Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/278

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25? HISTORY OF GREECE. special meeting of the assembly itself was convened ; probably at Thermopylae, since Delphi was in possession of the enemy. Decided resolutions were here taken to form an Amphiktyonic army of execution ; accompanied by severe sentences of fine and other punishments, against the Phokian leaders, by name Philome- lus and Onomarchus, perhaps brothers, but at least joint com- manders, together with others. 1 The perils of the Phokians now became imminent. Their own unaided strength was nowise sufficient to resist the confederacy about to arm in defence of the Amphiktyonic assembly ; 2 nor does it appear that either Athens or Sparta had as yet given them anything more than promises and encouragement. Their only chance of effective resistance lay in the levy of a large mercenary force ; for which purpose neither their own funds, nor any farther aid derivable from private confiscation, could be made adequate. There remained no other resource except to employ the treasures and valuables in the Delphian temple, upon which accordingly Philomelus now laid hands. He did so, however, as his previous conduct evinced, with sincere reluctance, probably with various professions at first of borrowing only a given sum, destined to meet the actual emergency, and intended to be repaid as soon as safety should be provided for. 3 But whatever may have been 7r6Ae//oi>, iro^tj rupa^r/ Kal didaraaif fyv Ka#' b~ki]v rr/v 'E/./l(5a. Ol filv yap EKpivav pori'&elv rtj $y, ical roiif Quarts. u$ tepoaiiMvr, KaXu&iv oi At Trpdf TTJV TUV $uKuv Qor/deiav u-EK^Lvav. 1 Diodor. xvi. 32. about Onomarchus noA^aif yup Kal yueyuAeuf (5t'/ca/j IITTO TUV 'Aft(j>iKTv6vuv fyv KnTaSeSiKaafievof 6/ioiuf Tolf d/l/lof, etc. Onomarchus is denominated the colleague of Philomelas, cap. 31, and his brother, cap. 61. 3 Even in 374 B. c., three years before the battle of Leuktra, the Pho- kians had been unable to defend themselves against Thebes without aid from Sparta (Xenoph. Hellen. vi. 1, 1). 3 Diodor. xvi. 30. rjvayiid&TO (Philomelus) rolf Ispolf uva-&r/fj.affiv iiri- Bafalv raf #eipaf Kal ovhav rb fiavrelov. A similar proposition had been .started by the Corinthian envoys in the congress at Sparta, shortly before the Peloponnesian war; they suggested as one of their ways and means the borrowing from the treasures of Delphi and Olympia, to be afterwards re- paid (Thucyd. i. 121). Perikles made the like proposition in the Athenian assembly; "for purposes of security," the property of the temples might he employed to defray the cost of war, subject to the obligation of replac- ing the whole afterwards (xpijcrafiivovt re erl aurripla tyr) PJvat fjr) O.ao