DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.800#0164
146
ANCIENT ATHENS.
that Pausanias went to Cophos Limen to survey how Peirseeus might be
most easily blockaded by erecting a fortress,1 from which we can only
infer that the northern portion, at least, of the Peiraic wall was down, or
what would have been the use of a new fortification ? Again, Pausanias,
when repulsed by the Thrasybulians, retires to some rising ground about
half a mile off. He must have retreated northwards, for had he retired
southwards he would have been liable to be cut off from his allies by
the Thrasybulians; whereas, from the spot where he rallied his men, he
sent a message to his associates to come to his aid. There is a slight
eminence just outside Peirseeus on approaching it from Athens.2 Having
been reinforced, Pausanias attacks the Thrasybulians with a heavy
phalanx, kills many of them, and drives others into the mud at Halae.3
Now Halse, if not the extreme northern inlet of the Peiraaan harbour,
must at all events have been outside the walls somewhere in this
direction; and there is, according to Curtius' map, some low swampy
ground half a mile to the east of that inlet, which would answer admi-
rably to Xenophon's description, though this, indeed, is within the
enclosure. But the whole account of these engagements is unintelli-
gible on the supposition that the northern wall of the Peiraeeus was
still standing. Both Lacedaemonians and Athenians are evidently
manceuvering on open ground, for no mention is made of wall or gate,
ica^pe'&j. Hellen. ii. 3, 11." It is hardly
necessary to say that the sense is : " The
Thirty were elected as soon as the
walls were demolished." Theramenes had
brought home worse terms of peace than
had at first been contemplated ; that
the whole of the Long Walls should be
demolished, instead of a length of ten
stadia; also that the fleet should be given
up, and the Peiraic wall pulled down.
Lysias c. Agorat. p. 453, Reiske. Pro-
bably this demolition was not carried out
literally; but, that the destruction must
have been great, appears from what Lysias
says a little further on : tn 8e (pep.vr)oBe)
ra T(i\T) as KaTeo-Ka<pT], kgi at vrjts rols
7roKepiots 7rapf&6flt]<rav, Kai ra vewpia
KaSyptdrj, Kal AaKfSat/ioviot ttjv atpcmoktv
vp-wv f i^op, Kai tj di/vapis anaara Trjs 7rdAeG)s
irape\v&Tj.—p. 471.
1 Such seems to be the meaning of iri}
e'*a7TOTft^icrrdTaTOff €irj 6 Unpaids.—Xen.
Hell. ii. 4, 31.
2 "Advancing further towards the sea
the ground is more stony, and the plain in
parts uncultivated, and the road ascending
a low rocky hill brings you at once upon
the Piraeus."—Hobhouse's Journey, vol. i.
p. 361. It is laid down in Curtius' plan of
the Peirceeus, where the height is given at
fifty feet.
3 Xen. Hell. ii. 4, 34.
ANCIENT ATHENS.
that Pausanias went to Cophos Limen to survey how Peirseeus might be
most easily blockaded by erecting a fortress,1 from which we can only
infer that the northern portion, at least, of the Peiraic wall was down, or
what would have been the use of a new fortification ? Again, Pausanias,
when repulsed by the Thrasybulians, retires to some rising ground about
half a mile off. He must have retreated northwards, for had he retired
southwards he would have been liable to be cut off from his allies by
the Thrasybulians; whereas, from the spot where he rallied his men, he
sent a message to his associates to come to his aid. There is a slight
eminence just outside Peirseeus on approaching it from Athens.2 Having
been reinforced, Pausanias attacks the Thrasybulians with a heavy
phalanx, kills many of them, and drives others into the mud at Halae.3
Now Halse, if not the extreme northern inlet of the Peiraaan harbour,
must at all events have been outside the walls somewhere in this
direction; and there is, according to Curtius' map, some low swampy
ground half a mile to the east of that inlet, which would answer admi-
rably to Xenophon's description, though this, indeed, is within the
enclosure. But the whole account of these engagements is unintelli-
gible on the supposition that the northern wall of the Peiraeeus was
still standing. Both Lacedaemonians and Athenians are evidently
manceuvering on open ground, for no mention is made of wall or gate,
ica^pe'&j. Hellen. ii. 3, 11." It is hardly
necessary to say that the sense is : " The
Thirty were elected as soon as the
walls were demolished." Theramenes had
brought home worse terms of peace than
had at first been contemplated ; that
the whole of the Long Walls should be
demolished, instead of a length of ten
stadia; also that the fleet should be given
up, and the Peiraic wall pulled down.
Lysias c. Agorat. p. 453, Reiske. Pro-
bably this demolition was not carried out
literally; but, that the destruction must
have been great, appears from what Lysias
says a little further on : tn 8e (pep.vr)oBe)
ra T(i\T) as KaTeo-Ka<pT], kgi at vrjts rols
7roKepiots 7rapf&6flt]<rav, Kai ra vewpia
KaSyptdrj, Kal AaKfSat/ioviot ttjv atpcmoktv
vp-wv f i^op, Kai tj di/vapis anaara Trjs 7rdAeG)s
irape\v&Tj.—p. 471.
1 Such seems to be the meaning of iri}
e'*a7TOTft^icrrdTaTOff €irj 6 Unpaids.—Xen.
Hell. ii. 4, 31.
2 "Advancing further towards the sea
the ground is more stony, and the plain in
parts uncultivated, and the road ascending
a low rocky hill brings you at once upon
the Piraeus."—Hobhouse's Journey, vol. i.
p. 361. It is laid down in Curtius' plan of
the Peirceeus, where the height is given at
fifty feet.
3 Xen. Hell. ii. 4, 34.