the gouernement of the Citie to those of most wealth, depriuing of the right of suf∣frage all such as wanted a conuenient proportion of riches.
About nine thousand they were, all men of good substance, to whom the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Common-wealth was giuen; a number great enough to retaine the name and forme of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. But the rascall multitude of beggerly persons, ac∣customed to get their liuings out of the commō troubles, being now debarred from bearing offices and giuing their voices, cried out, that this was a meere Oligarchie; the violent vsurpation of a few incroaching vpon the publike right. These turbu∣lent fellowes (of whom King Philip had been wont to say, That warre to them was peace, and peace warre) Antipater planted in Thrace, and gaue them lands to manure; [unspec 10] leauing as few of them as he could to molest the quiet of Athens.
To the same end (yet withall for satisfying his owne suspitions and hatred) hee caused Demosthenes and Hyperides famous Orators, with some others to bee slaine. Had the death of these two, especially of Demosthenes, beene forborne, the rest of his proceedings in this action might well haue passed for very milde: whereas now all such, as either are delighted with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Demosthenes, or haue sur-ren∣dred their iudgements to Authors iustly admiring him, as the most eloquent of all that euer did speake and write, condemne him vtterly, calling him a bloudy tyrant. Such grace and reputation doe the learned arts finde in all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Nations, that the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 done to a man, famous in one of them, is able to blemish any action, how good [unspec 20] soeuer otherwise it be, or honourably carried.
Demosthenes had taken Sanctuarie in the Temple of Neptune, in the Isle of Ca∣lauria; there did Archias (sent with Souldiers by Antipater for the purpose) finde him, and gently perswade him to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the place, but not so preuailing, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 threat∣ned violence. Then Demosthenes, entreating a little respit as it had beene to write somewhat, secretly took poison, which he had kept for such a necessity, and so died; rather choosing to doe the last execution vpon himselfe, than to fall into the hands of such as hated him. Only this act of his (commendable, perhaps, in a Heathen man) argued some valour in him; who was otherwise too much a coward in bat∣taile, howsoeuer valiant in perswading to enterprises; wherein the way to very ho∣nourable [unspec 30] ends was to be made through passages 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dangerous. Hee loued monie well, and had great summes giuen him by the Persian, to encourage him, in finding worke for the Macedonians at home. Neither did hee ill (me thinkes) in ta∣king from the Persians which loued not his Countrie, great reward, for speaking such things as tended to his Countries good; which hee did not cease to procure, when the Persians were no longer able to giue him 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Such as in tender contemplation of his death can indure no honourable, though true, mention of An∣tipater, may (if they can) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lucian, who tells vs, That it was Antipaters pur∣pose to haue done him great honour. Sure it is, that hee was a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enemie to the Macedonians; therefore discretion required that he should be cut off. [unspec 40]
The matters of Athens 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thus ordered, the chiefe command was left in the hands of Phocion, a vertuous man, and louer of his Countrie, yet applying himselfe to the necessity of the times; by which commendations he had both at other times done the Citie much good, and now procured this peace, which (though grie∣uous to free-men, yet fauourable to the vanquished) hee endeuoured carefully to preserue. [unspec 50]