45.2
The Menelaüs of SophoclesNauck, Trag. Graec. Frag.2 p. 315. applies this simile to his own fortunes:— But my fate on the swiftly turning wheel of God Goes whirling round forever and ever changes shape, Just as the moon’s appearance for two kindly nights Could never be identical and show no change, But out of darkness first she comes forth young and new, With face that ever grows more beautiful and full, And when she reaches largest and most generous phase, Again she vanisheth away and comes to naught.
45.3
This simile might be better used of the fortunes of Demetrius, now waxing and now waning, now full-orbed and now diminished, since even at this time, when his power seemed to fail altogether and suffer extinction, it shot forth new rays of light, and sundry accessions of strength little by little filled out the measure of his hopes. At first he went about visiting the cities in the garb of a private man and without the insignia of a king, and one who saw him thus at Thebes applied to him, not inaptly, the verses of Euripides Bacchae, 4 f., with adaptation from the first person.:— Exchanging now the form of god for that of man, He visits Dirce’s rivulets and Ismenus’ flood.
46.1
But as soon as he had entered upon the path of hope, as upon a royal highway, and had gathered about himself a body and form of sovereignty, he restored to the Thebans their ancient form of government; the Athenians, however, revolted from him. They voted to elect archons, as had been their custom of old, and took away from Diphilus, who had been appointed priest of the Saviour-gods, the privilege of giving his name to the current year;See chapter x. 3. and when they saw that Demetrius had more strength than they expected, they summoned Pyrrhus to their aid from Macedonia. Demetrius came up against them in a rage, and began a strenuous siege of the city.
