History of Greece, Volume 08 (of 12)

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      Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

      Italics are denoted by underscores as in _italics_.

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HISTORY OF GREECE.

by

GEORGE GROTE, Esq.

VOL. VIII.


Reprinted from the London Edition.







New York:
Harper & Brothers, Publishers,
329 and 331 Pearl Street.

1879.




PREFACE TO VOL. VIII.


I had hoped to be able, in this Volume, to carry the history of
Greece down as far as the battle of Knidus; but I find myself
disappointed.

A greater space than I anticipated has been necessary, not merely to
do justice to the closing events of the Peloponnesian war, especially
the memorable scenes at Athens after the battle of Arginusæ, but
also to explain my views both respecting the Sophists and respecting
Sokratês.

It has been hitherto common to treat the sophists as corruptors
of the Greek mind, and to set forth the fact of such corruption,
increasing as we descend downwards from the great invasion of Xerxês,
as historically certified. Dissenting as I do from former authors,
and believing that Grecian history has been greatly misconceived,
on both these points, I have been forced to discuss the evidences,
and exhibit the reasons for my own way of thinking, at considerable
length.

To Sokratês I have devoted one entire Chapter. No smaller space would
have sufficed to lay before the reader any tolerable picture of that
illustrious man, the rarest intellectual phenomenon of ancient times,
and originator of the most powerful scientific impulse which the
Greek mind ever underwent.

  G. G.

London, February, 1850.




CONTENTS.

VOL. VIII.


PART II.

CONTINUATION OF HISTORICAL GREECE.


  CHAPTER LXII. TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR.—OLIGARCHY OF FOUR
  HUNDRED AT ATHENS.

  Rally of Athens, during the year after the defeat at
  Syracuse. B.C. 412.—Commencement of the conspiracy of the
  Four Hundred at Athens—Alkibiadês.—Order from Sparta to
  kill Alkibiadês.—He escapes, retires to Tissaphernês, and
  becomes adviser of the Persians.—He advises the satrap
  to assist neither of the Grecian parties heartily—but
  his advice leans towards Athens, with a view to his own
  restoration.—Alkibiadês acts as negotiator for Tissaphernês
  at Magnesia.—Diminution of the rate of pay furnished by
  Tissaphernês to the Peloponnesians.—Alkibiadês opens
  correspondence with the Athenian officers at Samos. He
  originates the scheme of an oligarchical revolution at
  Athens.—Conspiracy arranged between the Athenian officer
  and Alkibiadês.—Oligarchical Athenians—the hetæries,
  or political clubs. Peisander is sent to push forward
  the conspiracy at Athens.—Credulity of the oligarchical
  conspirators.—Opposition of Phrynichus at Samos to
  the conspirators, and to Alkibiadês.—Manœuvres and
  counter-manœuvres of Phrynichus and Alkibiadês.—Proceedings
  of Peisander at Athens—strong opposition among the
  people both to the conspiracy and to the restoration
  of Alkibiadês.—Unwilling vote of the assembly to
  relinquish their democracy, under the promise of Persian
  aid for the war. Peisander is sent back to negotiate
  with Alkibiadês.—Peisander brings the oligarchical
  clubs at Athens into organized action against the
  democracy.—Peisander leaves Athens for Samos—Antiphon takes
  the management of the oligarchical conspiracy—Theramenês
  and Phrynichus.—Military operations near the Asiatic
  coast.—Negotiations of Peisander with Alkibiadês.—Tricks
  of Alkibiadês—he exaggerates his demands, with a view of
  breaking off the negotiation—indignation of the oligarchs
  against him.—Reconciliation between Tissaphernês and
  the Peloponnesians.—Third convention concluded between
  them.—Third convention compared with the two preceding.—Loss
  of Orôpus by Athens.—Peisander and his colleagues persist
  in the oligarchical conspiracy, without Alkibiadês.—They
  attempt to subvert the democracy at Samos—assassination of
  Hyperbolus and others.—The democracy at Samos is sustained
  by the Athenian armament.—The Athenian Parali—defeat of the
  oligarchical conspiracy at Samos.—The Paralus is sent to
  Athens with the news.—Progress of the oligarchical conspiracy
  at Athens—dextrous management of Antiphon.—Language of the
  conspirators—juggle about naming Five Thousand citizens to
  exercise the political franchise exclusively.—Assassination
  of the popular speakers by Antiphon and the oligarchical
  party.—Return of Peisander to Athens—oligarchical government
  established in several of the allied cities.—Consummation