G R E 
being' unexampled and inimitable, can only be explain¬ 
ed by relating his adlions. He was of a low ftature, and 
foinewliat deformed ; but the aftivity and elevation of 
his mind animated and ennobled his frame. By a life 
of continual labour, and by an early and habitual prac¬ 
tice of the gymnaftic exercifes, he had hardened his 
body againft the impreHions of cold and heat, hunger 
and thirft, and prepared his conftitution for bearing fuch 
exertions of llrength and adlivity, as have appeared in¬ 
credible to the undifciplined foftnefs of modern times. 
In generofity and in prowefs, he rivalled the greatefl: 
heroes of antiquity; and in the race of glory, having 
finally outftripped all competitors, became ambitious 
to furpafs himfelf. His fuperior flcill in war gave unin¬ 
terrupted fuccefs to his arms ; and his natural humanity, 
enlightened by the philofophy of Greece, taught him 
to improve his conquefts to the bell interefts of man¬ 
kind. In his extenfive dominions, he built, or found¬ 
ed, not lefs than feventy cities, the lltuation of which 
being chofen with confummate wifdom, tended to faci¬ 
litate communication, to promote commerce, and to dif- 
fufe civility, through the greateft nations of the earth. 
It may be fufpefted, indeed, that he millook the ex¬ 
tent of human power, when in the courfe of one reign, 
l)e undertook to change the face of the world ; and that 
he mifcalculated the llubbornnefs of ignorance, and the 
force of habit, when he attempted to enlighten barba- 
rifm, to foften fervitude, and to tranfplant the improve¬ 
ments of Greece into an African and Aliatic foil. Yet 
let not the defigns of Alexander be too haftily accufed 
of extravagance. Whoever ferioufly confiders what he 
adtually performed before his thirty-third year, will be 
cautious of determining what he might have accom- 
^lifiied, had he reached the ordinary term of human 
life. His refources were peculiar to himfelf; and fuch 
views, as well as adlions, became him, as would have 
become none befides. In the language of a philofophi- 
cal hillorian, “he feems to have been given to the 
world by a peculiar difpenfation of Providence, being a 
man like to none other of the human kind.’* Arrian, 
p. i68. 
From the part whicli his father Philip and himfelf 
a6led in the affairs of Greece, his hillory has been tranf- 
mitted through the impure channels of exaggerated 
Battery, or malignant envy. The innumerable fiftions 
•which difgrace the works of his biographers, are con¬ 
tradicted by the moll authentic accounts of his reign, 
and inconfillent with thofe public tranfadlions, which 
concurring authorities confirm. Hence the various and 
inconfillent Iketches which have been given of the life 
of this extraordinary man, whofe genius might have re¬ 
novated and improved the flate of the ancient world. 
But the fpirit of improvement is tranfient, and demands 
perpetual efforts ; the fources of degeneracy are perma¬ 
nent and innumerable. It feems at firll fight to be re¬ 
gretted, that by negleiSting to provide for the fuccefiion 
to his throne, he left the field open for thofe bloody 
wars among his chiefs, which long defolated the earth. 
Yet the difficulties with which he was himfelf obliged 
to llruggle, might teach him the impoflibility of fe- 
curing the empire for the infancy of his fon Hercules, 
or the weaknefs of his brother Philip Aridaeus. The 
principles of royal fuccefiion were never afcertained in 
Macedon ; and the camp of a conqueror could not 
be expebted to prove a fchool of moderation or juf- 
tice. The firll meafure adopted by his generals was, to 
fet afide the hereditary claim of Hercules, born of the 
daughter of Darius, and to appoint Aridaeus, together 
with the fruit of Roxana’s pregnancy, if Ihe brought 
forth a fon, to be joint heirs of the monarchy q Roxana 
eventually brought forth a fon, named after his father, 
Alexander ; and who, with Philip Aridasus, were for a 
time filled, “ the two kings,” Perdiccas, in virtue of pof- 
feliing the fignet of his deceafed mailer,- aliumed the re¬ 
gency ; the troops and provinces were divided among the 
IfOL. VIII. Ho.558. 
