The History of Greece

CHAPTER IX.

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Alcibiades foments a war between the Athenians
and Lacedæmonians. The Athenians attempt
the reduction of Sicily. History of Syracuse,
the capital of that island. Alcibiades condemned
to death for refusing to return home in obedience
to the commands of his countrymen. Syracuse
besieged by the Athenians under Nicias. Gylip-
pus, the Lacedæmonian general, comes to the aid
of the Syracusans. Is defeated by Nicias. De-
feats that general in his turn. Nicias receives
a reinforcement from Athens under the conduct
of Demosthenes, an ancestor of the famous orator
of the same name. The Athenians attack the fort
of Epipolæ. Are repulsed with great slaughter.
Resolve to abandon the island. Delay their
departure on account of an eclipse of the moon.
Attempt to escape by sea. Prevented by the
enemy. Begin their march by land. Lose their
way in the night, and separate into two bodies.
One of these attacked, and made prisoners. The
other likewise attacked. Most of them cut in
pieces. The rest taken prisoners. The common
men thrown into dungeons. Nicias and Demos-
thenes put to death. The government of Athens
altered. Alcibiades recalled. His great success.
Opposed by Lysander, the Spartan. Disgraced,
and succeeded by Conon. Battle of Ægos Pota-
mos. End of the Peloponnesian war. Character
of Homer, Hesiod, Eschylus, Sophocles, Euri-
pides, Aristophanes, Herodotus, and Thucydides. 66
CHAPTER X.

The

The thirty tyrants. Death of Alcibiades.
tyrants destroyed, and Athens restored to its
liberty by Thrasybulus. Expedition of Cyrus,
who engages in his service a body of Greeks. He
is defeated by his brother Artaxerxes. Famous
retreat of the ten thousand Greeks. Socrates.
His character. His trial. His speech on the
occasion, Condemned to death. Behaviour
after condemnation. Dies by drinking the juice
of hemlock. The Athenians repent. Put Me-

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litus, his chief accuser, to death.

nish the rest.

Erect a statue of brass to his mem. ry; and dedi-

cate a chapel to him as to a hero and demi-god. 102

CHAPTER XI.

Agesilaus, king of Sparta, defeats Tissaphernes.

Battle of Coronæa. The Spartans subdue several

of the petty states of Greece. Place a garrison

in Thebes. The garrison expelled, and Thebes

restored to its liberty by Pelopidas. Extraor-

dinary stratagem of Chabrias. Battle of Tegyra.

Sacred band of Thebes. Epaminondas; his

character. Battle of Lenctra. Pelopidas slain

in the battle of Cynocephalus. Epaminondas

attacks the city of Sparta, but is repulsed. Gal-

lant conduct of Isadas. Battle of Mantinea.

Epaminondas mortally wounded. Expires in

the arms of victory. Expedition of Agesilaus

into Egypt. His character. Extravagant pas-

sion of the Athenians for the stage.

CHAPTER XII.

History of Macedon. Philip begins his reign. Had

been educated at Thebes under Epaminondas.

Forms the famous Macedonian phalanx. Defeats

the Athenians at Methone. Farther progress of

his arms. Answer given him by the oracle of

Delphos. The sacred war. Birth of Alexander

the Great. Aristotle appointed his preceptor.

Demosthenes the orator. Philip chosen a mem-

ber of the Amphictyonic council. Performs a

signal act of justice. Phocion; his character.

Speech of Demosthenes against Philip. Another

speech of his against the same prince. Battle of

Cbæronea. Diogenes' reply to Philip. Famous

contest of eloquence between schines and De-

mosthenes. Philip's domestic uneasiness occa-

sioned by the bad temper of his queen Olympias.

Attempts to stab his son Alexander. Is himself

assassinated by Pausanias.

CHAPTER XIII.

Anecdotes of Alexander the Great. His ambition.
The early maturity of his judgment. His edu-

133

152

cation. His rega
for his master.
His vene-

ration for Fomer His passion for literature.

His management of the horse Bucephalus. Razes

Thebes to the ground. Spares the descendants

of Pindar. Demosthenes's fable of the wolves

and dogs. Alexander chosen generalissimo of the

Greek forces. Diogenes' answer to him. Con-

sults the oracle of Delphos. Distributes all bis

revenues among his friends. Reserves for him-

self hope only

• ........

