stances permitted, but in the mean time entreating the Athenians to continue in alliance with Kassander, as they had been with his father Antipater'. He seems to have indulged hopes of prevailing on them to declare in his favour-and not without plausible grounds, since the Antipatrian leaders and a large proportion of the nine thousand citizens could not but dread the execution of Polysperchon's edict. And he had also what was of still greater moment -the secret connivance and support of Phokion: who put himself in intimate relation with Nikanor, as he had before done with Menyllus2-and who had greater reason than any one else to dread the edict of Polysperchon. At a public assembly held in Peiræus to discuss the subject, Nikanor even ventured to present himself in person, in the company and under the introduction of Phokion, who was anxious that the Athenians should entertain the proposition of alliance with Kassander. But with the people, the prominent wish was to get rid altogether of the foreign garrison, and to procure the evacuation of Munychia-for which object, of course, the returned exiles would be even more anxious than the nine thousand. Accordingly, the assembly refused to hear any propositions from Nikanor; while Derkyllus with others even proposed to seize his person. It was Phokion who ensured to him the means of escaping; even in spite of serious wrath from his fellow-citizens, to whom he pleaded, that he had made himself guarantee for Nikanor's personal safety3. 1 Diodor. xviii. 64. 3 Plutarch, Phokion, 32. 2 Plutarch, Phokion, 31. CHAP. XCVI.] NIKANOR SEIZES PEIRÆUS. 467 seizes Pei surprise. though precautions Foreseeing the gravity of the impending contest, Nikanor Nikanor had been secretly introducing fresh soldiers ræus by into Munychia. And when he found that he could Phokion, not obtain any declared support from the Athenians, forewarned, he laid a scheme for surprising and occupying the takes no town and harbour of Peiræus, of which Munychia against it. formed the adjoining eminence and harbour, on the southern side of the little peninsula. Notwithstanding all his precautions, it became known to various Athenians that he was tampering with persons in Peiræus, and collecting troops in the neighbouring isle of Salamis. So much anxiety was expressed in the Athenian assembly for the safety of Peiræus, that a decree was passed, enjoining all citizens to hold themselves in arms for its protection, under Phokion as general. Nevertheless Phokion, disregarding such a decree, took no precautions, affirming that he would himself be answerable for Nikanor. Presently that officer, making an unexpected attack from Munychia and Salamis, took Peiræus by surprise, placed both the town and harbour under military occupation, and cut off its communication with Athens by a ditch and palisade. On this palpable aggression, the Athenians rushed to arms. Phokion as general damped their ardour, and even declined to head them in an attack for the recovery of Peiræus before Nikanor should have had time to strengthen himself in it. He went however, with Konon (son of Timotheus), to remonstrate with Nikanor, and to renew the demand that he should evacuate, under the recent proclamation, all the posts which he held in garrison. But Nikanor would give no other answer, except that he held his com But Mischief to the Athenians, as well as to chon, from of Peiræus ; negligence, and probable collusion, of Phokion. mission from Kassander, to whom they must address their application'. He thus again tried to bring Athens into communication with Kassander. The occupation of Peiræus in addition to Munychia was a serious calamity to the Athenians, making Polysper- them worse off than they had been even under AnNikanor's tipater. Peiræus, rich, active, and commercial, conOccupation taining the Athenian arsenal, docks, and muniments culpable of war, was in many respects more valuable than Athens itself; for all purposes of war, far more valuable. Kassander had now an excellent place of arms and base, which Munychia alone would not have afforded, for his operations in Greece against Polysperchon; upon whom therefore the loss fell hardly less severely than upon the Athenians. Now Phokion, in his function as general, had been forewarned of the danger, might have guarded against it, and ought to have done so. This was a grave dereliction of duty, and admits of hardly any other explanation except that of treasonable connivance. It seems that Phokion, foreseeing his own ruin and that of his friends in the triumph of Polysperchon and the return of the exiles, was desirous of favouring the seizure of Peiræus by Nikanor, as a means of constraining Athens to adopt the alliance with Kassander; which alliance indeed would probably have been brought about, had Kassander reached Peiræus by sea sooner than the first troops of Polysperchon by land. Phokion was here guilty, at the very least, of culpable neglect, and probably of still more culpable treason, on an occasion seriously 1 Diodor. xviii. 