THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

36 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
Already ominous signs were not lacking.
Vladimiresco,
at the outset of the rebellion, issued a manifesto
to his countrymen, calling on them to support
him in presenting to the Sultan a list
against the Phanariot misrule! This
of grievances
was hardly reassuring
from the point of view of the Greek leaders;
but Hypsilanti could not afford to quarrel with any of
his allies,
and Vladimiresco continued to follow him,
though their relations were naturally a little strained.
At Bucharest, Hypsilanti pursued the same fatuous
course as at Yassy. Surrounded by crowds of
adventurers and sycophants, he could find no more important
business to transact than the engagement of a
comedy company, and the fitting up of a theatre;
pay for which princely necessaries he plundered the
monastery of Maryeni. 1
Of military activity the only
signs were the ceaseless depredations of his ruffianly
soldiers in the country round, and, in the town, the running
to and fro, from morning till night, of a numerous
staff of gorgeously uniformed officers,
to
apparently
intent on business, but in reality doing nothing in particular.
The course of this childish comedy, laughable
enough had its denouement been less tragic
for the
actors, was suddenly interrupted by news which ghould
i
Gordon, i. 106.