Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/34

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26 DEMOSTHENES. with him hoth to pardon the men, and to be reconciled to the city. So he and his friends, when Alexander went away, were great men, and Demosthenes was quite put aside. Yet when Agis, the Spartan, made his insurrection, he also for a short time attempted a movement in his favor ; but he soon shrunk back again, as the Athenians would not lake any part in it, and, Agis being slain, the Lacedfemo- nians were vanquished. During this time it was that the indictment against Ctesiphon, concerning the Crown, was brousrht to trial. The action was commenced a little be- fore the battle in Chseronea, when Chserondas was archon, but it was not proceeded with till about ten years after, Aristophon being then archon. Never was any public cause more celebrated than this, alike for the fame of the orators, and for the generous courage of the judges, who, though at that time the accusers of Demosthenes were in the height of power, and supported by all the favor of the Macedonians, yet would not give judgment against him, but acquitted him so honorably, that jEschines did not obtain the fifth part of their suffrages on his side, so that, immediately after, he left the city, and spent the rest of his life in teaching rhetoric about the island of Rhodes, and ujson the continent in Ionia. It was not long after that Harpalus fled from Alexan- der, and came to Athens out of Asia ; knowing himself guilty of many misdeeds into which his love of luxury had led him, and fearing the king, who was now grown terrible even to his best friends. Yet this man had no sooner addressed himself to the people, and delivered up his goods, his ships, and himself to their disposal, but the other orators of the town had their eyes quickly fixed upon his money, and came in to his assistance, persuading the Athenians to receive and protect their suppliant