DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70030#0223
ATHENS.] PERICLES.
eles himself fomented it; certain it is, that he did no-
thing to prevent it, and that- it was of infinite import-
ance to the re-establishment of his power.
Fortune, during the first years of the war, appeared
to balance between the two rival nations the successes
and the defeats ; but the prudence of Pericles presented
more than once an useful obstacle to the unreflecting
ardour of the Athenians. He would never expose, his sol-
diers to a pitched battle, and preferred seeing the plains
of Athens devastated by the Lacedaemonians rather than
risk a decisive combat with enemies superior in numbers,
and their equal in point of valour. The Athenians mur-
mured at this discretion, which they called cowardice,
deprived him of his authority, and condemned him to
pay a considerable fine. Pericles did not only experi-
ence public misfortunes; at the same moment some pri-
vate calamities took possession of his great mind. The
plague, a scourge from Ethiopia, after having overrun
Egypt, Lybia, a part of Persia, and the Isle of Lemnos,
then ravaged Athens. Pericles beheld his children pe-
rish, and many of his friends. The death of his last son
shook his fortitude in a peculiar manner : in attempting
to place the crown of flowers on the head of his deceased
offspring, he was so overpowered at the sight, that he
abandoned himself to the most clamourous and excessive
grief.
Athens, at length, dissatisfied with her generals and
her magistrates, the weakness of whose talents she had
experienced, recalled Pericles, and solicited pardon for
her ingratitude. This great man, although disgusted with
the possession of power, and overwhelmed at the loss
of his children, submitted to the prayers of the people,
eles himself fomented it; certain it is, that he did no-
thing to prevent it, and that- it was of infinite import-
ance to the re-establishment of his power.
Fortune, during the first years of the war, appeared
to balance between the two rival nations the successes
and the defeats ; but the prudence of Pericles presented
more than once an useful obstacle to the unreflecting
ardour of the Athenians. He would never expose, his sol-
diers to a pitched battle, and preferred seeing the plains
of Athens devastated by the Lacedaemonians rather than
risk a decisive combat with enemies superior in numbers,
and their equal in point of valour. The Athenians mur-
mured at this discretion, which they called cowardice,
deprived him of his authority, and condemned him to
pay a considerable fine. Pericles did not only experi-
ence public misfortunes; at the same moment some pri-
vate calamities took possession of his great mind. The
plague, a scourge from Ethiopia, after having overrun
Egypt, Lybia, a part of Persia, and the Isle of Lemnos,
then ravaged Athens. Pericles beheld his children pe-
rish, and many of his friends. The death of his last son
shook his fortitude in a peculiar manner : in attempting
to place the crown of flowers on the head of his deceased
offspring, he was so overpowered at the sight, that he
abandoned himself to the most clamourous and excessive
grief.
Athens, at length, dissatisfied with her generals and
her magistrates, the weakness of whose talents she had
experienced, recalled Pericles, and solicited pardon for
her ingratitude. This great man, although disgusted with
the possession of power, and overwhelmed at the loss
of his children, submitted to the prayers of the people,