DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0461
OF THE MILITARY AFFAIRS OF GREECE
439
Whom haply Greece to slaughter has decreed, N
And for ray fatal flight condemn'd to bleed. vnr.
To return to our subject. The nomination of the generals was made
in an assembly of the people, which, on this occasion, was convened in
the pynx, and frequently lighted on the same persons, if they behaved
themselves with courage and prudence, and executed their office for the
safety and honour of their country ; insomuch that it i* r. ported of Pho-
cion, that he was a commander five-and forty times, though fie never su-
ed or canvassed for that honour, but was always promoted by the free and
voluntary choice of the people (1). Before their admission to office ,
they took an oath of fidelity to the commonwealth, wherein one thing is
more peculiarly remarkable, viz. that they obliged themselves to invade
the Megarians twice every year : which clause was first inserted in the
oath by a decree preferred by Charinus, on account of Anthemocritus,
an Athenian herald, whom the Megarians had barbarously murdered
about the beginning of the Peloponnesian war (2). This done, the com-
mand of all the forces, and warlike preparations was intrusted in their
hands, to be employed and managed as they judged convenient ; yet was
not their power absolute and unlimited, it being wisely ordered, that up-
on the expiration of their command they should be liable to render an ac-
count of their administration : only on some extraordinary occasions, it
seemed fit to exempt them from this restraint, and send them with full
and uncontroulable authority, and then they were stiled Autoxpx.rogsg (3) :
which title was conferred on Aristides, when he was general, at the fa-
mous battle of Platsea ; upon Nicias, Alcibiades, and Lamachus, in the
Sicilian expedition, and several others (4). These commanders were
ten, according to the number of the Athenian tribes, and all called 2t£<x-
T'/jfo;, being invested with equal power, and about the first times of their
creation frequently dispatched all together in expeditions of concern and
moment, where every one enjoyed the supreme command by days. But
lest, in controverted matters, an equality of voices should retard their
proceedings, we find an eleventh person joined in commission with them,
and called UoXe^a^S. whose vote, added to either of the contesting par-
ties, weighed down the balance, as may appear from Herodotus's account
of the Athenian affairs in the Median war. To the same person the com-
mand of the left wing of the army belonged of right (5).
But afterwards, it was looked on as unnecessary, and perhaps not very
expedient, for so many generals to be sent with equal power to manage
military affairs : wherefore, though the ancient number was elected eve-
ry year, they were not all obliged to attend the wars ; but one, two, or
more, as occasion required, were dispatched to that service : the pole-
marchus was diverted to civil business, and became judge of a court,
where he had cognizance of law-suits between the natives or freemen of
Athens, and foreigners : the rest of the generals had every man his pro-
per employment ; yet none were wholly free from military concerns, but
determined all controversies that happened amongst men of that profes-
sion, and ordered all the affairs of war that lay in the city (6). Hence
they came to be distinguished into two sorts ; one they termed <r»V fat
(\) Plutarch.
(2) Plutarch.
(3) Suidas,
Phocione.
Pevicle,
(4) Plutarchus Aristide, &c.
(5) Herodotus Erato.
(fi) Demosthenes Philipp,
439
Whom haply Greece to slaughter has decreed, N
And for ray fatal flight condemn'd to bleed. vnr.
To return to our subject. The nomination of the generals was made
in an assembly of the people, which, on this occasion, was convened in
the pynx, and frequently lighted on the same persons, if they behaved
themselves with courage and prudence, and executed their office for the
safety and honour of their country ; insomuch that it i* r. ported of Pho-
cion, that he was a commander five-and forty times, though fie never su-
ed or canvassed for that honour, but was always promoted by the free and
voluntary choice of the people (1). Before their admission to office ,
they took an oath of fidelity to the commonwealth, wherein one thing is
more peculiarly remarkable, viz. that they obliged themselves to invade
the Megarians twice every year : which clause was first inserted in the
oath by a decree preferred by Charinus, on account of Anthemocritus,
an Athenian herald, whom the Megarians had barbarously murdered
about the beginning of the Peloponnesian war (2). This done, the com-
mand of all the forces, and warlike preparations was intrusted in their
hands, to be employed and managed as they judged convenient ; yet was
not their power absolute and unlimited, it being wisely ordered, that up-
on the expiration of their command they should be liable to render an ac-
count of their administration : only on some extraordinary occasions, it
seemed fit to exempt them from this restraint, and send them with full
and uncontroulable authority, and then they were stiled Autoxpx.rogsg (3) :
which title was conferred on Aristides, when he was general, at the fa-
mous battle of Platsea ; upon Nicias, Alcibiades, and Lamachus, in the
Sicilian expedition, and several others (4). These commanders were
ten, according to the number of the Athenian tribes, and all called 2t£<x-
T'/jfo;, being invested with equal power, and about the first times of their
creation frequently dispatched all together in expeditions of concern and
moment, where every one enjoyed the supreme command by days. But
lest, in controverted matters, an equality of voices should retard their
proceedings, we find an eleventh person joined in commission with them,
and called UoXe^a^S. whose vote, added to either of the contesting par-
ties, weighed down the balance, as may appear from Herodotus's account
of the Athenian affairs in the Median war. To the same person the com-
mand of the left wing of the army belonged of right (5).
But afterwards, it was looked on as unnecessary, and perhaps not very
expedient, for so many generals to be sent with equal power to manage
military affairs : wherefore, though the ancient number was elected eve-
ry year, they were not all obliged to attend the wars ; but one, two, or
more, as occasion required, were dispatched to that service : the pole-
marchus was diverted to civil business, and became judge of a court,
where he had cognizance of law-suits between the natives or freemen of
Athens, and foreigners : the rest of the generals had every man his pro-
per employment ; yet none were wholly free from military concerns, but
determined all controversies that happened amongst men of that profes-
sion, and ordered all the affairs of war that lay in the city (6). Hence
they came to be distinguished into two sorts ; one they termed <r»V fat
(\) Plutarch.
(2) Plutarch.
(3) Suidas,
Phocione.
Pevicle,
(4) Plutarchus Aristide, &c.
(5) Herodotus Erato.
(fi) Demosthenes Philipp,