Such incidents materially aided the enemies of Alkibiadês 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 well as Androklês, 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
Alkibiadês son of Kleinias, of the deme Skambônidæ, as guilty of
crime in regard to the two goddesses Dêmêtêr and Persephonê, 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
Theodôrus 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.”[316]
[316] Plutarch, Alkib. c. 22. Θέσσαλος Κίμωνος Λακιάδης,
Ἀλκιβιάδην Κλεινίου Σκαμβωνίδην εἰσήγγειλεν ἀδικεῖν περὶ τὼ
θεὼ, τὴν Δήμητρα καὶ τὴν Κόρην, ἀπομιμούμενον τὰ μυστήρια, καὶ
δεικνύοντα τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἑταίροις ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ, ἔχοντα
στολὴν οἵανπερ ἱεροφάντης ἔχων δεικνύει τὰ ἱερὰ, καὶ ὀνομάζοντα
αὐτὸν μὲν ἱεροφάντην, Πολυτίωνα δὲ δᾳδοῦχον, κήρυκα δὲ Θεόδωρον
Φηγεέα· τοὺς δ’ ἄλλους ἑταίρους, μύστας προσαγορεύοντα καὶ
ἐπόπτας, παρὰ τὰ νόμιμα καὶ τὰ καθεστηκότα ὑπὸ τ’ Εὐμολπιδῶν καὶ
κηρύκων καὶ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν ἐξ Ἐλευσῖνος.
Similar impeachments being at the same time presented against other
citizens now serving in Sicily along with Alkibiadês, 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
was despatched to Sicily to fetch him. Great care however was taken,
in sending this summons, to avoid all appearance of prejudgment,
or harshness, or menace. The trierarch was forbidden to seize his
person, and had instructions to invite him simply to accompany the
Salaminian home in his own trireme: so as to avoid the hazard of
offending the Argeian and Mantineian allies serving in Sicily, or the
army itself.[317]
[317] Thucyd. vi, 61.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account