entered the kingdom, where, aided by his partisans, he rentered himself master of Anthemus, Thermæ, Strepsa, and other towns, and assumed the regal title.

The stability of the throne of Perdiccas seemed doubtful, Then it was preserved to him by the address of his mother, Eurydice. The Athenian general. Iphicrates, was now commanding, on the coast of Thrace, a squadron which had been intrusted to him for the recovery of Amphipolis. Eurydice hearing of this, applied to him for succour; and that general hastened in consequence to meet her at Pella. The interview was one that could not fail to make a deep impression upon a benevolent mind. Leading her two sons, and with a countanance full of grief. Eurydice approached him as a suppliant. She then presented Perdiccas to the hand of Iphicrates, and placed Philip on his knee, and addressed him thus: -Remember, Iphicrates, that Amyntas, the father of these orhans, considered you as his adopted son. These, then, are Four brethren. To you they look for compassion; to you they seek for succour. Pity their youth, a victim to usurpan; pity their mother, who sues for your aid to redress their wrongs. Nor have they less public than private claims your care. They are the sons of one who was attached to your fellow-citizens, one who was anxious to strengthen the ong subsisting alliance between the Macedonians and AtheniThe appeal was not in vain. Iphicrates, moved with the scene, and the prayer of Eurydice, compelled Pausanius to desist from his enterprise, and Perdiccas was established cn his throne.

ans.

But Perdiccas did not long enjoy tranquillity. A more formidable foe soon invaded his repose. This was Ptolemy Alorites, who seems ever to have had designs upon the throne. By degrees, Ptolemy so wrought himself into favour with the people, that he assumed the ensigns, and discharged the functions of a king. Perdiccas, however, did not quit his te to the crown. A small part of the country owned him as monarch, and he sought the aid of the Athenians and Thebans to restore him to the full enjoyments of his rights. Distress at home long prevented these states from listening to his prayer. At length Pelopidas, general of the Thebans, who was held in high reputation for his probity. drawing together a few mercenaries, marched towards Macedonia, in order to restore Perdiccas. The usurper trembled for the event. Fearing the resentment of Pelopidas more than many armies, he referred the difference between himself and Per

diccas to his decision. Pelopidas declared in favour of Perdiccas, and the Macedonians now universally submitted to his sway.

In order to secure the permanence of the arrangement he had made, Pelopidas took hostages from both parties. Of these hostages, Philip, the brother of Perdiccas, was one, who, on his arrival at Thebes, was committed to the care of the great Epaminondas, by whom he was educated in the arts of war and state policy, whence he became, in after years, one of the most celebrated characters recorded in the pages of ancient history.

nians.

The service which the Theban general had rendered to him, seems to have obliterated from the mind of Perdiccas the remembrance of former favours shown him by the AtheThebes was at this time hostile to Athens, and Perdiccas resisted the claims of the latter to the possession of Amphipolis. The Athenians sent an army, under the command of Callisthenes, to enforce those claims, and Perdiccas was defeated in a battle; but he contrived to overreach the Athenian general by negotiation, and Amphipolis retained its independence. Callisthenes concluded a peace with the Macedonian monarch upon terms which his own defeat alone could have justified.

In the internal management of his government, Perdiccas committed some grievous errors, which though they sprung from honourable motives, were prejudicial to the interests of his subjects. Priding himself upon his learning, he patronized all who resorted to his court as men of letters, without discrimination. Euphrates, a worthless Platonic philosopher, exercised an influence over his mind very detrimental to good government. While he was immersed in the philosophical speculations of this man, the civil and military concerns of the state were neglected, and the welfare and safety of his subjects endangered. This was soon made manifest. Encouraged by the internal condition of Macedonia, Bardyllis demanded the payment of the tribute which had been exacted from the predecessors of Perdiccas; and he marched into Macedonia with a large army to enforce his claim. Perdiccas collected some troops, and endeavoured to stop the progress of the Illyrian prince; but it was in vain. In a severe conflict with the Illyrians, Perdiccas was slain, B. c. 360, with 4000 of his men, and the remainder of his army were dispersed abroad.

The kingdom of Macedonia was now in a perilous situa

tion. The Illyrians followed up their success by plundering the country, and the Peonians rushed in to share the spoil. Internal commotions added to the distress. Pausanius and Argæus, old aspirers to the crown, trampling upon the rights of Amyntas, an infant son of Perdiccas, arrayed their forces against each other to contest the prize. Pausanius was aided in his designs by Cotys, the Thracian monarch; and Argæus, who had still a considerable party in various towns, obtained from the Athenians the succour of a fleet and 3000 land forces, to make good his title to the diadem. Argæus could also rely on the friendship of the Illyrians, who had formerly countenanced his ambition.

