Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/110

 102 DEMETRIUS. pelled the garrison of Seleucus, and placed in it seven thousand men of his own. And after allowing his soldiei's to enrich themselves with all the spoil they could carry with them out of the country, he retired to the sea, leaving Seleucus more securely master of his dominions than before, as he seemed by this conduct to -abandon every claim to a country which he ti-eated like an ene- my's. However, by a rapid advance, he rescued Halicar- nassus from Ptolemy, who was besieging it. The glory which this act obtained them inspired both the father and son with a wonderful desire for freeing Greece, which Cassander and Ptolemy had everywhere reduced to slavery. No nobler or juster war was imdertaken by any of the kings ; the wealth they had gained while hum- bling, with Greek assistance, the barbarians being thus employed, for honor's sake and good repute, in helping the Greeks. When the resolution was taken to begin their attempt with Athens, one of his friends told Anti- gonus, if they captured Athens, they must keep it safe' in their own hands, as by this gangway they might step out from their ships into Greece when they jjleased. But Antigonus would not hear of it ; he did not want a bet- ■ ter or a steadier gangway than people's good-will ; and from Athens, the beacon of the world, the news of their conduct would soon be handed on to all the world's in- habitants. So Demetrius, with a sum of five thousand talents, and a fleet of two hundred and fifty ships, set sail for Athens, whei'e Demetrius the Phalerian was govern- ing the city for Cassander, with a garrison lodged in the port of Munychia. By good fortune and skilful manage- ment he appeared before Piraeus, on the twenty-sixth of Thargelion, before any thing had been heard of him. Indeed, when his ships were seen, they were taken for Ptolemy's, and preparations were commenced for receiv- ing them ; till at last, the genei-als discovering their mis-