The Fall of the Athenian Empire-(A New History of the Peloponnesian War) Donald Kagan - (1987)

202 THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
held there that day, chiefly hoplites, its actions were compatible with
movement toward some greater degree of democracy.
The Athenians who took part in shaping the new regime in the days
that followed had reason to feel relief and pride. Their moderate leaders
had helped them sail safely between the Scylla of betrayal to the
Spartans and the Charybdis of civil war. The city was free and united;
the way was clear to unification with the forces on Samos. This happy
result was not inevitable. Indeed, escape from disaster had been a very
close thing. Had Theramenes and Aristocrates been slower to recognize
the danger and allowed the fortification of Eetioneia to reach completion,
the extremists could have betrayed the city to Sparta. Had they
been less skillful in managing the countercoup, the two sides might
have engaged in open civil war, with the likely result being a successful
Spartan intervention. For their actions at this time, Theramenes and
Aristocrates, perhaps more than the glamorous renegade on Samos,
deserve to have it said that they, "more than any other, were useful
to the state. " 39
The regime of the Five Thousand lasted for fewer than ten months. 40
We koow little about its constitution, and the meaning of the few facts
on which our understanding is based is much disputed. In addition to
saying that the assembly at the Pnyx voted to turn the government
over to the Five Thousand, that is, to those who could equip themselves
as hoplites, Thucydides tells us that it forbade payment for public
service. 41 Aristotle uses almost the same words: "they turned affairs
over to the Five Thousand who provided their own hoplite equipment,
voting that no office should be paid,"" but he adds important information
about the end of the regime, which occurred after Thucydides'
narrative breaks off: "the people quickly took away their control of the
state. " 41 Thucydides characterizes the new regime as "a moderate mixture
in regard to the few and the many.""" Aristotle praises it as appropriate
to the occasion, for "a war was in progress and the state was
l98.86.4.
4{1
1t was installed some time in September of 41 1 (Busolt, GG III:2, 1508, n. 3) and
was replaced by the democracy by June or July of 410 (Rhodes, Commrotary, 414-
415).
" 1 8.97· 1: Tot