CHAPTER XIV.

Alexander sets out on his expedition into Asia.

Crosses the Hellespont. Gains the battle of

anicus. His answer to Ada, queen of Caria.

s the Gordian knot. Bathes in the Cydnus.

Is seized with a fever. His magnanimity on that

occasion. Defeats Darius in the battle of Issus.

Is wounded in the thigh. Takes Darius's wife

and mother prisoners. His noble behaviour to

those captives. Abdolonymus raised to the

throne of Sidon. Alexander reduces Tyre. Goes

to Jerusalem. Is met by the high priest. Marches

into Egypt. Builds Alexandria. Defeats Darius

in the battle of Arbela. Burns the palace of

Persepolis, at the instigation of Thais. Finds the

dead body of Darius, who had been murdered by

his own officers. Sends it to his mother, Sysi-

gambis, in order to be interred. Dreadful fate

of Bessus. Alexander's cruelty to Parmenio,

and his son Philotas. Kills Clitus. Marries

Roxana. Marches into India. Is opposed by

Porus. Defeats him. Receives him into favour.

His soldiers refuse to follow him any further.

Resolves to return into Persia. Attacks the

capital of the Oxydraci. His bravery on that

occasion. Arrives at Susa. Marries Statira.

Enters Babylon. Abandons himself to intem-

perance. Is seized with a fever. His last words.

His death and character.

CHAPTER XV.

The Grecian states form a confederacy against An-
tipater, governor of Macedon. Glorious end of

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181

192

Agis, king of Sparta. Demosthenes banished;

recalled. Antipater obtains the appellation of

Father and protector of Greece; dies: is suc-

ceeded by Polyperchon.

CHAPTER XVI.

Alexander is succeeded by his only brother, Arid-

æus; but his captains usurp supreme power in

the provinces they govern, and soon after assume

the title of kings. Statira murdered by Roxana.

Perdiccas marches into Egypt against Ptolemy.

Olympias recalled to Macedon. Antigonus, king

of Syria; his great power. A combination formed

against him; falls in battle.

CHAPTER XVII.

Cassander, king of Macedon.

Democratic form

of government restored in Greece. Death of

Phocion. Cruelty of Olympias.

Demetrius

Phalereus made governor of Athens; honours

paid him. Death of Olympias.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Heroic

The Gauls invade Greece; stopt at the Straits of

Thermopyla; repulsed at the temple of Delphi.

Stratagems employed against them.

behaviour of the Spartan women.

league.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Achæan

Death of Agis, king of Sparta. Philip, the last

king of Macedon of that name, makes a league

with Hannibal. The Romans get a footing in

Greece; enter into a treaty with the Etolians;

reduce the power of Philip to the lowest ebb;

The Romans, under pretence of defending the public

liberty, invade Greece; defeat the kings of Syria

and Macedon; make themselves masters of the.

whole country; form it into a province. The

Greeks, though deprived of their liberty, still re

tain their genius; civilize and enlighten mankind. 263

THE

HISTORY OF GREECE.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE EARLIEST STATE OF GREECE.

THE History of ancient Greece, like that of modern Germany, is not so much the history of any particular kingdom, as of a number of petty independent states, sometimes at war, and sometimes in alliance with one another. Of these different states, therefore, we shall now give an account, with as much brevity as is consistent with perspicuity; and we shall begin our narrative at that period, where real and authentic history commences: for as to the more early, that is, the fabulous times of the Grecian republics, these belong to mythology rather than to history.

Sicyon, then, is said to have been the first kingdom that was established in Greece. The beginning of it is placed by historians in the year of the world one thousand nine hundred and fifteen, before Christ two thousand and eighty-nine, and before the first Olympiad one thousand three hundred and thirteen. Its first king was Egialeus. It is said to have lasted a thousand years.

A. M. 2148.] The kingdom of Argos, in Peloponnesus, began a thousand and eighty years before the first Olympiad, in the time of Abraham. The first king was Inachus.

This was succeeded by the kingdom of Mycenae, to which place the seat of government was transferred

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