Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/386

354 HISTORY OF GREECE. When iliese restored citizens thus saw Phokion brought lie- fore them, for the first time after their return, the common feel- ino- of antipathy against him burst out into furious manifestations. Agnonides the principal accuser, supported by Ei^ikurus' and Demophilus, found their denunciations welcomed and even anti- cipated, when they arraigned Phokion as a criminal who had lent his hand to the subversion of the constitution, — to the suf- ferings of his deported fellow-citizens, — and to the holding of Athens in subjection under a foreign potentate ; in addition to which, the betrayal of Peiroeus to Nikanor^ constituted a new crime ; fastening on the people the yoke of Kassander, when au- tonomy had been promised to them by the recent imperial edict. After the accusation was concluded, Phokion was called on for his defence ; but he found it impossible to obtain a hearing. At- tempting several times to speak, he was as often interrupted by angry shouts ; several of his friends were cried down in like manner ; until at length he gave up the case in despair, and ex- claimed, " For myself, Athenians, I plead guilty ; I pronounce against myself the sentence of death for my political conduct ; but why are you to sentence these men near me, who are not guilty ? " " Because they are your friends, Phokion " — wjis the exclamation of those around. Phokion then said no more ; while Agnonides proposed a decree, to the effect, that the assembled people should decide by show of hands, whether the persons now arraigned were guilty or not ; and that if declared guilty, they should be put to death. Some persons present cried out, that the penalty of torture ought to precede death ; but this savage proposition, utterly at variance with Athenian law in respect to citizens, was repudiated not less by Agnonides than by the Macedonian officer Kleitus. The decree was then passed ; after which the show of hands Avas called for. Neai-ly every hand iu the assembly was held up in condemnation ; each man even rose from his seat to make the effect more imposing ; and some went £0 fiir as to put on wreaths in token of triumph. To many of ' Not the eminent philosopher so named. - Cornel. Nepos, Phoc. 4. " Plurimi vcro ita exacucientur propter pro ditionis suspicionem Piroei, maxiraeque quod advcrsiis populi commoda in senectute steterat."