tinued with them till the final Diffolution of their Government by the Romans. It seems, the Country about Attica was the most barren of any in Greece; through which Means, it happened that the Natives were never expelled by the Fury of Invaders, (who thought it not worth a Conqueft) but continued always Aborigines; and therefore retained, through all Revolutions, a Tincture of that turbulent Spirit wherewith their Government began. This Inftitution of Thefeus appears to have been rather a Sort of mixed Monarchy than a popular State; and for ought we know, might continue fo during the Series of Kings till the Death of Codrus. From this laft Prince, Solon was faid to be defcended; who finding the People engaged in two violent Factions, of the POOR and the RICH, and in great Confufion thereupon; refufing the Monarchy which was offered him, chofe rather to caft the Government after another Model, wherein he made due Provifion for fettling the Ballance of Power, chufing a Senate of 400, and difpofing the Magiftracies, and Offices according to Mens Eftates; leaving to the Multitude their Votes in Electing, and the Power of judging certain Proceffes by Appeal. This Council of 400 was chofen, 100 out of each Tribe; and feems to have been a Body Reprefentative of the People; although the People Collective referved a Share of Power to them. felves. It is a Point of History perplexed enough; but thus much is certain, that the Ballance of Power was provided for; else Pyfiftratus, (called by Au thors the Tyrant of Athens) could never have governed fo peaceably as he did, lib. 1. without changing any of Solon's Laws. These feve ral Powers, together with that of the Archon, or

Herodot.

chief Magistrate, made up the Form of Government in Athens, at what Time it began to appear upon the Scene of A&tion and Story.

The firft great Man bred up under this Inftitution was Miltiades, who lived about Ninety Years after Solon; and is reckoned to have been the first great Captain not only of Athens, but of all Greece. From the Time of Miltiades to that of Phocion, who is looked upon as the last famous General of Athens, are about 130 Years: After which they were fubdued and infulted by Alexander's Captains, and continued under feveral Revolutions, a small truckling State of no Name, or Reputation, untill they fell with the reft of Greece under the Power of the Romans.

DURING this Period from Miltiades to Phocion, I fhall trace the Conduct of the Athenians, with relation to their Diffentions between the PEOPLE and fome of their GENERALS; who, at that Time, by their Power and Credit in the Army, in a warlike Commonwealth, and often supported by each other, were, with the Magiftrates and other Civil Officers, a Sort of Counterpoise to the Power of the People, who fince the Death of Solon, had already made great Encroachments. What thefe Diffentions were, how founded, and what the Confequences of them, I fhall briefly and impartially relate.

I MUST here premife, that the Nobles in Athens were not at this Time a Corporate Affembly, that I can gather; therefore the Refentments of the Commons were usually turned againft particular Perfons, and by way of Articles of Impeachment. Whereas the Commons in Rome, and fome other States, (as will appear in proper Place) although they followed

this

this Method upon Occafion, yet generally pursued the Enlargement of their Power, by more fet Quar rels of one entire Affembly against another. However, the Custom of particular Impeachments being not limited to former Ages, any more than that of general Struggles, and Diffentions betwixt fixed Af femblies of Nobles and Commons; and the Ruin of Greece having been owing to the former, as that of Rome was to the latter; I fhall treat on both exprefly; that those States, who are concerned in either (if at leaft there be any fuch now in the World) may, by obferving the Means and Iffues of former Diffentions, learn whether the Caufes are alike in theirs ; and if they find them to be fo, may confider whether they ought not justly to apprehend the fame Effects.

To fpeak of every particular Perfon, impeached by the Commons of Athens, within the Compafs de figned, would introduce the Hiftory of almost every great Man they had among them. I fhall therefore take Notice only of fix, who living in that Period of Time when Athens was at the Height of its Glory, (as indeed it could not be otherwife, while fnch Hands were at the Helm) although impeached for bigh Crimes and Mifdemeanors, fuch as Bribery, arbitrary Proceedings, mifapplying, or imbezling publick Funds, ill Conduct at Sea, and the like; were honoured and lamented by their Country, as the Prefervers of it, and have had the Veneration of all Ages fince juftly paid to their Memories.

MILTIADES was one of the Athenian Generals against the Perfian Power; and the famous Victory at Marathon was chiefly owing to his Valour and Conduct. Being fent fome time after to reduce the

Island Paros, he mistook a great Fire at Distance for the Fleet, and being no ways a Match for the Enemy, fet fail to Athens. At his Arrival he was impeached by the Commons for Treachery, although not able to appear by reafon of his Wounds; fined 30000 Crowns, and died in Prifon. Although the Confequences of this Proceeding upon the Affairs of Athens, were no more than the untimely Lofs of fo great and good a Man, yet I could not forbear relating

it.

THEIR next great Man was Ariftides: Befides the mighty Service he had done his Country in the Wars; he was a Person of the strictest Justice, and beft acquainted with the Laws, as well as Forms of their Government; fo that he was in a Manner Chancellor of Athens. This Man, upon a flight and falfe Accufation of favouring arbitrary Power, was banished by Oftracism; which rendered into modern English, would fignify, that they voted he should be removed from their Prefence and Councils for ever. But, they had foon the Wit to recal him; and to that Action owed the Prefervation of their State by his future Services. For, it must be ftill confeffed in Behalf of the Athenian People, that they never conceived themselves perfectly infallible, nor arrived to the Heights of modern Affemblies, to make Obftinacy confirm what Judden Heat and Temerity began. They thought it not below the Dignity of an Affembly to endeavour at correcting an ill Step; at least to repent, although it often fell out too late.

THEMISTOCLES was at firft a Commoner himfelf. It was he who raised the Athenians to their Greatness at Sea, which he thought to be the true and conftant Intereft of that Commonwealth; and

the

the famous Naval Victory over the Perfians at Sald. mis, was owing to his Conduct. It feems, the People obferved fomewhat of Haughtiness in his Temper and Behaviour, and therefore banished him for five Years; but finding fome flight Matter of Accufation against him, they fent to feize his Person, and he hardly escaped to the Perfian Court; from whence, if the Love of his Country had not furmounted its bafe Ingratitude to him, he had many Invitations to return at the Head of the Perfian Fleet, and take a terrible Revenge; but he rather chofe a voluntary Death.

THE People of Athens impeached Pericles for mifapplying the publick Revenues to his own private Ufe. He had been a Perfon of great Defervings from the Republick, was an admirable Speaker, and very popular; his Accounts were confused; and be wanted Time to adjust them; therefore, meerly to divert that Difficulty, and the Consequences of it, he was forced to engage his Country in the Peloponnefian War, the longest that ever was known in Greece; and which ended in the utter Ruin of Athens.

THE fame People having resolved to subdue Sicily, fent a mighty Fleet under the Command of Nicias, Lamachus, and Alcibiades; the two former, Perfons of Age and Experience; the laft, a young Man of noble Birth, excellent Education, and a plentiful Fortune. A little before the Fleet fet fail, it feems, one Night, the Stone Images of Mercury, placed in several Parts of the City, were all pared in the Face This Action the Athenians interpreted for a Defign of deftroying the popular State; and Alci biades, having been formerly noted for the like Frolicks and Excurfions, was immediately accused of this. VOL. I.

He