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186 HISTORY OF GREECE. themselves for services already rendered to him, the general analogy of Grecian history would sufficiently teach us, though we are without special details. But in reference to this point, we have not merely general analogy to guide us ; we have farther the paral- lel case of the Thirty at Athens, the particulars of whose rule are well known and have already been alluded to. These Thirty, with the exception of the difference of number, were to all intents and purposes a Lysandrian dekarchy ; created by the same originating force, placed under the like circumstances, and animated by the like spirit and interests. Every subject town would produce its Kritias and Theramenes, and its body of wealthy citizens like the knights or horsemen at Athens to abet their oppressions, under Lacedaemonian patronage and the covering guard of the Lacedae- monian harmost. Moreover, Kritias, with all his vices, was likely to be better rather than worse, as compared with his oligarchical parallel in any other less cultivated city. He was a man of letters and philosophy, accustomed to the conversation of Sokrates, and to the discussion of ethical and social questions. We may say the same of the knights or horsemen at Athens. Undoubtedly they had been better educated, and had been exposed to more liberal- izing and improving influences, than the corresponding class else where. If, then, these knights at Athens had no shame in serving as accomplices to the Thirty throughout all their enormities, we need not fear to presume that other cities would furnish a body of wealthy men yet more unscrupulous, and a leader at least as san- guinary, rapacious, and full of antipathies, as Kritias. As at Athens, so elsewhere ; the dekarchs would begin by putting to death noto- rious political opponents, under the name of " the wicked men j" 1 they would next proceed to deal in the same manner with men of known probity and courage, likely to take a lead in resisting op- pression. 2 Their career of blood would continue, in spite of remonstrances from more moderate persons among their own num- 1 Xen. Hellen. ii, 3, 13. . . .iKEiaav AvcravSpov typovpovf ff<[>iai ^v/j.7r,)u^ai. e/li9ch', f 67) roi)f TTO vtjpoi)f i/tTToSuv TrotTjdufievoi KaraarrjaaLvr o TT)V Tro/Uma^, etc. 8 Xen. Hellen. ii, 3, 14. Tuv 6e typovp&v TOVTOV (the harmost) tfvfnre/Lin vrof avrolf, ovf ijSoiihovTO, ZvveAdppavov cvKeri rttif Kovqpovs ical oAtyof u7(.7C TjSr) ovf evofiifrv rjKiaTa JUEV irapu-&ov/j.vovf uvt-xeodai, avrnrpar rovs rot)f