A T H 



Two candidates appeared for the public confidence and 

 cfteem, who alternately outftrippcd each other in the race 

 of ambition, and whofe charaftcrs deferve attention even in 

 Athenian hiftor^•, as they had a powerful influence on the 

 fortune of Athens. (See Dr. Giilies's Hiftory of Greece, 

 vol. i. p. 407.) The charaaer of Ariilidcs has been already 

 feen in biographical detail (fee article Aristides): liere it 

 is to be viewed mcrelv in its combination with events and 

 with charatlers which affeft the hiftory of Athens. 



The charader of Themiftocles was of a more doubtful 

 kind. The trophy, which Miltiades had raifed at Mara- 

 thon, difturbed his reft: he was inflamed with a defire to 

 emulate the glory of this exploit; and while he enabled 

 Athens to maintain a fuperiority in Greece, he was ?.m.- 

 bitions to acquire for himfelf a fuperiority in Athens. His 

 talents were well adapted to aceomplifh both thefc pur- 

 pofes; eloquent, aftive, enterprifing, he had ftrengthened 

 his natural endowments by all the force of education and 

 habit. Laws, government, revenue, and arms, every branch 

 of political and military knowledge, were the great objefts 

 of his (ludy. In the courts of juftice he fuccclsfully dif- 

 played his abihties in defence of his private friends, or in 

 accufing the enemies of the ftate. He was forward to give 

 his opinion upon every matter of public deliberation ; and 

 his advice, founded in wifdom, and fupported by eloquence, 

 commonly prevailed in the alTembly. Yet with all thefe 

 great qualities, his mind was lefs fmitteu with the naliva 

 charms of virtue, than captivated with her fplendid ornaments. 

 Glory was the idol which he adored; he could injure, with- 

 out remorfe, the general caufe of the confederacy, in order 

 to promote the grandeur of Athens ; and hillory ftill leaves it 

 as doubtful, as did his own conduct, whether, had an oppor- 

 tunity offered, he would not have facriliced the happineis of 

 liis country to his private intereft and ambition. The difcern- 

 mentof Ariftides perceived the danger of allowing a man of 

 fuch equivocal merit to be entrufted with the fole govern- 

 ment of the republic; and on this account, rather than from 

 any motives of perfonal animoilty, he oppoled ever)' iiiea- 

 fure that might contribute to his elevation. In this patriotic 

 view, he frequently folicited the fame honours which were 

 ambitioufly courted by Themillocles, efpecially when no 

 ether candidate appeared capable of balancing the credit of 

 the latter. A rivalfliip thus began, and long continued be- 

 tween them ; and the whole people of Athens could only 

 decide the much contefted pre-eminence. The intereft of 

 Themiftocles fo far prevailed over the authority of his op- 

 ponent, that he procured his own nomination to the com- 

 mand of the fleet ; with which he cffefted the conqueft of 

 the fmall iflands in the iE^ean, and thus completed the de- 

 fign of Miltiades. While he acquired fame and fortune 

 abroad, Ari Hides increafed his popularity at home. The 

 oppofition to his power, arifing from the fplendid eloquence 

 and popular manners of his rival, was jiow fortunately re- 

 moved, and he became the chief leader of the people. His 

 opinion gave law to the courts of juftice; or rather fuch was 

 the effeft of his equity and difccrnment, he alone became 

 fovereign umpire in Athens. In all im.portant differ- 

 ences he was chofen arbitrator, and the ordinary judges 

 were deprived of the dignity and advantages formerly re- 

 fulting from their office. This confequence of his authority, 

 offending the pride of the Athenian magiftrates, was fufH- 

 cient to excite their refcntment ; which, of itfelf, might have 

 effected the ruin of any individual. But their views on this 

 occafion were powertally promoted by the triumphant re- 

 turn of Themiftocles from his naval expedition. The 

 admiral had acquired confiderable riches ; but wealth he 

 dcfpifed, except as an inftruinent of ambition. The fpoils 



A T H 



of the conquered iflandtrs were profufely lavifhed in fhows, 

 feftivals, dances, and tlieatrical entertainments, exhibited for 

 the public amufement. His generous manners and flowing 

 afTabillty were conlrafted with the flern dignity of his rival ; 

