Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/177

CONDUCT OF TIMOTHEUS. 155 he was now acquitted, his reputation suffered so much by the whole affair, that in the ensuing spring he was glad to accept an to incur so terrible a chance of capture, simply in order to wait for the trial of Timotheus. Xenophon does not expressly say how long the siege of Korkyra lasted ; but from his expressions about the mercenaries of Mnasip- pus (that already pay was owing to them for as much as two months, /cat dvolv fjdT) fj.rjvolv vi, 2, 16), we should infer that it could hardly have lasted more than three months in all. Let us say, that it lasted four months ; the siege would then be over in August , and we know that the fleet of Iphikrates arrived just after the siege was concluded. Besides, is it credible, that Timotheus named as admiral for the ex- press purpose of relieving Korkyra, and knowing that Mnasippus was already besieging the place with a formidable fleet would have spent so long a time as Jive months in his preliminary cruise ? I presume Timotheus to have stayed out in this cruise about two months ; and even this length of time would be quite sufficient to raise strong dis- pleasure against him at Athens, when the danger and privations of Korkyra were made known as hourly increasing. At the time when Timotheus came back to Athens, he found all this displeasure actually afloat against him, excited in part by the strong censures of Iphikrates and Kallistratus (Dem. cont. Timoth. p. 1187. c. 3). The adverse orations in the public assembly, besides inflaming the wrath of the Athenians against him, caused a vote to be passed deposing him from his command to Korkyra, and nom- inating in his place Iphikrates, with Chabrias and Kallistratus. Probably those who proposed this vote would at the same time give notice that they intended to prefer a judicial accusation against Timotheus for breach or neglect of duty. But it would be the interest of all parties to postpone actual trial until the fate of Korkyra should be determined, for which pur- pose the saving of time would be precious. Already too much time had been lost, and Iphikrates was well aware that his whole chance of success depended on celerity ; while Timotheus and his friends would look upon postponement as an additional chance of softening the public displeasure, besides enabling them to obtain the attendance of Jason and Alketas. Still, though trial was postponed, Timotheus was from this moment under im- peachment. The oration composed by Demosthenes therefore (delivered by Apollodorus as plaintiff, several years afterwards), though speaking loosely, and not distinguishing the angry speeches against Timotheus in the public assembly (in June 373 B. c., or thereabouts, whereby his deposition was obtained), from the accusing speeches against him at his actual trial in November 373 B.C., before the dikastery is nevertheless not incorrect in saying, eweidrj d' (nrsxeipoTovfj&Tj /J.EV v<j>' vpuv orpar^ydf 6ia TO JJ.TI Trepnr- 'Aevaai HE^onovvjfZrv, Inl Kpiaei f.1 rrapededoTO elf TOV dfipov, amaf rfyf pey'ianx rv%uv (c. 3, p. 1187) and again respecting his coming from Kalauria to Athens /j.&'kuv roivvv Ka.Ta7r7t.elv M TJJV npiaiv, iv Ka-