64; Plutarch, Phokion, 32; Cornelius Nepos, Phokion, 2. CHAP. XCVI.] INTRIGUES OF PHOKION. 469 injuring both Polysperchon and the Athenians; a fact which we must not forget, when we come to read presently the bitter animosity exhibited against him'. Alexander Arrival of (son of chon): his policy to the Athe Polysper treacherous nians; Kas reaches The news, that Nikanor had possessed himself of Peiræus, produced a strong sensation. Presently arrived a letter addressed to him by Olympias herself, commanding him to surrender the place to the Athenians, upon whom she wished to confer entire autonomy. But Nikanor declined obedience to her sander order, still waiting for support from Kassander. Peiræus. The arrival of Alexander (Polysperchon's son) with a body of troops, encouraged the Athenians to believe that he was come to assist in carrying Peiræus by force, for the purpose of restoring it to them. Their hopes however were again disappointed. Though encamped near Peiræus, Alexander made no demand for the Athenian forces to co-operate with him in attacking it; but entered into open parley with Nikanor, whom he endeavoured to persuade or corrupt into surrendering the place. When this negotiation failed, he resolved to wait for the arrival of his father, who was already on his march towards Attica with the main army. His own force unassisted was probably not sufficient to attack Peiræus; nor did ' Cornelius Nepos, Phocion, 2. "Concidit autem maxime uno crimine: quod cum apud eum summum esset imperium populi, et Nicanorem, Cassandri præfectum, insidiari Pirao Atheniensium, a Dercyllo moneretur: idemque postularet, ut provideret, ne commeatibus civitas privaretur-huic, audiente populo, Phocion negavit esse periculum, seque ejus rei obsidem fore pollicitus est. Neque ita multo post Nicanor Pirao est potitus. Ad quem recuperandum cum populus armatus concurrisset, ille non modo neminem ad arma vocavit, sed ne armatis quidem præesse voluit, sine quo Athenæ omnino esse non possunt." 2 Diodor. xviii. 65; Plutarch, Phokion, 33. Intrigues of ander-he tries to secure for protection of Alexander against the Athe nians. he choose to invoke assistance from the Athenians, to whom he would then have been compelled to make over the place when taken, which they so ardently desired. The Athenians were thus as far from their object as ever; moreover, by this delay the opportunity of attacking the place was altogether thrown away; for Kassander with his armament reached it before Polysperchon. It was Phokion and his immediate colleagues who with Alex induced Alexander to adopt this insidious policy; to decline reconquering Peiræus for the Athenians, himself the and to appropriate it for himself. To Phokion, the reconstitution of autonomous Athens, with its democracy and restored exiles, and without any foreign controling force was an assured sentence of banishment, if not of death. Not having been able to obtain protection from the foreign force of Nikanor and Kassander, he and his friends resolved to throw themselves upon that of Alexander and Polysperchon. They went to meet Alexander as he entered Attica-represented the impolicy of his relinquishing so important a military position as Peiræus, while the war was yet unfinished,—and offered to co-operate with him for this purpose, by proper management of the Athenian public. Alexander was pleased with these suggestions, accepted Phokion with the others as his leading adherents at Athens, and looked upon Peiræus as a capture to be secured for himself'. Numerous returning • Diodor. xviii. 65. Τῶν γὰρ ̓Αντιπάτρῳ γεγονότων φίλων τινὲς (ὑπῆρχον) καὶ οἱ περὶ Φωκίωνα φοβούμενοι τὰς ἐκ τῶν νόμων τιμωρίας, ὑπήντησαν ̓Αλεξάνδρῳ, καὶ διδάξαντες τὸ σύμφερον, ἔπεισαν αὐτὸν ἰδίᾳ κατέχειν τὰ φρούρια, καὶ μὴ παραδιδόναι τοῖς ̓Αθηναίοις, μέχρις ἂν ὁ Κάσσανδρος καταπολεμήθη. |