OCR Text |
Show Lhe third Bookeofthefirftpare Curar.¢.9., fuch ancient Statutes,as were meet to beput in practice: the condition ofthe City. ftandingas it did ia that fo fodainealteration. Tothis charge was anhexed the fupremeaythority,cither asa recompenceoftheir labours,or becaufe the neceflity ofthetimes did forequirc it,wherin the Law being vncertain,it was fit that fuch men thouldgiue indge. mentin particular caufes,to whofe iudgementthe Lawes themfclues,by which the City. was to be ordered, were becomefubicct. But thefe thirty hauing fo great power intheir hands; wereitiore carefullto holdit, than to deferneit, by faithfull execution of that which was committed tothem in truft. Therefore apprehending fuch troublefome fellowes, as were odious tothe City, though not punifhable therefore by law, they condemned themto death ; which pro. 1 ceeding was by all men highly approued,who confidered their lewd conditions,but did not withall bethinke themfelues,how eafie a thing it would be vnto thefe thirty men,to take away the lites of Innocents,by calling them perturbers ofthe peace, or what elfe theylifted, when condemnation withouttrue triall and proofe had beene once well allowed. Hauingthusplaufibly entred into a wicked courfe ofgouernment,they thought it beft to fortifie themfelues with a fure guard, erethey brake outinto thofe diforders, which they muft needes commitfor the eftablifhing oftheirauthority. Wherefore difpatching twooftheir own companyto Sparta,they informed the Lacedzmonians,that it was thefull intent of the thirty, to keep the City free from alll rebellious motions:to which purpofe it behooued them tocut offfuchas were feditious ; and therfore defired 2° the Lacedzmoniansto fend them a Garrifon,which they promifed at their owncoft to maintaine. This motion was wellapproued, and a Guard fent, the Captaine of which was fo well entertained by the thirty, that none oftheir mifdeedes could wanthis high commendations at Sparta. Hereupon the Tyrants began to take heart, and looking no moreafter bafe and detefted perfons, inuadedthe principall men of the City, fending aimed men from Houfe to Houfe, who drewout fuchas were of great reputation, and likely , or ableto make any head againft this wicked forme of gouernment: whereby there wasfucheffufion ofbloud,as to Theramenes (one ofthe thirty) feemedvery horrible, and vnableto efcape vengeance.His diflike oftheir proceedings being openly difcoucred,caufed his fellowes to bethink themfelues,and prouide for their own fecurity, 3° and his deftruétion,left hefhould make himfelfea Captaine ofthe difcontented (which were almoft the whole City) and redeeme his owne peace withtheir ruine. Wherefore they {elected three thoufand ofthe Citizens, whom they thought meeteft,and gaue vnto them fome part ofpublike authority, the reft they difarmed; and hauing thus increa- {ed their owne ftrength, and weakened their oppofites, they begana-frefhto thead the bloud, not onely oftheir priuate enemies,but of fuch whofe mony,or goods, might inrich them, and enable them forthe paimentoftheir guard. Andtothis purpofe they concluded,that cuery one ofthem fhould name one man, vpon whofe goods he fhoulc cize,putting the owner to death. But when Theramenes vttered his deteftation offo WiC gg ked intent,then did Critias,who ofall the thirty was mofttyrannicall,accufe himto the Councell,as a treacherous man,and(wheras one maine priuiledge ofthe threethoufand was,that none ofthem fhould fuffer death at the appointmentofthethirty, but hauethe accuftomedtrial)he tookvpon himto ftrike out oftharnumber the name ofTheramen', and fo reduced'him vnder the triall and fentence of that order.It was well alleadgedby Theramenes,that his name was not more eafie to be blotted out ofthe Caralogue,than 4 ny other mans;vpon which confideration,he aduifed them all to conceiue no otherwile of his cafe,than‘as of their owne,who wereliable to the fame forme of proceeding: but euery man choofing ratherto preferue his owne life byfilence, ‘than' prefentlyto dra¥ vpon himfelfe the danger, whichas yet concernedhimlittle, and perhaps would neuct come neer himsthe Tyrants interpreting filence as confert,condemned him forthwith, and compelled him to drinke poyfon. Caar.rifig ofthebliftorieof theWorld. Gi and goods, & caufed themtoflie igto banifhment,forfafeguardoftheir liues. This flight ofthe Citizens procured their libofsy ,gale genckall good of theCity.Forthe banifhed Citizens;who were fled toThebes,entredinto confulration,&refolued to hazzardtheir lines in fetting free the'Cityor. AtheHa Reval) thotight offich a practice hadbin treafon at home,which had no other danger abroad, than might be found in the execution; Seuenty