Such incidents materially aided the enemies of Alkibiades in their unremitting efforts to procure his recall and condemnation. Among them were men very different in station and temper : Thessalus son of Kimon, a man of the highest lineage and of hereditary oligarchical politics, as vell as Androkles, a leading demagogue or popular orator. It was the former who preferred against him in the senate the memorable impeachment, which, fortunately for our information, is recorded verbatim.
"Thessalus son of Kimon, of the deme Lakiadæ, hath impeached Alkibiades son of Kleinias, of the deme Skambonidsc, as guilty of crime in regard to the two goddesses Demeter and Persephone, in mimicking the mysteries, and exhibiting them to his companions in his own house, wearing the costume of the hierophant: applying to himself the name of hierophant; to Polytion, that of daduch; to Theodorus that of herald, and addressing his remaining companions as mysts and epopts; all contrary to the sacred customs and canons, of old established by the Eumolpidæ, the Kerykes, and the Eleusinian priests."[1]
Similar impeachments being at the same time presented against other citizens now serving in Sicily along with Alkibia- des, the accusers moved that he and the rest might be sent for to come home and take their trial. We may observe that the indictment against him is quite distinct and special, making no allusion to any supposed treasonable or anti-constitutional projects: probably, however, these suspicions were pressed by his enemies in their preliminary speeches, for the purpose of inducing the Athenians to remove him from the command of the army forthwith, and send for him home. For such a step it was indispensable that a strong case should be made out : but the public was
at length thoroughly brought round, and the Salaminian trireme
- ↑ Plutarch, Alkib. c. 22. (
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