Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/391

 POLITICAL CONDUCT OF PHOKION. 359 ander afterwards, marks of esteem not shown towards any other Athenian. This waa both the fruit and the proof of his past political action — anti-Hellenic as well as an ti- Athenian. Having done much, in the earlier part of his life, to promote the subju- gation of Greece under the Macedonian kings, he contributed somewhat, during the latter half, to lighten the severity of their dominion ; and it is the most honorable point in his character that he always refrained from abusing their marked favor towards him- self, for purposes either of personal gain or of oppression over his fellow-citizens. Alexander not only wrote letters to him, even during the plenitude of imperial power, in terms of respectful friendship, but tendered to him the largest presents — at one time the sum of 100 talents, at another time the choice of four towns on the coast of Asia Minor, as Xerxes gave to The- mistokles. He even expressed his displeasure when Phokion, refusing everything, consented only to request the liberation of three Grecian prisoners confined at Sardis.^ The Lamian war and its consequences, were Phokion's ruin. He continued at Athens, throughout that war, freely declaring his opinion against it ; for it is to be remarked, that in spite of his known macedonizing politics, the people neither banished nor degraded him, but contented themselves with following the counsels of others. On the disastrous termination of the war, Phokion undertook the thankless and dishonorable function of satrap under Antipater at Athens, with the Macedonian garrison at Munychia to back him. He became the subordinate agent of a conqueror who not only slaughtered the chief Athenian orators, but disfranchised and deported the Demos in mass. Having ac- cepted partnership and responsibility in these proceedings, Pho- kion was no longer safe except under the protection of a foreign prince. After the liberal proclamation issued in the name of the Macedonian kings, permitting the return of the banished Demos, he sought safety for himself, first by that treasonable connivance which enabled Nikanor to seize the Peirteus, next by courting Polysperchon the enemy of Nikanor. A voluntary exjsatriation (along with his friend the Phalerean Demetrius) would have been less dangerous, and less discreditable, than these manoeuvres, i Plutarch, Pliokion, 18 j Plutarch, Apophthegm, p. 188.