a smaller history of greece-第51章
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pithes came into actual collision with the Macedonians。 In the following year Philip began to attack the Greek cities north of the Hellespont。 He first besieged and captured Selymbria on the Propontis； and then turned his arms against Perinthus and Byzantium。 This roused the Athenians to more vigorous action。 War was formally declared against Philip； and a fleet equipped for the immediate relief of Byzantium。 Philip was forced to raise the siege not only of that town but of Perinthus also； and finally to evacuate the Chersonesus altogether。 For these acceptable services the grateful Byzantians erected a colossal statue in honour of Athens。
After this check Philip undertook an expedition against the Thracians； but meantime his partisans procured for him an opportunity of marching again into the very heart of Greece。
Amphissa； a Locrian town； having been declared by the Amphictyonic council guilty of sacrilege； Philip was appointed by the council as their general to inflict punishment on the inhabitants of the guilty town。 Accordingly he marched southwards early in B。C。 338； but instead of proceeding in the direction of Amphissa； he suddenly seized Elatea； the chief town in the eastern part of Phocis； thus showing clearly enough that his real design was against Boeotia and Attica。 Intelligence of this event reached Athens at night； and caused extraordinary alarm； In the following morning Demosthenes pressed upon the assembly the necessity for making the most vigorous preparations for defence； and especially recommended them to send an embassy to Thebes； in order to persuade the Thebans to unite with them against the common enemy。
The details of the war that followed are exceedingly obscure。 Philip appears to have again opened negotiations with the Thebans； which failed； and we then find the combined Theban and Athenian armies marching out to meet the Macedonians。 The decisive battle was fought on the 7th of August； in the plain of Chaeronea in Boeotia； near the frontier of Phocis （B。C。 338）。 In the Macedonian army was Philip's son； the youthful Alexander； who was intrusted with the command of one of the wings； and it was a charge made by him on the Theban sacred band that decided the fortune of the day。 The sacred band was cut to pieces； without flinching from the ground which it occupied； and the remainder of the combined army was completely routed。 Demosthenes； who was serving as a foot…soldier in the Athenian ranks； has been absurdly reproached with cowardice because he participated in the general flight。
The battle of Chaeronea crushed the liberties of Greece； and made it in reality a province of the Macedonian monarchy。 To Athens herself the blow was almost as fatal as that of AEgospotami。 But the manner in which Philip used his victory excited universal surprise。 He dismissed the Athenian prisoners without ransom； and voluntarily offered a peace on terms more advantageous than the Athenians themselves would have ventured to propose。 Philip； indeed； seems to have regarded Athens with a sort of love and respect； as the centre of art and refinement； for his treatment of the Thebans was very different； and marked by great harshness and severity。 They were compelled to recall their exiles； in whose hands the government was placed； whilst a Macedonian garrison was established in the Cadmea。
A congress of the Grecian states was now summoned at Corinth； in which war was declared against Persia； and Philip was appointed generalissimo of the expedition。
In the spring of B。C。 336 Philip sent some forces into Asia； under the command of Attalus； Parmenio； and Amyntas； which were designed to engage the Greek cities of Asia in the expedition。 But before quitting Macedonia； Philip determined to provide for the safety of his dominions by celebrating the marriage of his daughter with Alexander of Epirus。 It was solemnized at AEgae； the ancient capital of Macedonia； with much pomp； including banquets； and musical and theatrical entertainments。 The day after the nuptials was dedicated to theatrical entertainments。 The festival was opened with a procession of the images of the twelve Olympian deities； with which was associated that of Philip himself。 The monarch took part in the procession； dressed in white robes； and crowned with a chaplet。 Whilst thus proceeding through the city； a youth suddenly rushed out of the crowd； and； drawing a long sword which he had concealed under his clothes； plunged it into Philip's side； who fell dead upon the spot。 The assassin was pursued by some of the royal guards； and； having stumbled in his flight； was despatched before he could reach the place where horses had been provided for his escape。 His name was Pausanias。 He was a youth of noble birth； and we are told that his motive for taking Philip's life was that the king had refused to punish an outrage which Attalus had committed against him。
Thus fell Philip of Macedon in the twenty…fourth year of his reign and forty…seventh of his age （B。C。 336）。 When we reflect upon his achievements； and how； partly by policy and partly by arms； he converted his originally poor and distracted kingdom into the mistress of Greece； we must acknowledge him to have been an extraordinary； if not a great man； in the better sense of that term。 His views and his ambition were certainly as large as those of his son Alexander； but he was prevented by a premature death from carrying them out； nor would Alexander himself have been able to perform his great achievements had not Philip handed down to him all the means and instruments which they required。
CHAPTER XX。
ALEXANDER THE GREAT； B。C。 336…323。
Alexander； at the time of his father's death； was in his twentieth year； having been born in B。C。 356。 His early education was entrusted to Leonidas； a kinsman of his mother； a man of severe and parsimonious character； who trained him with Spartan simplicity and hardihood； whilst Lysimachus； a sort of under…governor； early inspired the young prince with ambitious notions； by teaching him to love and emulate the heroes of the Iliad。 according to the traditions of his family； the blood of Achilles actually ran in the veins of Alexander； ＇His mother Olympias was the daughter of Neoptolemus； king of Epirus who claimed descent from Pyrrhus； the son of Achilles。＇ and Lysimachus nourished the feeling which that circumstance was calculated to awaken by giving him the name of that hero； whilst he called Philip Peleus； and himself Phoenix。 But the most striking feature in Alexander's education was； that he had Aristotle for his teacher； and that thus the greatest conqueror of the material world received the instructions of him who has exercised the most extensive empire over the human intellect。 It was probably at about the age of thirteen that he first received the lessons of Aristotle； and they can hardly have continued more than three years； for Alexander soon left the schools for the employments of active life。 At the age of sixteen we find him regent of Macedonia during Philip's absence； and at eighteen we have seen him filling a prominent military post at the battle of Chaeronea。
On succeeding to the throne Alexander announced his intention of prosecuting his father's expedition into Asia； but it was first necessary for him to settle the affairs of Greece； where the news of Philip's assassination； and the accession of so young a prince； had excited in several states a hope of shaking off the Macedonian yoke。 Athens was the centre of these movements。 Demosthenes； although in mourning for the recent loss of an only daughter； now came abroad dressed in white； and crowned with a chaplet； in which attire he was seen sacrificing at one of the public altars。 He also moved a decree that Philip's death should be celebrated by a public thanksgiving； and that religious honours should be paid to the memory of Pausanias。 At the same time he made vigorous preparations for action。 He despatched envoys to the principal Grecian states for the purpose of inciting them against Macedon。 Sparta； and the whole Peloponnesus； with the exception of Megalopolis and Messenia； seemed inclined to shake off their compulsory alliance。 Even the Thebans rose ag
