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

46 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
Pappa Phlesas, a priest whose morals were a scandal to
the church, as his peculations were to the national
cause, yet, for all that, a brave man, as he proved by
his heroic death on the field of battle.
To the violent counsels of Phlesas and his like were
opposed the views of a more moderate party, comprising
the wealthier and official element of the movement.
At the head of this stood the Archbishop Germanos of
Patras, and it included those of the primates who had
as yet committed themselves to the Greek cause. In
the autumn of 1820, the directorate of the Hetairia had
made an attempt to organise the movement in the
Morea, and seven ephorates or district Governments
were created under the leadership of Germanos; but
the scheme was only partially successful.
Moderate
counsels, in times of great popular excitement, are apt
to produce results opposite to those intended. Lashed
to madness by the eloquence of the agitators, the
common people suspected the motives of the official
leaders of the Hetairia, disregarded their advice, and
by acts of violence and cruelty precipitated
which these had been anxious to postpone.
the crisis
The disquieting news from the Morea had determined
the Porte to place the province under the command
of Khurshid Pasha, an officer of tried honesty
and capacity. On his arrival, however, he found the