s of
Perdiccas, the head of the realm. In their envy, they rose up against
him; and for many years Perdiccas was forced to hold his own against
them all, while trying to make his way back to Macedon, where he wanted
to place Alexander's son upon the throne.

CV. DEATH OF DEMOSTHENES.

When Alexander left for the East, the orator Demosthenes began to urge
the Greeks to rise up against him, and win back their freedom. All his
eloquence, however, was not enough to persuade them to make war as long
as Alexander lived.

But when the conqueror's death was made known, Demosthenes again tried
to arouse them, and this time with success. Pho'cion, a cautious
Athenian, vainly begged the people to wait at least until the news was
confirmed, saying, "If Alexander is dead to-day, he will still be dead
to-morrow and on the next day, so that we may take counsel at our
leisure."

This wise caution, however, did not suit the Athenians, who were joined
in their revolt by most of the little states and principal towns of
Greece, except Sparta. The united Greeks soon raised an army, which
marched northward, and met the Macedonian governor's troops near
Thermopylae.

[Illustration: Phocion.]

The Greeks were successful here, and, after shutting up the enemy in the
fortress of La'mi-a, closely besieged them. But after a time the Greek
general was killed; and, when the Macedonians were reenforced, they
gained a decisive victory. This really ended the war; for the Macedonian
general, Antipater, broke up the union, and made separate terms of peace
for each city.

In his anger, Antipater said he would punish all those who had
encouraged the Greeks to revolt. He soon learned that Demosthenes had
been one of the principal men to advise the uprising, so he sent his
soldiers to make him prisoner.

Demosthenes, warned of his danger, immediately fled, but had only time
to take refuge in the Temple of Neptune. There, in spite of the holiness
of the place, Antipater's guards came to get him.

Seeing that it would be useless to resist, the orator asked for a few
moments' respite, that he might write a letter to his friends. The men
consented; and Demosthenes, closely watched, took up his tablet and the
reed with which he generally wrote.

The soldiers saw him trace a few lines, then stop and bite the top of
his reed, as if thinking about what he would say next. But, instead of
going on to write his letter, the orator soon covered his