Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 2.djvu/358

306 treachery, though not able to appear by reason of his wounds, fined 30000 crowns, and died in prison. Though the consequences of this proceeding upon the affairs of Athens, were no other than the untimely loss of so great and good a man, yet I could not forbear relating it.

Their next great man was Aristides. Beside the mighty service he had done his country in the wars, he was a person of the strictest justice, and best acquainted with the laws as well as forms of their government, so that he was in a manner chancellor of Athens. This man, upon a slight and false accusation of favouring arbitrary power, was banished by ostracism; which, rendered into modern English, would signify, that they voted he should be removed from their presence and council for ever. But however, they had the wit to recall him, and to that action owed the preservation of their state by his future services. For, it must be still confessed in behalf of the Athenian people, that they never conceived themselves perfectly infallible, nor arrived to the heights of modern assemblies, to make obstinacy confirm, what sudden heat and temerity began. They thought it not below the dignity of an assembly to endeavour at correcting an ill step; at least to repent, though it often fell out too late.

Themistocles was at first a commoner himself: it, was he, that raised the Athenians to their greatness at sea, which he thought to be the true and constant interest of that commonwealth; and the famous naval victory over the Persians at Salamis, was owing to his conduct. It seems the people observed somewhat of haughtiness in his temper and behaviour, 4