a smaller history of greece-第52章

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olis　and　Messenia；　seemed　inclined　to　shake　off　their　compulsory　alliance。　　Even　the　Thebans　rose　against　the　dominant　oligarchy；　although　the　Cadmea　was　in　the　hands　of　the　Macedonians。

The　activity　of　Alexander　disconcerted　all　these　movements。　Having　marched　through　Thessaly；　he　assembled　the　Amphictyonic　council　at　Thermopylae；　who　conferred　upon　him　the　command　with　which　they　had　invested　his　father　during　the　Sacred　War。　　He　then　advanced　rapidly　upon　Thebes；　and　thus　prevented　the　meditated　revolution；　The　Athenians　sent　ambassadors　to　deprecate　his　wrath；　who　were　graciously　accepted。　　He　then　convened　a　general　congress　at　Corinth；　where　he　was　appointed　generalissimo　for　the　Persian　war　in　place　of　his　father。　　Most　of　the　philosophers　and　persons　of　note　near　Corinth　came　to　congratulate　him　on　this　occasion；　but　Diognes　of　Sinope　who　was　then　living　in　one　of　the　suburbs　of　Corinth；　did　not　make　his　appearance。　　Alexander　therefore　resolved　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　eccentric　cynic；　whom　he　found　basking　in　the　sun。　　On　the　approach　of　Alexander　with　a　numerous　retinue；　Diogenes　raised　himself　up　a　little；　and　the　monarch　affably　inquired　how　he　could　serve　him？　　〃By　standing　out　of　my　sunshine；〃　replied　the　churlish　philosopher。　　Alexander　was　stung　with　surprise　at　a　behaviour　to　which　he　was　so　little　accustomed；　but　whilst　his　courtiers　were　ridiculing　the　manners　of　the　cynic；　he　turned　to　them　and　said；　〃Were　I　not　Alexander；　I　should　like　to　be　Diogenes。〃

The　result　of　the　Congress　might　be　considered　a　settlement　of　the　affairs　of　Greece。　　Alexander　then　returned　to　Macedonia　in　the　hope　of　being　able　to　begin　his　Persian　expedition　in　the　spring　of　B。C。　335；　but　reports　of　disturbances　among　the　Thracians　and　Triballians　diverted　his　attention　to　that　quarter。　He　therefore　crossed　Mount　Haemus　（the　Balkan）　and　marched　into　the　territory　of　the　Triballians；　defeated　their　forces；　and　pursued　them　to　the　Danube；　which　he　crossed。　　After　acquiring　a　large　booty　he　regained　the　banks　of　the　Danube；　and　thence　marched　against　the　Illyrians　and　Taulantians；　whom　he　speedily　reduced　to　obedience。

