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STATESMEN AND ORATORS. 177by a man of superior genius.It is true that his greattalents were united to a character, which was not entirelyfree from selfishness. 1But the interests of his country werenever sacrificed to his private advantage. And in judgingof Themistocles, it must never be forgotten, that he was thefirst who, without family, rose to eminence in Athens, anddestroyed the power of the nobility. 2 This could never beforgiven him and it is not; strange, that, persecuted as hewas by Sparta, he should have been overwhelmed by hisforeign and domestic enemies. But when he quitted ungrateful Athens, his object was already accomplished. Hehad practically demonstrated that he understood the artwhich he vaunted, of making of a small state a large one.The reception with which he met in Persia, does no lesshonour to him than to Artaxerxes ;and althoughit isdoubtful whether he did not escape serving against hiscountry by a voluntary death, 3 it is certain that he did nothing which could sullyhis fame.If Themistocles shows how talents could rise in a statelike Athens, Aristides is an example of the influence ofcharacter. His influence and his share in public businesswere grounded on the conviction of his honesty and disinterestedness ; although he also needed the support of military glory. As early as at Marathon, he, as one of the tengenerals, stood by the side of Miltiades ;and had himselfthe magnanimity to yield to him the supreme command. 4At Platsese, he was the leader of the Athenians ;and afterthe liberties of Greece had been rescued by this victory,and Athens had established itssupremacyin the allianceagainst Persia, he was appointed, at the requestof the allies,to superintend the general exchequer, and performed themost difficult office of fixingfor each of them its proportionof the annual tribute. 5 Thus Athens owed to him not muchSee in particular the relation of the corruption of the Grecian generals by1the Eiiboeans. Herod, viii. 5.2Plutarch, in Themistoc. Op.1. p. 433.He *^' died," says Thueydides, " of disease. Some say he died of poison,which he took because he could not perform all that he had promised theking." Thucyd. i. 138. Thucydides says nothing of the tradition, that hedestroyed himself by drinking bull's blood. Plutarch. Op. i. p. 498. Thestory seems therefore to have received additions ; Thucydides speaks so decisively, that he could hardly have doubted the natural death of Themistocles.4Plutarch. Op. i. p. 489.5 " 1 " Aristides,* says Plutarch, made inquiries respecting the territory andN