and is reckon'd 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 look'd upon as the last famous General of Athens, are about 130 Years; After which they were fubdued and infulted by Alexander's Captains, and conti nued under several Revolutions, a small truckling State of no Name lor Repu tation, till they fell with the reft of Greece under the Power of the Ro eduse VM for sic

mans.

DURING this Period from Miltiades to Phocion, I fhall trace the Conduct of the Athenians, with relation to their Diffentions between the Peo ple and fome of their Generals; who at that time by their Power and Credit in the Army, in a Warlike Common-wealth, and often fupported by each other, were with the Magiftrates and other Civil Officers, a fort of Counterpoife to the Power of the People, who fince the Death of Solon had already made great Encroachments. What these Diffentions were, how founded, and what the Confequences

"

of

of them, I shall briefly and impartially Relate to VINE 9 A

W to almost met

bI must here premife, that the Nobles in Athens being not at this time a Corporate Affembly that I can gather; therefore the Refentments of the Commons were usually turned against par ticular Perfons, and by Way of Articles or Impeachment. Whereas, the Commons in Rome, and fome other States, (as will appear in proper Place) tho' they followed this Method upon Occafion, yet generally pursued the Enlargement of their Power, by more fet Quarrels of one entire Affembly against another. However, the Cuftom of particular Impeachments being not limited to former Ages, any more than that of general Struggles and Dif fentions betwixt fix'd Affemblies 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 thofe States who are concerned in either (if at least, there be any fuch now in the World) may, by obferving the Means and the Iflues of for

C4

former Diffentions, learn whether the Causes 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 Per fon impeach'd by the Commons of Athens, within the Compafs defigned, would introduce the Hiftory of almost every great Man they had among them. I fhall therefore take Notice only of Six, who living in that Period of Time when Athens was at the Height of its Glory (as indeed it could not be otherwife while fuch Hands were at the Helm) tho impeach'd for high Crimes and Mifdemeanors, fuch as Bribery, Arbitrary Proceedings, misapplying or imbefling publick Funds, ill Conduct at Sea, and the like, were honoured and la'mented by their Country, as the Prefervers of it, and have had the Veneration of all Ages fince paid juftly to their Memories,

MILTIADES was one of the Athenian Generals against the Perfian Power, and the famous Victory at

Mara

Marathon was chiefly owing to his Vafour and Conduct. Being fent fome time after to reduce the Ifland Paros, hes miftook a great Fire at diftance, for the Fleet, and being no ways a Match for them, fet Sail for Athens; at his Arrival he was impeach'd by the Commons for Treachery, tho' not able to appear by reasons of his Wounds, fined 30000 Crowns, and died in Prifon: Tho' the Confequences of this Proceeding upon the Affairs of Athens, were no otherwise than by the untimely Lofs of fo great and good a Man, yet I could not forbear relating it.

4

THEIR next great Man was AR ISTIDES: Befides the mighty Service the had done his Country in the Wars; he was a Person of the ftricteft Justice, and beft acquainted with the Laws as swell as: Forms of their Government, fo that he was in a manner the Chancellor of Athens. This Man upon a flight and falfe Accufation of favouring Arbitrary Power, was banish'd by Oftracism; which rendred into modern English, would fignify that they yoted he should be removed from their

Pre

Prefence and Councils for ever. But, however, they had 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 themselvės perfectly infallible, nor arrived to the Heights of modern Affemblies, to make Obftinacy confirm what fudden 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, tho' it often fell out too late.

THEMISTOCLES was at first a Commoner himself. It was he that raifed the Athenians to their Greatness at Sea, which he thought to be the true and conftant Intereft of that Commonwealth; and the famous & Naval Victory over the Perfians at Salamis was owing to his Conduct. It seems the People obferved fomewhat of Haughtiness in his Temper and Behaviour; and therefore banisht him for five Years; but finding fome flight matter of Accufation against him,

they