phocion-第7节

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itself　inoffensively。　But　those　who　were　now　excluded　from　the
franchise　by　property　amounted　to　more　than　twelve　thousand；　so　that
both　those　that　remained　in　the　city　thought　themselves　oppressed
and　shamefully　used；　and　those　who　on　this　account　left　their　homes
and　went　away　into　Thrace；　where　Antipater　offered　them　a　town　and
some　territory　to　inhabit；　regarded　themselves　only　as　a　colony　of
slaves　and　exiles。　And　when　to　this　was　added　the　deaths　of
Demosthenes　at　Calauria；　and　of　Hyperides　at　Clonae；　as　we　have
elsewhere　related；　the　citizens　began　to　think　with　regret　of　Philip
and　Alexander；　and　almost　to　wish　the　return　of　those　times。　And　as；
after　Antigonus　was　slain；　when　those　that　had　taken　him　off　were
afflicting　and　oppressing　the　people；　a　countryman　in　Phrygia；　digging
in　the　fields；　was　asked　what　he　was　doing；　〃I　am；〃　said　he；
fetching　a　deep　sigh；　〃searching　for　Antigonus；〃　so　said　many　that
remembered　those　days；　and　the　contests　they　had　with　those　kings；
whose　anger；　however　great；　was　yet　generous　and　placable；　whereas
Antipater；　with　the　counterfeit　humility　of　appearing　like　a　private
man；　in　the　meanness　of　his　dress　and　his　homely　fare；　merely　belied
his　real　love　of　that　arbitrary　power；　which　he　exercised；　as　a
cruel　master　and　despot；　to　distress　those　under　his　command。　Yet
Phocion　had　interest　with　him　to　recall　many　from　banishment　by　his
intercession；　and　prevailed　also　for　those　who　were　driven　out；　that
they　might　not；　like　others；　be　hurried　beyond　Taenarus；　and　the
mountains　of　Ceraunia；　but　remain　in　Greece；　and　plant　themselves　in
Peloponnesus；　of　which　number　was　Agnonides；　the　sycophant。　He　was
no　less　studious　to　manage　the　affairs　within　the　city　with　equity　and
moderation；　preferring　constantly　those　that　were　men　of　worth　and
good　education　to　the　magistracies；　and　recommending　the　busy　and
turbulent　talkers；　to　whom　it　was　a　mortal　blow　to　be　excluded　from
office　and　public　debating；　to　learn　to　stay　at　home；　and　be　content
to　till　their　land。　And　observing　that　Xenocrates　paid　his　alien…tax
as　a　foreigner；　he　offered　him　the　freedom　of　the　city；　which　he
refused；　saying　he　could　not　accept　a　franchise　which　he　had　been　sent
as　an　ambassador　to　deprecate。
　　Menyllus　wished　to　give　Phocion　a　considerable　present　of　money；
who；　thanking　him；　said；　neither　was　Menyllus　greater　than
Alexander；　nor　his　own　occasions　more　urgent　to　receive　it　now；　than
when　he　refused　it　from　him。　And　on　his　pressing　him　to　permit　his　son
Phocus　to　receive　it；　he　replied；　〃If　my　son　returns　to　a　right
mind；　his　patrimony　is　sufficient；　if　not；　all　supplies　will　be
insufficient。〃　But　to　Antipater　he　answered　more　sharply；　who　would
have　him　engaged　in　something　dishonourable。　〃Antipater；〃　said　he；
〃cannot　have　me　both　as　his　friend　and　his　flatterer。〃　And；　indeed；
Antipater　was　wont　to　say　he　had　two　friends　at　Athens；　Phocion　and
Demades；　the　one　would　never　suffer　him　to　gratify　him　at　all；　the
other　would　never　be　satisfied。　Phocion　might　well　think　that
poverty　a　virtue；　in　which；　after　having　so　often　been　general　of
the　Athenians；　and　admitted　to　the　friendship　of　potentates　and
princes；　he　had　now　grown　old。　Demades；　meantime；　delighted　in
lavishing　his　wealth　even　in　positive　transgressions　of　the　law。　For
there　having　been　an　order　that　no　foreigner　should　be　hired　to
dance　in　any　chorus　on　the　penalty　of　a　fine　of　one　thousand
drachmas　on　the　exhibitor；　he　had　the　vanity　to　exhibit　an　entire
chorus　of　a　hundred　foreigners；　and　paid　down　the　penalty　of　a
thousand　drachmas　a　head　upon　the　stage　itself。　Marrying　his　son
Demeas；　he　told　him　with　the　like　vanity；　〃My　son；　when　I　married　your
mother；　it　was　done　so　privately　it　was　not　known　to　the　next
neighbours；　but　kings　and　princes　give　presents　at　your　nuptials。〃
　　The　garrison　in　Munychia　continued　to　be　felt　as　a　great
grievance；　and　the　Athenians　did　not　cease　to　be　importunate　upon
Phocion；　to　prevail　with　Antipater　for　its　removal；　but　whether　he
despaired　of　effecting　it；　or　perhaps　observed　the　people　to　be　more
orderly；　and　public　matters　more　reasonably　conducted　by　the　awe
that　was　thus　created；　he　constantly　declined　the　office；　and
contented　himself　with　obtaining　from　Antipater　the　postponement　for
the　present　of　the　payment　of　the　sum　of　money　in　which　the　city　was
fined。　So　the　people；　leaving　him　off　applied　themselves　to　Demades；
who　readily　undertook　the　employment；　and　took　along　with　him　his
son　also　into　Macedonia；　and　some　superior　power；　as　it　seems；　so
