DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0425
BOOK III.
CHAP. I.
of the wars, valour, military glory, &.c. of the ancient grecians.
The ancient Grecians were a rude and unpolished sort of mortals,
wholly unacquainted with the modern, and more refined arts of war, and
peace. Persons of the highest birth and quality, and whom they fancied to
be descended from the race of the immortal gods, had little other business
to employ their hours, beside tilling the earth, or feeding their flocks and
herds ; and the rapine of these, or some other petty concerns, which was
looked on as a generous and heroical exploit, occasioned most of the wars
so famous in their story. Achilles, in Homer, tells Agamemnon, that it
was purely to oblige him he had engaged himself in so long and danger-
ous a war against the Trojans, from whom he had never received any just
cause of quarrel, having never been despoiled of his oxen or horses, or
had the fruits of his ground destroyed by them (1).
And the simplicily of their conduct may be sufficiently evinced as from
several other instances, so by those especially where Achilles, Hector, or
Ajax, are introduced opposing themselves to vast numbers, and, by the
force of their own valour, putting to flight whole squadrons of their ene-
mies. Nor is the poet to be thought blameworthy, or to have transgress-
ed the rules of probability in such relations : which, though perhaps
strange and incredible in our days, were, no doubt, accommodated to the
manners of the times of which he wrote. For even in the sacred story,
we find it recorded, that a single Goliah defied all the armies of Israel (2),
and with a big look, and a few arrogant words, struck so great a terror in-
to them, that they fled before him.
Notwithstanding this, in the revolution of a few ages, Greece became
the celebrated mother of the bravest and most experienced soldiers in
the world. For being cantoned into a great number of little independent
states, all which, though bordering upon one onother, were governed by
different laws, and prosecuted contrary interests, it became the seat of
continual wars ; every hamlet being ambitious of enlarging its territory,
by encroaching upon its neighbour-village, and contending for the addi-
tion of a few lands, with no less heat and fury than if whole kingdoms had
been the prize. The consequence whereof was, that the Grecians, being
fr»m their childhood inured to martial affairs, and having to their native
bravery added long and constant experience, were rendered, as well
in good order and discipline, as true courage and valour, superior
to most other nations. They became a terror to all the countries
round about them, and with small numbers often put to flight vast multi-
tudes of the barbarians : the Persians frequently experienced the sad
(1) Iliad d. v. 152.
(2) 1 Sam, xvii. 11. 24.
CHAP. I.
of the wars, valour, military glory, &.c. of the ancient grecians.
The ancient Grecians were a rude and unpolished sort of mortals,
wholly unacquainted with the modern, and more refined arts of war, and
peace. Persons of the highest birth and quality, and whom they fancied to
be descended from the race of the immortal gods, had little other business
to employ their hours, beside tilling the earth, or feeding their flocks and
herds ; and the rapine of these, or some other petty concerns, which was
looked on as a generous and heroical exploit, occasioned most of the wars
so famous in their story. Achilles, in Homer, tells Agamemnon, that it
was purely to oblige him he had engaged himself in so long and danger-
ous a war against the Trojans, from whom he had never received any just
cause of quarrel, having never been despoiled of his oxen or horses, or
had the fruits of his ground destroyed by them (1).
And the simplicily of their conduct may be sufficiently evinced as from
several other instances, so by those especially where Achilles, Hector, or
Ajax, are introduced opposing themselves to vast numbers, and, by the
force of their own valour, putting to flight whole squadrons of their ene-
mies. Nor is the poet to be thought blameworthy, or to have transgress-
ed the rules of probability in such relations : which, though perhaps
strange and incredible in our days, were, no doubt, accommodated to the
manners of the times of which he wrote. For even in the sacred story,
we find it recorded, that a single Goliah defied all the armies of Israel (2),
and with a big look, and a few arrogant words, struck so great a terror in-
to them, that they fled before him.
Notwithstanding this, in the revolution of a few ages, Greece became
the celebrated mother of the bravest and most experienced soldiers in
the world. For being cantoned into a great number of little independent
states, all which, though bordering upon one onother, were governed by
different laws, and prosecuted contrary interests, it became the seat of
continual wars ; every hamlet being ambitious of enlarging its territory,
by encroaching upon its neighbour-village, and contending for the addi-
tion of a few lands, with no less heat and fury than if whole kingdoms had
been the prize. The consequence whereof was, that the Grecians, being
fr»m their childhood inured to martial affairs, and having to their native
bravery added long and constant experience, were rendered, as well
in good order and discipline, as true courage and valour, superior
to most other nations. They became a terror to all the countries
round about them, and with small numbers often put to flight vast multi-
tudes of the barbarians : the Persians frequently experienced the sad
(1) Iliad d. v. 152.
(2) 1 Sam, xvii. 11. 24.