidable a fleet, which they nowife expefteci, returned with the utmoft expedition to their ov/n country, and only ordered forty galleys to be fitted out for the fuccour of Mitylene, The Athenians had fent a reinforcement thither, confift- ing of a thoufand heavy-armed troops, by whofe afTul- ance they made a contravaliation, with forts in the moft commodious places ; fo that it was blocked up, both by fea and land, in the beginning of winter. The Atheni- ans were in fuch great want of money for carrying on this fiege, that they were reduced to afiefs themfelves which they had never done before, and by this means two hun- dred * talents were fent to ic. (^) The people of Mitylene being in want of all things and having waited to no purpofe for the fuccours which the Lacedemonians had promifed them., furrendered^ upon condition that no perfon ihould be put to death or imprifoned, till the ambaffiidors, whom they fhould fend to Athens, were returned ; and that, in the mean time^- the troops fhould be admitted into the city. As foon as the (b) A. M. 3377. Ant. j: C. A^7* * Two hu?idrcd tbonfajid crcivns^ about 45,000/. Stirling, 400 HISTORY OF THE the Athenians had got poffeffion of the city, fuch of the fadious Mitjleneans as had fled to the altars for refuge^ were conveyed to Tenedos, and afterwards to Athens, lliere the affair of the Mitjleneans was debated. As their revolt had greatly exafperated the people, becaufe not preceded by any ill treatment, and it feeraed a mere effedl of their hatred for the Athenians, in the nrff tranfports of their rage, they refolved to put all the citizens to death indifcriminately, and to make all the women and children flaves, and immediately they fent a galley to put the de- cree in execution. But night gave' them leifure to make ditFerent reflec- tions, i his fever ity was judged too cruel, and carried farther than confifl:ed v/ith juftice. 1 hey imagined to themfelves the fate of that unhappy city, entirely abandon- ed to flaughter, and repented their having involved the innocent with the guilty. This fudden change of the Athenians, gave the Mitylenean ambalTadors fome little gliinmerings of hope ; and they prevailed fo far with the magiftrates, as to have the affair debated a fecond time. Cleon, who had fuggefted the firft decree, a man of a fiery temper, and v/ho had great authority over the people maintained his opinion with great vehemence and heat. He reprefented, that it was unworthy a wife government to change with every wind, and to annul in the morning what they had decreed the night before j and that it was highly important to take an exemplary vengeancs of the Mityleneans, in order to av/e the reft of their allies who were every where ready to revolt. Diodoriis, who had contradicted Cleon in the firfl af- fcmbly, now oppoled his refieclions more flrongiy than before. After defcribing, in a tender and pathetic man- ner, the deplorable condition of the Pvlityleneans^ whofe minds (he faid) muft necefTarily be on the rack, whilfh they were expecting a fentence that was to determine their fate ; he reprefented to the Athenians, that the fame of their mildnefs and clemency had always re- flefted the highell honour on them, and diflinguiflied them gloriouily from all other nations ; he obferved, that th'4 PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 401 the citizens of Mitjlene had been drawn involuntarily in- to the rebellion, a proof of which was, their fiirrendering the citj to them the inftant it was in their power to do it : They, therefore, by this decree, would murder their be-* nefad:ors, and coniequentlj be both unjuft and ungrate- ful, in punifliing the innocent with the guilty. He ob^ ferved further, that fuppofing the Mityleneans in general were guilty, it would, however, be for the intereft of the Athenians to diflemble, in order that the rigorous punifh- iiient they had decreed might not exafperate the reil of the allies ; and that the befl: w^ay to put a ilop to the evil, w^ould be to leave room for repentance, and not plunge people into defpair, by the abfolute and irrevocable refu- fal of a pardon. His opinion, therefore, was, that they fliould examine very deliberately the caufe of thofe fac- tious Mityleneans who had been brought to Athens, and pardon all the reft. I he affembly was very much divided, fo that Diodo- rus carried it only by a few votes. A fecond galley was^ therefore, immediately fitted out. It was i\irnifl:ied with every thing that might accelerate its courfe ; and the am- baffadors of Mitylene promifed a great reward to the crew, provided they arrived time enough. They, there^ fore, did not quit their oars, even when they took fufte- n-ance, but eat and drank as they rowed, and took their