alien, and could be very little depended on. Such a person was
Charidemus, a native of Oreus in Euboea, who commenced his career as
captain of a pirate vessel. He was often in the service of Athens, but
did her more harm than good. See my article _Mercenarii_, Arch.
Dict.] whom you commission avoid this war, and seek wars of their own?
(for of the generals too must a little truth be told.) Because here the
prizes of the war are yours; for example, if Amphipolis be taken, you
will immediately recover it; the commanders have all the risk and no
reward. But in the other case the risks are less, and the gains belong
to the commanders and soldiers; Lampsacus, [Footnote: Chares, the
Athenian general, was said to have received these Asiatic cities from
Artabazus, the Persian satrap, in return for the service he had
performed. Probably it was some authority or privileges in those cities,
not the actual dominion, that was conferred upon him. Sigeum, which is
near the mouth of the Hellespont, and was a convenient situation for his
adventures, was the ordinary residence of Chares.] Sigeum, the vessels
which they plunder. So they proceed to secure their several interests:
you, when you look at the bad state of your affairs, bring the generals
to trial; but when they get a hearing and plead these necessities, you
dismiss them. The result is that, while you are quarreling and divided,
some holding one opinion, some another, the commonwealth goes wrong.
Formerly, Athenians, you had boards [Footnote: This refers to the
institution of the [Greek: _summoriai_], or boards for management
of the property-tax at Athens, as to which see Appendix IV. The argument
of Demosthenes is as follows--The three hundred wealthier citizens, who
were associated by law for purposes of taxation, had become a clique for
political purposes, with an orator at their head, (he intentionally uses
the term [Greek: _haegemon_], _chairman of the board_,) to
conduct the business of the assembly, while they stood to shout and
applaud his speeches. The general, who held a judicial court to decide