a smaller history of greece-第39部分

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　as　their　deliverer：　　and　Dionysius　on　his　return　from　Italy　found　himself　compelled　to　quit　Syracuse　（B。C。　356）；　leaving　Dion　undisputed　master　of　the　city。　　The　latter　was　now　in　a　condition　to　carry　out　all　those　exalted　notions　of　political　life　which　he　had　sought　to　instil　into　the　mind　of　Dionysius。　　He　seems　to　have　contemplated　some　political　changes；　but　his　immediate　and　practical　acts　were　tyrannical；　and　were　rendered　still　more　unpopular　by　his　overbearing　manners。　　His　unpopularity　continued　to　increase；　till　at　length　one　of　his　bosom　friendsthe　Athenian　Callippusseized　the　opportunity　to　mount　to　power　by　his　murder；　and　caused　him　to　be　assassinated　in　his　own　house。　This　event　took　place　in　353；　about　three　years　after　the　expulsion　of　the　Dionysian　dynasty。　　Callippus　contrived　to　retain　the　sovereign　power　only　a　twelvemonth。　　A　period　of　anarchy　followed；　during　which　Dionysius　made　himself　master　of　the　city　by　treachery；　about　B。C。　346。　　Dionysius；　however；　was　not　able　to　re…establish　himself　firmly　in　his　former　power。　Most　of　the　other　cities　of　Sicily　had　shaken　off　the　yoke　of　Syracuse；　and　were　governed　by　petty　despots。　　Meantime　the　Carthaginians　prepared　to　take　advantage　of　the　distracted　condition　of　Sicily。　　In　the　extremity　of　their　sufferings；　several　of　the　Syracusan　exiles　appealed　for　aid　to　Corinth；　their　mother…city。　　The　application　was　granted；　and　Timoleon　was　appointed　to　command　an　expedition　destined　for　the　relief　of　Syracuse。

Timoleon　was　distinguished　for　gentleness　as　well　as　for　courage；　but　towards　traitors　and　despots　his　hatred　was　intense。　　He　had　once　saved　the　life　of　his　elder　brother　Timophanes　in　battle　at　the　imminent　peril　of　his　own；　but　when　Timophanes；　availing　himself　of　his　situation　as　commander　of　the　garrison　in　the　Acrocorinthus；　endeavoured　to　enslave　his　country；　Timoleon　did　not　hesitate　to　consent　to　his　death。　　Twice　before　had　Timoleon　pleaded　with　his　brother；　beseeching　him　not　to　destroy　the　liberties　of　his　country；　but　when　Timophanes　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　those　appeals；　Timoleon　connived　at　the　action　of　his　friends；　who　put　him　to　death；　whilst　he　himself；　bathed　in　a　flood　of　tears；　stood　a　little　way　aloof。　　The　great　body　of　the　citizens　regarded　the　conduct　of　Timoleon　with　love　and　admiration。　　In　the　mind　of　Timoleon；　however；　their　approving　verdict　was　far　more　than　outweighed　by　the　reproaches　and　execrations　of　his　mother。　　For　many　years　nothing　could　prevail　upon　him　to　return　to　public　life。　　He　buried；　himself　in　the　country　far　from　the　haunts　of　men；　till　a　chance　voice　in　the　Corinthian　assembly　nominated　him　as　the　leader　of　the　expedition　against　Dionysius。

Roused　by　the　nature　of　the　cause；　and　the　exhortations　of　his　friends；　Timoleon　accepted　the　post　thus　offered　to　him。　　His　success　exceeded　his　hopes。　　As　soon　as　he　appeared　before　Syracuse；　Dionysius；　who　appears　to　have　abandoned　all　hope　of　ultimate　success；　surrendered　the　citadel　into　his　hands；　on　condition　of　being　allowed　to　depart　in　safety　to　Corinth　（B。C。　343）。　　Dionysius　passed　the　remainder　of　his　life　at　Corinth；　where　he　is　said　to　have　displayed　some　remnants　of　his　former　luxury　by　the　fastidious　taste　which　he　showed　in　the　choice　of　his　viands；　unguents；　dress；　and　furniture；　whilst　his　literary　inclinations　manifested　themselves　in　teaching　the　public　singers　and　actors；　and　in　opening　a　school　for　boys。