Macedonia seemed now upon the verge of ruin. It appeared to be destined to dwindle into insignificance, or, perhaps, to lose its independence. But such was not the result. Macedonia was yet to rank among the first of the nations. The governor of the universe had yet a work for Macedonia to perform, hid in the counsels of his eternal will, and no human events could prevent its accomplishing that work. · While the demon of destruction seemed to hover over the whole breadth of the country, a master genius appeared as its deliverer.

PHILIP.

Philip, the youngest and last surviving son of Amyntas, who had been placed under the instruction of the Theban, Epaminondas, now succeeded to the throne.

The reign of Philip, says Heeren, is one of the most instructive and interesting in the whole range of history, as well on account of the prudence he displayed, as for the manner in which his plans were arranged and executed. Though it may be difficult to trace in his morals the pupil of Epaminondas, yet it is impossible to view without feelings of astonishment, the brilliant career of a man, who, under the almost hopeless circumstances in which he commenced his course, never lost his firmness of mind, and who, in the highest prosperity, preserved his coolness of reflection.

It is uncertain where Philip was residing when the Illyrians triumphed over the Macedonians. Diodorus affirms, that he was still detained at Thebes, while Athenæus relates, that Philip was then governing a frontier province which had been confided to him by Perdiccas, on the recommendation of Plato with whom he was a favourite. The account which VOL. IV.

5

Athenæus gives is more probable than that of Diodorus, as it exhibits Philip at the head of a power whereby he might cope with his enemies. With the means which his province could supply, and which his genius would not fail to render available, he might venture upon a resistance, which, as an exile from Thebes, and with a shattered army only for his resources, he could scarcely have attempted with any hope of

success.

The capacity in which Philip undertook the government of Macedonia is also a subject of doubt. According to Justin, whom Heeren follows, he was a tfirst merely regent, and not king, acting for Amyntas, the infant son of Perdiccas. Justin adds, that Philip was afterwards imperatively called to the throne by the people, who set aside the succession of his nephew. Diodorus, however, relates, that Philip entered at once into the possession of sovereign power; and his testimony is more credible than that of Justin.

Philip commenced his regal career with all the vigour which youth, talent, necessity and the love of glory can inspire. His activity in every quarter, and every branch of the state, was incessant. Feeling that the crown he had placed upon his head was insecure, he stretched every nerve to preserve it a fine lesson to the Christian, to be active and diligent in securing that crown of glory which is held out to him as the final reward of his Christian course, in the service of his Lord and Saviour.

The first object to which Philip directed his attention was the remodelling and the augmentation of his army. He caused his soldiers to be constantly exercised, and formed to the manœuvres, and inured to the toil of war. He provided also, an ample supply of weapons, and made some improvements in the construction and use of these implements of destruction. He introduced, moreover, a change in some of the evolutions of the newly created Macedonian phalanx, by which victory was ensured over the barbarians.

Philip endeared himself to the Macedonians not only by his exertion to secure them from foreign rapine, but by his affability, and his eloquent appeals to their interests and feelings. In haranguing public assemblies, he employed every argument and every incentive to revive the hopes of the Macedonians, and to inspire them with his own firmness and courage. Superstition lent him its potent aid to attain this object. A prediction of some sybil was either discovered or feigned, which pointed out a son of Amyntas as the founder

of the Macedonian empire, and the multitude recognized the hero in Philip.

While Philip was thus devising plans to secure the present defence and future aggrandisement of his country, he was not unmindful of the establishment of his own authority. To secure this, he formed the body guard, consisting of doTyphoroi, or spear bearers," whose duty it was to guard his chamber, and to attend upon his person in hunting and They were rewarded for these services by various privileges, particularly that of dining at the table of the monarch, and they were distinguished by the honourable appellation of the companions."

in war.

Respite was soon obtained from the hostility of one of the foes of Macedonia. Like some half-civilized tribes in modern times, the Illyrians seem to have undertaken their enterprise solely for the purpose of acquiring plunder; and when they had obtained their desire, anxious to secure and enjoy it, they returned to their own country. It appears, however, that they designed to return, and renew their ravages on a more extended scale; but in the meanwhile Philip was enabled to direct his attention to those parts of his dominions where the danger was imminent.

The enemies Philip had now to contend with were the Panians, Thracians, Athenians, and the pretenders whom Thrace and Athens supported; namely, Pausanius and Ar

This was a formidable array of opponents; but Philip did not despair of deliverance from them. Feeling, however, that a single failure in the use of arms might leave him without hope, he did not deem it prudent to rely upon these alone. Saidas says, that having one day consulted the oracle of Delphos on the termination of his career, he received this

answer:

Make gold thy weapon, and then thou wilt coLuer. Phlip seemed to make this the rule of his conduct through Life. He tried the persuasive agency of gold, successively with the Penian leaders, and the Thracian monarch, and sceeded wonderfully. By dint of liberal bribes, the Pœhas were prevailed upon to retire from Macedonia; and Cotys, the monarch of Thrace, won over by other bribes, unceremoniously abandoned the interests of Pausanius. Secret and honour-sapping gold saved Philip from all these foes.