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478 HISTORY OF GREECE. ed to take part in that movement of pious entLaoiasm which JEschines had kindled on the subject of Kirrha, pursuant to the ancient oath sworn by their forefathers. 1 So forcibly was the religious point of view of this question thrust upon the pub- lic mind, that the opposition of Demosthenes was hardly lis- tened to. He laid open at once the consequences of what had happened, saying " ^Eschines, you are bringing war into Atti- ca an Amphiktyonic Avar." But his predictions were cried down as allusions or mere manifestations of party feeling against a rival. 2 .^Eschines denounced him openly as the hired agent of the impious Lokrians ; 3 a charge sufficiently refuted by the con- duct of these Lokrians themselves, who are described by -ZEschines as gratuitously insulting Athens. But though the general feeling at Athens, immediately after the return of JEschines, was favorable to his proceedings at Delphi, it did not long continue so. Nor is the change difficult to understand. The first mention of the old oath, and the original devastation of Kirrha, sanctioned by the name and authority of Solon, would naturally turn the Athenian mind into a strong feeling of pious sentiment against the tenants of that accursed spot. But farther information would tend to prove that the Lokrians were more sinned against than sinning ; that the occupation of Kirrha as a har- bor was a convenience to all Greeks, and most of all to the temple itself; lastly, that the imputations said to have been cast by the Lokrians upon Athens had either never been made at all (so we find Demosthenes affirming), or were nothing worse than an un- authorized burst of ill-temper from some rude individual. Though jEschines had obtained at first a vote of approbation for his proceedings, yet when his proposition came to be made that Athens should take part in the special Amphiktyonic meet- ing convened for punishing the Amphissians the opposition of Demosthenes was found more effective. Both the Senate, and 1 jEschincs adv. Ktesiph. p. 71. Kai riif Trpd!-eie jjftuv u-irode^a^evov TOV (f//yuov, Kai rfj Kokf.uq iruffyf Trpoaipov^fVTjf fvaepeiv, etc. OVK kg, (Demos- thenes) fj.Efi.vfia'&ai TUV bpnuv, ovf ol npoyovoi G>/j.oaav, oi>6e TJ/C upric oiiAi TTJ<; rov deov pavreia^. 3 Demosth. De Corona, p. 275. 1 JEscluncs adv. Ktesiph. p. 69-71.