Page 504 Six thousand Talents; so that the whole Sum, both in Gold and Silver, amounted to above Ten thousand Talents.
There are some Authors that say, that there was as much Treasure sacrilegiously taken away, as Alexander afterwards found in the Treasury of the Persians. Phalecus likewise, with the Officers of the Army, went about to dig up the Pavement of the Temple, because some Person told him that a vast Treasure of Gold and Silver lay under it: For confirmation of the truth of it, he brought in the Testimony of that most ancient and famous Poet Homer, where he says thus:
And just as the Soldiers began to dig near to the Tripode, a sudden Earthquake terrify'd the Phocians; so that the Gods seeming by such manifest Tokens to threaten Vengeance upon the Sacrilegers, they desisted. But the first Author of that Impiety, Philo (of whom we spoke before) in a short time after felt the just Vengeance of the Deity. But notwithstanding the whole Guilt of this impious Sacrilege be imputed to the Phocians, yet both the Athenians and Lacedaemonians who assisted the Phocians, were Partners in the Offence, for they had more Money paid to them than was proportionable to the number of the Soldiers which they sent: For indeed at that very time the Athenians carry'd it but impiously towards the Oracle; for but a little before this Robbery at Delphos, when Iphicrates lay with the Fleet before Corcyra, and Dionysius Prince of Syracuse had sent some Statues of Gold and Ivory to Olympus and Delphos, he by chance intercepting the Vessels which transported them; and having now possession of the dedicated Goods, sent to Athens to know how he must dispose of them; the Athenians bid him never scrupulously examine or make enquiry after those things that were said to belong to the Gods, but to consider how to provide for the maintaining of the Army. In Obedience to which Decree of his Country, he expos'd the Sacred Ornaments of the Gods to sale under the Spear. Upon which, the Prince being highly incens'd against the Athenians, wrote to them in this manner:
It is not fit that I should say Health to you, since ye have been so sacrilogious against the Gods both by Sea and Land; and having intercepted the Images which we had sent, in order to bedevoted to the Gods, you have converted them into Money, and so have prophanely abus'd the Mightiest of the Gods, Apollo at Delphos, and Jupiter at Olympus.
This Affront against the Gods, the Athenians never stuck at, who yet were us'd to boast and glory, that the God Apollo was their Ancestor. The Lacedaemonians also, though they were famous amongst all Nations for the Oracle of Delphos, and in the most weighty Affairs do consult there at this very day; yet they never scrupled to join in the Sacrilege with these impious Robbers of the Temple.
But now the Phocians, who had three Towns strongly fortify'd in Boeotia, made an Inroad into Boeotia; and being join'd with great numbers of Mercenaries, wasted and spoil'd the Enemy's Country; and in several Incursions and Skirmishes got the better, and so return'd. The Boeotians therefore being overpress'd with the Burden of the War, and having lost many of their Soldiers, and besides being in great want of Money, sent Ambassadors unto Philip to crave his Assistance. This was very welcome News to the King to see that they were brought low, having long desir'd to have their Leuctra Courage curb'd and tam'd: However, he sent them a great number of Men meerly upon this account, lest he should be thought to be careless in the matter concerning the spoiling of the Temple. Then the Phocians built a Castle at a Town call'd Abas, near the Temple of Apollo; at which time being attack'd by the Boeotians, some of them presently fled scatteringly into the Neighbouring Cities; others, to the number of 500, got into the Temple, and there perish'd. Many other things happen'd to the Phocians at that time, as by a Divine Hand; but that which is most remarkable was this; They that fled into the Temple, thought themselves safe under the Care and Protection of the Gods; but it fell out quite contrary; for Divine Providence brought condign Punishment upon the Sacrilegers: There
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Bible Study The King James Bible (kjv), World English Bible (web) and Bible in Basic English (bbe) are all examples of public domain books. The King James Bible (kjv) online uses the content from these books and open source software to enhance Bible study capabilities. The site includes the verse of the day, search tools, christian literature and links to related content. It demonstrates the use of open source to create a valuable service.