374 HISTORY OF CiEEECE. purposes so closely, that he actually entered tlie harbor of Pe* ra?us (on the 26th of the month Thargelion — May) without ex- pectation, or resistance from any one ; his fleet being mistaken For the fleet of the Egyptian Ptolemy. The Phalerean Deme trius, taken unawares, and attempting too late to guard the har- bor, found himself compelled to leave it in possession of the ene- my, and to retire within the walls of Athens ; while Dionysius, the Kassandrian governor, maintained himself with his garrison in Munychia, yet without any army competent to meet the inva- ders in the field. This accomplished Phalerean, who had ad- ministered for ten years as the viceroy and with the force of Kassander, now felt his position and influence at Athens over- thrown, and even his personal safety endangered. He with other Athenians went as envoys on the ensuing day to ascertain what terms would be granted. The young prince ostentatiously proclaimed, that it was the intention of his father Antigonus and himself to restore and guarantee to the Athenians unqualified freedom and autonomy. Hence the Phalerean Demetrius fore- saw that his internal opponents, condemned as they had been to compulsory silence during the last ten years, would now pro- claim themselves with irresistible violence, so that there was no pafety for him except in retreat. He accordingly asked and ob- tained permission from the invader to retire to Thebes, from whence he passed over soon after to Ptolemy in Egypt. The Athenians in the city declared in favor of Demetrius Poliorke- tes ; who however refused to enter the walls until he should have besieged and captured Munychia, as well as Megara, with their Kassandrian garrisons. In a short time he accomplished both these objects. Indeed energy, skiU, and effective use of en- gines, in besieging fortified places, were among the most conspic- uous features in his character ; procuring for him the surname whereby he is known to history. He proclaimed the Megarians free, levelling to the ground the fortifications of Munychia, as an earnest to the Athenians that they should be relieved for the fu- ture from all foreign garrison.* ' Philochor. Fragm 144, ed. Didot ; Diodor. xx. 45,46; Plutarch, Deme- trius, 8, 9. The occupation of Peirffius by Demetrius Poliorketes is related somewhat differentlv by PolvKnus, iv. 7, 6.
