The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian/Book XIV/Chapter I

Chapter I

 * A peace between the Athenians and the Lacedæmonians. The Athenians disagree about the manner of their government. The government by thirty. The cruelty of the thirty tyrants; and especially towards Theramenes.

BY the dissolution of the government at Athens, which happened the seven hundred and eightieth year current from the destruction of Troy), the city was involved in an anarchy; at the time were four military tribunes appointed at Rome to execute the consular dignity, Caius Furius, Caius Servilius, Caius Valerius, and Numerius Fabius. And the ninety-fourth olympiad was celebrated this year, in which Cocynas of Larissa was victor. About this time, the Athenians (their power being broken) obtained a peace with the Lacedæmonians, and liberty to govern according to their own laws, upon condition they demolish their walls, which they pulled down accordingly, but could not agree among themselves about the form of their government. For they that were for an oligarchy, gave their votes for the restoring that antient government. But the greatest part who stood up for the democracy, preferred the government by the senators, declaring that to be the truest democracy. When this banding one against another had continued some days, they for the oligarchy sent to Lysander the Spartan, hoping thereby to gain the point, in regard he was ordered (now the war was at an end) to settle the government of the cities; and in every place he set up an oligarchy. To this end they sailed to him at Samos, where he then was, having lately taken the city. When they arrived, and had craved his assistance, he promised them his aid: and thereupon (after he had made Thorax governor of Samos) passed over to the Piræus with an hundred sail. Then calling a general assembly, her advised them to chose thirty men, who should govern the commonwealth, and manage all the affairs of the city. Theramenes opposed this proposal, repeating the articles of the peace, whereby it was agreed—That they should be governed according to the laws of their own country; and declared it would be a most intolerable place of injustice, if, (against the sacred ties of an oath), their liberties must be thus ravished from them. Lysander answered—That the Athenians had first broken the league themselves, because they did not pull down their walls within the time agreed, and grievously threatened Theramenes—and told him—That unless he desisted from his opposition against the Lacedæmonians, he would put him to death. Upon this, both Theramenes and the people, being in a great fright, were forced by a general suffrage to abolish the democracy; and thirty men were forthwith chosen to be governors of the commonwealth, in name called fit magistrates, but in deed and in truth nothing but tyrants. But because the justice and moderation of Theramenes was evidently discerned by the people, they judged he would be a bridle to the covetousness of the rest of those placed over them, and therefore chose him to be one of the thirty. The duty and office of these men was to choose the members of the senate, to create magistrates, and to make laws for the government of the city. But they forbore to make any laws upon many specious pretences. Yet they filled the senate, and all the places in the magistracy, with their own creatures; who were called pretors, but in truth were the mere tools of the tyrants.

At first they executed justice upon malefactors with great severity, to the putting them to death: so that as yet they were well spoken of, and commended by every honest citizen. But not long after, when they resolved to be lawless, and set up an arbitrary power, they sent for a garrison from the Lacedæmonians, upon the pretence that they would mould all things in the government to the advantage of their interest. For they knew very well, that, without a foreign force, they could not execute those slaughters and butcheries they designed, for that all would as one man rise up against them in their own defence.

When the garrison from Lacedæmon was come, they presently gained the governor Callibius with bribes and other fawning and flattering addresses. Then they singled out some of the richest of the citizens, such as they thought fit, and charging them as innovators, and plotters against the government, put them to death, and confiscated their estates. But when Theramenes opposed his colleagues, and others (who were zealous for the commonwealth) stood up for the defender of their liberties, the thirty called a senate, in which Critias, the president, loads Theramenes with many grievous crimes, and chiefly that he betrayed the government, in the administration of which he himself voluntarily accepted a share with the rest. Theramenes, in answer to what he said, so cleared himself of every particular laid to his charge, that he gained the good opinion of whole senate. Upon which Critias, with the rest of his faction, (being afraid lest this man should overturn the oligarchy), surrounded him by the soldiers with their swords drawn, with an intent forthwith to seize him.

But Theramenes foreseeing their purpose, rushes through, and flies to the altar in the senate-house, crying out—That he fled to the gods, not that he hoped thereby to save his life, but that the impiety of his murderers might be the more aggravated, by the violation of the sacred rites of their religion: but though he was thence violently hauled by the lictors, yet he bore all with an undaunted spirit, being well principled in the precepts of philosophy by his late master Socrates. The people generally lamented his sad misfortune, and unworthy usage; but none durst rescue him by reason of the soldiers that closed him round. But Socrates the philosopher, and two of his servants ran in, and endeavoured to hinder the lictors. But Theramenes entreated them they would forbear, declaring he could not but honour their love and courage shewed on his behalf, but that it would be his greatest misery if he should be the cause of the death of those who so greatly loved him. Socrates, therefore, and the rest, (when they saw none come in to their assistance, and that the stronger faction more and more increased), let fall their design. Theramenes, thus forced from the altars, was led through the marketplace to execution by the officers who had him in charge. But the common people, (affrighted with the armed men), while they bewailed the condition of this miserable man, (as one most unjustly condemned), at the same time likewise deplored their own bondage and slavery,. For every poor man seeing the virtue of Theramenes so despised and trampled under foot, foresaw that they, by reason of their mean and low condition, would be valued no more than things set behind the door.

After they had executed him, the thirty, upon false accusations, put to death several others of the rich men whom they had written down in a list, and when they were dead, seized upon all they had. Among whom was Niceratus, the son of Nicias the general, who was formerly sent against the Syracusans. He was a man civil and courteous to all, and almost the richest and of greatest interest of any man in Athens; there was not therefore a family but lamented his death, the memory of his kind and sweet disposition forcing tears from every one. Yet the tyrants did not in the least remit any thing of their acts of injustice and violence, but growing still worse and worse in all manner of villanies, they cut the throats of threescore of the richest men in the city, that they might revel in their estates. The miserable citizens being thus slaughtered and butchered, every day, almost all that had anything to lose fled out of the city.

They then put to death Autolycus, a most excellent and fluent orator. And at length, every man that was in any respect eminent or remarkable, they sacrificed to their raging lusts. By these cruelties they so wasted and destroyed the city, that above one half of its inhabitants ran away and left it.

And although the Lacedæmonians saw the city thus spoiled and ruined, yet they laughed in their sleeves, having no desire it should recover its strength any more, as was very evident by the many convincing arguments. For they made a decree—That all the fugitives from Athens, in every part of Greece, should be carried back bound to the tyrants; and whosoever opposed the execution of this decree, should be fined five talents.

This was in truth looked upon as a very cruel and inhuman edict, but the other cities stood so much in awe of the power of the Spartans, that it was every where obeyed. But the Argives were the first that shewed their abhorrence of the Lacedæmonian cruelty, and pitying the miserable condition of the exiles, received them with all tenderness and compassion. The Thebans likewise decreed a mulct to be imposed upon him that did not to his utmost power assist any fugitive whom he saw to be carried away by force. To this pass were brought the affairs of Athens.