ons, but with the superintendence of all warlike preparations,
and with the regulation of all matters in any way connected with the
war department of the state.] He was brought before the dicastery on
this charge, and sentenced to pay a considerable fine; but eventually a
strong reaction occurred in his favour. He was re-elected general, and
apparently regained all the influence he had ever possessed.

But he was not destined long to enjoy this return of popularity. His
life was now closing in, and its end was clouded by a long train of
domestic misfortunes. The epidemic deprived him not only of many
personal and political friends, but also of several near relations,
amongst whom were his sister and his two legitimate sons Xanthippus and
Paralus. The death of the latter was a severe blow to him. During the
funeral ceremonies, as he placed a garland on the body of this his
favourite son, he was completely overpowered by his feelings and wept
aloud. His ancient house was now left without an heir. By Aspasia,
however, he had an illegitimate son who bore his own name, and whom the
Athenians now legitimised and thus alleviated, as far as lay in their
power, the misfortunes of their great leader.

After this period it was with difficulty that Pericles was persuaded by
his friends to take any active part in public affairs; nor did he
survive more than a twelvemonth. An attack of the prevailing epidemic
was succeeded by a low and lingering fever, which undermined both his
strength of body and vigour of intellect. As Pericles lay apparently
unconscious on his death-bed, the friends who stood around it were
engaged in recalling his exploits. The dying man interrupted them by
remarking: "What you praise in me is partly the result of good fortune,
and at all events common to me with many other commanders. What I
chiefly pride myself upon you have not noticed--no Athenian ever wore
mourning through me."

The enormous influence which Pericles exercised for so long a period
over an ingenious but fickle people like the Athenians, is an
unquestionable proof of his intellectual superiority. This hold on the
public affection is to be attributed to a great extent to his
extraordinary eloquence. Cicero regards him as the first example of an
almost perfect orator, at once delighting the Athenians with his
copiousness and grace, and overawing them by the force and cogency of
his diction and arguments. He seems, indeed, to have