a smaller history of greece-第51部分

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n　Alexander's　officers　and　Asiatic　women；　to　the　number；　it　is　said；　of　about　a　hundred；　whilst　no　fewer　than　10；000　of　the　common　soldiers　followed　their　example　and　took　native　wives。　　As　another　means　of　amalgamating　the　Europeans　and　Asiatics；　he　caused　numbers　of　the　latter　to　be　admitted　into　the　army；　and　to　be　armed　and　trained　in　the　Macedonian　fashion。　　But　these　innovations　were　regarded　with　a　jealous　eye　by　most　of　the　Macedonian　veterans；　and　this　feeling　was　increased　by　the　conduct　of　Alexander　himself；　who　assumed　every　day　more　and　more　of　the　state　and　manners　of　an　eastern　despot。　　Their　long…stifled　dissatisfaction　broke　out　into　open　mutiny　and　rebellion　at　a　review　which　took　place　at　Opis　on　the　Tigris。　　But　the　mutiny　was　quelled　by　the　decisive　conduct　of　Alexander。　　He　immediately　ordered　thirteen　of　the　ringleaders　to　be　seized　and　executed；　and　then；　addressing　the　remainder；　pointed　out　to　them　how；　by　his　own　and　his　father's　exertions；　they　had　been　raised　from　the　condition　of　scattered　herdsmen　to　be　the　masters　of　Greece　and　the　lords　of　Asia；　and　that；　whilst　he　had　abandoned　to　them　the　richest　and　most　valuable　fruits　of　his　conquest；　he　had　reserved　nothing　but　the　diadem　for　himself；　as　the　mark　of　his　superior　labours　and　more　imminent　perils。　　He　then　secluded　himself　for　two　whole　days；　during　which　his　Macedonian　guard　was　exchanged　for　a　Persian　one；　whilst　nobles　of　the　same　nation　were　appointed　to　the　most　confidential　posts　about　his　person。　　Overcome　by　these　marks　of　alienation　on　the　part　of　their　sovereign；　the　Macedonians　now　supplicated　with　tears　to　be　restored　to　favour。　　A　solemn　reconciliation　was　effected；　and　10；000　veterans　were　dismissed　to　their　homes　under　the　conduct　of　Craterus。　　That　general　was　also　appointed　to　the　government　of　Macedonia　in　place　of　Antipater；　who　was　ordered　to　repair　to　Asia　with　fresh　reinforcements。

Soon　after　these　occurrences　Alexander　proceeded　to　Ecbatana；　where　during　the　autumn　he　solemnised　the　festival　of　Dionysus　with　extraordinary　splendour。　　But　his　enjoyment　was　suddenly　converted　into　bitterness　by　the　death　of　his　friend　Hephaestion；　who　was　carried　off　by　a　fever。　　This　event　threw　Alexander　into　a　deep　melancholy；　from　which　he　never　entirely　recovered。　　The　memory　of　Hephaestion　was　honoured　by　extravagant　marks　of　public　mourning；　and　his　body　was　conveyed　to　Babylon；　to　be　there　interred　with　the　utmost　magnificence。

Alexander　entered　Babylon　in　the　spring　of　324；　notwithstanding　the　warnings　of　the　priests　of　Belus；　who　predicted　some　serious　evil　to　him　if　he　entered　the　city　at　that　time。　　Babylon　was　now　to　witness　the　consummation　of　his　triumphs　and　of　his　life。　Ambassadors　from　all　parts　of　Greece；　from　Libya；　Italy；　and　probably　from　still　more　distant　regions；　were　waiting　to　salute　him；　and　to　do　homage　to　him　as　the　conqueror　of　Asia；　the　fleet　under　Nearchus　had　arrived　after　its　long　and　enterprising　voyage；　whilst　for　the　reception　of　this　navy；　which　seemed　to　turn　the　inland　capital　of　his　empire　into　a　port；　a　magnificent　harbour　was　in　process　of　construction。　　The　mind　of　Alexander　was　still　occupied　with　plans　of　conquest　and　ambition；　his　next　design　was　the　subjugation　of　Arabia；　which；　however；　was　to　be　only　the　stepping…stone　to　the　conquest　of　the　whole　known　world。　He　despatched　three　expeditions　to　survey　the　coast　of　Arabia；　ordered　a　fleet　to　be　built　to　explore　the　Caspian　sea；　and　engaged　himself　in　surveying　the　course　of　the　Euphrates；　and　in　devising　improvements　of　its　navigation。　　The　period　for　commencing　the　Arabian　campaign　had　already　arrived；　solemn　sacrifices　were　offered　up　for　its　success；　and　grand　banquets　were　given　previous　to　departure。　　At　these　carousals　Alexander　drank　deep；　and　at　the　termination　of　the　one　given　by　his　favourite；　Medius；　he　was　seized　with　unequivocal　symptoms　of　fever。　　For　some　days；　however；　he　neglected　the　disorder；　and　continued　to　occupy　himself　with　the　necessary　preparations　for　the　march。　　But　in　eleven　days　the　malady　had　gained　a　fatal　strength；　and　terminated　his　life　on　the　28th　of　June；　B。C。　323；　at　the　early　age　of　32。　　Whilst　he　lay　speechless　on　his　deathbed　his　favourite　troops　were　admitted　to　see　him；　but　he　could　offer　them　no　other　token　of　recognition　than　by　stretching　out　his　hand。

