Greek Lives: A Selection of Nine Greek Lives by Plutarch & Robin Waterfield & Philip A. Stadter

Author:Plutarch & Robin Waterfield & Philip A. Stadter [Plutarch & Waterfield, Robin & Stadter, Philip A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Europe, Ancient, Greeks, Greece - Biography, General, Literary Criticism, Historical, Greece, Biography & Autobiography, Ancient & Classical, Scholars, History
ISBN: 9780192825018
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 1998-03-15T07:00:00+00:00

Page 237

and chanting dirges. Then there was the mutilation of the herms, when in the course of a single night every herm had its facial extremities broken off; this disturbed a great many people, even if they were normally inclined to be indifferent to such things.* There was a suggestion that the Corinthians had done itSyracuse being a Corinthian colonyin the hope that the portent might get the Athenians to delay or even abandon all thoughts of the war, but the common people were unaffected either by this argument or by another which said that there was nothing ominous about the affair at all, but that it was just the kind of thing that tends to happen under the influence of undiluted wine, when undisciplined young men get carried away beyond fun and into violence. Instead, they reacted with anger and fear to what had happened, and imagined that it was a daring move on the part of a band of conspirators with far-reaching objectives, and they conducted a relentless investigation into every possibility, with both the Council and the Assembly meeting repeatedly within the space of a few days to discuss the matter.

[19] Meanwhile, the popular leader Androcles produced some slaves and resident aliens who accused Alcibiades and a group of his friends of mutilating other statues, and of parodying the Mysteries when drunk. They said that the Herald was played by someone called Theodorus, the Torch-bearer by Poulition, the High Priest by Alcibiades, and that other friends of his who were there had acted as Watchers and been nominated as Initiates.* These were the charges contained in the impeachment brought by Thessalus the son of Canon, which accused Alcibiades of impiety towards the two goddesses.* The people of Athens were bitterly angry with Alcibiades, and Androcles, who was one of Alcibiades' main enemies, fanned the flames of their anger. At first Alcibiades was concerned, but then he realized that he had the loyalty of all the soldiers and sailors on the ships destined for Sicily, and when he heard the 1,000-strong contingent of Argive and Mantinean hoplites openly declaring that if it were not for Alcibiades they would not be undertaking this long overseas expedition, and that if anyone were to treat him unfairly they would not hesitate to leave, he felt more positive about the future and he seized the opportunity to defend himself.* As a result, it was the turn of his enemies to be discouraged; they were afraid that the Athenians would let the fact that they needed Alcibiades take the edge off their anger when it came to judging him.

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