Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/372

 346 HISTORY OF GREECE. and that the occasion which called for these simultaneous efforts was one of stringent urgency. The Olynthian requisition and communications made themselves so strongly felt, as to induce Athens to do, what Demosthenes in his three Olynthiacs had vainly insisted on during the preceding summer and autumn to send thither a force of native Athenians, in the first half of 349 B. c. Of the horsemen who had gone from Athens to Euboea, under Meidias, to serve under Phokion, either all, or a part, crossed by sea from Eubcea to Olynthus, during that half-year. 1 Meidias did not cross with them, but came back as trierarch in his trireme to Athens. Now the Athenian horsemen were not mere- ly citizens, but citizens of wealth and consequence ; moreover the elf TS EvBoiav icai "QTt.vv&ov eypaipe vfevuv, etc. This speech was delivered before the Dikastery by a person named Thc- omnestus, in support of an indictment against Neaera perhaps six or eight years after 349 B. c. Whether Demosthenes was the author of the speech or not, its value as evidence will not be materially altered. 1 Demosthen. cont. Meidiam, p. 578. .... ourof ruv yuet?' eavroii arpa revaafievuv imreuv, ore elf "O^vv&ov 6ie/3i]aav, sh&uv irpbf vfj.dc elf T7jv inK^Tjaiav naTTiyopei. Compare the same oration, p. 558 Kepi 6e TUV avaTpaTevaa/jLEvuv elf "Apyovpav (in Euboea) lore dfjTrov ndvref ola ifiq/Mj-yoprjae Trap' v/nlv, or' rjnev etc Xa/l/ctdof, Karq-yopav KOI fydoKuv oveifiof kt-Ehdelv rrjv arpaTiav TO.VTTJV rij irofai. This transit of the Athenian horsemen to Olynthus, which took place after the battle of Tamynce, is a distinct occurrence from the voluntary contributions at Athens towards an Olynthian expedition (emdocraf elf 'OXvvdov Demosth. cont. Meidiam, p. 566); which contributions took dace before the battle of Tamynae, and before the expedition to Eubrca of which that battle made part. These horsemen went from Euboea to Olynthus before fifeidias returned to Athens. But we know that he returned to Athens before the beginning of the new Attic or Olympic year (Olymp. 107, 4, 349-348 B. c.) ; that is, speakinsy apnroximatively, before the 1st of July 349 B. c. For he was present at Athens and accused Demosthenes in the senatorial Dokimasy, or preliminary examination, which all senators underwent before they took their seats with the beginning of the new year (Demosth. cont. Mcid. p 551). It seems, therefore, clear that the Athenian expedition certainly horse- men, and probably hoplites also went to Olynthus before July 1,349 B. c. 1 alluded to this expedition of Athenian citizens to Olynthus in a previous note as connected with the date of the third Olynthiac of De-