Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/264

 had been their natural leader. 148 THE POLICY OF PERICLES [n i|| to divert their minds from their terrible situation. In the conduct of public affairs they took TheAthemansfollorv j^j^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ embassies Pericles advice, but are not appeased until they to Sparta ; they were again eager to have fined him. He prosecute the War. Yet in private soonresainsiluirestcen, ^, ^^j^ ^j^^j^ sufferings keenly; the and takes the lead of ■^ j • j affairs. After his death common people had been deprived even his wisdom was even of the little which they possessed, while better appreeiated than ^,^^ ^j^^^ ^^^ j^^^ ^^j^ ^^^^^^^ j^^ during his life. His ^^ advice about the ivar the country with all their houses and was sound if the A the- rich furniture. Worst of all, instead of nians would only have • • tU, ,„^-^^ r.^,,T ^f •.■r-..- , ,, . ., n, w eniovuig peace, they were now at war. followed it. But they j j o r ' j were continually em- The popular indignation was not barking on rash enter- pacified until they had fined Pericles ; prises, and the city was ^ ^^^^ afterwards, with the usual distracted by the strug- ' 1 • 1 1 gles of rival dcnia- fickleness of a multitude, they elected gogues, ivhcreas Pericles him general and committed all their affairs to his charge. Their private sor- rows were beginning to be less acutely felt, and for a time of public need they thought that there was no man like him. During the peace while he was at the head of affairs he ruled with prudence ; under his guidance Athens was safe, and reached the height of her greatness in his time. When the war began he showed that here too he had formed a true estimate of the Athenian power. He survived the commencement of hostilities two years and six months ; and, after his death, his foresight was even better appreciated than during his life. For he had told the Athenians that if they would be patient and would attend to their navy, and not seek to enlarge their dominion while the war was going on, nor imperil the existence of the city, they would be victorious ; but they did all that he told them not to do, and in matters which seemingly had nothing to do with the war, from motives of private ambition and private interest they adopted a policy which had disastrous effects in respect both of themselves and of their allies; their measures,