Miltiades

“The chief credit of the battle of Marathon belongs to Miltiades. But for his courage, the Athenians would have shut themselves up in their city and stood a siege; and it was the stimulus of his heroism that nerved his little army to the victory of Marathon. And the people of Athens fully appreciated what he had done. No man was more popular in the city and none had more honors bestowed upon him. His greatness, however, was of the sort that only great crises call forth. When peace returned, he showed himself selfish and even dishonorable. Securing an armament from the city under false representations, he used it to gratify a private grudge against the people of Paros. He laid siege to their capital, was unsuccessful, and returned in disgrace. He was put on trial, convicted, and fined, but died a few days afterwards."—Colby, 1899

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