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originally appropriated to the defence of Attica, he defrayed the expences of the theatres, that the people might obtain a gratuitous admiffion; and he allowed to each of them a donation for attending the public affemblies. This allowance was authorised by an exprefs law, which proved that they were as willing to be corrupted as he was to corrupt them. With a firm mind he endured the viciffitudes of popular opinion, when they deprived him of his military command, and foon after reftored him to it again; and he bore with fortitude the lofs of his friends and, children by the plague. He died foon after the commencement of the war with Sparta, a victim to the fame malady; but not before the Athenian arms had been fuccefsful against Potidea. In his dying hour he expreffed his fatisfaction, that he never had caufed a fellowcitizen to wear mourning; a glorious fubject of congratulation in a turbulent commonwealth, wherein private affaffinations and public executions were often reforted to, as the means of obtaining power. Exclufive of other confiderations, the encouragement he gave to the arts would have been alone fufficient to perpetuate his fame, as the age of Pericles denotes the period of their confummate excellence, and unrivalled fplendour.

The war of Peloponnefus continued for twentyfeven years, and its conclufion was fatal not only to the glory, but the independence of the Athenians. Their fleet was defeated at Ægos Potamos by Lyfander, and Athens was blockaded both by

fea

fea and land. The terms of peace were politic, but fevere and degrading, as the Athenians were compelled to demolish their harbour, the expence of which had been defrayed by the spoils taken from the Perfians; their fleet was limited to twelve fhips, and they were bound to undertake no military enterprife without the approbation of the Spartans". Lyfander abolished the popular form of government, and appointed thirty tyrants, vefted with abfolute power. Thrafybulus, with a fmall band of friends, effected their expulfion, and received an olive crown as the fole reward of his patriotifm. While Athens was again rifing to dif tinction, the Thebans became confpicuous for their noble exertions: they expelled the Spartan faction, which had ufurped their government, and under the conduct of Epaminondas and Pelopidas, generals as eminent for focial virtues as for military talents, overcame the Spartans at the battle of Leuctra. The fubfequent victory of Mantinea was dearly purchased by the death of Epaminondas, with whom their glory expired ".

Nor did Athens or Sparta long enjoy their liberties; for Philip of Macedon obtained the fovereign command of Greece no lefs by intrigues and corruption, than by his prowefs in the field. He engaged the venal orators, among whom was Efchines, the rival of Demofthenes, to promote his Heafures in the affemblies of Athens; and its in

" B. C. 405.

w B. C. 363.

Bb 2

ternal

ternal diffenfions contributed to promote his projects. Demofthenes laboured to roufe his countrymen to a sense of their danger, and tried every argument which ingenuity could dictate and energy could enforce, to induce them to repel the encroachments of this crafty and bold invader. But his efforts were ineffectual; Philip was victorious at the battle of Cheronea, and all Greece was fubjected to his fway. Moderate in his ufe of victory, he allowed the Greeks the exercife of their refpective laws, and communicated to their affembled deputies his project for the invasion of Perfia. He was appointed commander of all their forces; and while preparing for this great expedition, he was, from motives of perfonal refentment, affaffinated by one of his captains.

Great changes had taken place in the manners of the Athenians; and prepared the way for the conquefts of Philip. When, as Xenophon remarked, it was cuftomary to fill their tables with the coftly viands of Sicily, and Afia Minor, the luxury of feasts became fatal to the manners of the people. Private extravagance kept pace with public profufion: inftead of the bread, herbs, and fimple fare recommended by the laws of Solon, the Athenians availed themselves of their extensive commerce to import the dainties of diftant coafts, which were served up with all the refinements of culinary art. In fummer, the delicious wines of Cyprus were cooled with fnow; and in winter, garlands of flowers, procured at great expence,

adorned

adorned the tables and encircled the heads of this luxuriant people. The martial fongs of their ancestors became unfashionable; and the houses of the opulent were frequented by parafites, dancers, and buffoons. An exceffive fondnefs for horfes, and the purfuits of the chace, exhaufted the finances of the youths, who were vitiated by their intercourse with harlots, and corrupted by the licentious opinions of fophifts. The public revenues, formerly expended in the equipment of fleets and armies, were lavished upon theatrical exhibitions, games, and feftivals. Frivolous curiofity and apathy became the characteristics of a people whom no fenfe of danger or fhame could roufe to martial exertions, even when their enemies were ftripping them of their most valuable territories, and advancing with rapid fteps to their gates.

The death of Philip tempted the Athenians to throw off the Macedonian yoke *. Alexander the Great afcended the throne at twenty years of age, and foon displayed his alacrity in fubduing, and his clemency in pardoning the revolted ftates of Greece. Eager to purfue the ambitious projects of his father with regard to Perfia, he obtained the command of the Grecian confederacy, croffed the Hellefpont at the head of thirty-five thoufand men, and in three fucceffive battles on the banks of the Granicus, near the city of Iffus, and at Arbela, completely routed the vast armies of the Perfians, with

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great flaughter. The hardy Greeks compofing his impenetrable Phalanx fhared all his dangers, and fecured his fuccefs. After the laft battle, Darius was compelled to fly from province to province; betrayed at length by Beffus, one of his fatraps, he was murdered; and the whole Perfian empire, which had continued for two hundred years from the time of Cyrus the Great, was compelled to fubmit to the conqueror. The daring youth, inflamed with infatiable ambition, carried his arms into India, and penetrated to the banks of the Ganges. His troops, however, feeing no end to their toils, refufed to continue their march. Mortified at this check to his career, he marched his army across the defert to Perfepolis, and there gave himfelf up to luxury and intoxication. returned to Babylon, and there died, as was fufpected, by poifon, or rather a victim to his exceffes,. in the thirty-third year of his age.

He

This great and accomplished hero was educated by Ariftotle. To his care he was, from his infancy, committed by his father; and the cultivated mind of the pupil reflected the greatest honour on the diligence of the tutor. He was diftinguished by a. love of literature and the arts. He patronised Lyfippus, an eminent fculptor, and Apelles, the greateft painter of his age. He preferved a copy of his favourite Homer in a rich casket found among the fpoils of Darius.

y B. C. 330.

z B. C. 324.

The

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