The Story of the GreeksGuerber, H. A. (Hélène Adeline)
History
The Story of the Greeks
Guerber, H. A. (Hélène Adeline)
Greece -- History; Readers -- History
You must remember how Megacles had killed the men who came out of
Athene's temple clinging to the cord they had fastened to her statue.
Megacles, as you know, had been banished from Athens with all his family
(the Alcmaeonidae) on account of this crime, but he had always hoped to be
allowed to return.
Meanwhile the beautiful temple at Delphi had been burned to the ground,
and the people were very anxious to rebuild it. They therefore voted a
certain sum of money for this purpose; and, as the Alcmaeonidae offered
to do the work for the least pay, the contract was given to them.
The Alcmaeonidae faithfully carried out the plans, and used the money;
but, instead of building the temple of brick, they made it of pure white
marble, paying for the more costly material themselves.
The priests of Delphi were so pleased with the handsome new building,
and with the generosity of the builders, that they were eager to do them
a good turn. So, knowing that the Alcmaeonidae wanted to get back to
Athens, they told the Spartans who came to consult the oracle, that
Hippias should be driven away, and the Alcmaeonidae allowed to return to
their native city.
As the people believed all the oracle said, the Spartans armed at once,
and, helped by the Alcmaeonidae, began to make war against the Athenians.
By a clever trick, they soon managed to capture the family of Hippias,
and they refused to set them free unless the tyrant left Athens forever.
Thus forced to give in, Hippias left Athens, and withdrew with his
family to Asia Minor. Here he spent all his time in trying to persuade
the different cities to make war against Athens, offering to lead their
armies, for he still hoped to regain his lost power.
The Athenians, delighted at the expulsion of the Pis-is-trat'i-dae, as
the driving-away of Hippias and his family is called in history, now
dared to make statues in honor of their favorites Harmodius and
Aristogiton, and openly expressed their regret that these brave young
men had not lived to see their native city free.
Many songs were composed to celebrate the patriotism of the two
friends; and these were sung on all public occasions, to encourage other
youths to follow their example, lead good and virtuous lives, and be
ready at any time to die, if need be, for the sake of their native land.
Leaena, too, received much praise, for the Athenian women never forgot
how bravely she had endured torture rather than betray the men who had
trusted her.
The Alcmaeonidae, having thus found their way back into the city, now
began to play an important part in the government; and Clis'the-nes,
their leader, urged the Athenians to obey again the laws which had been
made by Solon.
These were slightly changed, however, so as to give more power to the
people; and the government thus became more democratic than ever. Then,
too, Clisthenes said that there should always be ten Athenian generals
who should hold supreme command each for a day in turn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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