Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/329

 HAEPALUS AT ATHENS. 297 Palmed by more correct intelligence, certifying that the Atheni- ans had positively refused to espouse the cause of Harpalus.i The fact of such final rejection by the Athenians is quite indis- putable. But it seems, as far as we can make out from imper- fect evidence, that this step was not taken without debate, nor without symptoms of a contrary disposition, sufficient to explain the rumors first sent to Alexander. The first arrival of Harpalus with his armament at Sunium, indeed, excited alarm, as if he w ere coming to take possession of PeirjBus ; and the admiral Philokles w^as instructed to adopt precautions for defence of the harbor.^ But Harpalus, sending away his armament to Krete or to Tffinarus, solicited and obtained permission to come to Athens, with a single ship and his own personal attendants. "What was of still greater moment, he brought with him a large sum of money, amounting, we are told to upwards of 700 talents, or more than £160,000. We must recollect that he was already favorably known to the people by large presents of corn, which had procured for him a vote of citizenship. He now threw him- self upon their gratitude as a suppliant seeking protection against the wrath of Alexander ; and while entreating from the Atheni- ans an interference so hazardous to themselves, he did not omit to encourage them by exaggerating the means at his own dispo- sal. He expatiated on the universal hatred and discontent felt against Alexander, and held out assurance of being joined by powerful allies, foreign as well as Greek, if once a city like Ath- 1 Nevertheless the impression, that Alexander was intending to besiege Athens, must have prevailed in the army for several months longer, during the autumn of 324 ii. c. when he was at Ekbatana. Ephippus the historian, in recounting the flatteries addressed to Alexander at Ekbatana, mentions the rhodomontade of a soldier named Gorgus — TSpyoc 6 onXo(j)vli^ 'AAe'f- avdjMv 'A/ii/MJVOC vlov (7Te(pavol xpvoolc, Tpi.cTxi7i.ioi(, k al 6 t av 'Adi/va^ n oX to p K ?j, fivp'iai^ navmr^Lat^ /cat raig laaiQ KaTaneXTai^ koc nuai Toli uaIui^ jSeXecnv etc ^ov noXe/iov iKavoic (Ephippus ap. Athenaeum, xii. p 538. Fragment. 3. ed. Didot.). Jleipala KaTaTrXevaai, CTparjjybc ixf v/xuv enl tu veupia Kal rr/v ^ovwxiav KEXEipoTopTjfiivoc, Btc. Dcinarchus adv. Aristogeiton, s. 4. 6f Trap' 'Apivdloit Aa^elv ;^;jO^/iara iT61[ii]aev, bv 7,a-&e&' t/keiv KaTaXrjtpofievov ttjv irokiv iuCiv, etc.
 * Dicnarehus adv. Philokl. s. 1. (paaKov KuXvoEiv 'Kpirakov elg rov