Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/377

 CONTEST ABOUT MUNYCHIA. 345 however, a considerable detachment, for immediate operations, under his son Alexander. To Athens, as Avell as to other cities, Polysperchon addressed special letters, promising restoration of the democracy and recall of the exiles. At Athens, such change was a greater revolution than elsewhere, because the multitude of exiles and persons de- ported had been the greatest. To the existing nine thousand Athenian citizens, it was doubtless odious and alarming ; while to Phokion with the other leading Antipatrians, it threatened not only loss of power, but probably nothing less than the alter- native of flight or death.^ The state of interests at Athens, how- ever, was now singularly novel and complicated. There were the Antipatrians and the nine thousand qualified citizens. There were the exiles, who, under the new edict, speedily began re-en- tering the city, and reclaiming their citizenship as well as their properties. Polysperchon and his son were known to be soon coming with a powerful force. Lastly, there was Nikanor, who held Munychia with a garrison, neither for Polysperchon, nor for the Athenians, but for Kassander ; the latter being himself also expected with a force from Asia. Here then were several parties ; each distinct in views and interests from the rest — some decidedly hostile to each other. The first contest arose between the Athenians and Nikanor respecting Munychia ; which they required him to evacuate, pursuant to the recent proclamation. Nikanor on his side re- turned an evasive answer, promising compliance as soon as cir- cumstances permitted, but in the mean time entreating the Athenians to continue in alliance with Kassander, as they had been with his father Antipater.^ He seems to have indulged hopes of prevailing on them to declare in his favor — and not without plausible grounds, since the Antipatrian leaders and a proportion of the nine thousand citizens could not but dread the execution of Polysperchon's edict. And he had also what was ' Plutarch, Phokion, 32. The opinion of Plutarch, however, that Polys- perchon intended this measure as a mere trick to ruin Phokion, is only cor- rect so far — that Polysperchon wished to put down the Antipatrian oligarchies everywhere, and that Phokion was the loading person of that oligarchy at Athens. * Diodor. xviii. 64.