a smaller history of greece-第52节
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was declared to be guilty; and was condemned to pay a fine of 50 talents。 Not being able to raise that sum; he was thrown into prison; but he contrived to make his escape; and went into exile。 There are; however; good grounds for doubting his guilt; and it is more probable that he fell a victim to the implacable hatred of the Macedonian party。 Upon quitting Athens Demosthenes resided chiefly at AEgina or Troezen; in sight of his native land; and whenever he looked towards her shores it was observed that he shed tears。
When the news of Alexander's death reached Athens; the anti… Macedonian party; which; since the exile of Demosthenes; was led by Hyperides; carried all before it。 The people in a decree declared their determination to support the liberty of Greece。 Envoys were despatched to all the Grecian states to announce the determination of Athens; and to exhort them to struggle with her for their independence。 This call was responded to in the Peloponnesus only by the smaller states; whilst Sparta; Arcadia; and Achaia kept aloof。 In northern Greece the confederacy was joined by most of the states except the Boaotians; and Leosthenes was appointed commander…in…chief of the allied forces。
The allied army assembled in the neighbourhood of Thermopylae。 Antipater now advanced from the north; and offered battle in the vale of the Spercheus; but being deserted by his Thessalian cavalry; who went over to his opponents during the heat of the engagement; he was obliged to retreat and threw himself into Lamia; a strong fortress on the Malian gulf。 Leosthenes; desirous to finish the war at a blow; pressed the siege with the utmost vigour; but his assaults were repulsed; and he was compelled to resort to the slower method of a blockade。 From this town the contest between Antipater and the allied Greeks has been called the Lamian War。
The novelty of a victory over the Macedonian arms was received with boundless exultation at Athens; and this feeling was raised to a still higher pitch by the arrival of an embassy from Antipater to sue for peace。 But the Athenians were so elated with their good fortune; that they would listen to no terms but the unconditional surrender of Antipater。 Meantime Demosthenes; though still an exile; exerted himself in various parts of the Peloponnesus in counteracting the envoys of Antipater; and in endeavouring to gain adherents to the cause of Athens and the allies。 The Athenians in return invited Demosthenes back to his native country; and a ship was sent to convey him to Piraeus; where he was received with extraordinary honours。
Meanwhile Leonnatus; governor of the Hellespontine Phrygia; had appeared on the theatre of war with an army of 20;000 foot and 2500 horse。 Leosthenes had been slain at Lamia in a sally of the besieged; and Antiphilus; on whom the command of the allied army devolved; hastened to offer battle to Leonnatus before he could arrive at Lamia。 The hostile armies met in one of the plains of Thessaly; where Leonnatus was killed and his troops defeated。 Antipater; as soon as the blockade of Lamia was raised; had pursued Antiphilus; and on the day after the battle he effected a junction with the beaten army of Leonnatus。
Shortly afterwards Antipater was still further reinforced by the arrival of Craterus with a considerable force from Asia; and being now at the head of an army which outnumbered the forces of the allies; he marched against them and gained a decisive victory over them near Crannon in Thessaly; on the 7th of August; B。C。 322。 The allies were now compelled to sue for peace; but Antipater refused to treat with them except as separate states; foreseeing that by this means many would be detached from the confederacy。 The result answered his expectations。 One by one the various states submitted; till at length all had laid down their arms。 Athens; the original instigator of the insurrection; now lay at the mercy of the conqueror。 As Antipater advanced; Phocion used all the influence which he possessed with the Macedonians in favour of his countrymen; but he could obtain no other terms than an unconditional surrender。 On a second mission Phocion received the final demands of Antipater; which were; that the Athenians should deliver up a certain number of their orators; among whom were Demosthenes and Hyperides; that their political franchise should be limited by a property qualification; that they should receive a Macedonian garrison in Munychia; and that they should defray the expenses of the war。 Such was the result of the Lamian war; which riveted the Macedonian fetters more firmly than ever。
