Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/351

 PHOCION. 343 row girth. He released all the Greeks whom he took, out of fear of the public speakers at Athens, thinking they might very likely persuade the people in their an- ger into committing some act of cruelty. This affair thus despatched and settled, Phocion set sail homewards, and the allies had soon as good reason to re- gret the loss of his just and humane dealing, as the Athenians that of his experience and courage. Molossus, the commander who took his place, had no better success than to fall alive into the enemy's hands. Philip, full of great thoughts and designs, now advanced with all his forces into the Hellespont, to seize the Cher- sonesus and Perinthus, and after them, Byzantium. The Athenians raised a force to relieve them, but the popular leaders made it their business to prefer Chares to be general, who, sailing thither, effected nothing worthy of the means placed in his hands. The cities were afraid, and would not receive his ships into their harbors, so that he did nothing but wander about, raising money from their friends, and despised by their enemies. And when the people, chafed by the orators, were extremely indig- nant, and repented having ever sent any help to the By- zantines, Phocion rose and told them the} 7 ought not to be angry with the allies for distrusting, but with their generals for being distrusted. " They make } - ou sus- pected," he said, " even by those who cannot possibly sub- sist without your succor." The assembly being moved with this speech of his, changed their minds on the sud- den, and commanded him immediately to raise another force, and go himself to assist their confederates in the Hellespont ; an appointment which, in effect, contributed more than any thing to the relief of Byzantium. For Phocion's name was already honorably known ; and an old acquaintance of his, who had been his fellow-student in the Academy, Leon, a man of high renown for virtue