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

340 PI-IOCION. PIIOCION.
B. C. 354. The vote for the expedition was passed which were garrisoned with Macedonian troops,
against the advice of Demosthenes, and in con- and made descents on many parts of the coast,
sequence of an application from Plutarchus, tyrant over-running and ravaging the enemy's territory.
of Eretria, for assistance against CALLIAS. The In the course of these operations, however, he reAthenians, however, appear to have over-rated the ceived some severe wounds, and was obliged to
strength of their party in the island, and neglected sail away. According to Plutarch, Phocion, after
therefore to provide a sufficient force. The little this success of the Athenian arms, strongly recomarmy of Phocion was still further thinned by mended peace with Philip. His opinion we know
desertions, which he made no effort to check, was over-ruled, and the counsels of Demosthenes
remarking that those who fled were not good prevailed; and the last desperate struggle, which
soldiers enough to be of use to the enemy, and ended in 338 so fatally for Greece at Chaeroneia,
that for his part he thought himself well rid of was probably regarded by Phocion with little of
them, since their consciousness of their own mis- sympathy, and less of hope. When, however,
conduct would stop their mouths at home, and Philip had summoned all the Greek states to a
silence their slanders against him. In the course general congress at Corinth, and Demades proof the campaign he was drawn into a position at posed that Athens should send deputies thither,
Tamynae, where defeat would have been fatal, and Phocion advised his countrymen to pause until it
his danger was moreover increased by the rashness should be ascertained what Philip would demand
or treachery of his ally Plutarchus: but he gained of the confederates. His counsel was again rethe day by his skill and coolness after an obstinate jected, but the Athenians afterwards repented that
engagement, and, dealing thenceforth with Plu- they had not followed it, when they found contritarchus as asl enemy, drove him from Eretria, and butions of ships and cavalry imposed on them by
occupied a fortress named Zaretra, conveniently the congress. On the murder of Philip in 336 besituated between the eastern and western seas, in coming known at Athens, Demosthenes proposed
the narrowest part of the island. All the Greek a public sacrifice of thanksgiving for the tidings, and
prisoners who fell into his hands here, he released, the establishment of religious honours to the melest the Athenians should wreak their vengeance mory of the assassin Pausanias; but Phocion reon them; and on his departure, his loss was much sisted the proposal on the two-fold ground, that
felt by the allies of Athens, whose cause declined such signs of joy betokened a mean spirit, and
grievously under his successor, Molossus. that, after all, the army which had conquered at
It was perhaps in B. c. 343 that, a conspiracy Chaeroneia was diminished only by one man. The
having been formed by Ptoeodorus and some of second reason he could hardly expect to pass curthe other chief citizens in Megara to betray the rent, so transparent is its fallacy; but it seems
town to Philip (Plut. Pl~oc. 1.5; conlp. Dem. de that, on the whole, his representations succeeded
Cor. pp. 242, 324, de Fals. Leg. pp. 435, 436), the in checking the unseemly exultation of the people.
Megarians applied to Athens for aid, and Phocion When, in B. c. 335, Alexander was marching
was sent thither in command of a force with which towards Thebes, Phocion rebuked Demosthenes
he fortified the port Nisaea, and joined it by two for his invectives against the king, and complained
long walls to the city. The expedition, if it is to that he was recklessly endangering Athens, and
be referred to this occasion, was successful, and after the destruction of Thebes, he advised the
the design of the conspirators was baffled. In Athenians to comply with Alexander's demand for
B. C. 341 Phocion commanded the troops which the surrender of Demosthenes and other chief
were despatched to Euboea, on the motion of De- orators of the anti-Macedonian party, urging at
mosthenes, to act against the party of Philip, and the same time on these objects of the conqueror's
succeeded in expelling Cleitarchus and Philistides anger the propriety of devoting themselves for the
from Eretria and Oreus respectively, and establish- public good, like those ancient heroines, the daughing the Athenian ascendancy in the island. [CAL- ters of Leos and the Hyacinthides. This proposal,
LIAS; CLEITARCHUS.] In B. C. 340, when the however, the latter portion of which sounds like
Athenians, indignant at the refusal of the Byzan- sarcastic irony, was clamorously and indignantly
tians to receive Chares, who had been sent to their rejected by the people, and an embassy was sent
aid against Philip, were disposed to interfere no to Alexander, which succeeded in deprecating his
further in the war, Phocion reminded them that resentment [DiEMADES]. According to Plutarch,
their anger should be directed, not against their there were two embassies, the first of which Alexallies for their distrust, but against their own ander refused to receive, but to the. second he gave
generals, whose conduct had excited it. The a gracious audience, and granted its prayer, chiefly
people recognised the justice of this, and passed a from regard to Phocion, who was at the head of it.
vote for a fresh force, to the command of which (See Plut. Phoc. 17, Dem. 23; Arr. Anab. i. 10;
Phocion himself was elected. On his arrival at Diod. xvii. 15.) From the same author we learn
Byzantium, he did not attempt to enter the city, that Alexander ever continued to treat Phocion
but encamped outside the walls. Cleon, however, with the utnlost consideration, and to cultivate his
a Byzantian, who had been his friend and fellow- friendship, influenced no doubt, in great measure,
pupil in the Academy, pledged himself to his by respect for his character, but not without an
countrymen, for his integrity, and the Athenians eye at the same time to his political sentiments,
were admitted into the town. Here they-gained which were favourable to Macedonian ascendancy.
the good opinion of all by their orderly and irre- Thus he addressed letters to him with a mode of
proachable conduct, and exhibited the greatest salutation (Xaipelv), which he adopted to no one
courage and zeal against the besiegers. The result else except Antipater. He also pressed upon him
was that Philip was compelled to abandon his at- valuable presents, and desired Craterus, whom he
tempts on Perinthus and Byzantium, and to sent home with the veterans in B. c. 324, to give
evacuate the Chersonesus, while Phocion took him his choice of four Asiatic cities. Phocion,
several of his ships, recovered some of the cities however, persisted in refusing all such offers, beg