Timoleon　also　expelled　the　other　tyrants　from　the　Sicilian　cities；　and　gained　a　great　victory　over　the　Carthaginians　at　the　river　Crimesus　（or　Crimissus）。　　He　restored　a　republican　constitution　to　Syracuse；　and　his　first　public　act　was　to　destroy　the　impregnable　fortifications　of　the　citadel　of　Ortygia；　the　stronghold　of　the　elder　and　the　younger　Dionysius。　　All　the　rewards　which　Timoleon　received　for　his　great　services　were　a　house　in　Syracuse；　and　some　landed　property　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　city。　　He　now　sent　for　his　family　from　Corinth；　and　became　a　Syracusan　citizen。　　He　continued；　however；　to　retain；　though　in　a　private　station；　the　greatest　influence　in　the　state。　　During　the　latter　part　of　his　life；　though　he　was　totally　deprived　of　sight；　yet；　when　important　affairs　were　discussed　in　the　assembly；　it　was　customary　to　send　for　Timoleon；　who　was　drawn　in　a　car　into　the　middle　of　the　theatre　amid　the　shouts　and　affectionate　greetings　of　the　assembled　citizens。　　When　the　tumult　of　his　reception　had　subsided　he　listened　patiently　to　the　debate。　　The　opinion　which　he　pronounced　was　usually　ratified　by　the　vote　of　the　assembly；　and　he　then　left　the　theatre　amidst　the　same　cheers　which　had　greeted　his　arrival。　　In　this　happy　and　honoured　condition　he　breathed　his　last　in　B。C。　336；　a　few　years　after　the　battle　of　Crimesus。　　He　was　splendidly　interred　at　the　public　cost；　whilst　the　tears　of　the　whole　Syracusan　population　followed　him　to　the　grave。



CHAPTER　XIX。

PHILIP　OF　MACEDON；　B。C。　359…336。

The　internal　dissensions　of　Greece　produced　their　natural　fruits；　and　we　shall　have　now　to　relate　the　downfall　of　her　independence　and　her　subjugation　by　a　foreign　power。　　This　power　was　Macedonia；　an　obscure　state　to　the　north　of　Thessaly；　hitherto　overlooked　and　despised；　and　considered　as　altogether　barbarous；　and　without　the　pale　of　Grecian　civilization。　　But　though　the　Macedonians　were　not　Greeks；　their　sovereigns　claimed　to　be　descended　from　an　Hellenic　race；　namely；　that　of　Temenus　of　Argos；　and　it　is　said　that　Alexander　I。　proved　his　Argive　descent　previously　to　contending　at　the　Olympic　games。　　Perdiccas　is　commonly　regarded　as　the　founder　of　the　monarchy；　of　the　history　of　which；　however；　little　is　known　till　the　reign　of　Amyntas　I。；　his　fifth　successor；　who　was　contemporary　with　the　Pisistratidae　at　Athens。　　Under　Amyntas；　who　submitted　to　the　satrap　Megabyzus；　Macedonia　became　subject　to　Persia；　and　remained　so　till　after　the　battle　of　Plataea。　　The　reigns　of　the　succeeding　sovereigns　present　little　that　is　remarkable；　with　the　exception　of　that　of　Archelaus　（B。C。　413）。　　This　monarch　transferred　his　residence　from　AEgae　to　Pella；　which　thus　became　the　capital。　　He　entertained　many　literary　men　at　his　court；　such　as　Euripides；　who　ended　his　days　at　Pella。　　Archelaus　was　assassinated　in　B。C。　399；　and　the　crown　devolved　upon　Amyntas　II。；　a　representative　of　the　ancient　line。　　Amyntas　left　three　sons；　the　youngest　being　the　celebrated　Philip；　of　whom　we　have　now　to　speak。

It　has　been　already　mentioned　that　the　youthful　Philip　was　one　of　the　hostages　delivered　to　the　Thebans　as　security　for　the　peace　effected　by　Pelopidas。　　His　residence　at　Thebes　gave　him　some　tincture　of　Grecian　philosophy　and　literature；　but　the　most　important　lesson　which　he　learned　at　that　city　was　the　art　of　war；　with　all　the　improved　tactics　introduced　by　Epaminondas。　Philip　succeeded　to　the　throne　at　the　age　of　23　（B。C。　359）；　and　displayed　at　the　beginning　of　his　reign　his　extraordinary　energy　and　abilities。　　After　defeating　the　Illyrians　he　established　a　standing　army；　in　which　discipline　was　preserved　by　the　severest　punishments。　　He　introduced　the　far…famed　Macedonian　phalanx；　which　was　16　men　deep；　armed　with　long　projecting　spears。

