33.28
As
Brachylles was the main supporter of the king they determined to get rid of
him while the arms of Rome were in their neighbourhood. The hour chosen
was when he was returning from a State banquet in a state of intoxication,
escorted by an effeminate crew who had been carousing in the banquet hall.
He was set upon by six armed men, three of whom were Italians and three
Aetolians, and killed on the spot. His companions fled screaming for help,
and the whole city was thrown into uproar, men running in all directions
with lanterns and torches. The assassins had meanwhile escaped through the
nearest gate. At daybreak the next morning the population gathered in the
theatre in such numbers as to give the appearance of a formal assembly
convened by edict or by the public crier. Openly all men were saying that he
had been murdered by his retinue and the dissolute wretches who
accompanied him, but in their hearts they fixed upon Zeuxippus as the
instigator of the crime. For the time being, however, it was decided that
those who had been with him should be arrested and examined under torture.
While search was being made for them Zeuxippus, determined to clear
himself of any suspicion of complicity, came calm and undismayed into the
gathering and said that people were mistaken who supposed that such an
atrocious murder could have been committed by such effeminate creatures.
He adduced many strong arguments to support this view, and some who
heard him were convinced that if he were an accomplice he would never
have appeared before the people or made any allusion to the murder when
no one had challenged him to do so. Others were quite certain that by thus
unblushingly meeting the charge he was endeavouring to divert suspicion
from himself. After a short time those who were really innocent were put to
the torture, and though they themselves knew nothing about it they treated
the universal opinion as though it amounted to proof and named Zeuxippus
and Pisistratus without alleging any evidence as to their actually knowing
what had happened. Zeuxippus, however, with a person called Stratonidas
escaped by night to Tanagra, fearing his own conscience more than the
statements of men who were unconscious of the true state of the case.
Pisistratus paid no regard to the informers and remained in Thebes.
Zeuxippus had a slave with him who had acted as messenger and
intermediary all through the affair. Pisistratus was afraid that this man might
turn informer, and it was through this very fear that the slave was compelled
to make the disclosure. He sent a letter to Zeuxippus warning him to do
away with the slave as he was privy to all they had done, and he did not
believe him to be so capable of concealing the thing as he had been of
carrying it out. The bearer was ordered to give the letter to Zeuxippus as
soon as possible, and as he had no opportunity of giving it at once he handed
it to this very slave, whom he regarded as the most faithful of all to his
master, telling him at the same time that it was from Pisistratus about a
matter which greatly concerned Zeuxippus. The slave assured the bearer that
he would deliver it forthwith, but being conscience stricken he opened it, and
after reading it through fled to Thebes and laid the evidence before the
magistrates. Warned by the flight of the slave, Zeuxippus withdrew to
Anthedon, as he considered that a safer place to live in. Pisistratus and the
others were examined under torture and afterwards executed.