reft alternately ; and, very happily for them, the wind was favourable. The firft galley had got a day and night's fail before them ; but as thofe on board carried ill new^s, they did not make great hafte. Its arrival be- fore the city had fpread the utmoft confternation in every part of it : But it increafed infinitely, when the decree, by which all the citizens were fentenced to die, was read in a full affembly. Nothing was now heard in all places but cries and loud laments. The moment that the fen- tence was going to be put in execution, advice came that a fecond galley was arrived. Immediately the cruel maf- facre was fuipended. The affembly was again convened ; and the decree, which granted a pardon^ was liftened to willi 402 HISTORY OF THE with fuch a* filence arid joy, as is much ealier conceived than expreffed. All the factious Mityleneans, though upwards of a thoufand, were put to death. The city was afterwards difmantled, the fhips delivered up ; and the whole illand, the city of Methymne excepted, was divided into three thoufand parts or portions, three hundred of which were confecrated to the fervice of the gods ; and the reft di- vided by lot, among fuch Athenians as were fent thi- ther, to whom the natives of the country gave a revenue of two * min^ for every portion : on which condition they v/ere permitted to keep polTeiuon of the ifland, but not as proprietors. The cities which belonged to the Mityleneans on the coaft of Alia, were all fubjefted by the Athenians. (c) During the winter of the preceding campaign, the inhabitants of Plataea, having loft all hopes of fuccour, and being in the utmoft want of proviiions, foimed a re- folution to cut their way through the enemy ; But half of them, ftruck with the greatnefs of the danger, and the boldnefs of the enterprife, entirely loft courage when they came to the execution ; but the reft (who were a- bout two hundred and twenty foldiers) perfifted in their refolation, and efcaped in the following manner. Before I begin the defcription of their efcape, it will be proper to inform my readers, in v/hat fenfe I ufe cer- tain expreiPions I fliall employ in it. In ftriftnefs of fpeech, the line or fortification which is made round a city when befleged, to prevent -fallies, is called contravaU laiion ; and that which is made to prevent any fiiccours from without, is named circuravallatio7i. Both thefe for- tifications were ufed in this fiege ; hovv^evcr, for brevity fake, I fliall ufe only the form.er term. The contravallation confifted of two vv^alls, at fixteen feet diftance one from the other. The fpace between the two walls being a kind of platform or terrafs, feemed to (r) Thiicyd.l. iii. p. 185-— 188. * The Attic nnna - ; -'-n ^': an hunircd drachms, -that is, fifty French litres. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 403 to be but one fingle building, and conipofed a range of cazerns or barracks, where the foldiers had their lodg- •ings. Lofty, towers were built around it at proper dif- tances, extending from one wall to the other, in order that they might be able to defend themfelves at the fame time againft any attack from within and without. There was no going from one cazern to another without croffing thofe towers ; and on the top of the wall \yas a parapet on both fides, where a guard w^as commonly kept ; but in rainy weather, the foldiers ufed to flielter themfelves in tiie towers, which ferved in the nature of guard-houfes. Such was tlie contravallation, on both fides of which was a ditch, the earth of which had been employed in making the bricks of the wall. The befieged firft took the height of the wall, by counting the rows of bricks which compofed it ; and this they did at different times, and employed feveral men for that purpofe, in order that they might not miftake in the calculation. This was the eafier, becaufe, as the wall flood but at a fmall diftance, every part of it was very vifible. They then made ladders of a proper length. All things being now ready for executing the defign, the befieged left the city one night w^hen there was no moon, in the rnidft of a ftorm of wind and rain. After croffing the firft ditch, they drew near to the wall undif- covered, through the darknefs of the night ; not to men- tion that the noife made by the rain and wind prevented their being heard. I hey marched at fome diftance from one another, to prevent the claftiing of their arms, w^hicli were light, in order that thofe Vvho carried them, might be the more aSive ; and one of their legs was naked, to keep them from Aiding fo eafily in the mire. Thofe w-ho carrried the ladders laid them in the fpace between the towers, w^here they knew no guard was pofted, be- caufe it rained. That iiiftant twelve