Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/384

352 HISTORY OF GREECE. heads, Polysperchon was noway disposed to yield — nor to hand over Peirteus to the Athenians as soon as he should take it. On this matter, accordingly, he replied by refusal or evasion. But he was all the more disposed to satisfy the Athenians on the other matter — the surrender of Phokion ; especially as the sen- timent now prevalent at Athens evinced clearly that Phokion could not be again useful to him as an instrument. Thus dis- posed to sacrifice Phokion, Polysperchon heard his defence with impatience, interrupted him several times, and so disgusted him, that he at length struck the ground with liLs stick, and held his peace. Hegemon, another of the accused, was yet more harslily treated. When he appealed to Polysperchon himself, as having been personally cognizant of his (the speaker's) good dispositions towards the Athenian people (he had probably been sent to Pella, as envoy for redress of grievances under the Anti- patrian oligarchy), Polysperchon exclaimed — " Do not utter falsehoods against me before the king." Moreover, king Philip himself was so incensed, as to start from his throne and snatch his spear; with which he would have run Hegemon through, — imi- tating the worst impulses of his illustrious brother — had he not been held back by Polysperchon. The sentence could not be doubtful. Phokion and his companions were delivered over as prisoners to the Athenian deputation, together with a letter irom the king, intimating that in his conviction they were traitors, but that he left them to be judged by the Athenians, now restored to freedom and autonomy, i The Macedonian Kleitus was instructed to convey them to Athens as prisoners under a guard. Mournful was the specta- cle as they entered the city ; being carried along the Keramei- kus in carts, through sympathizing friends and an embittered multitude, until they reached the theatre, wherein the assembly M-as to be convened. That assembly was composed of every one who chose to enter, and is said to have contained many foreign- as 292 n. c. — though he too was a Corinthian. Either, therefore, there were two Corinthians, both bearing this same name (as Westermann sup- poses — Gesch. der Bercdtsanikcit, sect. 72), or the statement of Plutarch must allude to an order piven but not carried into efi'ccf -which lattej Bccms to me most probable. > Plutarch, Phokion, 33, 34; Diodor. xviii. 66.