Such was this battle, for ever memorable by an issue so contrary to all appearances, and so auspi cious to the happiness and freedom of mankind. A small city, hardly numbered till now among the states of Greece, had baffled and driven back in confusion the collected might of the ruler of Asia. Athens had sow begun her career of glory ; and a series of triumphs succeeded, which soon raised her to be the first among the Grecian states.
es The popular favour, however, which attended the general who had led them to victory, was not of long duration. Such a pre-eminence, enjoyed by any one citizen, was thought dangerous to the liberty of all ; and Miltiades having, in the Chersonese, possessed the power, and even the title of tyrant, was supposed likely to aim at a similar pre-eminence in Athens. We hear of no behaviour of his own which could give countenance to those rumours ; but their circulation gradually predisposed men's minds unfavourably to wards him. This soon appeared, when a disaster be fel him. Being sent with a fleet to chastise the islands which had submitted to, and assisted the Persians, he performed his commission at first with success, and exacted large sums from them. But on coming to Paros, he was prompted by private resentment against Tisagoras, a leading man in the island, to make so enormous a demand, as determined the inhabitants to resist to the last extremity. He was wounded in the siege ; but at the end of 76 days, the place was on the point of falling, when Miltiades, discovering a light on the shore of the opposite continent, hastily mistook it for the approach of a Persian armament, raised the siege, and returned to Athens. An unfor tunate man was never welcome there. An accusation was soon preferred against him by Xantippus, the fa ther of Pericles ; he was condemned to pay 50 talents ; and not being possessed of that sum, was thrown into prison, where lie soon after died of his wounds.
Such was the unworthy fate of the most illustrious of Athenian commanders. Yet so fruitful was she then in great men, that scarcely had he disappeared, when two arose, who were well worthy of supplying his place. These were the celebrated rivals Themis tocles and Aristides. No greater contrast could be
exhibited, than by the character of these two men. The former seems to have possessed every quality which could enable him to take the lead among the multitude. Bold, impetuous, enterprising even to ' rashness, and at the same time artful, subtle, versatile, he at once possessed a conformity of character which made him the object of their favour, and could prac tise every art for availing himself of that favour ; nor was he restrained by any very scrupulous rules of morality, from using such means as seemed most likely to accomplish his ends. He promoted, however, to the utmost, the greatness of his country, whether out of patriotism, or at least as connected with his own great ness. While he favoured the cause of the people, Aristides, on the other hand, supported that of the aristocracy. This man was in every respect the re verse of Themistocles. Moderate, rigidly and im moveably just, little ambitious of popularity, he rested satisfied with the approbation of his own mind, and stooped to none of those arts by which his rival con ciliated the public affection. The party, besides, to which Themistocles had 'attached himself, was now become decidedly superior. After a severe struggle, therefore, he found means to effect the banishment of his rival, which was decreed by means of the ostracism, an institution peculiar to Athens, and of a very re markable nature. By it, any citizen, without accu sation or trial, by the mere votes of the people, (writ ten on a species of shell,) might be banished for ten years. It inflicted no stigma, being generally imposed on the most eminent citizens, from whom it was sup posed that most was to be feared. Some have brand ed it as an absurd and capricious exercise of popular despotism ; while others applaud it as a mild and effec tual method of preventing that tyranny, which, in a popular state, is apt to ensue from the too command ing character of any one individual. Something be tween the two may probably be the soundest opinion ; for though, in such a constitution as that of Athens, there seems areal ground for the institution, yet there is no doubt that it was often capriciously and unjustly exercised.