men m.ounted the ladders, armed .w'ith only a coat of mail and a dagger, and marched directly to the tow^ers, fix on each fide. They were foliow^ed by foldiers armed only with javelins, that 404 HISTORY OF THE they might mount the eafier ; and their fliields were car- ried after them to be ufed in the charge. When moft of thefe were got to the top of the wall, they were difcovered by the falling of a tile, which one of their comrades, in taking hold of the parapet, had thrown down. The alarm was immediately given from the towers, and the whole camp approached the wall without difcovering the occafion of the outcry, from the gloom of the night, and the violence of the Itorm. Be- fides which, thoie who had ftaid behind in the city, beat an alarm at the fame time in another quarter, to make a diverfion ; fo that the enemy did not know which way to turn themfelves, and w^ere afraid to quit their polts. But a corps de-referve, of three hundred men, who were kept for any unforefeen accident that might happen, quit- ted the contravallation, and ran to that part where they heard the noife ; and torches were held up towards Thebes, to fnow that they muft run that vv^ay. But thofe in the city, to render the fignal of no ufe, made others at the fame time in different quarters, having prepared them on the wall for that purpofe. In the mea 1 time, thofe who had mounted firft, having poffeired th^nnfeives of the two towers which flanked the interval v/hcre the ladders were fet ; and having killed thofe who guarded them, pofted themfelves there to de- fend the paillige, and keep off the beiiegers. Then fetting ladders from the top of the wall againft the two tovvcrs, they caufed a good number of their comrades to mount, in order to keep off, by the difcharge of their arfovvo, as well thofe who were advancing to the foot of the wall, as the others who were haftening from tlie neighbouring towers. Whilit this was doing, they had time to fet up feveral ladders, and to throw down the parapet, that the reil might come up with greater eafe. As fall as they came up, they went down on the other fide, and drew up near the foile on the outfide, to flioot at thofe who appeared. After they were pafled over, the men who were in the towers came down lafl, and made, to the foffe to follow after the reft., Thai PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 405 That Inftant the guard of three hundred, with torches, came up. However, as the Platseans faw their enemies hy this light better than they were feeu hy them, they* took a furer aim, by which means the laft crolTed the ditch, without being attacked in their paffage : However, this was not done without difficulty, becaufe the ditch was frozen over, and the ice would not bear, on account of the thaw and heavy rains. The violence of the ftorm was of great advantage to them. After all w^ere palled, they took the road towards Thebes, the better to conceal their retreat ; becaufe it was not likely that they had fled towards a city of the enemy's. Immediately they perceived the befiegers, with torches in their hands, purfuing them in the road that led to Athens. After keeping that of Thebes about fix or feven * ftadia, they returned fliort toward the moun- tain, and refumed the rout of Athens, w^hether two hun- dred and twelve arrived, out of two hundred and twenty who had quitted the place ; the reft having returned back to it through fear, one archer excepted, who was taken on the fide of the fofle of contravallation. The befiegers, after having purfued them to no purpofe, returned to their camp. In the mean time, the Plataeans who remained in the city, fuppofing that all their companions had been killed (becaufe thofe who were returned, to juftify themfelves, affirmed they were), fent a herald to dem.and the dead bo- dies ; but being told the true ftate of the affair, he w^ith- drew. (ri) About the end of the following campaign, w^hlch is that v/herein Mitylene was taken, the Platceans being in abfolute want of provifions, and unable to make the leaft defence, furrendered, upon conditivon that they fliould not be punillied till they had been tried and adjudged in form- of juftice, Five commiflioners came for this pur- pofe from Lacedemon ; and thefe, v/ithout charging tliem with any crime, barely afked them whether they had (^0 Thucyd. L iii. p. scS — 220. Diod. 1. xii. p, IC9, *" Upi.vards of a quarter ci league^ 4o6 HISTORY OF THE had done any fervice to the Lacedemonians and the allies in this war ? the Plataeans were much furprifed, as well as puzzled at this quedion ; and were fenfible, that it had been fiiggefled by the Thebans, their proreiTed ene- inies, who had vowed their deflruclion. They, therefore, put the Lacedemonians in mind of