Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/394

 386 DISSOLUTION OF THE FIVE HUNDRED [vill vice, either manning the walls or drawn up at their places of arms, for the eneni}' were at Decelea^ On the day of the assembl}' those who were not in the conspiracy were allowed to go home as usual, while the conspirators were quietly told to remain, not actually by their arms, but at a short distance; if anybod}' opposed what was doing they were to arm and interfere. There were also on the spot some Andrians and Tenians, three hundred Carystians, and some of the Athenian colonists from Aegina'', who received similar instructions ; they had all been told to bring with them from their homes their own arms for this especial purpose «. Having disposed their forces the Four Hundred arrived, every one with a dagger concealed about his person, and with them a bodyguard of a hundred and twenty Hellenic youths whose services they used for any act of violence which they had in hand. They broke in upon the council of five hundred as they sat in the council- chamber, and told them to take their pay and begone. They had brought with them the pay of the senators for the remainder of their yearly term of office, which they handed to them as they went out. 70 In this manner the council retired without offenng „,, , , any remonstrance ; and the rest of y liey are replaced by. the Four Hundred, tvlw the citizcus kept perfectly quiet and govern despotically and made no counter-movcment. The Four iry to u,ake peace zdth Hundred then installed themselves in Lacedaenioii. the council-chamber; for the present they elected by lot Prytanes of their own number, and did all that was customary in the way of prayers and sacrifices to the Gods at their entrance into office. Soon however they wholly changed the democratic S3'stem ; and although they did not recall the exiles, because Alcibiades was one of them, they governed the city with a high hand. Some few whom they thought would be better out of the way were put to death by them, others imprisoned, others again • Cp.vii. sSinit. '• Cp. ii 27. " Cp viii. 65 init.