Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/292

 270 HISTORY OF CREtCiS. the hill, mid after a smart resistance, drove them back in disorder, with the loss of seventy men. What was of still greater moment, Kritias and Hippomachus, who headed their troops on the left, wei-e among the slain ; together with Charmides son of Glaukon, one of the ten oligarchs who had been placed to manage Peirseus. 1 This great and important advantage left the troops of Thrasy- bulus in possession of seventy of the enemy's dead, whom they stripped of their arms, but not of their clothing, in token of respect for fellow-countrymen. 2 So disheartened, lukewarm, and dis- united were the hoplites of the Thirty, in spite of their great superiority of number, that they sent to solicit the usual truce for burying the dead. This was of course granted, and the two con tending parties became intermingled with each other in the per formance of the funeral duties. Amidst so impressive a scene, their common feelings as Athenians and fellow-countrymen were forcibly brought back, and many friendly observations were inter changed among them. Kleokritus herald of the mysts, or communicants in the Eleusinian mysteries, belonging to one of the most respected gentes in the state was among the exiles. His voice was peculiarly loud, and the function which he held enabled him to obtain silence while he addressed to the citizens serving with the Thirty a touching and emphatic remonstrance : " Why are you thus driving us into banishment, fellow-citizens ? Why are you seeking to kill us ? We have never done you the least harm ; we have partaken with you in religious rites and festivals ; we have been your companions in chorus, in school, md in army ; we have braved a thousand dangers with you, by tand and sea, in defence of our common safety and freedom. I adjure you by our common gods, paternal and maternal, by our common kindred and companionship, desist from thus wronging your country in obedience to these nefarious Thirty, who have slain as many citizens in eight months, for their own private gains, as the Peloponnesians in ten years of war. These are the men who have plunged us into wicked and odious war one against another, when we might live together in peace. Be assured that your slain in this battle have cost us as many tears as they have cost you." - 1 Xenoph. Hellen. ii, 4, 12, 20. 2 Xenoph. Hellen. ii, 4, 19; Cornel. Nepos, Thrasybul. c. 2. 5 Xenoph. Hellen. ii, 4, 22.