a smaller history of greece-第28章

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　reaction　occurred　in　his　favour。　　He　was　re…elected　general；　and　apparently　regained　all　the　influence　he　had　ever　possessed。

But　he　was　not　destined　long　to　enjoy　this　return　of　popularity。　His　life　was　now　closing　in；　and　its　end　was　clouded　by　a　long　train　of　domestic　misfortunes。　　The　epidemic　deprived　him　not　only　of　many　personal　and　political　friends；　but　also　of　several　near　relations；　amongst　whom　were　his　sister　and　his　two　legitimate　sons　Xanthippus　and　Paralus。　　The　death　of　the　latter　was　a　severe　blow　to　him。　　During　the　funeral　ceremonies；　as　he　placed　a　garland　on　the　body　of　this　his　favourite　son；　he　was　completely　overpowered　by　his　feelings　and　wept　aloud。　　His　ancient　house　was　now　left　without　an　heir。　　By　Aspasia；　however；　he　had　an　illegitimate　son　who　bore　his　own　name；　and　whom　the　Athenians　now　legitimised　and　thus　alleviated；　as　far　as　lay　in　their　power；　the　misfortunes　of　their　great　leader。

After　this　period　it　was　with　difficulty　that　Pericles　was　persuaded　by　his　friends　to　take　any　active　part　in　public　affairs；　nor　did　he　survive　more　than　a　twelvemonth。　　An　attack　of　the　prevailing　epidemic　was　succeeded　by　a　low　and　lingering　fever；　which　undermined　both　his　strength　of　body　and　vigour　of　intellect。　　As　Pericles　lay　apparently　unconscious　on　his　death…　bed；　the　friends　who　stood　around　it　were　engaged　in　recalling　his　exploits。　　The　dying　man　interrupted　them　by　remarking：　〃What　you　praise　in　me　is　partly　the　result　of　good　fortune；　and　at　all　events　common　to　me　with　many　other　commanders。　　What　I　chiefly　pride　myself　upon　you　have　not　noticedno　Athenian　ever　wore　mourning　through　me。〃

The　enormous　influence　which　Pericles　exercised　for　so　long　a　period　over　an　ingenious　but　fickle　people　like　the　Athenians；　is　an　unquestionable　proof　of　his　intellectual　superiority。　　This　hold　on　the　public　affection　is　to　be　attributed　to　a　great　extent　to　his　extraordinary　eloquence。　　Cicero　regards　him　as　the　first　example　of　an　almost　perfect　orator；　at　once　delighting　the　Athenians　with　his　copiousness　and　grace；　and　overawing　them　by　the　force　and　cogency　of　his　diction　and　arguments。　　He　seems；　indeed；　to　have　singularly　combined　the　power　of　persuasion　with　that　more　rapid　and　abrupt　style　of　oratory　which　takes　an　audience　by　storm　and　defies　all　resistance。　　As　the　accomplished　man　of　genius　and　the　liberal　patron　of　literature　and　art；　Pericles　is　worthy　of　the　highest　admiration。　　By　these　qualities　he　has　justly　given　name　to　the　most　brilliant　intellectual　epoch　that　the　world　has　ever　seen。　　But　on　this　point　we　have　already　touched；　and　shall　have　occasion　to　refer　hereafter　in　the　sketch　of　Grecian　literature。

In　the　third　year　of　the　war　（B。C。　429）　Archidamus　directed　his　whole　force　against　the　ill…fated　town　of　Plataea。　　The　siege　that　ensued　is　one　of　the　most　memorable　in　the　annals　of　Grecian　warfare。　　Plataea　was　but　a　small　city；　and　its　garrison　consisted　of　only　400　citizens　and　80　Athenians；　together　with　110　women　to　manage　their　household　affairs。　　Yet　this　small　force　set　at　defiance　the　whole　army　of　the　Peloponnesians。　　The　latter；　being　repulsed　in　all　their　attempts　to　take　the　place　by　storm；　resolved　to　turn　the　siege　into　a　blockade；　and　reduce　the　city　by　famine。　　The　Plataeans　endured　a　blockade　of　two　years；　during　which　the　Athenians　attempted　nothing　for　their　relief。　In　the　second　year；　however；　about　half　the　garrison　effected　their　escape；　but　the　rest　were　obliged　to　surrender　shortly　afterwards　（B。C。　427）。　　The　whole　garrison；　consisting　of　200　Plataeans　and　25　Athenians；　were　now　arraigned　before　five　judges　sent　from　Sparta。　　Their　indictment　was　framed　in　a　way　which　precluded　the　possibility　of　escape。　　They　were　simply　asked　〃Whether；　during　the　present　war；　they　had　rendered　any　assistance　to　the　Lacedaemonians　and　their　allies？〃　　Each　man　was　called　up　separately　before　the　judgment…seat；　and　the　same　question　having　been　put　to　him　and　of　course　answered　in　the　negative；　he　was　immediately　led　away　to　execution。　　The　town　of　Plataea　was　transferred　to　the　Thebans；　who　a　few　months　afterwards　levelled　all　the　private　buildings　to　the　ground。　Thus　was　Plataea　blotted　out　from　the　map　of　Greece　（B。C。　427）。　In　recording　the　fall　of　Plataea　we　have　anticipated　the　order　of　chronology。

