A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PERICLES. PERICLES. 193
elntirely from the convivial meetings of his ac- were dexterously timed for the advancement of his
quaintance, once only breaking through this rule personal influence.
to honour the marriage of his nephew Euryp- The first occasion on which we find the two
tolemus, and admitting to his society and con- rival parties assuming anything like a hostile atfidence only a few intimate friends. He took titude towards each other, was when Cimon, on
care, however, not to make himself too cheap, re- his return from Thasos, was brought to trial
serving himself for great occasions, and putting [CIMON, Vol. I. p. 750]. Pericles was one of those
forward many of his propositions through his par- appointed to conduct the impeachment. But
tisans. Among the foremost and most able of whether the prosecution was not according to his
these was Ephialtes. [EPHIALTES.] wishes, or he had yielded to the intercession of
The fortune of Pericles, which, that his in- Elpinice, he only rose once, for form's sake, and
tegrity might be kept free even from suspicion, put forth none of his eloquence. The result, acwas husbanded with the strictest economy under cording to Plutarch, was, that Cimon was acquitted.
the careful administration of his steward Euan- It was shortly after this, that Pericles, secure in
gelus, insomuch as even to excite the discontent of the popularity which he had acquired, assailed the
the women of his household, was not sufficient to aristocracy in its strong-hold, the Areiopagus.
enable Pericles out of his private resources to vie Here, again, the prominent part in the proceedwith the profuse liberality of Cimon. Accordingly, ings was taken by Ephialtes, who in the assembly
to ingratiate himself with the people, he followed moved the psephisma by which the Areiopagus
the suggestion of his friend Demonides, to make was deprived of those functions which rendered
the public treasury available for similar objects, it formidable as an antagonist to the democraand proposed a series of measures having for their tical party. The opposition which Cimon and
object to provide the poorer citizens not only with his party might have offered was crippled by the
amlnusement, but with the means of subsistence. events connected with the siege of Ithome; and in
To enable them to enjoy the theatrical amuse- B. c. 461 the measure was passed. That Pericles
ments, he got a law passed that they should was influenced by jealousy because, owing to his
receive from the public treasury the price of their not having been archon, he had no seat in the
admittance, amounting to two oboluses apiece. council, or that Ephialtes seconded his views out
The measure was unwise as a precedent, and being of revenge for an offence that had been given him
at a later period carried to a much greater extent in the council, are notions which, though indeed
in connection with various other festivals led to the they have no claims to attention, have been satisestablishment of the Theoric fund. (Diet. of factorily refuted (comp. Miller, Eumenides, 2d
Antiquities, art. Tlieorica.) Another measure, in Dissert. I. A.) Respecting the nature of the
itself unobjectionable and equitable, was one which change effected in the jurisdiction of the Areioordained that the citizens who served in the courts pagus, the reader is referred to the Dictionary of
of the Heliaea should be paid for their attendance Antiquities, art. Areiopagus. This success was
(Gieflo 8&icar'ados —b S jLatovUTKo'). It was of soon followed by the ostracism of Cimon, who was
course not in the power of Pericles to foresee the charged with Laconism.
mischievous increase of litigation which charac- In B. c. 457 the unfortunate battle of Tanagra
terised Athens at a later time, or to anticipate the took place. The request made by Cimon to be
propositions of later demagogues by whom the allowed to take part in the engagement was re
pay was tripled, and the principle of payment ex- jected through the influence of the friends of
tended to attendance at the public assembly; a Pericles; and Cimon having left his panoply for
measure which has been erroneously attributed to his friends to fight round, Pericles, as if in emulaPericles himself. (BMckh, Public Econ. of Athens, tion of them, performed prodigies of valour. 7We
ii. ~ 1.4.) According to Ulpian (ad Demosth. arep do not learn distinctly what part he took in the
ovvTvg. p. 50, a.) the practice of paying the citi- movements which ensued. The expedition to
zens who served as soldiers was first introduced by Egypt he disapproved of; and through his whole
Pericles. To affirm that in proposing these mea- career he showed himself averse to those ambitious
sures Pericles did violence to his better judgment schemes of foreign conquest which the Athenians
in order to secure popularity, would be to do him were fond of cherishing; and at a later period
a great injustice. The whole course of his ad- effectually withstood the dreams of conquest in
ministration, at a time when he had no rival to Sicily, Etruria, and Carthage, which, in condispute his pre-eminence, shows that these mea- sequence of the progress of Greek settlements in
sures were the results of a settled principle of the West, some of the more enterprising Atheilians
policy, that the people had a right to all the ad- had begun to cherish. In B. c. 454, after the failure
vantages and enjoyments that could be procured of the expedition to Thessaly, Pericles led an arfor them by the proper expenditure of the treasures mament which embarked at Pegae, and invaded
of which they were masters. That in proposing the territory of Sicyon, routing those of the Sithem he was not insensible to the popularity cyonians who opposed him. Then, taking with
which would accrue to their author, may be ad- him some Achaean troops, he proceeded to Acarmitted without fixing any very deep stain upon nania, and besieged Oeniadae, though without suchis character. The lessons of other periods of cess (Theucyd. i. 111). It was probably after these
history will show that the practice of wholesale events (Thirlwall, Hist. of Greece, vol. iii. p. 34),
largess, of which Cimon was beginning to set the that the recal of Cimon took place. If there was
example, is attended with influences even more some want of generosity in his ostracism, Pericles
corrupting and dangerous. If Pericles thought at least atoned for it by himself proposing the
so, his measures, though perverted to mischief decree for his recal. The story of the private
through consequences beyond his foresight or con- compact entered into between Pericles and Cimon
trol, must be admitted to have been wise and through the intervention of Elpinice, that Cimon
statesmanlike, and not the less so because they should have the command abroad, while pericles
VOL. IIL