a smaller history of greece-第35章

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proper。　　Nobody　knew　who　these　five　thousand　were；　but　they　answered　two　purposes；　namely；　to　give　an　air　of　greater　popularity　to　the　government；　as　well　as　to　overawe　the　people　by　an　exaggerated　notion　of　its　strength。

Thus　perished　the　Athenian　democracy；　after　an　existence　of　nearly　a　century　since　its　establishment　by　Clisthenes　The　revolution　was　begun　from　despair　of　the　foreign　relations　of　Athens；　and　from　the　hope　of　assistance　from　Persia；　but　it　was　carried　out　through　the　machinations　of　the　conspirators　after　that　delusion　had　ceased。

At　Samos　the　Athenian　army　refused　to　recognise　the　new　government。　　At　the　instance　of　Thrasybulus　and　Thrasyllus　a　meeting　was　called　in　which　the　soldiers　pledged　themselves　to　maintain　the　democracy；　to　continue　the　war　against　Peloponnesus；　and　to　put　down　the　usurpers　at　Athens。　　The　soldiers；　laying　aside　for　a　while　their　military　character；　constituted　themselves　into　an　assembly　of　the　people；　deposed　several　of　their　officers；　and　appointed　others　whom　they　could　better　trust。　　Thrasybulus　proposed　the　recall　of　Alcibiades；　notwithstanding　his　connection　with　the　oligarchical　conspiracy；　because　it　was　believed　that　he　was　now　able　and　willing　to　aid　the　democratic　cause　with　the　gold　and　forces　of　Persia。　　After　considerable　opposition　the　proposal　was　agreed　to；　Alcibiades　was　brought　to　Samos　and　introduced　to　the　assembly；　where　by　his　magnificent　promises；　and　extravagant　boasts　respecting　his　influence　with　Tissaphernes；　he　once　more　succeeded　in　deceiving　the　Athenians。　　The　accomplished　traitor　was　elected　one　of　the　generals；　and；　in　pursuance　of　his　artful　policy；　began　to　pass　backwards　and　forwards　between　Samos　and　Magnesia；　with　the　view　of　inspiring　both　the　satrap　and　the　Athenians　with　a　reciprocal　idea　of　his　influence　with　either；　and　of　instilling　distrust　of　Tissaphernes　into　the　minds　of　the　Peloponnesians。

At　the　first　news　of　the　re…establishment　of　democracy　at　Samos；　distrust　and　discord　had　broken　out　among　the　Four　Hundred。　Antiphon　and　Phrynichus；　at　the　head　of　the　extreme　section　of　the　oligarchical　party；　were　for　admitting　a　Lacedaemonian　garrison。　　But　others；　discontented　with　their　share　of　power；　began　to　affect　more　popular　sentiments；　among　whom　were　Theramenes　and　Aristocrates。　　Meantime　Euboea；　supported　by　the　Lacedaemonians　and　Boeotians；　revolted　from　Athens。　　The　loss　of　this　island　seemed　a　death…blow。　　The　Lacedaemonians　might　now　easily　blockade　the　ports　of　Athens　and　starve　her　into　surrender；　whilst　the　partisans　of　the　Four　Hundred　would　doubtless　co…operate　with　the　enemy。　　But　from　this　fate　they　were　saved　by　the　characteristic　slowness　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　who　confined　themselves　to　securing　the　conquest　of　Euboea。　　Thus　left　unmolested；　the　Athenians　convened　an　assembly　in　the　Pnyx。　Votes　were　passed　for　deposing　the　Four　Hundred；　and　placing　the　government　in　the　hands　of　the　5000；　of　whom　every　citizen　who　could　furnish　a　panoply　might　be　a　member。　　In　short；　the　old　constitution　was　restored；　except　that　the　franchise　was　restricted　to　5000　citizens；　and　payment　for　the　discharge　of　civil　functions　abolished。　　In　subsequent　assemblies；　the　Archons；　the　Senate；　and　other　institutions　were　revived；　and　a　vote　was　passed　to　recall　Alcibiades　and　some　of　his　friends。　The　number　of　the　5000　was　never　exactly　observed；　and　was　soon　enlarged　into　universal　citizenship。　　Thus　the　Four　Hundred　were　overthrown　after　a　reign　of　four　months；　B。C。　411。

While　these　things　were　going　on　at　Athens；　the　war　was　prosecuted　with　vigour　on　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor。　　Mindarus；　who　now　commanded　the　Peloponnesian　fleet；　disgusted　at　length　by　the　often…broken　promises　of　Tissaphernes；　and　the　scanty　and　irregular　pay　which　he　furnished；　set　sail　from　Miletus　and　proceeded　to　the　Hellespont；　with　the　intention　of　assisting　the　satrap　Pharnabazus；　and　of　effecting；　if　possible；　the　revolt　of　the　Athenian　dependencies　in　that　quarter。　　Hither　he　was　pursued　by　the　Athenian　fleet　under　Thrasyllus。　　In　a　few　days　an　engagement　ensued　（in　August；　411　B。C。）；　in　the　famous　straits　between　Sestos　and　Abydos；　in　which　the　Athenians；　though　with　a　smaller　force；　gained　the　victory　and　erected　a　trophy　on　the　promontory　of　Cynossema；　near　the　tomb　and　chapel　of　the　Trojan　queen　Hecuba。　　The　Athenians　followed　up　their　victory　by　the　reduction　of　Cyzicus；　which　had　revolted　from　them。　　A　month　or　two　afterwards　another　obstinate　engagement　took　place　between　the　Peloponnesian　and　Athenian　fleets　ness　Abydos；　which　lasted　a　whole　day；　and　was　at　length　decided　in　favour　of　the　Athenians　by　the　arrival　of　Alcibiades　with　his　squadron　of　eighteen　ships　from　Samos。

