The contest was severe. The Thebans were pla ced on the right wing, the Athenians on the left. The latter,. though opposed by Philip in person, were for some time victorious ; but, pursuing too hotly, exposed themselves to an attack of the Mace donian phalanx, which soon changed their victory into a defeat. The Thebans also, after an obstinate resistance, were routed, and their sacred band entire ly cut to pieces. Philip obtained a complete tri umph ; while Greece, and above all, Athens, recei ved that mortal blow, from which they never reco vered.
It was generally expected, that Philip would avail himself of this opportunity of crushing entirely this inveterate enemy. That prudent, prince, however, foresaw, that powerful obstacles were yet to be en countered, and that there was still a spirit in the Athenian people which might render it difficult to hold them in complete subjection. It would appear also, as if the genius and fame of Athens had, in this hour of her calamity, thrown a shield over her. Phi lip is reported to have said, " Have I done so much for glory, and shall I destroy the theatre of that glory i" Certain it is, that he skewed an anxiety to gain Athens only by conciliation. He dismissed the prisoners without ransom, gave them even their bag gage on being asked, and proposed terms of accom modation, which were not only moderate, but ad vantageous. The Athenians at first spurned the idea of existing by the clemency of Philip, and pre pared rather for every extremity of resistance. This display of spirit only served to make Philip adhere the more steadily to his first offers ; moderate advices prevailed ; and a treaty was at length concluded, by which they retained the whole Attic territory, with the addition of Oropus, a Boeotian city. Lysicles was put to death ; but whether deservedly, or as a vie.' tim to public resentment, does not distinctly appear.
Such was the final termination of the power and greatness of Athens. From this moment her politi cal existence ceased. Here, therefore, it may be proper to pause, and before tracing the more obscure thread of her subsequent fortunes, take a short sur vey of what she was during that splendid period, when liberty raised her to the summit of glory, in arts and in arms. We shall begin with a view of her external aspect ; we shall then survey' her political and moral constitution ; and, lastly, consider her wonder ful proficiency in the arts and sciences.
Athens was situated on the Saronic gulf, oppo site to the eastern coast of Peloponneius. It was in closed in a sort of peninsula, formed by the confluence of the Cephisus and the Ilissns. From the sea, on
which its greatness and importance so essentially de pended, 'it was distant about four miles. It was con nected, however, by walls of great strength and ex tent, with the three harbours of Pirxus, Munychia, and Phalerus, The former, though the last of being erected, was soon found the most commodious and im portant of the three, and became a sort of emporium of Grecian commerce. A bay, formed by projecting rocks, furnished a species of triple harbour, at (mix spacious and secure ; and the surrounding shore war covered with edifices, the splendour of which soon rivalled those of Athens itself. These harbours were joined to the city by a double range of walls, called the long tealls, of which the north side; extending to Piraeus, wad five miles ; the south, which branched off to Phalerus, was four miles and a quarter in length. That encompassing the Pirxus with Munychia, was seven miles and a half. The long walls were built of hewn stone, and were so broad, that carriages could cross each other upon them.
In the centre of the city itself, and constituting its chief ornament, stood the Acropolis, the glory of Grecian art. On this elevation the whole of Athens was originally built ; but as the city extended, the Acropolis came to serve merely the purpose of a cita del. Here, as in the safest and most conspicuous situation, were accumulated all those works of orna ment, of which Athens was so prolific. The Acro polis became the grand depositary for every thing most splendid which human genius could produce, in painting, sculpture, and architecture. Its chief or nament was the Parthenon, or virgin temple of Mi nerva. This splendid edifice was 217 feet in length, and 98 in breadth. Destroyed by the Persians, it was rebuilt by Pericles, with great additional splen dour. Within was the statue of Minerva by Phidias, the masterpiece of the art of statuary. It was of ivory, thirty-nine feet in height, and entirely covered with pure gold, to the value of forty-four talents, or £120,000 sterling. The Propylea also, of white marble, formed magnificent entrances to the Parthe non. This edifice was on the north side of the Acropolis, and near it was the Erectheum, also of white marble, consisting of two temples, one of Mi nerva Polias, another of Neptune, besides a remark able edifice called the Pandroseum. In front of the Acropolis, and at each end, were the two theatres, cal led the theatre of Bacchus, and the Odeum ; the one • designed for dramatic representations, and the other for music. Both, and particularly the last, were of extraordinary magnificence.