This intelligence struck Athens like a thunder bolt. The people were so far roused to activity, that they immediately equipped a powerful fleet, and sent it against Chios. Chares had the chief com mand, with Chabrias under him.. He was repulsed, however, in his attack on the harbour, and Chabrias, who alone entered, refusing to retreat, was slain ; an irreparable loss to his country. The confederates, encouraged by this success, attacked the important islands of Samos and Lemnos. The Athenians, re called to some measure of wisdom, sent a new arma ment under Timotheus and Iphicrates. These com manders forced the enemy to relinquish their enter prize ; but having declined to fight in a disadvanta geous situation, were denounced to the people by Chares. Their trial was instituted ; and though they escaped the punishment of death, yet such a fine was imposed upon both, as amounted to banishment. The object of the accusation, however, was attained. The sole command of the fleets and armies of the re public devolved upon Chares, by whom they were so completely mismanaged, that no progress whatever was made in the reduction of the revolted states. Charcs, too, having for a sum of money assisted Ar tabazus, satrap of Ionia, against the king of Persia, drew upon Athens the resentment of that monarch. In addition to this, the increasing pressure from Ma cedon and other quarters at length reduced her to the humiliating necessity of agreeing to a peace, by which she acknowledged the entire independence of the revolted states.
We return now to the affairs of Macedon. Two parties then divided the Athenian councils. One.. perpetually recommended peace and friendship with that power • while other breathed only war and hostility. The former consisted partly of the de voted adherents of Philip ; and partly also of a de.
scription of men, by far the most respectable in Athens, who were abundantly sensible of the danger arising from this quarter. Seeing, however, that the state was now totally unable to contend with the power of that monarchy, the preponderance of which was increased by every new war, they advised a moderate and con ciliating system as the only means of preserving to Athens what still remained. Isocrates and Phocion were the heads of this party. In the other, the lead was now taken by Demosthenes. His ardent and glowing mind, conceived the idea of reviving the glory of Athens, and making her all that she had formerly been. While, therefore, he impelled his countrymen to the most daring enterprizes, he at the same time pointed out the means by which these could be brought to a prosperous issue. He urged the necessity of no longer wasting the public trea sure on theatrical representations, and of taking up arms themselves, instead of filling their armies with mercenaries. The Athenians, in the decline of their valour, still retained all their ambition, so that he commonly succeeded in his first object, of engaging them in bold and adventurous undertakings ; but he in vain endeavoured to make them submit to those pri vations, which were indispensably necessary for their prosecution. Thus the influence of this party was
injurious, both from what it did, and from what it did not accomplish. On the other hand, the party of Phocion, without being able to check the rash schemes of their adversaries, seem only to have embarrassed the execution of them. Thus every thing conspired to the fall of.Athenian great ness. • On one occasion, the people discovered some marks of their former activity. Philip had contrived to gain a powerful party in Eubcea, which, availing it self of the small number of Athenian troops kept there, succeeded in gaining an ascendency, and thus threatened to deprive Athens of that important island. This danger was too imminent to be ne glected. An armament was immediately equipped and committed to Phocion, now the only great com: mander remaining to Athens. Phocion, acting with his usual skill and judgment, was not long of defeating the Macedonians and Eubcean malcontents, and of compelling the former to evacuate the island.
The alliance `between the Olynthians and Philip was not likely to last long. The possession of the Thracian coast was a primary object of ambition to that monarch; and when he had disengaged himself from other objects, the restless character of this state, full of Athenian partizans, soon afforded him a pre tence. The interest of Athens could not be mis taken. A strict alliance was immediately concluded between the two republics, and the Athenians, in compliance with the urgent intreaties of Demost henes, seriously resolved on a prosecution of the war. As they were in vain entreated, however, to retrench in their expensive amusements, or to submit to the hardships of personal service, every thing went on slowly and languidly. A few mercenary troops were hired, and put under the command of Chares. That general, however, instead of aiding the Olyn thians, employed himself in his usual occupation of ravaging the coasts, and plundering the allies ; and, having enabled himself, on his return, to give a splen did feast to the people, was hailed with acclamation. New ambassadors, however, soon came from Olyn thus, to remonstrate on the inefficacy of this expedi tion. Another was then fitted out, and a small body of mercenaries at last thrown into Olynthus. This, however, proved but a feeble barrier to the progress of Philip. Having successively reduced city after city, he was now pressing the siege of the capital, which, after a long and obstinate resistance; was reduced to the last extremity. The Athenians, on learning this distress of their ally, began at last to set a formi dable expedition on foot ; but just as it was on the point of sailing, intelligence arrived, that its object was no more, and that Philip was now master of Olynthus.