 and the refuit of the compnrifon added great force to his in- 

 linuation, that fmce his own neceffary abfence in the fervice 

 of the republic, Ariftides had acquired a degree of influence 

 incon)i!lent with the coniliiution ; and, by arrogating to 

 him.felf an univerfal and unexampled jurifdiftion in the flate, 

 had eftabliflied a (ilent tyranny, without pomp or guards, 

 over the minds of his fellow-citizens. Ariftides, trailing to 

 the innocence and integrity of his own heart, difdamed to 

 employ any unworthy means, cither for gaining the favour, 

 or for averting the refcntment, of the multitude. The con- 

 teft, therefore, ended in his banilhment for ten years, by a 

 law intltlcd the Oftracifm (from the name of the materials 

 on which votes were marked), by which the majority of the 

 Athenian affembly might expel any citizen, however inof- 

 fenfivc or meritorious liad been his pafl condutt, who, by 

 his prefent power and grcatnefs, feenied capable of difturb- 

 ing the equality of republican government. This fiiigular 

 inllitution, which had been eftabliflied foon after the Athe- 

 nians had delivered thenifelves from the tyranny of Hippi?.s, 

 the fon of Pififtratus, was evidently intended to prevent any 

 perfci in future from attaining the fame unlawful authority. 

 At Athens, even virtue was profcribed, wl-.en it feemcd to 

 endanger the public" freedom; and only four years after the 

 battle of Mar.nhon, in which he had difplayed equal valour 

 and wifdom, Ariftides, the jufteft and moft refpeftable of 

 the Greeks, became the viclim of popular jealoufy; an ex- 

 air.ple of cruel rigour, which will for ever brand the Ipirit 

 of democratical policy. The banifliment of Ariftides ex- 

 pofed the Athenians ftill more than formerly to the danger 

 which they hoped to avoid by this fevere meafure. The 

 removal of fuch a formidable opponent enabled Themiftocles 

 to govern without control; army, navy, and revenue, all 

 were fubmitted to his infpeftion. It happened, indeed, 

 moft fortunately for the fame of this great man, as well as 

 for the liberty of Athens, that his aiilive ambition was called 

 to the glorious talk of fubduing the enemies of his country. 

 The fnialler iflands in the jEgean were already reduced to 

 obedience; but the pofTeffion of them was uncertain while 

 the fleet of iEgina covered the fea, and bid defiance to the 

 Athenians. This fmall ifland, or rather this rock, inha- 

 bited tune immemorial by merchants and pirates, and fituate 

 in the Saronic gulph, which divides the territories from the 

 northern ftiores of Peloponnefus, was a formidable enemy to 

 the republic ; the jealoufy of commerce and naval power 

 embittered their mutual rivalry ; and as the inhabitants of 

 iEgina, who were governed by a few leading men, had 

 entered into an alliance with the Pcrfians, there was every 

 circumftance united which could provoke to the utmofl the 

 hatred and refcntment of the Athenians. A motive lefs 

 powerful than the txcefs of republican antipathy could not 

 probably have prevailed on them to embrace the meafure 

 which they now adopted by the advice of Themiftocles. 

 There was a conliderable revenue arifing from the filver 

 mines of mount Laurium, which had been hitherto employed 

 in relieving the private wants of the citizens, or diftipatcd 

 in their public amufements. This annual income Tliemi- 

 ftocles perfuaded them to deftine to the ufeful purpofe of 

 building fhips of war, by which they might feize or deftroy 

 the fleet of ^gina. The propofal was approved, an hun.. 

 dred gallies were equipped, the naval ftrength of .iEgina wa* 

 broken, and fucctfs animated the Athenians to afpire at 

 obtaining the unrivalled empire of the fea, Corcyra formed 

 the only remaining obilacle to their ambition. This ifland, 



wbich, 