Philip's　views　were　first　turned　towards　the　eastern　frontiers　of　his　dominions；　where　his　interests　clashed　with　those　of　the　Athenians。　　A　few　years　before　the　Athenians　had　made　various　unavailing　attempts　to　obtain　possession　of　Amphipolis；　once　the　jewel　of　their　empire；　but　which　they　had　never　recovered　since　its　capture　by　Brasidas　in　the　eighth　year　of　the　Peloponnesian　war。　　Its　situation　at　the　mouth　of　the　Strymon　rendered　it　also　valuable　to　Macedonia；　not　only　as　a　commercial　port；　but　as　opening　a　passage　into　Thrace。　　The　Olynthians　were　likewise　anxious　to　enrol　Amphipolis　as　a　member　of　their　confederacy；　and　accordingly　proposed　to　the　Athenians　to　form　an　alliance　for　the　purpose　of　defending　Amphipolis　against　their　mutual　enemy。　　An　alliance　between　these　two　powerful　states　would　have　proved　an　insurmountable　obstacle　to　Philip's　views：　　and　it　was　therefore　absolutely　necessary　to　prevent　this　coalition。　　Here　we　have　the　first　instance　of　Philip's　skill　and　duplicity　in　negotiation。　By　secretly　promising　the　Athenians　that　he　would　put　Amphipolis　into　their　hands　if　they　would　give　him　possession　of　Pydna；　he　induced　them　to　reject　the　overtures　of　the　Olynthians；　and　by　ceding　to　the　latter　the　town　of　Anthemus；　he　bought　off　their　opposition。　　He　now　laid　siege　to　Amphipolis；　which；　being　thus　left　unaided；　fell　into　his　hands　（B。C。　358）。　　He　then　forthwith　marched　against　Pydna；　which　surrendered　to　him；　but　on　the　ground　that　it　was　not　the　Athenians　who　had　put　him　in　possession　of　this　town；　he　refused　to　give　up　Amphipolis　to　them。

Philip　had　now　just　reason　to　dread　the　enmity　of　the　Athenians；　and　accordingly　it　was　his　policy　to　court　the　favour　of　the　Olynthians；　and　to　prevent　them　from　renewing　their　negotiations　with　the　Athenians。　　In　order　to　separate　them　more　effectually；　he　assisted　the　Olynthians　in　recovering　Potidaea；　which　had　formerly　belonged　to　their　confederacy；　but　was　now　in　the　hands　of　the　Athenians。　　On　the　capture　of　the　town　he　handed　it　over　to　the　Olynthians。　　Plutarch　relates　that　the　capture　of　Potidaea　was　accompanied　with　three　other　fortunate　events　in　the　life　of　Philip；　namely；　the　prize　gained　by　his　chariot　at　the　Olympic　games；　a　victory　of　his　general　Parmenio　over　the　Illyrians；　and　the　birth　of　his　son　Alexander。　　These　events　happened　in　B。C。　356。

Philip　now　crossed　the　Strymon；　on　the　left　bank　of　which　lay　Pangaeus；　a　range　of　mountains　abounding　in　gold…mines。　　He　conquered　the　district；　and　founded　there　a　new　town　called　Philippi；　on　the　site　of　the　ancient　Thracian　town　of　Crenides。　By　improved　methods　of　working　the　mines　he　made　them　yield　an　annual　revenue　of　1000　talents；　nearly　250；000l。

Meanwhile　Athens　was　engaged　in　a　war　with　her　allies；　which　has　been　called　the　SOCIAL　WAR；　and　which　was；　perhaps；　the　reason　why　she　was　obliged　to　look　quietly　on　whilst　Philip　was　thus　aggrandizing　himself　at　her　expense。　　This　war　broke　out　in　B。C。　357。　　The　chief　causes　of　it　seem　to　have　been　the　contributions　levied　upon　the　allies　by　the　Athenia