Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/162

 140 HISTORY OF GREECE. passed a vote that the ringleaders of the mutiny at Kerasus should! be punished ; that if any on 3 was guilty of similar outrages in fu- ture, he should be put upon his trial by the generals, before the lochages or captains as judges, and if condemned by them, put to death ; and that trial should be had before the same persons, for any other wrong committed since the death of Cyrus. A suitable religious ceremony was also directed to be performed, at the in- s lance oi Xenophon and the prophets, to purify the army. 1 This speech affords an interesting specimen of the politica, morality universal throughout the Grecian world, though deeper and more predominant among its better sections. In the miscella- neous aggregate, and temporary society, now mustered at Kotyora, Xenophon insists on the universal suffrage of the whole body, as the legitimate sovereign authority for the guidance of every indi- vidual will ; the decision of the majority, fairly and formally col- lected, as carrying a title to prevail over every dissentient minority ; the generals chosen by the majority of votes, as the only persons entitled to obedience. This is the cardinal principle to which he appeals, as the anchorage of political obligation in the mind of each separate man or fraction ; as the condition of all success, all safety, and all conjoint action ; as the only condition either for punishing wrong or protecting right ; as indispensable to keep up their sym- pathies with the Hellenic communities, and their dignity either as soldiers or as citizens. The complete success of his speech proves that he knew how to touch the right chord of Grecian feeling. No serious acts of individual insubordination occurred afterwards, though the army collectively went wrong on more than one occa- sion. And what is not less important to notice, the influence of Xenophon himself, after his unreserved and courageous remon- strance, seems to have been sensibly augmented, certainly no way diminished. The circumstances which immediately followed were indeed well calculated to augment it. For it was resolved, on the proposi- tion of Xenophon himself 2 that the generals themselves should be 1 Xen. Anab. v, 7, 34, 35. 8 Xen. Anab. v, 7, 35. Hapaivovvroe <5e 2evowi>rof, Kal TUV JIUVTEUV crv/it3ov7iv6vTuii, iSo^e Kal Kadilpat Tb arpuTevfj.a f Kal eyevero Ka&app.6q- tcJofe 6e Kal rove crrpar^}'ot)f HKTJV viroaxEiv rov Trap&.Tjl.vE orof %pbvov.