SECTION VIII. OF THE AMPHICTYONS. THE famous Council of the Amphictyons is introduced here, though not peculiar to the Athenians, but common to all Greece, because it is often mentioned in the Grecian history, and I do not know whether I shall have a more natural occasion to speak of it. The assembly of the Amphictyons was in a manner the holding of a general assembly of the states of Greece. The establishment of it is attributed to Amphictyon, king of Athens, and son of Deucalion, who gave them his name. His principal view in the institution of this council, was to unite in the sacred band of amity the several people of Greece admitted into it, and to oblige them by that union to undertake the defence of each other, and be mutually vigilant for the happiness and tranquillity of their country. The Amphictyons were also created to be the protectors of the oracle of Delphos, and the guardians of the prodig. ious riches of that temple; and also to adjudge the differences which might arise between the Delphians, and those who came to consult the oracle. council was held at Thermopylæ, and sometimes at Delphos itself. It assembled regularly twice a year, in the spring and autumn, and more frequently when affairs required. This The number of people or cities which had a right to şit in this assembly is not precisely known, and varied, without doubt, at different times. When the Lacede monians, in order to pass in it what decrees they b thought fit, were for excluding the Thessalians, Argives, and Thebans;" Themistocles, in the speech he made to the Amphictyons to prevent that design from taking effect, seems to insinuate, that there were only one and thirty cities at that time which had this right. Each city sent two deputies, and in consequence had two votes in the council; and that without distinction, or the more powerful having any prerogative of honour or preeminence over inferior states in regard to the suffrages; the liberty upon which these people valued themselves, requiring that every thing should be equal amongst them. The Amphictyons had full power to discuss and determine finally in all differences which might arise between the Amphictyonic cities, and to fine the culpable in such manner as they thought fit. They could employ not only the rigor of the laws in the execution of their decrees, but even raise troops, if it were necessary, to compel such as rebelled to submit to them. The three sacred wars undertaken by their order, of which I have spoken elsewhere, are evident proofs of this power. V Before they were installed into this body, they took a very remarkable oath of which Eschines has preserved the form. It runs to this effect: "I swear that I will never destroy any of the cities honoured with the right of setting in the Amphictyonic council, nor turn their running waters out of their course either in times of war or peace. If any people shall make such Plut. in Themist. p. 122. an attempt, I hereby engage to carry the war into their country, to demolish their cities, towns, and villages, and to treat them in all things as the most cruel enemies. Moreover, if at any time, any person shall dare to be so impious as to steal and take away any of the rich offerings preserved in the temple of Apollo at Delphos, or abet any others in committing that crime, either by aiding or only counselling him therein, I will use my feet, hands, voice, in a word, all my powers and faculties, to avenge such sacrilege." That oath was attended with the most terrible imprecations and execrations: "That if any one infringes any thing contained in the oath I have now taken, whether private person, city, or people, may that person, city, or people, be deemed accursed; and in that acceptation, experience the whole vengeance of Apollo, Latona, Diana, and Minerva the foreknower. May their country produce none of the fruits of the earth, and their women, instead of generating children resembling their fathers, bring forth nothing but monsters; may their animals share in the same curse. May those sacrilegious men lose all suits at law; may they be conquered in war, have their houses demolished, and be themselves and their children put to the sword." I am not astonished, that after such terrible engagements, the holy war, undertaken by the order of the Amphictyons, should be carried on with so much ardour and fury. The religion of an oath was of great force with the ancients; and how much more regard ought to be had to it in the Christian world, which professes to believe, that the violation of it shall be punished with eternal torments; and yet how many are there amongst us, who make a trifle of breaking through the most solemn oaths! For that The authority of the Amphictyons had always been of great weight in Greece, but it began to decline exceedingly from the moment they condescended to admit Philip of Macedon into their body. prince, enjoying by this means all their rights and privileges, soon knew how to set himself above all law, and to abuse his power so far, as to preside by proxy both in this illustrious assembly, and in the Pythian games; of which games the Amphictyons were judges and agonothetæ, in virtue of their office. This Demosthenes reproaches him with in his third Philippic: "When he does not deign," says he, "to honour us with his presence, he sends his slaves to preside over us." An odious, but emphatical term, and in the spirit of the Grecian liberty, by which the Athenian orator images the base and abject subjection of the greatest lords in Philip's court. W If the reader desires a further knowledge of what relates to the Amphictyons, the dissertations of Monsieur Valois may be consulted, in the Memoirs of the Academy of Belles Lettres, wherein this subject is treated with great extent and erudition. SECTION IX. OF THE REVENUES OF ATHENS. THE revenues, according to the passage of Aristophanes which I have cited above, and, in consequence, as they stood in the time of the Peloponnesian war, amounted to two thousand talents, that is to say, to six millions of livres. They were generally reduced to four species. 1. The first relates to the revenues arising from agriculture, the sale of woods, the produce of mines, and other funds of a like nature, appertaining to the public. Amongst these may be included the duties upon the import and export of merchandise, and the taxes levied upon the inhabitants of the city, as well natives as strangers. The history of Athens often mentions the silver mines of Laurium, which was a mountain, situated between the Pireum and Cape Sunium; and those of Thrace, from whence many persons extracted immense riches. Xenophon, in a treatise, wherein he states this matter at large, demonstrates how much the public might gain by industriously working these mines, from the example of the many persons they had enriched. Hipponicus let his mines and six hundred slaves to an undertaker, who paid him an ́ obolus a day for each slave, clear of all charges, which amounted in the whole to a mina, about two pounds five shillings. Nicias, who was killed in Sicily, farmed out his mines and one thousand slaves in the same manner, and with the same profit in proportion to that number. 2 2. The second species of revenue were the contributions paid the Athenians by the allies for the common expenses of the war. At first, under Aristides, they amounted to only four hundred and sixty talents. y De ration. redituum. * Pag. 925. • Six oboli made a drachm, 100 drachms a mina, and 60 mina a talent. A talent was worth 1000 crowns. |