the fervices they had done to Greece in general, both at the battle of Artenii- fium, and that of Platasa ; and particularly in Lacede- monia, at the time of the earthquake, vvhich was fol- lowed by the revolt of their flaves. The only reafon (they declared) of their having joined the x^thenians afterwards, w^as, to defend themfelves from the hoililities of the The- bans, againft whom they had implored the affiftance of the Lacedemonians to no purpofe : that if that w^as im- puted to them for a crime, which was only their misfor- tune, it ought not, however, entirely to obliterate the re- membrance of their former fervices. Caft your eyes," faid they, " on the monuments of your anceftors which you fee here, to whom we annually pay all the honours which can be rendered to the manes of the dead. You thought fit to intruft their bodies v/ith us, as we were eye-witneffes of their bravery : And yet you will now give up their aihes to their murderers, in abandoning us to the Thebans, who fought againft them at the battle of Plataea. Will you enflave a province where Greece recovered its liberty ? Will you deftroy the temples of thofe gods, to whom you owe the viftory ? " Will you abolifli^the memory of their founders, who contributed' To greatly to your fafety? On this occafion, we may venture to fay, our mtereft is infeparable from your glory; and you cannot deliver up your ancient- friends and benefadlors to the unjuft hatred of the The- bans, without eternal infamy to yourfelves." One would conclude, that thefe juft remonftrances fiiould have made fome impreffion on the Lacedemo- nians ; but they were biailed more by the anfwe/the Thebans made, and which was expreffed in the moft haughty and bitter terms againft the Plate^ans : and be- fides, they had brouglit their inftruclions from Lacede- 4 rnon. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 407 mon. They flood, therefore, to their firfl queflion, PVLe^ ther the Flatdcans had done them a?iy fervlce fince the war P and making them pafs one after another, as they feverally anfwered No, he was immediately butchered, and not one efcaped. About two hundred were killed in tliis manner ; and twenty-five Athenians, who w^ere among them, met wdth the fame vinhappy fate. Their wives, who had been taken prifoners, were made ilaves. The Thebans afterwards peopled their city with exiles from Megara and Plataea ; but the year after they demoliflied it entirely. It was in this manner the Lacedemonians, in the hopes of reaping great advantages from the The- bans, facrificed the Platseans to their animolity, ninety- three years after their firft alliance with the Athenians. (^) In the lixth year of the w^ar of Peicponnefus, the plague broke out anew in Athens, and again fw^ept away great numbers. Sect. IV. The Athenians pojjefs them/elves of Pylus^ and are afierwards hejieged in it. 1.he Spartans are JJjut up in the little ijlafid of SphaBeria, Cleon makes himfelf majler of it. Artaxerxes dies, THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH YEARS OF THE WAR. T Pafs over feveral particular incidents of the fucceeding ^ campaigns, which differ very little from one another ; the Lacedemonians making regularly every year incur- fions into Attica, and the Athenians into Peloponnefus : I like wife omit fome fieges in dilTerent places : (y) That of Pylus, a little city of Meflenia, only four * hundred furlongs from Lacedemon, was one of the moft confidera- ble. The Athenians, headed by Demoflhenes had taken that city, and fortified themfelves very flrongly in it \ this was the feventh year of the war. The Lacedemonians left Attica (^) A. M. 3578. Ant. J C. 426. Thucyd. 1. vili. p. 332. (V) A; M. 3579 Anf. J. C. 425. Thi:icyd. 1. iv. p. 233—^80, Diod. 1. xii.p. iia— 114. 4o8 HISTORYOFTHE Attica immediately, in order to go and recover, if poffible, that place, and accordingly they attacked it both by fea and land. Brafidas, one of their leaders, fignalized himfelf here by the moll extraordinary afts of bravery. Oppofite to the city was a little ifland called Sphafteria, v^hence the belieged might be greatly annoyed, and the entrance of the harbour Ihut up. They, therefore, threw a chofen body of Lacedemonians into it; making, in all, four hun- dred and twenty, exclufive of the Helots. A battle was fought at fea, in which the Athenians were vidorious and accordingly erefted a trophy. They furrounded the ifland; and fet a guard in every part of it, to prevent any of the inhabitants from going out, or any provifions from being brought into them. The news of the defeat being come to Sparta, the ma- giilrate thought the aifair of the utmoft importance, and therefore came himfelf upon the fpot, in order that he might be better able to take