During　Alexander's　absence　on　these　expeditions　no　tidings　were　heard　of　him　for　a　considerable　time；　and　a　report　of　his　death　was　industriously　spread　in　Southern　Greece。　　The　Thebans　rose　and　besieged　the　Macedonian　garrison　in　the　Cadmea；　at　the　same　time　inviting　other　states　to　declare　their　independence。　Demosthenes　was　active　in　aiding　the　movement。　　He　persuaded　the　Athenians　to　furnish　the　Thebans　with　subsidies　and　to　assure　them　of　their　support　and　alliance。　　But　the　rapidity　of　Alexander　again　crushed　the　insurrection　in　the　bud。　　Before　the　Thebans　discovered　that　the　report　of　his　death　was　false　he　had　already　arrived　at　Onchestus　in　Boeotia。　　Alexander　was　willing　to　afford　them　an　opportunity　for　repentance；　and　marched　slowly　to　the　foot　of　the　Cadmea。　　But　the　leaders　of　the　insurrection；　believing　themselves　irretrievably　compromised；　replied　with　taunts　to　Alexander's　proposals　for　peace；　and　excited　the　people　to　the　most　desperate　resistance。　　An　engagement　was　prematurely　brought　on　by　one　of　the　generals　of　Alexander；　in　which　some　of　the　Macedonian　troops　were　put　to　the　rout；　but　Alexander；　coming　up　with　the　phalanx；　whilst　the　Thebans　were　in　the　disorder　of　pursuit；　drove　them　back　in　turn　and　entered　the　gates　along　with　them；　when　a　fearful　massacre　ensued　committed　principally　by　the　Thracians　in　Alexander's　service。　　Six　thousand　Thebans　are　said　to　have　been　slain；　and　thirty　thousand　were　made　prisoners。　　The　doom　of　the　conquered　city　was　referred　to　the　allies；　who　decreed　her　destruction。　　The　grounds　of　the　verdict　bear　the　impress　of　a　tyrannical　hypocrisy。　　They　rested　on　the　conduct　of　the　Thebans　during　the　Persian　war；　on　their　treatment　of　Plataea；　and　on　their　enmity　to　Athens。　　The　inhabitants　were　sold　as　slaves；　and　all　the　houses；　except　that　of　Pindar；　were　levelled　with　the　ground。　　The　Cadmea　was　preserved　to　be　occupied　by　a　Macedonian　garrison。　　Thebes　seems　to　have　been　thus　harshly　treated　as　an　example　to　the　rest　of　Greece；　for　towards　the　other　states；　which　were　now　eager　to　make　their　excuses　and　submission；　Alexander　showed　much　forbearance　and　lenity。　　The　conduct　of　the　Athenians　exhibits　them　deeply　sunk　in　degradation。　　When　they　heard　of　the　chastisement　indicted　upon　Thebes；　they　immediately　voted；　on　the　motion　of　Demosthenes；　that　ambassadors　should　be　sent　to　congratulate　Alexander　on　his　safe　return　from　his　northern　expeditions；　and　on　his　recent　success。　　Alexander　in　reply　wrote　a　letter；　demanding　that　eight　or　ten　of　the　leading　Athenian　orators　should　be　delivered　up　to　him。　　At　the　head　of　the　list　was　Demosthenes。　　In　this　dilemma；　Phocion；　who　did　not　wish　to　speak　upon　such　a　question；　was　loudly　called　upon　by　the　people　for　his　opinion；　when　he　rose　and　said　that　the　persons　whom　Alexander　demanded　had　brought　the　state　into　such　a　miserable　plight　that　they　deserved　to　be　surrendered；　and　that　for　his　own　part　he　should　be　very　happy　to　die　for　the　commonwealth。　　At　the　same　time　he　advised　them　to　try　the　effect　of　intercession　with　Alexander；　and　it　was　at　last　only　by　his　own　personal　application　to　that　monarch　with　whom　he　was　a　great　favourite；　that　the　orators　were　spared。　　According　to　another　account；　however；　the　wrath　of　Alexander　was　appeased　by　the　orator　Demades；　who　received　from　the　Athenians　a　reward　of　five　talents　for　his　services。　　It　was　at　this　time　that　Alexander　is　said　to　have　sent　a　present　of　100　talents　to　Phocion。　　But　Phocion　asked　the　persons　who　brought　the　money〃Why　he　should　be　selected　for　such　a　bounty？〃　　　〃Because；〃　they　replied；　〃Alexander　considers　you　the　only　just　and　honest　man。〃　　　〃Then；〃　said　Phocion；　〃let　him　suffer　me　to　be　what　I　seem；　and　to　retain　that　character。〃　And　when　the　envoys　went　to　his　house　and　beheld　the　frugality　with　which　he　lived；　they　perceived　that　the　man　who　refused　such　a　gift　was　wealthier　than　he　who　offered　it。

Having　thus　put　the　affairs　of　Greece　on　a　satisfactory　footing；　Alexander　marched　for　the　Hellespont　in　the　spring　of　B。C。　334；　leaving　Antipater　regent　of　Macedonia　in　his　absence；　with　a　force　of　12；000　foot　and　1500　horse。　　Alexander's　own　army　consisted　of　only　about　50；000　foot　and　5000　horse。　　Of　the　infantry　about　12；000　were　Macedonians；　and　these　composed　the　pith　of　the　celebrated　Macedonian　phalanx。　　Such　was　the　force　with　which　he　proposed　to　attack　the　immense　but　ill…cemented　empire　of　Persia；　which；　like　the　empires　of　Turkey　or　Austria　in　modern　times；　consisted　of　various　nations　and　races　with　different　religions　and　manners；　and　speaking　different　languages；　the　only　bond　of　union　being　the　dominant　military　power　of　the　ruling　nation；　which　itself　formed　only　a　small　numerical　portion　of　the　empire。　　The　remote　provinces；　like　those　of　Asia　Minor；　were　administered　by　satraps　and　military　governors　who　enjoyed　an　almost　independent　authority。　　Before　Alexander　departed　he　distributed　most　of　the　crown　property　among　his　friends；　and　when　Perdiccas　asked　him　what　he　had　reserved　for　himself　he　replied；　〃My　hopes。〃

A　march　of　sixteen　days　brought　Alexander　to　Sestos；　where　a　large　fleet　and　a　number　of　transports　had　been　collected　for　the　embarkation　of　his　army。　　He　steered　with　his　own　hand　the　vessel　in　which　he　sailed　towards　the　very　spot　where　the　Achaeans　were　said　to　have　landed　when　proceeding　to　the　Trojan　war。　　He　was；　as　we　have　said；　a　great　admirer　of　Homer；　a　copy　of　whose　works　he　always　carried　with　him；　and　on　landing　on　the　Asiatic　coast　he　made　it　his　first　business　to　visit　the　plain　of　Troy。　　He　then　proceeded　to　Sigeum；　where　he　crowned　with　a　garland　the　pillar　said　to　mark　the　tumulus　of　his　mythical　ancestor　Achilles；　and；　according　to　custom；　ran　round　it　naked　with　his　friends。

Alexander　then　marched　northwards　along　the　coast　of　the　Propontis。　　The　satraps　of　Lydia　and　Ionia；　together　with　other　Persian　generals；　were　encamped　on　the　river　Granicus；　with　a　force　of　20；000　Greek　mercenaries；　and　about　an　equal　number　of　native　cavalry；　with　which　they　prepared　to　dispute　the　passage　of　the　river。　　A