ur Hundred were overthrown and hardly dealt
with by the commons, he made what would seem to be the best defence of
any known up to my time. Phrynichus also went beyond all others in his
zeal for the oligarchy. Afraid of Alcibiades, and assured that he was
no stranger to his intrigues with Astyochus at Samos, he held that
no oligarchy was ever likely to restore him, and once embarked in the
enterprise, proved, where danger was to be faced, by far the staunchest
of them all. Theramenes, son of Hagnon, was also one of the foremost of
the subverters of the democracy--a man as able in council as in debate.
Conducted by so many and by such sagacious heads, the enterprise, great
as it was, not unnaturally went forward; although it was no light matter
to deprive the Athenian people of its freedom, almost a hundred years
after the deposition of the tyrants, when it had been not only not
subject to any during the whole of that period, but accustomed during
more than half of it to rule over subjects of its own.

The assembly ratified the proposed constitution, without a single
opposing voice, and was then dissolved; after which the Four Hundred
were brought into the council chamber in the following way. On account
of the enemy at Decelea, all the Athenians were constantly on the wall
or in the ranks at the various military posts. On that day the persons
not in the secret were allowed to go home as usual, while orders were
given to the accomplices of the conspirators to hang about, without
making any demonstration, at some little distance from the posts, and in
case of any opposition to what was being done, to seize the arms and
put it down. There were also some Andrians and Tenians, three hundred
Carystians, and some of the settlers in Aegina come with their own arms
for this very purpose, who had received similar instructions. These
dispositions completed, the Four Hundred went, each with a dagger
concealed about his person, accompanied by one hundred and twenty
Hellenic youths, whom they employed wherever violence was needed, and
appeared before the Councillors of the Bean in the council chamber, and
told them to take their pay and be gone; themselves bringing it for the
whole of the residue of their term of office, and giving it to them as
they went out.

Upon the Council withdrawing in this way without venturing any
objection, and the rest of the citizens making no movement, the Four
Hundred entered the council chamber, and f