Demetrius   

more securely master of his dominions than before, as he seemed by
this conduct to abandon every claim to a country which he treated like
an enemy's. However, by a rapid advance, he rescued Halicarnassus from
Ptolemy, who was besieging it. The glory which this act obtained
them inspired both the father and son with a wonderful desire for
freeing Greece, which Cassander and Ptolemy had everywhere reduced
to slavery. No nobler or juster war was undertaken by any of the
kings; the wealth they had gained while humbling, with Greek
assistance, the barbarians, being thus employed, for honour's sake and
good repute, in helping the Greeks. When the resolution was taken to
begin their attempt with Athens, one of his friends told Antigonus, if
they captured Athens, they must keep it safe in their own hands, as by
this gangway they might step out from their ships into Greece when
they pleased. But Antigonus would not hear of it; he did not want a
better or a steadier gangway than people's good-will; and from Athens,
the beacon of the world, the news of their conduct would soon be
handed on to all the world's inhabitants. So Demetrius, with a sum
of five thousand talents, and a fleet of two hundred and fifty
ships, set sail for Athens, where Demetrius the Phalerian was
governing the city for Cassander, with a garrison lodged in the port
of Munychia. By good fortune and skilful management he appeared before
Piraeus, on the twenty-sixth of Thargelion, before anything had been
heard of him. Indeed, when his ships were seen, they were taken for
Ptolemy's and preparations were commenced for receiving them; till
at last, the generals discovering their mistake, hurried down, and all
was alarm and confusion, and attempts to push forward preparations
to oppose the landing of this hostile force. For Demetrius, having
found the entrances of the port undefended, stood in directly, and was
by this time safely inside, before the eyes of everybody, and made
signals from his ship, requesting a peaceful hearing. And on leave
being given, he caused a herald with a loud voice to make proclamation
that he was come thither by the command of his father, with no other
design than what he prayed the gods to prosper with success, to give
the Athenians their liberty, to expel the garrison, and to restore the
ancient laws and constitution of the country.
The people, hearing this, at once threw down their shields, and
clapping their hands, with loud acclamations entreated Demetrius to
land, calling him their deliverer and benefactor. And the Phalerian
and his party, who saw that there was nothing for it but to receive
the conqueror, whether he should perform his promises or not, sent,
however, messengers to beg for his protection; to whom Demetrius
gave a kind reception, and sent back with them Aristodemus of Miletus,
one of his father's friends. The Phalerian, under the change of
government, was more afraid of his fellow-citizens than of the
enemy; but Demetrius took precautions for him, and out of respect
for his reputation and character, sent him with a safe conduct to
Thebes, whither he desired to go. For himself, he declared he would
not, in spite of all his curiosity, put his foot in the city till he
had completed his deliverance by driving out the garrison. So
blockading Munychia with a palisade and trench, he sailed off to
attack Megara, where also there was one of Cassander's garrisons. But,
hearing that Cratesipolis, the wife of Alexander, son of Polysperchon,
who was famous for her beauty, was well disposed to see him, he left
his troops near Megara, and set out with a few light-armed
attendants for Patrae, where she was now staying. And, quitting
these also, he pitched his tent apart from everybody, that the woman
might pay her visit without being seen. This some of the enemy
perceived, and suddenly attacked him; and, in his alarm, he was
obliged to disguise himself in a shabby cloak, and run for it,
narrowly escaping the shame of being made a prisoner, in reward for
his foolish passion. And as it was, his tent and money were taken.
Megara, however, surrendered, and would have been pillaged by the
soldiers, but for the urgent intercession of the Athenians. The
garrison was driven out, and the city restored to independence.