Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/372

 364 PHOCION. . last would have led out the Athenians, they cried out against him, and slighted his orders. Alexander, the son of Polysperchon, was at hand with a considerable force, and professed to come to give them succor against Nicanor, but intended nothing less, if pos- sible, than to surprise the city, whdst they were in tu- mult and divided among themselves. For all that had pre- viously been expelled from the city, now coming back with him, made their way into it, and were joined by a mixed multitude' of foreigners and disfranchised persons, and of these a motley and irregular public assembly came together, in which they presently divested Phocion of all power, and chose other generals ; arid if by chance Alexander had not been spied from the walls, alone in close conference with Nicanor, and had not this, which was often repeated, given the Athenians cause of suspicion, the city had not escaped the snare. # The orator Agnonides, however, at once fell foul upon Phocion, and impeached him of trea- son ; Callimedon and Charicles, fearing the worst, con- sulted their own security by flying from the city ; Pho- cion, with a few of his friends that stayed with him, went over to Polysperchon, and out of respect for him, Solon of Platsea, and Dinarchus of Corinth, who were reputed friends and confidants of Polysperchon, accompanied him. But on account of Dinarchus falling ill, they remained several days in Elatea, during which time, upon the per- suasion of Agnonides and on the motion of Archestratus, a decree passed that the people should send delegates thither to accuse Phocion. So both parties reached Poly- sperchon at the same time, who was going through the country with the king, and was then at a small village of Phocis, Pharygae, under the mountain now called Ga- late, but then Acrurium. There Polysperchon, having set up" the golden canopy,