laws of humanity. Megara, Argos, and Thebes, received the fugitives in crowds.

193. In these miserable circumstances, it was natural for the suffering Athenians to cast a wistful eye towards the abode of Alcibiades in Thrace. But when the Spartans acquired the sovereignty of the Hellespont, he fled from his fortress, and found a quiet refuge at Grynium, in Phrygia, under the protection of Pharnabazus, the Persian satrap. To that peaceful retirement he was pursued by the fears of the tyrants. In the darkness of the night, a band of Phrygians set fire to his dwelling. Alcibiades, alarmed by the noise of the flames, seized his sword, folded his left arm in his mantle, rushed through the burning timbers, and fell beneath a shower of darts.

194. Among the Athenian exiles in Thebes and Megara, was a man endued with the spirit and abilities required to revive the hopes of his fellow exiles. A fortress at Phyle, on the border between Boeotia and Attica, a place of great strength, was occupied by Thrasybulus at the head of seventy followers. The tyrants were foiled in an attempt to force them from this strong-hold, by a tempest and an unusual fall of snow. The little band increased to seven hundred. Ina wood, nearly two miles from Phyle, the Spartan mercenaries were surprised at night by Thrasybulus, who slew a hundred and twenty, and carried their arms to Phyle. The tyrants, with the three thousand citizens who alone were allowed to carry arms, fled for safety to Eleusis, where they first disarmed, and then slaughtered, such of the inhabitants as were believed to be disaffected to their usurpation. Thrasybulus was now joined by Lysias, whose sufferings we have described, and advanced towards Piræus, whose inhabitants were indignant at the oppressions of a council of ten placed over them by the thirty. On a rising ground, occupied by the forces of Thrasybulus, he addressed his followers, urging them, by the most exciting appeals, to an honourable victory or a glorious death. A soothsayer, who attended him, foretold the success of their enterprise, if they waited for one of their number to be slain before they began the charge. Rushing forth to meet the javelins of the enemy, the soothsayer himself fell. The battle was soon ended. Critias and Hippomachus, the most hated of the thirty, were slain. At the foot of the hill, Thrasybulus ordered

the herald to proclaim, with a loud voice, to their retreating adversaries" Why, O Athenians, would you flee from your fellow-citizens? Why have you driven us from among you? Why do you thirst for our blood? By religion, by policy, by family, we are one. Together we have fought by land and sea, to defend our freedom and our country. Even in this unhappy contest, we have wept over your losses, as our own.' Deprived of Critias, their leader, the tyrants were driven from their power; and ten magistrates, one representing each tribe, were chosen in their place. These new magistrates followed the courses of their predecessors, and sent for help to Sparta. There, the kings and the senate, jealous of the arrogant Lysander, and resolved to humble him, sent to Athens, Pausanias, one of the kings, by whose influence the government by tyranny was destroyed, the Spartan garrison withdrawn, and the authority of the people restored. An amnesty was declared for restoring the exiles to their city, and forgetting and forgiving the offences of the past.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE DEATH OF SOCRATES.

Socrates-His history-Manner of spending time-Public accusation-TrialSentence-Death.

195. ONE of the earliest and most remarkable transactions of Athens, after the restoration of her ancient government, was the trial of Socrates. Socrates, the son of Sophronicus, was born at Athens, forty years before the breaking out of the Peloponnesian war. His youthful taste was formed in the profession of a statuary, in a city, and in an age, which displayed the arts in their highest magnificence; but a stronger inclination led him to the study of the nature of virtue and happiness. In the mornings, he might be found conversing with all who repaired to him in the groves of the Academy or the Lyceum; at midday, in the public assembly of the citizens; in the

evenings, among his private friends at entertainments, or on the banks of the Ilyssus. We have seen that Alcibiades admired his eloquent wisdom, though he departed from the precepts which his example commended. The same is equally true of Critias, whom we have lately beheld as one of the thirty tyrants of Athens. Though Socrates was poor, he accepted neither payments nor presents from his disciples. While he spoke with reverence of the Athenian deities, and conformed to the usual worship, he acknowledged one Supreme Being. During the Peloponnesian war, sceptical opinions on religion were spread among the rich, and superstition gathered strength in the body of the people, and, along with superstition, a fanatical intolerance.

