Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/239

 AMI'HirOLIS CED'-:D. 213 A^nyntas before him. 1 These proceedings seem to haMj had the effect of making the Athenians lukewarm in the cause of Argreus. For Mantias the Athenian admiral, though he conteyed that prince by sea to Methone, yet stayed in the seaport himself, while Arganis marched inland with some returning exiles, a body of mercenaries, and a few Athenian volunteers to JEgas or Ectes- sa ; 3 hoping to procure admission into that ancient capital of the Macedonian kings. But the inhabitants refused to receive him ; and in his march back to Methone, he was attacked and complete- ly defeated by Philip.' His fugitive troops found shelter on a neighboring eminence, but were speedily obliged to surrender. Philip suffered the greater part of .them to depart on terms, re- quiring only that Argaeus and the Macedonian exiles should be delivered up to him. He treated the Athenian citizens with especial courtesy, preserved to them all their property, and sent them home full of gratitude, with conciliatory messages to the people of Athens. The exiles, Arga?us among them, having be- come his prisoners, were probably put to death. 3 The prudent lenity exhibited by Philip towards the Athenian prisoners, combined with his evacuation of Amphipolis, produced the most favorable effect upon the temper of the Athenian pub- lic, and disposed them to accept his pacific offers. Peace was ac- cordingly concluded. Philip renounced all claim to Amphipolis, acknowledging that town as a possession rightfully belonging to Athens. 4 By such renunciation he really abandoned no rightful possession ; for Amphipolis had never belonged to the Macedo- nian kings; nor had any Macedonian soldiers ever entered it, un- til three or four years before, when the citizens had invoked aid from Perdikkas to share in the defence against Athens. But the Athenians appeared to have gained the chief prize for which they had been so long struggling. They congratulated themselves in the hope, probably set forth with confidence by the speakers who supported the peace, that the Amphipolitans alone would never think of resisting the acknowledged claims of Athens. 1 Demosthenes cent. Aristokrat. p. 660. s. 144. uv rivaf Tro/ltruv, etc. Justin, vii. 6. 3 Uiodor. xvi. 3. Diodor. xvi. 4
 * Diodor. xvi. 3 ; Demosthen. cont. Aristokrat. p. 660 ut sup. rtiv