96 HISTORY OF GREECE. ing the enterprise of Pelopidas and his comrades. So overpow- ering was the anxiety in the public mind to avoid giving offence to Sparta, that these two generals were both of them accused be- fore the dikastery. The first of them was condemned and exe- cuted ; the second, profiting by this warning (since, pursuant to the psephism of Kannones, 1 the two would be put on trial sepa rately), escaped, and a sentence of banishment was passed against him. 2 These two generals had been unquestionably guilty of a grave abuse of their official functions. They had brought the state into public hazard, not merely without consulting the senate or assembly, but even without taking the sense of their own board of Ten. Nevertheless the severity of the sentence pronounced indicates the alarm, as well as the displeasure, of the general body of Athenians ; while it served as a disclaimer in fact, if not in form, of all political connection with Thebes. 3 1 See Vol. VIII. of this History, Ch. Ixiy, p. 196 about the psephism of Kannonus.
- Xen. Hellen. v, 4, 19; Plutarch, Pelopid. c. 14.
Xenophon mentions the Lacedaemonian envoys at Athens, but does not expressly say that they were sent to demand reparation for the conduct of these two generals or of the volunteers. I cannot doubt, however, that the fact was so ; for in those times, there were no resident envoys, none but envoys sent on special missions. 3 The trial and condemnation of these two generals has served as the groundwork for harsh reproach against the Athenian democracy. Wachs- muth (Hellen. Alterth. i, p. 654) denounces it as "a judicial horror, or abom- ination cin Greul-gericht." Rehdantz (Vita; Iphicratis, Chabrise, etc. p. 44,45) says, "Quid? quia invasionem Lacedsemoniorum viderant in Bceotiam factam csse, non puduit eos, damnare imperatores quorum facta suis decretis comprobaverant 1 " " Igitur hanc illius facinoris excusa- tionem habebimus : Rebus quae a Thebanis agebantur (i. e. by the proposi- tions of the Thebans seeking peace from Sparta, and trying to get enrolled as her allies, alleged by Isokrates, which I have noticed above as being, in my judgment, very inaccurately recorded) cognitis, Athenienses, quo enittus subvenerant, eo majore pccnitentid perculsi sunt Sed tantum ab- fuit ut sibimet irascerentur, ut, e more Atheniensium, punirentur r/ui perfece- f ant id quod turn populus exoptaverat." The censures of Wachsmuth, Rehdantz, etc. assume as matter of fact, 1. That the Athenians had passed a formal vote in the public assembly to send assistance to Thebes, under two generals, who accordingly went out in command of the army and performed their instructions. 2. That the Athe- nians, becoming aftenvards repentant or terrified, tried and condemned these two generals for having executed the commission entrusted to them.