the proper meafures ; when concluding that it would be impoffible for him to lave thofe who were on the idand, and that they at laft mufl neceffiiriiy be flarved out, orbe taken by fome other means, he propofed an accommodation. A fufpenfion of arms was concluded, in order to give the Lacedemonians time to fend to Athens ; but upon condition that iu the mean time they iliould furrender up all their galleys, and not attack the place either by fea or land, till the return of the ambaffadors : That if they complied with thefe con- ditions, the i\thenians would permit them to carry pro- vifions to thofe who were in the ifland, at the * rate of fo much for the mafter, and half for the fervant; and that the whole fliould be done publicly, and in fight of both armies : That, on the other fide, the Athenians Ihovild be, allowed to keep guard round the ifland, to prevent any thing from going in or out of it, but fliould not attack it In any manner : that in cafe this agreement fliould be infringed in the leafl:, the truce v/ould be broke ; other v/ife, * For the majlcrs. tn^vo Attic chcenices of fiour^ making about four pounds a?zd a halfy t=iuine^ and a phcc of imat i M'ith half tM^s quantity for the fervants^ PERSIANS AND GRECIANS, 409" otherwife, that it fliould continue in full force till the ! return of the ambaffadors, whom the Athenians obliged themfelves, bj the articles, to convey backwards and forwards ; and that then the Lacedemonians Ibould have - their flnps reftored, in the fame condition in which they iiad been delivered up. Such were the articles of the treaty. The Lacedemonians began to put it into execu- tion, by furrendering about threefcore ftiips ; after which they fent ambaffadors to Athens. Being admitted to audience before, the people, tkey began by faying, that they were come to tlie Athenians to lue for that peace, which they themfelves were, a little before, in a condition to grant : That they now might acquire the glory of having rellored the tranquil- i ty^ of all Greece, as the Lacedemonians confented to t aeir being arbitrators in this treaty : that the danger to which their citizens were expofed in the ifland, had determined them to take fuch a Hep as could not but be very grating to the Lacedemonians : however, that their affairs were far from being defperate, and therefore, that now was the time to eftablilh between the two republics, anrm and fohd friendftiip ; becaufe the affairs of both were ftill fluduating, and fortune had not yet declared abfo.utely in favour of either : that the gods frequent- ly abandoned thofe whom fuccefs makes proud, ^ by Inihing the fcene, and rendering them as unfortunate as they before had been happy: that they ought to .conlider, that the fate of arms is very uncertain ; and I that the means^ to ellablifh a lafting peace, is not to triumph over an enemy by oppreffmg him, but to a- gree to a reconciliation on juft and reafonable terms : tor then, conquered by generofity, and not by vio- lence, his future thoughts being all employed, not on revenge, but on gratitude, he is delighted, and thinks fiddTty" ^° engagements with inviolable The Athenians had now an happy opportunity for ternunating the war, by a peace which wJuld have been Vol. III. X as 410 HISTORY OF THE as glorious to them, as advantageous to all Greece. But Cleon, who had a great afcendant over the people, pre- vented its taking efFeft. They therefore anfwered, by his advice, that thofe who were in the ifland flioilld firft furrender at difcretion; and afterwards be carried to Athens, on the condition of being fent back from it as foon as the Lacedemonians fliould h^ve reftored the ci- ties. Sec. which the Athenians had hthn forced to give up by the laft treaty ; and that thefe things being done, a firm and lading peace fliould be concluded. The Lacedemonians demanded that deputies fliould be ap- pointed, and that the Athenians fliould engage to ra- tify what they fliould conclude. But Cleon exclaimed againfl: this propofal, and faid, it was plain they did not deal fairly, fince they would not tranfaft with the people, but with particular men, whom they might eafily bribe ; and that, if they had any thing to offer, they fliould do it immediately. The Lacedemonians, finding there was no poflibility for them to treat with the people, without advifing with their allies, and that if any thing had been granted by them to their prejudice, they muft be refponfible for it, went away without concluding any thing ; fully perfuaded that they mufl: not expeft equitable treatment from the Athenians, in the prefent fl:ate of their affairs and difpofitions from profperity. As foon as they were returned to Pylus, the fuf- penlion ceafed : but v/hen the Lacedemonians came