196. For many years, Socrates had been protected by the influence of Alcibiades, and other powerful friends who had been charmed or benefited by his instructions. But among the men whom he had convicted of ignorant pretensions to knowledge, there were those who were prepared to excite the popular hostility against him. The poetry of Aristophanes, a most influential comedian of the day, had long before held him up to ridicule and fear. He was publicly accused of not believing in the divinities worshipped by the Athenians, of introducing new divinities, and of corrupting the youth of Athens. The first of these charges he denied. The second he acknowledged, so far as that he believed himself to be guided by an inward voice, which he regarded as from heaven. The third charge he appears not to have understood, or to have evaded. He refused the aid of Lycias, who had prepared a defence for him, affirming that his only defence was a blameless life, spent for the advantage of the public. By a majority of only six voices he was condemned to die. As it was the custom of the Athenians to permit the condemned to mention to the court some other punishment, Socrates said that his punishment should be an honourable maintenance as the friend of Athens. But his friends persuaded him to mention a small fine. He was sentenced to drink hemlock. The day before his trial, the stern of the sacred vessel annually sent from Athens to Delos to commemorate the return of Theseus from Crete, had been crowned with laurel by the priest of Apollo, and from that day, till the return of the vessel, it was unlawful

to put a criminal to death. The contrary winds which detained the vessel, prolonged the life of Socrates for thirty days. These days were spent in conversation with his friends. When the executioner brought the fatal cup, he drank it off with composure, and even cheerfulness. His death was the signal for the dispersion of his followers. In after times, he was worshipped in the city where he had been condemned.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE GREEKS IN THE EXPEDITION OF THE YOUNGER

CYRUS.

Proceedings of Cyrus-Battle with Artaxerxes-Cyrus slain-State of things between Greeks and Persians-Retreat of the Ten Thousand-Length of time spent in the expedition-Xenophon-His death.

197. WHEN Cyrus left his province in Asia Minor under the charge of Lysander, he repaired to his father's court, with the expectation that, as the first son of Darius after his elevation to the throne, his mother's influence would secure his appointment as successor to the kingdom. Being disappointed in this, he returned, with the Greeks who had accompanied him, to Sardis, and formed a scheme by which he hoped yet to mount the throne of Persia.

All the Greek cities on the coast, except Miletus, transferred their allegiance to him, and he appointed Xenias, an Arcadian, commander of the Greeks in his service. Many other Greeks were attracted to his court. Among these were, Clearchus a Spartan, Aristippus a Thessalian, and Proxenus a Theban. At the same time, he formed an alliance with the Spartan government. Under the pretence of an expedition against the Pisidians, who had defied the Persian authority, he passed through Cilicia and Syria, across the Euphrates into Mesopotamia, to meet his brother and sovereign, Artaxerxes, against whom he now declared that this expedition was undertaken. In a battle fought between the royal brothers and their respective armies, Cyrus himself was slain; and at Cunaxa on the Euphrates, not far from

400.]

RETREAT OF THE TEN THOUSAND.

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Babylon, his barbarian troops were put to flight; but the army of Artaxerxes was routed by the Greeks. After this, the Persian monarch sent to the Greeks, who were suffering for want of food, to demand their arms. Clearchus replied, that "It was not usual for conquerors to give up their arms." Cleanor, an Arcadian, said that " They would rather die." Proxenus asked the messenger, "If the king made the demand as a conqueror, why did he not come and take their arms? If he asked them as a favour, what had soldiers left, if they gave away their arms?" Their united answer was, "If they were to be the king's friends, they could serve him better with their arms than without them. If they were to be his enemies, they would have greater need of them."

198. At the distance, by the way they had gone, of two thousand miles from Ephesus, the Greeks received a second proposal from Artaxerxes, not to lay down their arms, but for a truce. They replied, that "They wanted food." They were then conducted to villages where they might obtain corn, dates, and palm wine. While resting in these villages, they were visited by Tissaphernes, well known as the satrap at Sardis before Cyrus, declaring that he was using his influence with the king to permit him to lead them home in safety, and that the king had sent to know what was their motive in fighting against him. They sent word that they had been induced by various motives to join Cyrus, without knowing the purpose of his expedition till it would have been dishonourable to forsake him; and that, now Cyrus was dead, they would return peacefully home if they were not attacked, but if they were attacked, they would stand in their own defence. A treaty of peace between the Greeks and Artaxerxes was soon concluded. But, in the course of their march, the Greek generals were betrayed by Tissaphernes, and put to death.

199. Most of the Greeks had followed with great reluctance; and now that they had lost their generals, they found themselves twelve hundred miles from Greece, without a leader, and without provisions, to fight their way home through an enemy's country, with a mighty army watching their steps, and ready to fall upon them, and cut them off. In the sleepless night which followed the discovery of their condition, they were assembled by