Shortly　after　the　battle　Tissaphernes　arrived　at　the　Hellespont　with　the　view　of　conciliating　the　offended　Peloponnesians。　　He　was　not　only　jealous　of　the　assistance　which　the　latter　were　now　rendering　to　Pharnabarzus；　but　it　is　also　evident　that　his　temporizing　policy　had　displeased　the　Persian　court。　　This　appears　from　his　conduct　on　the　present　occasion；　as　well　as　from　the　subsequent　appointment　of　Cyrus　to　the　supreme　command　on　the　Asiatic　coast　as　we　shall　presently　have　to　relate。　　When　Alcibiades；　who　imagined　that　Tissaphernes　was　still　favourable　to　the　Athenian　cause　waited　on　him　with　the　customary　presents；　he　was　arrested　by　order　of　the　satrap；　and　sent　in　custody　to　Sardis。　　At　the　end　of　a　month；　however；　he　contrived　to　escape　to　Clazomenae；　and　again　joined　the　Athenian　fleet　early　in　the　spring　of　410　B。C。　Mindaras；　with　the　assistance　of　Pharnabazas　on　the　land　side；　was　now　engaged　in　the　siege　of　Cyzicus；　which　the　Athenian　admirals　determined　to　relieve。　　Here　a　battle　ensued；　in　which　Mindarus　was　slain；　the　Lacedaemonians　and　Persians　routed；　and　almost　the　whole　Peloponnesian　fleet　captured。　　The　severity　of　this　blow　was　pictured　in　the　laconic　epistle　in　which　Hippocrates；　the　second　in　command；　＇Called　Epistoteus　or　〃Secretary〃　in　the　Lacedaemonian　fleet。　　The　commander　of　the　fleet　had　the　title　of　NAVARCHUS。＇　　announced　it　to　the　Ephors：　　〃Our　good　luck　is　gone；　Mindarus　is　slain；　the　men　are　starving；　we　know　not　what　to　do。〃

The　results　of　this　victory　were　most　important。　　Perinthus　and　Selymbria；　as　well　as　Cyzicus；　were　recovered；　and　the　Athenians；　once　more　masters　of　the　Propontis；　fortified　the　town　of　Chrysopolis；　over　against　Byzantium；　at　the　entrance　of　the　Bosporus；　re…established　their　toll　of　ten　per　cent；　on　all　vessels　passing　from　the　Euxine；　and　left　a　squadron　to　guard　the　strait　and　collect　the　dues。　　So　great　was　the　discouragement　of　the　Lacedaemonians　at　the　loss　of　their　fleet　that　the　Ephor　Endius　proceeded　to　Athens　to　treat　for　peace　on　the　basis　of　both　parties　standing　just　as　they　were。　　The　Athenian　assembly　was　at　this　time　led　by　the　demagogue　Cleophon；　a　lamp…maker；　known　to　us　by　the　later　comedies　of　Aristophanes。　　Cleophon　appears　to　have　been　a　man　of　considerable　ability；　but　the　late　victories　had　inspired　him　with　too　sanguine　hopes　and　he　advised　the　Athenians　to　reject　the　terms　proposed　by　Endius。　　Athens　thus　throw　away　the　golden　opportunity　of　recruiting　her　shattered　forces　of　which　she　stood　so　much　in　need；　and　to　this　unfortunate　advice　must　be　ascribed　the　calamities　which　subsequently　overtook　her。

The　possession　of　the　Bosporus　reopened　to　the　Athenians　the　trade　of　the　Euxine。　　From　his　lofty　fortress　at　Decelea　the　Spartan　king　Agris　could　descry　the　corn…ships　from　the　Euxine　sailing　into　the　Harbour　of　the　Piraeus；　and　felt　how　fruitless　it　was　to　occupy　the　fields　of　Attica　whilst　such　abundant　supplies　of　provisions　were　continually　finding　their　way　to　the　city。

In　B。C。　408　the　important　towns　of　Chalcedon；　Selymbria；　and　Byzantium　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Athenians；　thus　leaving　them　undisputed　masters　of　the　Propontis。

These　great　achievements　of　Alcibiades　naturally　paved　the　way　for　his　return　to　Athens。　　In　the　spring　of　407　B。C。　he　proceeded　with　the　fleet　to　Samos；　and　from　thence　sailed　to　Piraeus。　　His　reception　was　far　more　favourable　than　he　had　ventured　to　anticipate。　　The　whole　population　of　Athens　flocked　down　to　Piraeus　to　welcome　him；　and　escorted　him　to　th