to demand back their fliips, the Athenians refufed to give them up, upon pretence that the treaty had been in- fringed in fome particulars of little confequence. Tlie Lacedemonians inveighed ftrongly againfl: this refufal, as being a manifefl: perfidy ; and immediately prepared for war, v/ith greater vigour and animofity than before. A haughty carriage in fuccefs, and want of faith in the obfervation of treaties, never fail, at laft, to involve a people in great calamities. This will appear by what follows. A The PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 411 The Athenians continued to keep a ftricl guard round the ifland, to prevent any provifions from being brought into it, and ]ir:)ped they fhould foon be able to ftarve out the inhabitants. But the Lacedemonians engaged the whole country in their intereft by the' views of gain, laying a heavy tax upon provifions, and giving fuch flaves their freedom as fliould run any into it. Provifions were therefore now brought (at the hazard of men^s lives), from all parts of Peloponnefus. There were even divers, who fwam from the coaft to the ifland, oppofite to the harbour, and drew after them goats fkins filled Avith pounded linfeed, and poppies mixed with honey Thofe who were beficged in Pylus were reduced to almoft the like extremities, being in want both of water and provifions. When advice was brought to Athens, that their countrymen, fo far from reducing the enemy by famine, were themfelves almoft ftarved ; it was fear- ed, that as it would not be poffible for the fleet to fub- fift during the winter, on a defert coaft which belonged to the enemy, nor to lie at anchor in fo dangerous a road, the ifland muft by that means be lefs fecurely guarded, which would give the prifoners an opportunity of e- fcaping. But the circumftance they chiefly dreaded was, left the Lacedemonians, after their countrymen were once extricated from their danger, fliould refufe to hearken to any conditions of peace ; fo that they now repented their having refufed it when offered them. Cleon favv plainly that thefe complaints would termi- nate in him. He therefore began by aflerting, that it was all a falfc report concerning the extreme want of pro- vifions, to which the Athenians, both within and with- out Pylus, were fiiid to be reduced. He next exclaimed, in prefence of the people, againft the fupinenefs and in- aftivity of the leaders who befieged the ifland, pretend- ing, that were they to exert the leaft bravery, they might foon take the ifland ; and that, had he command- ed, he would foon have taken it. Upon this he was T 2 immediately 412 HISTOPvY OF THE immediately appointed. to command the expedition ; Ni- eias, who was before elected, refigning voluntariij that honour to him, either through weaknefs, for he was naturally timid, or out of a political view, in order that the ill fuccefs, which it was generally believed Cleon might meet w^ith in this enterprife, might, lofe him the favour of the people. But now Cleon was greatly fur- pri fed, as well as embarraffed ;. for he did not exped that the Atlienians would take him at his word,, he be- mg a finer talker than foldier, and much more able with liis tongue than his fword. However, he defired leave to wave the honour they oiFered him, for which he al- leged feveral excufes : hut finding, that the more he de- clined the command, the more they prelTed him to ac- cept it, he changed his note ; and fapplying his want of courage with rhodomontade, he declared before the whole liiTembly, v/ith a firm and refolute air, that he would bring, in twenty days, thofe of the ifland prifoners, or lofe his life. The whole affembly, on hearing thofe words, fet up a laugh, for they knew the man. Cleon, however, contrary to the expectation af every body, make good his words. He and Demofthenes (the other chief) landed in the ifland, attacked the enemy with great vigour, drove them from poft to poll, and gaining ground perpetually, at 1 aft forced them to the extremity of the ifland. The Lacedemonians had ftorm- cd a fort that was thought inacceffible. There thej drew lip in battle-array, faced about to that fide only where they could be attacked, and defended themfelv^s like fo inariy lions. As the engagement had held the greateft part of the day, and the foldiers were opprefled with heat and wearinefs, and p arched v/ith thirft, the general )f the Melfenians, direfting himfelf to Cleon and Dc« nofthcnes, faid, that all their elForts would be to no j^;urpofe, unlefs they cliarged their enemy's rear ; and prornifed, if they would give him but fome troops arm- er v^th miifive weapons, that he would endeavour to nicl a palTage. Accordingly^ he and his followers climb- PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 