Few　of　the　great　characters　of　history　have　been　so　differently　judged　as　Alexander。　　Of　the　magnitude　of　his　exploits；　indeed；　and　of　the　justice　with　which；　according　to　the　usual　sentiments　of　mankind；　they　confer　upon　him　the　title　of　〃Great；〃　there　can　be　but　one　opinion。　　His　military　renown；　however；　consists　more　in　the　seemingly　extravagant　boldness　of　his　enterprises　than　in　the　real　power　of　the　foes　whom　he　overcame。　　The　resistance　he　met　with　was　not　greater　than　that　which　a　European　army　experiences　in　the　present　day　from　one　composed　of　Asiatics；　and　the　empire　of　the　East　was　decided　by　the　two　battles　of　Issus　and　Arbela。　　His　chief　difficulties　were　the　geographical　difficulties　of　distance；　climate；　and　the　nature　of　the　ground　traversed。　　But　this　is　no　proof　that　he　was　incompetent　to　meet　a　foe　more　worthy　of　his　military　skill；　and　his　proceedings　in　Greece　before　his　departure　show　the　reverse。　　His　motive；　it　must　be　allowed；　seem　rather　to　have　sprung　from　the　love　of　personal　glory　and　the　excitement　of　conquest；　than　from　any　wish　to　benefit　his　subjects。　　Yet　on　the　whole　his　achievements；　though　they　undoubtedly　occasioned　great　partial　misery；　must　be　regarded　as　beneficial　to　the　human　race。　　By　his　conquests　the　two　continents　were　put　into　closer　communication　with　one　another；　and　both；　but　particularly　Asia；　were　the　gainers。　　The　language；　the　arts；　and　the　literature　of　Greece　were　introduced　into　the　East；　and　after　the　death　of　Alexander；　Greek　kingdoms　were　formed　in　the　western　parts　of　Asia；　which　continued　to　exist　for　many　generations。



CHAPTER　XXI。

FROM　THE　DEATH　OF　ALEXANDER　THE　GREAT　TO　THE　CONQUEST　OF　GREECE　BY　THE　ROMANS；　B。C。　323…146。

The　vast　empire　of　Alexander　the　Great　was　divided；　at　his　death；　among　his　generals；　but；　before　relating　their　history；　it　is　necessary　to　take　a　brief　retrospective　glance　at　the　affairs　of　Greece。　　Three　years　after　Alexander　had　quitted　Europe　the　Spartans　made　a　vigorous　effort　to　throw　off　the　Macedonian　yoke。　They　were　joined　by　most　of　the　Peloponnesian　states；　but　though　they　met　with　some　success　at　first；　they　were　finally　defeated　with　great　slaughter　by　Antipater　near　Megalopolis。　　Agis　fell　in　the　battle；　and　the　chains　of　Greece　were　riveted　more　firmly　than　ever。　　This　victory；　and　the　successes　of　Alexander　in　the　East；　encouraged　the　Macedonian　party　in　Athens　to　take　active　measures　against　Demosthenes；　and　AEschines　revived　an　old　charge　against　him　which　had　lain　dormant　for　several　years。　　Soon　after　the　battle　of　Chaeronea；　Ctesiphon　had　proposed　that　Demosthenes　should　be　presented　with　a　golden　crown　in　the　theatre　during　the　great　Dionysiac　festival；　on　account　of　the　services　he　had　conferred　upon　his　country。　　For　proposing　this　decree　AEschines　indicted　Ctesiphon；　but　though　the　latter　was　the　nominal　defendant；　it　was　Demosthenes　who　was　really　put　upon　his　trial。　The　case　was　decided　in　330　B。C。；　and　has　been　immortalised　by　the　memorable　and　still　extant　speeches　of　AEschines　'Against　Ctesiphon'　and　of　Demosthenes　'On　the　Crown。'　AEschines；　who　did　not　obtain　a　fifth　part　of　the　votes；　and　consequently　became　himself　liable　to　a　penalty；　was　so　chagrined　at　his　defeat　that　he　retired　to　Rhodes。

In　B。C。　325　Harpalus　arrived　in　Athens。　　He　had　been　left　by　Alexander　at　Ecbatana　in　charge　of　the　royal　treasures；　and　appears　also　to　have　held　the　important　satrapy　of　Babylon。　During　the　absence　of　Alexander　in　India　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　most　extravagant　luxury　and　profusion；　squandering　the　treasures　intrusted　to　him；　at　the　same　time　that　he　alienated　the　people　subject　to　his　rule　by　his　lustful　excesses　and　extortions。　　He　had　probably　thought　that　Alexander　would　never　return　from　the　remote　regions　of　the　East　into　which　he　had　penetrated；　but　when　he　at　length　learnt　that　the　king　was　on　his　march　back　to　Susa；　and　had　visited　with　unsparing　rigour　those　of　his　officers　who　had　been　guilty　of　any　excesses　during　his　absence；　he　at　once　saw　that　his　only　resource　was　in　flight。　Collecting　together　all　the　treasures　which　he　could；　and　assembling　a　body　of　6000　mercenaries；　he　hastened　to　the　coast　of　Asia；　and　from　thence　crossed　over　to　Attica；　At　first　the　Athenians　refused　to　receive　him；　but　bribes　administered　to　some　of　the　principal　orators　induced　them　to　alter　their　determination。　　Such　a　step　was　tantamount　to　an　act　of　hostility　against　Macedonia　itself；　and　accordingly　Antipater　called　upon　the　Athenians　to　deliver　up　Harpalus；　and　to　bring　to　trial　those　who　had　accepted　his　bribes。　　The　Athenians　did　not　venture　to　disobey　these　demands。　　Harpalus　was　put　into　confinement；　but　succeeded　in　making　his　escape　from　prison。　　Demosthenes　was　among　the　orators　who　were　brought　to　trial　for　corruption。　　He　was　declared　to　be　guilty；　and　was　condemned　to　pay　a　fine　of　50　talents。　　Not　being　able　to　raise