The　most　important　event　in　the　fourth　year　of　the　war　（B。C。　428）　was　the　revolt　of　Mytilene；　the　capital　of　Lesbos；　and　of　the　greater　part　of　that　island。　　The　Athenians　sent　out　a　fleet　which　blockaded　Mytilene　both　by　sea　and　land；　The　Peloponnesians　promised　their　assistance；　but　from　various　causes　their　fleet　was　unable　to　reach　the　place。　　Meanwhile　the　provisions　of　the　town　were　exhausted；　and　it　was　therefore　resolved；　as　a　last　desperate　expedient；　to　make　a　sally；　and　endeavour　to　raise　the　blockade。　　With　this　view　even　the　men　of　the　lower　classes　were　armed　with　the　full　armour　of　the　hoplites。　　But　this　step　produced　a　very　different　result　from　what　had　been　expected　or　intended。　　The　great　mass　of　the　Mytileneans　regarded　their　own　oligarchical　government　with　suspicion　and　now　threatened　that；　unless　their　demands　were　complied　with；　they　would　surrender　the　city　to　the　Athenians。　　In　this　desperate　emergency　the　Mytilenean　government　perceived　that　their　only　chance　of　safety　lay　in　anticipating　the　people　in　this　step。　　They　accordingly　opened　a　negotiation　with　Paches；　the　Athenian　commander；　and　a　capitulation　was　agreed　upon　by　which　the　city　was　to　be　surrendered　and　the　fate　of　its　inhabitants　to　be　decided　by　the　Athenian　Assembly。

At　Athens　the　disposal　of　the　prisoners　caused　great　debate。　　It　was　on　this　occasion　that　the　leather…seller　Cleon　first　comes　prominently　forward　in　Athenian　affairs。　　If　we　may　trust　the　picture　drawn　by　the　comic　poet　Aristophanes；　Cleon　was　a　perfect　model　of　a　low…born　demagogue；　a　noisy　brawler；　insolent　in　his　gestures；　corrupt　and　venal　in　his　principles。　　Much　allowance　must　no　doubt　be　made　for　comic　licence　and　exaggeration　in　this　portrait；　but　even　a　caricature　must　have　some　grounds　of　truth　for　its　basis。　　It　was　this　man　who　took　the　lead　in　the　debate　respecting　the　disposal　of　the　Mytileneans；　and　made　the　savage　and　horrible　proposal　to　put　to　death　the　whole　male　population　of　Mytilene　of　military　age；　and　to　sell　the　women　and　children　into　slavery。　　This　motion　he　succeeded　in　carrying　and　a　trireme　was　immediately　despatched　to　Mytilene；　conveying　orders　to　Paches　to　carry　the　bloody　decree　into　execution。　　This　barbarous　decree　made　no　discrimination　between　the　innocent　and　the　guilty；　and　on　the　morrow　so　general　a　feeling　prevailed　of　the　horrible　injustice　that　had　been　committed；　that　the　magistrates　acceded　to　the　prayer　of　the　Mytilenean　envoys　and　called　a　fresh　assembly。　　Notwithstanding　the　violent　opposition　of　Creon；　the　majority　of　the　assembly　reversed　their　former　decree　and　resolved　that　the　Mytileneans　already　in　custody　should　be　put　upon　their　trial；　but　that　the　remainder　of　the　population　should　be　spared。　　A　second　trireme　was　immediately　despatched　to　Mytilene；　with　orders　to　Paches　to　arrest　the　execution。　　The　utmost　diligence　was　needful。　　The　former　trireme　had　a　start　of　four…and…twenty　hours；　and　nothing　but　exertions　almost　superhuman　would　enable　the　second　to　reach　Mytilene　early　enough　to　avert　the　tragical　catastrophe；　The　oarsmen　were　allowed　by　turns　only　short　intervals　of　rest；　and　took　their　food；　consisting　of　barley…meal　steeped　in　wine　and　oil；　as　they　sat　at　the　oar。　　Happily　the　weather　proved　favourable；　and　the　crew；　who　had　been　promised　large　rewards　in　case　they　arrived　in　time；　exerted　themselves　to　deliver　the　reprieve；　whilst　the　crew　of　the　preceding　vessel　had　conveyed　the　order　for　execution　with　slowness　and　reluctance。　　Yet　even　so　the　countermand　came　only　just　in　time。　　The　mandate　was　already　in　the　hands　of　Paches；　who　was　taking　measures　for　its　execution。　　The　fortifications　of　Mytilene　were　razed；　and　her　fleet　delivered　up　to　the　Athenians。

The　fate　of　the　Plataeans　and　Mytileneans　affords　a　fearful　illustration　of　the　manners　of　the　age；　but　these　horrors　soon　found　a　parallel　in　Corcyra。　　A　fearful　struggle　took　pla