After the return of the envoys bringing the ultimatum of Antipater; the sycophant Demades procured a decree for the death of the denounced orators。 Demosthenes; and the other persons compromised; made their escape from Athens before the Macedonian garrison arrived。 AEgina was their first place of refuge; but they soon parted in different directions。 Hyperides fled to the temple of Demeter (Ceres) at Hermione in Peloponnesus; whilst Demosthenes took refuge in that of Poseidon (Neptune) in the isle of Calaurea; near Troezen。 But the satellites of Antipater; under the guidance of a Thurian named Archias who had formerly been an actor; tore them from their sanctuaries。 Hyperides was carried to Athens; and it is said that Antipater took the brutal and cowardly revenge of ordering his tongue to be cut out; and his remains to be thrown to the dogs。 Demosthenes contrived at least to escape the insults of the tyrannical conqueror。 Archias at first endeavoured to entice him from his sanctuary by the blandest promises; But Demosthenes; forewarned; it is said; by a dream; fixing his eyes intently on him; exclaimed; 〃Your acting; Archias; never touched me formerly; nor do your promises now。〃 And when Archias began to employ threats; 〃Good;〃 said Demosthenes; 〃now you speak as from the Macedonian tripod; before you were only playing a part。 But wait awhile; and let me write my last directions to my family。〃 So taking his writing materials; he put the reed into his mouth; and bit it for some time; as was his custom when composing; after which he covered his head with his garment and reclined against a pillar。 The guards who accompanied Archias; imagining this to be a mere trick; laughed and called him coward; whilst Archias began to renew his false persuasions。 Demosthenes; feeling the poison workfor such it was that he had concealed in the reed now bade him lead on。 〃You may now;〃 said he; 〃enact the part of Creon; and cast me out unburied; but at least; O gracious Poseidon; I have not polluted thy temple by my death which Antipater and his Macedonians would not have scrupled at。〃 But whilst he was endeavouring to walk out; he fell down by the altar and expired。
The history of Alexander's successors is marked from first to last by dissension; crimes; and unscrupulous ambition。 It is only necessary for the purpose of the present work to mention very briefly the most important events。
Alexander on his death…bed is said to have given his signet…ring to Perdiccas; but he had left no legitimate heir to his throne; though his wife Roxana was pregnant。 On the day after Alexander's death a military council was assembled; in which Perdiccas assumed a leading part; and in which; after much debate; an arrangement was at length effected on the following basis: That Philip Arrhidaeus; a young man of weak intellect; the half…brother of Alexander (being the son of Philip by a Thessalian woman named Philinna); should be declared king; reserving however to the child of Roxana if a son should be born; a share in the sovereignty: that the government of Macedonia and Greece should be divided between Antipater and Craterus: that Ptolemy should preside over Egypt and the adjacent countries: that Antigonus should have Phrygia Proper; Lycia; and Pamphylia: that the Hellespontine Phrygia should be assigned to Leonnatus: that Eumenes should have the satrapy of Paphlagonia and Cappadocia; which countries; however; still remained to be subdued: and that Thrace should be committed to Lysimachus。 Perdiccas reserved for himself the command of the horse…guards; the post before held by Hephaestion; in virtue of which he became the guardian of Philip Arrhidaeus; the nominal sovereign。 It was not for some time after these arrangements had been completed that the last rites were paid to Alexander's remains。 They were conveyed to Alexandria; and deposited in a cemetery which afterwards became the burial…place of the Ptolemies。 Nothing could exceed the magnificence of the funeral car; which was adorned with ornaments of massive gold; and was so heavy; that it was more than a year in being conveyed from Babylon to Syria; though drawn by 84 mules。 In due time Roxana was delivered of a son; to whom the name of Alexander was given; and who was declared the partner of Arrhidaeus in the empire。 Roxana had previously inveigled Statira and her sister Drypetis to Babylon; where she caused them to be secretly assassinated。
Perdiccas possessed more power than any of Alexander's generals; and he now aspired to the Macedonian throne。 His designs; however; were not unknown to Antigonus and Ptolemy ; and