413 cd up certain fteep and craggy places, which were not guarded, when coming down iinperceived into the fort^ he appeared on a ludden at the backs of the Lacedemo- nians, which entirely damped their courage, and after- wards completed their overthrow. They now made but a very feeble refiftance ; and being opprelTed with numbers, attacked on all fides, and dejecled through fa« tigue and defpair^ they began to give way : but the Athenians feized on all the pafles to cut oiF their retreat. Cieon and Demofthenes, finding that fliould the battle coptinue, not a man of them would efcape, and being clefirous of carrying them alive to Athens, they com- manded their foldiers to defift ; and caufed proclamation to be made by a herald, for them to lay down their arms and furrender at difcretion. At thefe words, the great! efl part lov^ered their fliields, and clapped their hands iti token of approbation. A kind of fufpenfion of arms w^as agreed upon ; and their commander defired leave might be granted him to difpatch a mefienger to the camp, to know the refolution of the generals. i bis was not allowed, but they called heralds from the coaft ; and after feveral mcflages, a Lacedemonian advanced for- ward, and cried aloud, that they were permitted to treat with the enemy, provided they did not fubmit to dif- honourable terms. Upon this they held a conference ; after v/hich they fur rendered at difcretion, and were kept till the next day. The Athenians then raifing a trophy, and reftoring the Lacedemonians their dead, em- barked for their own country, after diftributing the pri- foners among the feveral fhips, and committing the guard of them to the captain of the galleys. In this battle an hundred and twenty-eight Lacedemo^ nians fell, out of four hundred and twenty, which was their number at firfl; ; fo that there furvived not quite three hundred, an hundred and twenty of whom were Spartans, that is, inhabitants of the city of Sparta. The fiege of the ifland (to compute from the beginning of it, including the time employed in the truce^, had lafted threefcore 4T4 HISTORY OF THE ^hreefcore and twelve days. They all now left Pylus ; and Cleon's promife. though fo vain and rafh, was found literally true. But the moft firrprifing circumllance was, the capitulation that had been made ; for it was believed that the Lacedemonians, fo far from furrendering their arms, would die fword in hand. Being come to Atheas, they were ordered to remain prifoners till a peace fliould be concluded, provided the Lacedemonians did not make any incurfious into their country, for that then they fliould all be put to death. They left a garrifon in Pylus. The Meffenians of Nau- padus, w^ho had formerly pofleffed it, fent thither the flower of their youth, who very much infefled the Lace- demoniahs by their incuriions ; and as thefe Meffenians fpoke the language of the country, they prevailed with a great number of flaves to join them. The Lacedemo- nians, dreading a greater evil, fent feveral deputations to Athens, but to no purpofe ; the Athenians being too much elated with their profperity, and efpecially their late fuccefs, to liften to any terms. (y) In the feventh year of the Peloponnefian war, Artaxerxes fent to the Lacedemonians an ambaffador, named Artaphernes, with a letter written in the Afly- rian language, in which he faid, that he had received many embaflies from them, but the purport of them all differed fo widely, that he could not comprehend in any manner what it was they reqiiefled : that in this uncer- tainty, he had thought proper to fend a Periian, to ac- quaint them, that if they had any propofal to make, they Hiould fend a perfon in whom they could confide along with him, from v/hom he might be exactly informed in what they defired. This ambaffador, arriving at Eion on the river Strymon in Thrace, was there taken pri- foner, about the clofe of this year, by one of the admi- rals of the Athenian fleet, who fent him to Athens. He was treated with the utmoft civility and refpecl ; the Athenians being extremely defirous of recovering the fa- Tour of the king his mailer. The (/) Thucyd. 1. iv. p. 285, 286. PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. 415 The year following, as foon as the feafon would per- mit, the Athenians put to fea, and fent the ambaflador back in one of their lliips at the public expence ; and appointed fome of their citizens to wait upon him to the court of Perfia, in quality of ambafladors. Upon landing at Ephefus, they were informed that Artaxerxes was dead ; whereupon the Athenian ambalTadors, thinking it not advifable to proceed farther, after this news, took leave of Artaphcrnes, and returned to their own coun- try. END OF VOL. III.