ordering　it；　he　came　just　at　that　nick　of　time　when　Antipater　was
already　seized　with　his　sickness；　and　Cassander；　taking　upon　himself
the　command；　had　found　a　letter　of　Demades's；　formerly　written　by
him　to　Antigonus　in　Asia　recommending　him　to　come　and　possess
himself　of　the　empire　of　Greece　and　Macedon；　now　hanging；　he　said　（a
scoff　at　Antipater）；　〃by　an　old　and　rotten　thread。〃　So　when
Cassander　saw　him　come；　he　seized　him；　and　first　brought　out　the
son。　and　killed　him　so　close　before　his　face　that　the　blood　ran　all
over　his　clothes　and　person；　and　then；　after　bitterly　taunting　and
upbraiding　him　with　his　ingratitude　and　treachery；　despatched　him
himself。
　　Antipater　being　dead；　after　nominating　Polysperchon　general…in…chief
and　Cassander　commander　of　the　cavalry；　Cassander　at　once　set　up　for
himself；　and　immediately　despatched　Nicanor　to　Menyllus；　to　succeed
him　in　the　command　of　the　garrison；　commanding　him　to　possess
himself　of　Munychia　before　the　news　of　Antipater's　death　should　be
heard；　which　being　done；　and　some　days　after　the　Athenians　hearing　the
report　of　it；　Phocion　was　taxed　as　privy　to　it　before；　and　censured
heavily　for　dissembling　it；　out　of　friendship　for　Nicanor。　But　he
slighted　their　talk；　and　making　it　his　duty　to　visit　and　confer
continually　with　Nicanor；　he　succeeded　in　procuring　his　good…will
and　kindness　for　the　Athenians；　and　induced　him　even　to　put　himself　to
trouble　and　expense　to　seek　popularity　with　them；　by　undertaking　the
office　of　presiding　at　the　games。
　　In　the　meantime　Polysperchon；　who　was　intrusted　with　the　charge　of
the　king；　to　countermine　Cassander；　sent　a　letter　to　the　city；
declaring；　in　the　name　of　the　king；　that　he　restored　them　their
democracy；　and　that　the　whole　Athenian　people　were　at　liberty　to
conduct　their　commonwealth　according　to　their　ancient　customs　and
constitutions。　The　object　of　these　pretences　was　merely　the
overthrow　of　Phocion's　influence；　as　the　event　manifested。　For
Polysperchon's　design　being　to　possess　himself　of　the　city；　he
despaired　altogether　of　bringing　it　to　pass　whilst　Phocion　retained
his　credit；　and　the　most　certain　way　to　ruin　him　would　be　again　to
fill　the　city　with　a　crowd　of　disfranchised　citizens；　and　let　loose
the　tongues　of　the　demagogues　and　common　accusers。
　　With　this　prospect　the　Athenians　were　all　in　excitement；　and
Nicanor；　wishing　to　confer　with　them　on　the　subject；　at　a　meeting　of
the　Council　in　Piraeus；　came　himself；　trusting　for　the　safety　of　his
person　to　Phocion。　And　when　Dercyllus；　who　commanded　the　guard
there；　made　an　attempt　to　seize　him；　upon　notice　of　it　beforehand；
he　made　his　escape；　and　there　was　little　doubt　he　would　now　lose　no
time　in　righting　himself　upon　the　city　for　the　affront；　and　when
Phocion　was　found　fault　with　for　letting　him　get　off　and　not
securing　him；　he　defended　himself　by　saying　that　he　had　no　mistrust　of
Nicanor；　nor　the　least　reason　to　expect　any　mischief　from　him；　but
should　it　prove　otherwise；　for　his　part　he　would　have　them　all　know；
he　would　rather　receive　than　do　the　wrong。　And　so　far　as　he　spoke
for　himself　alone；　the　answer　was　honourable　and　high…minded　enough；
but　he　who　hazards　his　country's　safety；　and　that；　too；　when　he　is　her
magistrate　and　chief　commander；　can　scarcely　be　acquitted；　I　fear；
of　transgressing　a　higher　and　more　sacred　obligation　of　justice；　which
he　owed　to　his　fellow…citizens。　For　it　will　not　even　do　to　say　that　he
dreaded　the　involving　the　city　in　war；　by　seizing　Nicanor；　and　hoped
by　professions　of　confidence　and　just…dealing　to　retain　him　in　the
observance　of　the　like；　but　it　was；　indeed；　his　credulity　and
confidence　in　him；　and　an　overweening　opinion　of　his　sincerity；　that
imposed　upon　him。　So　that　notwithstanding　the　sundry　intimations　he
had　of　his　making；　preparations　to　attack　Piraeus；　sending　soldiers
over　into　Salamis；　and　tampering　with　and　endeavouring　to　corrupt
various　residents　in　Piraeus；　he　would；　notwithstanding　all　this
evidence；　never　be　persuaded　to　believe　it。　And　even　when　Philomedes
of　Lampra　had　got　a　decree　passed；　that　all　the　Athenians　should　stand
to　their　arms；　and　be　ready　to　follow　Phocion　their　general；　he　yet
sat　still　and　did　nothing；　until　Nicanor　actually　led　his　troops　out
from　Munychia；　and　drew　trenches　about　Piraeus；　upon　which；　when
Phocion　at　last　would　have　let　out　the　Athenians；　they　cried　out
against　him；　and　slighted　his　orders。
　　Alexander；　the　son　of　Polysperchon；　was　at　hand　with　a
considerable　force；　and　professed　to　come　to　give　them　succour　against
Nicanor；　but　intended　nothing　less；　if　possible；　than　to　surprise
the　city；　whilst　they　were　in