Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/270

 248 HISTORY OF GREECE. to the oligarchy, bvsides being opulent men ; and the resolution was adopted that ea?h of the rulers should single out any of these victims that he pleased, for execution and pillage ; care being taken to include a few poor persons in the seizure, so that the real purpose of the spoilers might be faintly disguised. It was in execution of this scheme that the orator Lysias and his brother Polemarchus were both taken into custody. Both were metics, wealthy men, and engaged in a manufactory of shields, wherein they employed a hundred and twenty slaves. Theognis and Peison, with some others, seized Lysias in his house, while entertaining some friends at dinner ; and having driven away his guests, left him under the guard of Peison, while the attendants went off to register and appropriate his valuable slaves. Lysias tried to prevail on Peison to accept a bribe and let him escape ; which the latter at first promised to do, and having thus obtained access to the money-chest of the prisoner, laid hands upon all its contents, amounting to between three and four talents. In vain did Lysias implore that a trifle might be left for his necessary subsistence ; the only answer vouchsafed was, that he might think himself fortunate if he escaped with life. He was then conveyed to the house of a person named Damnippus, where Theognis already was, having other prisoners in charge. At the earnest entreaty of Lysias, Damnippus tried to induce Theognis to con- nive at his escape, on consideration of a handsome bribe ; but while this conversation was going on, the prisoner availed himself of an unguarded moment to get off through the back door, which fortunately was open, together with two other doors through which it was necessary to pass. Having first obtained refuge in the house of a friend in Peiraeus, he took boat during the ensuing night for Megara. Polemarchus, less fortunate, was seized in tho street by Eratosthenes, one of the Thirty, and immediately lodged in the prison, where the fatal draught of hemlock was adminis- tered to him, without delay, without trial, and without liberty of defence. "While his house was plundered of a large stock of gold, silver, furniture, and rich ornaments ; while the golden earrings were torn from the ears of his wife ; and while seven hundred shields, with a hundred and twenty slaves, were confiscated, together with the workshop and the two dwelling-houses ; tha Thirty would not allow even a decent funeral to the deceased, bul