men,or thereabout,werethe firft yndertakers,who with their Captaine Thrafy. bales took Phyla,a place offtrength in the'Peérritory ofAthens, No fooner did thethirty heareoftheir exploit,chan feck meansto. preugntfarcher danget:alfembling the three thoufand, and their Lacedzmonian guard,with whichforce they attempted Phyla,but o; werewithrfomeloffeoftheirmenyepelled: Finding the placetdd Mopg td betakenby teaflaulntheydneerided.do befieye it pwhich purpofeicanteto nought by meanes of {how thittell and other ftortly weathér,againft which they had nesmade prouifion. Reti-' tingtherfore to"lie Citywhichuboubalithey were to make godd theyleft the moft of their guardanid two companies of Horfe,to webryout thenrwhiclilay in Phylawith a fyidgfiegeBuric wis not long erethe followers ofThra/pbulusswereencreated fromteuenty.20 feben tinadrady whiciradientured ro gine charge vponthofe guards,.ofwhom they.cutofabouean!hundredand twenty. 'Thefefinall,buoptofpcrous beginnings addedmiorotothe humberofthofein Phyla,who now. with avbioufand mengor entrance lnto Riteensythe firbirbe-of Achens;lying-on thePort. Beforetheircomming the thirty 29 hadtéloluedito forrifiethe Towne of Bleufine;totheit owne viewhereihrs they mighe makeaicafie!vetrait, and {ae chem felues from any fuddemperill. Tt thaywellifeeme firangesthaewhercas theid barbarousanancriof gouernmentfiad broughbiheminto fuch danger, they werefofat from feeking to obtaitie mens good: will) chat contrariwife16 alutcthedfelués ofBleufinestt ey gotall ofthe place who could Beare atmesintothelt hatidsbycartsiaine, 8 wicked! y(though'vader forme ofIuftice)niinthered them ally Bur, Steleribes tutami penfeclera ef iter; the mifchiefes which they: had alreadyadone: were fichyas left them:no hopeof going backward, ‘norany other apparant likelihood:df idfety,) than by éxtehdihg ‘theircruclty vnto all; feeing few or none were left; ;whom zothty couldtrnfty When: Thra/jbulusand his fellowes, who as yét were téarrhed:con{pis iotsshaditakén the Pirzeus,then werethethieethoufand armed againe by. the Tyrants; tought to affaulticsbutin thisenterprife Tb74/pbulus had the berter;ccrepelledshis'es Ramies;ofwhoim althoughthere welflain tothe numberoffetienty only,yerthevitto! Hitched the greater,becanfe Critiles, and one otherof the thirty, perifhedin that fight, ThedeathiofCritiis 8orhe {tout defence ofPiraus together with,ome: exhortatiohs v- ed by Thrafybales to the Citizens, ‘wrought fuch effeaty thar the'thirry were depofeds cietthieleife thiéretwevefo many of the threerhoufandy who hauing communicated Withthe thirty in their mifdeeds;fearedto be calledtola fharpeaccounty that tid peate; ber quictform.of goucrnment couldbe eftabliflred: For Embaffadors werefent toS pars 4o"S¥hOcraving aide againtt Thrafpbulds, 8c his followers ,had fauourable audience; 2 PoWenfentto theirafitance,both by Land &Sea,vnderthedondictofLyfandler; & his tothers whom Pasfanidsthe Spartan King didfollow, raifing: dn-Armyofthe Citiés selederate with the Lacedamonians. And hereappeared firitehe iealoutie, wherein wee held the State of Sparta.' The Boéorians a inthe moftbirter enemies to Athens:t« and Cofiathians, whointhe late to follow Paafasiasin this expe- when staging tharitftood not with their oathes,to make.war againftthapeople, 28 4 to. hot hitherto: broken anyone article of the league: but tearing indeed, left the Gedemonians frould annexe the'Fcr of Demains.Icisinot % reas ritory a 2 Athens totheinowm ieee : a YE dou bed scthat Panfansis tookthisanfwerin good part. Foritwas: not his purpofe 105, toythofeagainft whomhe w t,but only tocroffe the proceedings of: Lyfander, mom he enuied. Therfore hauing in fomefimall skirmifhes againftthem ofThraf ybulus 1s ; ; Party,madea fhew ofwar, finally wrought {uch: means,that al things were compoun- a! :thethirty men, &fucho 1ers, as wereliketo giue caufe of tumults, being 9 886 The con/piracy againft the thirtyPia] y Tyrants,and thebr r depofing. celled Frerthe death of Theramenes, the thirty began to vfe fuch outrage, as excellee their former villanies. For, hauing three thoufand (as they thought) firme V8" them, they robbedall others without feare or fhame, defpoiling themof Jao toE pearta. The remainderof that tyrannicall faction hauthg withdrawn themf{eiues " * + . : . 1 (a. f aa Were thortlyafter found to attempt forne innonation:wherupon the whole . "i againtt thenr,tooktheit Captains;as they were coniming'toParilie, andfew fone ich: done.to auoid further inconuenience,a law was 'made;thatalliniuties pat Order wifi jeecttensand no'mancalled into queftion for wrongs committed. By which muely madejand carefully obfertied,the City returned'to her fornier quietneffe. a CHAP. ~ |