In  hia  youth,  old  noen  tneed  «  likebesa  to  Fiaia-
IratDs,  which,  joined  to  the  obvioua  advantage*  with
which  be  would  hare  entered  public  life,  excited  dia-
tniat,  and  actually  aeeoie  to  haie  retarded  his  appeur*
apce  on  the  sUge  of  politica. However,  about  the
year  '4C9,  two  yean  after  the  fatnciam  of  Themia-
tnelest  aiiil  eboat  the  time  when  Ariatidea  died,  Per-
felea  cwne  forward  in  *  public  capacity,  and  before
long  became  bead  of  a  party  oppoaed  to  that  of  Cimon
the  aoa  of  Miltiadea. Pluurch  accuaea  Periclea  q{
taking  the  detnocntic  side  becauae  Cimon  headed  that
of  the  nobles. A  popukr  er»  usually  streoffihena  the
bands  of  the  executive,  aad  ia  therefore  uoHVOux^le
to  public  liberty ;  and  the  Fttrsian  war  see  dim  to  have
been  emphatically  so  to  Athena,  ae  U  ite  termioatiOD
ahe  foDiid  herself  under  the  guidance  of  a  atateaman
who  partook  tnore  of  the  character  of  a  ^eral  than
of  iht  prime  minister. {Hetren'M  Pohi,  Antiq. of
Greece.)  Cimoa'a  character  was  in  itself  a  guarantee
•gainst  aggrandizement,  either  on  his  own  part  or  oth-
er* ;  but  we  may  perhaps  give  Pericles  credit  for  see-
ing the  danger  of  ao  much  power  in  leaa  acrapuloua
iMmda  than  Oimon'a. Be  this  as  it  may,  Fezicle*  took
the  popular  aide,  and,  ae  each,  became  the  opponent
of  Cimon. About  the  time  when  Cimon- was  proae-
cuied  and  fined  (B.C. 461),  Pericles  began  bis  fir»t
attack  on  the  aristoeraey  through  the  side  of  the  Are-
opagus ;  and  in  apite  of  Cimon,  and  of  an  advocate
yet  more  powerful  (tbe  poet  .£schylua),  aucceeded  io
d^rivtn^  the  Areopagua  of  ita  ju^i^  powera,  except
in  certain  inconsioanbte  eases,  liiis  triam[A  pre-
•aded,  if  it  did  not  produce,  the  oatraciam  of  Cimon
(B.C. 461). From  tfaia  time  until  Cimoa'a  recall,
which  Mr. Thtrtwall  places,  though  doubtfully,  in  the
year  453,  we  find  Pcriclea  acting  aa  a  military  com-
mander, and  by  hia  valoar  at  Tanagra  preyentn^  the
regret  whieh  CiiQOn'e  afaeence  weald  othjetwisa  nii<
doubtedly  have  crested.'  What  caused  bin  to  bring
•bout  the  ncall  nf  Cimoo  is  doubtful ;  perhaps,  as
Mx. "ntiriwall  anggesta,  to  strengthen  hiineelf  against
hie  moat  viralent  j}pponents  by  conciliating  the  mote
moderate  of  them,  auch  ea  their  great  leader  htm-
•elf.'  After  the  death  of  Cimon,  Thucydides  took  his
place,  and  for  aome  time  stood  at  tbe  head  of  tbe
vtalioDaiy. party. 