Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/64

8g lIISTOPtY OF GREECE 9t' Alexander, it remained uncontradicted, which increased tho confidence in its truth. It was upon the full belief in this rumor, of Alexander's defeat and death, that the Grecian cities proceeded. The event severed by itself their connection with Macedonia. There was neither son nor adult brother to succeed to the throne : so that lot merely the foreign ascendency, but even the intestine unity, <)f Macedonia, was likely to be broken up. In regard to Athens, Arcadia, Elis, -^tolia, etc., the anti-Macedonian sentiment was douJ»tless vehemently manifested, but no special action was called for. It vvas otherwise in regard to Thebes. Phoenix, Prochy- tes, a.vd other Theban exiles at Athens, immediately laid their plan foi liberating their city and expellmg the Macedonian gar- rison fron' the Kadmcia. Assisted with arms and money by Demostheae^ ji-ud other Athenian citizens, and irvvited by their partisans at Thebes, they suddenly entered that city in arras. Though unable to mrry the Kadraeia by surprise, they seized in the city, and put te d'^atti, Amyntas, a prmcipal Macedonian offi- cer, with Timolaus, on^. of the leading macedonizing Thelans.^ They then immediately convoked a general assembly of the Thebans, to whom they earnestly appealed for a vigorous effort to expel the Macedonians, end re-conquer the ancient freedom of the city. Expatiating upon the misdeeds of the garrison and upon the oppressions of those Thebans wdio governed by means of the garrison, they proclaimed th?.t the happy moment of liber- ation had now arrived, through the recent death of Alexander. They doubtless recalled the memory of Pelopidas, and the glori- ous enterprise, cherished by all Theban patnots. whereby he had rescued the city from Spartan occupation, forty-si.^ years before. To this appeal the Thebans cordially responded. The assembly passed a vote, declaring severance from Macedonia, and auton- omy of Thebes — and naming as Boeotarchs some of thf* rf^iumeu exiles, with others of the same party, for the purpose o*" etser- getic measures against the garrison in the Kadmeia.^ Unfortunately for Thebes, none of these new Boeotarchs ver*' men of the stamp of Epaminondas, probably not even of Pelop^ ' Arrian, i. 7, 1 : compare Deinarchus cont. Demosthenes, s. 75. p. 53. • Arrian, i. 7. 3-17.