Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/328

 302 HISTORY OF GREECE. while Phalaekus, left to Lis own resources, was defeated in tw battles near Ch,Eroneia, and was unable to hinder his enemies from ravaging a large part of the Phokian territory. 1 We know the successive incidents of this ten years' Sacred War only from the meagre annals of Diodorus, whose warm sympathy in favor of the religious side of the question seems to betray him into exaggeration of the victories of the Thebans, or at least into some omission of counterbalancing reverses. For in spite of these successive victories, the Phokians were noway put down, but remained in possession of the Boeotian town of Orcho- menus ; moreover, the Thebans became so tired out and im- poverished by the war, that they confined themselves presently to desultory incursions and skirmishes. 2 Their losses fell wholly upon their own citizens and their own funds ; while the Phokians fought with foreign mercenaries and with the treasures of the temple. 3 The increasing poverty of the Thebans even induced them to send an embassy to the Persian king, entreating pecuniary aid ; which drew from him a present of three hundred talents. As he was at this time organizing a fresh expedition on an im- mense scale, for the reconquest of Phenicia and Egypt, after more than one preceding failure, he required Grecian soldiers as much as the Greeks required his money. Hence we shall see presently that the Thebans were able to send him an equivalent. In the war just recounted on the Laconian and Arcadian frontier, the Athenians had taken no part. Their struggle with Philip had been becoming from month to month more serious and embarrassing. By occupying in time the defensible pass of Ther- mopylae, they had indeed prevented him both from crushing the Phokians and from meddling with the Southern states of Greece. But the final battle wherein he had defeated Onomarchus, had materially increased both his power and his military reputation. The numbers on both sides were very great ; the result was de- 1 Diodor. xvi. S8, 39. uV t nai xpi)fj.uruv u.Tr<,pov[j.fvoi, Tipsa/Bei; k^enefjupav Ttpbe rbv TUV YltpaCn fiaathsa.... Toif 6e BoiwroZf KO.I TOI? QUKEVGIV unpofioAiafiol ftev Ka. %upa( KaraJpofial avvearrjaav, irpufetf 6e KOTO. TOVTOV rbv ivtavrnv (351- 150 B. c. according to the chronology of Diodvus) ov avveTe 3 Isckrntes, Oral. v. (ad Philipp.) s. 61.
 * Diodor. xvL 40. em 5e TOVTUV, Qijf3aloi Kapvovref ru Trpdf $wfif TTO/.C-