Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/309

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

ATHENS DUKING ALEXANDER',5 LIKE. 277 vanced into the interior, many weeks' march from the shores of the Mediterranean, to attack them ; and the Persians doubtless transmitted encouragements with money to enterprising men in Greece, in hopes of provoking auxiliary movements. Presently (October 331 b. c.) came the catastrophe at Arbela ; after which no demonstration against Alexander could have been, attempted with any reasonable hope of success. Such was the varying point of view under which the contest in Asia presented itself to Grecian spectators, during the three years and a half between the landing of Alexander in Asia and the battle of Arbela. As to the leading states in Greece, we have to look at Athens and Sparta only ; for Thebes had been destroyed and demolished as a city ; and what had been once the citadel of the Kadmeia was now a Macedonian garrison.' Moreover, besides that garrison, the Boeotian cities, Orchomenus, Plataja, etc., were themselves strongholds of Macedonian de- pendence ; being hostile to Thebes of old, and having received among themselves assignments of all the Theban lands.'- In case of any movement in Greece, therefore, Antipater, the viceroy of Macedonia, might fairly count on finding in Greece interested allies, serving as no mean check upon Attica. At Athens, the reigning sentiment was decidedly paciiic. Few were disposed to brave the prince who had just given so fearful an evidence of his force by the destruction of Thebes and the enslavement of the Thebans. Ephialtes and Charidemus, the military citizens at Athens most anti-Macedonian in sentiment^ had been demanded as prisoners by Alexander, and had with- drawn to Asia, there to take service with Darius. Other Atheni- ans, men of energy and action, had followed their example, and had fought against Alexander at the Granikus, where they be- came his prisoners, and were sent to Macedonia to work in fetters at the mines. Ephialtes perished at the siege of Halikamassus, while defending the place with the utmost gallantry ; Charide- mus suffered a more unworthy death from the shameful sentence of Darius. The anti-Macedonian leaders who remained at ' Vita Deiuosthenis ap. Westcrmann, Scriptt. Biograph. p. 301. (j>povput KaTOjrfiaavTc^ ^tO.e^uvdpov iv ralg Qf/Satc uitu to KaTaaKuil'at rovg By /ia^o^)f, etc. ^ Pausanias, i. 25, 4. VOL. XII. 24