DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0043
OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF ATHENS
21
pleasure ; and in the election of magistrates, and ordering public affairs,
though every man might give his voice which way he pleased, yet if he
thwarted the Roman designs, or was cold in his affection to them, or
(which was all one) but warm in the defence of the liberties and privi-
leges of his country, he was looked upon with a jealous eye, as a favour-
er of rebellion, and an enemy to the Romans.
And, for no other reason, a thousand of the most eminent Achseans,
without any charge, or so much as suspicion of treachery, were sent pri-
soners to Rome ; where, notwithstanding all the testimonies of their in-
nocence, and the solicitations of their country, which never ceased to
importune the senate for their liberty, they endured an imprisonment of
seventeen years ; which being expired, to the number of thirty of them
were released, amongst whom was Polybius, from whose impartial histo-
ry we have an account of all these proceedings, which their own his-
torians endeavour to palliate, though they cannot deny them ; all the
rest either died in prison, or, upon attempting to make their escape, suf-
fered as malefactors.
And by these and such like means, whilst some sought by flattery and
compliance to insinuate themselves into the favour of the Romans, others
out of fear and cowardice resolved to swim with the stream, and those
few that had courage and resolution to appear for their country, were
little regarded. Every thing was carried on according to the desire of
the Romans ; and if any thing happened contrary to it, their agents pre-
sently made an appeal to the senate, which reserved to themselves a
power of receiving such like complaints, arid determining as they thought
convenient; and they that would not submit to this decision were pro-
ceeded against as enemies, and forced by power of arms into obedience.
No war was to be begun, no peace to be concluded, nor scarce their
own country to be defended, without the advice and consent of the se-
nate : they were obliged to pay what taxes the senate thought fit to im-
pose upon them ; nay, the Roman officers sometimes took the liberty of
raising contributions of their own accord. And though in the Macedo-
nian war, upon several just complaints made against them, the senate was
forced to put forth a decree, that no Grecian should be obliged to pay any
contribution besides such as was levied by their order ; )'et if any man
refused to answer the demands of any Roman officer, he was looked upon
as an encourager of sedition, and in the end fared little better than those
that broke out into open rebellion.
In this state stood the affairs of the Athenians under the Roman go-
vernment : and, whether in consideration of the easiness of this yoke, if
compared with that which the Macedonians imposed upon them, or
through meanness of spirit, contracted by being long accustomed to mis-
fortunes, or for want of power to assert their liberty, or for all these
reasons, they patiently submitted themselves, seeming well satisfied with
the enjoyment of this slavish freedom, which in a few ages before they
would have rejected with the greatest indignation, and endeavoured to
deliver themselves from it, though their lives and the remainder of their
fortunes should have been hazarded in the enterprise.
And from this time to the war with Mithridates they continued with-
out any remarkable alterations ; but either by the persuasions of Aris-
ton the philosopher, or out of fear of Mithridates's army, they had the
bad fortune to take his part, and receive Archestratus, one of his lieute-
21
pleasure ; and in the election of magistrates, and ordering public affairs,
though every man might give his voice which way he pleased, yet if he
thwarted the Roman designs, or was cold in his affection to them, or
(which was all one) but warm in the defence of the liberties and privi-
leges of his country, he was looked upon with a jealous eye, as a favour-
er of rebellion, and an enemy to the Romans.
And, for no other reason, a thousand of the most eminent Achseans,
without any charge, or so much as suspicion of treachery, were sent pri-
soners to Rome ; where, notwithstanding all the testimonies of their in-
nocence, and the solicitations of their country, which never ceased to
importune the senate for their liberty, they endured an imprisonment of
seventeen years ; which being expired, to the number of thirty of them
were released, amongst whom was Polybius, from whose impartial histo-
ry we have an account of all these proceedings, which their own his-
torians endeavour to palliate, though they cannot deny them ; all the
rest either died in prison, or, upon attempting to make their escape, suf-
fered as malefactors.
And by these and such like means, whilst some sought by flattery and
compliance to insinuate themselves into the favour of the Romans, others
out of fear and cowardice resolved to swim with the stream, and those
few that had courage and resolution to appear for their country, were
little regarded. Every thing was carried on according to the desire of
the Romans ; and if any thing happened contrary to it, their agents pre-
sently made an appeal to the senate, which reserved to themselves a
power of receiving such like complaints, arid determining as they thought
convenient; and they that would not submit to this decision were pro-
ceeded against as enemies, and forced by power of arms into obedience.
No war was to be begun, no peace to be concluded, nor scarce their
own country to be defended, without the advice and consent of the se-
nate : they were obliged to pay what taxes the senate thought fit to im-
pose upon them ; nay, the Roman officers sometimes took the liberty of
raising contributions of their own accord. And though in the Macedo-
nian war, upon several just complaints made against them, the senate was
forced to put forth a decree, that no Grecian should be obliged to pay any
contribution besides such as was levied by their order ; )'et if any man
refused to answer the demands of any Roman officer, he was looked upon
as an encourager of sedition, and in the end fared little better than those
that broke out into open rebellion.
In this state stood the affairs of the Athenians under the Roman go-
vernment : and, whether in consideration of the easiness of this yoke, if
compared with that which the Macedonians imposed upon them, or
through meanness of spirit, contracted by being long accustomed to mis-
fortunes, or for want of power to assert their liberty, or for all these
reasons, they patiently submitted themselves, seeming well satisfied with
the enjoyment of this slavish freedom, which in a few ages before they
would have rejected with the greatest indignation, and endeavoured to
deliver themselves from it, though their lives and the remainder of their
fortunes should have been hazarded in the enterprise.
And from this time to the war with Mithridates they continued with-
out any remarkable alterations ; but either by the persuasions of Aris-
ton the philosopher, or out of fear of Mithridates's army, they had the
bad fortune to take his part, and receive Archestratus, one of his lieute-