E C E. 949 
other chiefs, who, having been formerly the equals, dif- 
dained to remainthe inferiors, ofPerdiccas. Each general 
trufted in his fword for an independent cftablilhment ; 
new troops were raifed and difciplined ; leagues formed 
and broken ; and the children and relations of Alexan¬ 
der, who became fuccelfively prifoners in different 
hands, all perifhed miferably, without a chance of fuc- 
ceeding to the dignity aiid honours of their illullrious 
houfe. A council was indeed held, in which it was re- 
folved that the following arrangements Ihould take 
place, in the name of the two kings. Antipater had 
the government of the European provinces, as general 
of the army in that continent ; Craterus was veiled with 
the title of protedlor in that part; and Perdiccas had 
the command of the houfehold troops, in the room of 
Hephtefiion. Ptolemy, the fon of Lagus, had Egypt, 
Lybia, and that part of Arabia which borders upon 
Egypt. To Lyfimachus was appointed Thrace and the 
Cherfonefe; Eumenes had Paphlagonia and Cappado¬ 
cia; Antigonus had Phrygia the greater, Lycia, and 
Pamphylia ; and Seleucus was appointed commander of 
the royal cavalry. 
The news of Alexander’s death, having reached 
Athens, excited a confiderable tumult in that city, and 
occafioned univerfal demonfirations of joy. The peo¬ 
ple, who had reludlantly, but filently, endured the Ma¬ 
cedonian yoke, immediately prepared for war ; and a 
deputation was fent to all the Hates of Greece, inviting- 
them to join in a confederacy againft Macedonia. De- 
mofthenes, who amidll his misfortunes always retained 
an ardent zeal for the intereft and glory of his country, 
was at that time in exile at Megara. He, however, 
joined himfelf with the Athenian ambalfadors, and, fe- 
conding their remonftrances by the irrefiftible force of 
his eloquence, engaged Argos, Corinth, and the other 
cities of Peloponnefus, to accede to the league, for re- 
ftoring the liberty of Greece. The Athenians, llruck 
with admiration at fo generous and difinterefted a con- 
du£l, paired a decree, that Demofthenes fiiould be re¬ 
called from banilhment : a galley was therefore dif- 
patched for him at .(^gina, and when he entered the Pi¬ 
raeus, the magiftrates and principal perfons of the city 
went to meet this illullrious exile, and received hint 
with the greateft demonfirations of joy and affeblion. 
Leollhenes the Athenian general, having raifed a 
powerful army of confederated Greeks, marched againll 
Antipater. That general being apprifed of the com¬ 
motions in Greece, difpatched a courier to Craterus in 
Cilicia, to march to his aflillance. Antipater had no 
fooner joined the reinforcement under the command of 
Craterus than a general engagement took place near the 
city of Cranon, in Theflaly, in which the confederated 
Greeks fulfered a moll fignal defeat; infomuch that af¬ 
ter the battle, a deputation was fent to Antipater, fup- 
plicating a general peace. That commander, however, 
replied, that he would only treat feparately with the 
feveral Hates and cities of the confederacy. This an- 
fwer being received, the negociation was fufpended ; 
and the Greeks, dilbanding their troops, returned home. 
In a Ihort time, however, every Hate was under the ne- 
cellity of acceding to whatever terms Antipater thought 
fit to propofe. Athens was the only city that was ex¬ 
cepted from the peace. Phocion was fent at the head 
of an embalfy to conciliate the favour of Antipater, and 
to negociate with that general a treaty of amity. The 
termsj however, on which this favour was granted, 
were equally fubverfive of Athenian honour and power ; 
it was demanded that Demofthenes and Hyperides ihould 
be delivered up ; and that Athens lliould receive a Ma- 
cedonian garrifon, and defray the expences of the war. 
To this humiliating condition was Athens reduced, 
which had formerly been the glory of the world ! Up¬ 
wards of twelve thoufand Athenians were disfranchifed ; 
many of them, finding their lituation infupportable, 
went into Thrace, and fettled there. Demofthenes fled 
III to 
