Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/354

 322 HISTORY OF GREECE. pressure of the phalanx. They were beaten back and gave way yet retiring in tolerable order, the Macedonian phalanx being incompetent for pursuit, to some difficult neighboring ground, where they were soon joined by their victorious cavalry. The loss of the Greeks is said to have been 500 men ; that of the Macedonians, 120.^ The defeat of Krannon (August 322 B. c.) was no way de- cisive or ruinous, nor would it probably have crushed the spirit of Leosthenes, had he been alive and in command. The coming up of the absentee contingents might still have enabled the Greeks to make head. But Antiphilus and Menon, after hold- ing counsel, declined to await and accelerate that junction. They thought themselves under the necessity of sending to open ne- gotiations for peace with Antipater ; who however returned for answer, that he would not recognize or treat with any Grecian confederacy, and that he would receive no propositions except from each city severally. Upon tliis the Grecian commanders at once resolved to continue the war, and to invoke reinforce- ments from their countrymen. But their own manifestation of timidity had destroyed the chance that remained of such rein- forcements arriving. While Antipater commenced a vigorous and successful course of action against the Thessalian cities separately, the Greeks became more and more dispirited and alarmed. City after city sent its envoys to entreat peace from Antipater, Avho granted lenient terms to each, reserving only the Athenians and -.Etolians. In a few days, the combined Grecian army was dispersed; Antiphilus with the Athenians returned into Attica ; Antipater followed them southward as far as Boeo- tia, taking -up his quarters at the Macedonian post on the Kad- meia, once the Hellenic Thebes — within two days' march of Athens.'^ Against the overwhelming force thus on the frontiers of Attica, the Athenians had no means of defence. The principal anti- Macedonian orators, especially Demosthenes and Hyperides, retired from the city at once, seeking sanctuary in the temples of Kalauria and -^gina. Phokion f.nd Demades, as the envoya ' Diodor xviii. 17; Tlutarch, Phokion, 26. 2 Diodor. xviii. 17 ; Phitarch, Phokion, c. 26.