DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0764
28
GENERAL HISTORY OF THE GRECIAN STATES.
the world. That lively, ingenious people bestowed honours on men of abilities, in a
way most effectual to excite emulation. At their games, festivals, and public exhibi-
tions, those who distinguished themselves by any performance, received the applause
not only of the Athenian people, but also of numbers who assembled from all parts of
Greece to attend the ceremonies. The honours conferred, though trifling when con-
sidered by themselves, were nevertheless the indications of a discerning peo; le's fa-
vour, and led to more substantial emoluments. Other nations strove to patronize such
men as the Athenians declared eminent in their profession, or distinguished by then-
abilities : and hence the resort of all men of genius from every part of Greece to
Athens, as to the centre of elegance, refinement, and good taste. Their government,
defective as has already been shewn in several respects, was admirably calculated to
call forth and invigorate men of talents in every art, particularly in eloquence. It
was there the grand object of all who wished to obtain power and command, to bend
the multitude to their views by their power of argument and persuasion. Hence
every public institution among 1'iem was connected with civil life. Literary heroes,
says Cicero, issued from the school of Isocrates like the Grecian chiefs from the Trojan
horse. Their philosophers taught in the Lycaeum.in the Academy, and in every pub-
lic place of resort, the most refined speculations upon every branch of science and art
then studied or known, inculcated the lessons of practical wisdom from living eiam-
pies, and formed the minds of those who attended them, to enter upon the career of
ambition with great advantage. It was not a dry knowledge of the ordinary routine
of business, the mere detail of office, which could qualify them to manage the affairs
of a government such as that established at Athens. It was an intimate knowledge of
the passions and interests of mankind in general, and of the Athenians in particular,
with the motives and means most likely to sway them ; a correct view of the strength
and resources of the state, and its relative situation with other nations; experience
attained not in the closet but in the public service ; a bold and commanding elo-
quence, which could wield at will the minds of men, and turn them in every direction
consistent with the grandeur of the republic. These qualifications were sure to raise
their possessors to the highest offices which the Athenians had to bestow.
The Athenian government possessed this advantage above all others, that it gave
free access to every man, however mean his birth or moderate his fortune, to rise by
the force of his talents to the highest situations in the state. Genius and abilities
were not rebuked by the frowns of power, or kept down by the insolence of high
birth and rank. In whatever department they appeared, whether as aiming to sup-
port, extend, and render formidable the power of Athens, or as exalting her cha-
racter by something new in literature or science, or as contributing merely to her
amusement by the effusions of wit and the play of fancy, they were favoured, ho-
noured and rewarded by an acute discerning people, and strengthened by the hard
struggles they had to encounter with many rival candidates for fame. The constant
wars too in which the people were engaged ; their long competition with the Lace-
daemonians for the sovereignty of Greece; the address it was necessary to employ in
acquiring and retaining allies, and the perpetual jealousies that subsisted among the
lesser states, with whom they almost always interfered, made them well acquainted
with military affairs, and with the political views of the whole Grecian nation. In
such a state, when national glory is the predominant passion, we often find an assem-
blage of illustrious men, flourishing nearly at the same period, supported, animated
and impelled by each other to extraordinary exertions, and fixiug by their labours and
achievements an aera in the history of their country. Knowledge is gained amidst
the varieties of the works of art, the contentions for power, the struggles of ambition,
and the active scenes of war. If a nation is virtuous and rising to distinction, the
human mind receives an impulse and enlargement of its powers, which it scarcely
ever experiences in a state of higher promise. One great action becomes the prelude
to another. The place of one illustrious member of the community is supplied by
thousands. The same spirit that animates the soldier or the sailor in the day of battle,
pervades the peaceful abodes of philosophy and the arts. There too emulation is
kindled, and there men appear illuminating the world by their discoveries and the ef-
forts of their genius, and transmitting to posterity a reputation, better entitled to the
veneration of mankind, than that of those desolating conquerors who attempt to sub-
jugate nations to gratify-their ambition and avarice.
But, such is the instability of human greatness, the most splendid success, and the
migfhtiest efforts of mind often pave the way for corruption of manners, depravation of
taste and laxity of principle. The grand impulse which carried forward virtuous men
in the career of glory is checked by licentiousness, pride and ill governed ambition
GENERAL HISTORY OF THE GRECIAN STATES.
the world. That lively, ingenious people bestowed honours on men of abilities, in a
way most effectual to excite emulation. At their games, festivals, and public exhibi-
tions, those who distinguished themselves by any performance, received the applause
not only of the Athenian people, but also of numbers who assembled from all parts of
Greece to attend the ceremonies. The honours conferred, though trifling when con-
sidered by themselves, were nevertheless the indications of a discerning peo; le's fa-
vour, and led to more substantial emoluments. Other nations strove to patronize such
men as the Athenians declared eminent in their profession, or distinguished by then-
abilities : and hence the resort of all men of genius from every part of Greece to
Athens, as to the centre of elegance, refinement, and good taste. Their government,
defective as has already been shewn in several respects, was admirably calculated to
call forth and invigorate men of talents in every art, particularly in eloquence. It
was there the grand object of all who wished to obtain power and command, to bend
the multitude to their views by their power of argument and persuasion. Hence
every public institution among 1'iem was connected with civil life. Literary heroes,
says Cicero, issued from the school of Isocrates like the Grecian chiefs from the Trojan
horse. Their philosophers taught in the Lycaeum.in the Academy, and in every pub-
lic place of resort, the most refined speculations upon every branch of science and art
then studied or known, inculcated the lessons of practical wisdom from living eiam-
pies, and formed the minds of those who attended them, to enter upon the career of
ambition with great advantage. It was not a dry knowledge of the ordinary routine
of business, the mere detail of office, which could qualify them to manage the affairs
of a government such as that established at Athens. It was an intimate knowledge of
the passions and interests of mankind in general, and of the Athenians in particular,
with the motives and means most likely to sway them ; a correct view of the strength
and resources of the state, and its relative situation with other nations; experience
attained not in the closet but in the public service ; a bold and commanding elo-
quence, which could wield at will the minds of men, and turn them in every direction
consistent with the grandeur of the republic. These qualifications were sure to raise
their possessors to the highest offices which the Athenians had to bestow.
The Athenian government possessed this advantage above all others, that it gave
free access to every man, however mean his birth or moderate his fortune, to rise by
the force of his talents to the highest situations in the state. Genius and abilities
were not rebuked by the frowns of power, or kept down by the insolence of high
birth and rank. In whatever department they appeared, whether as aiming to sup-
port, extend, and render formidable the power of Athens, or as exalting her cha-
racter by something new in literature or science, or as contributing merely to her
amusement by the effusions of wit and the play of fancy, they were favoured, ho-
noured and rewarded by an acute discerning people, and strengthened by the hard
struggles they had to encounter with many rival candidates for fame. The constant
wars too in which the people were engaged ; their long competition with the Lace-
daemonians for the sovereignty of Greece; the address it was necessary to employ in
acquiring and retaining allies, and the perpetual jealousies that subsisted among the
lesser states, with whom they almost always interfered, made them well acquainted
with military affairs, and with the political views of the whole Grecian nation. In
such a state, when national glory is the predominant passion, we often find an assem-
blage of illustrious men, flourishing nearly at the same period, supported, animated
and impelled by each other to extraordinary exertions, and fixiug by their labours and
achievements an aera in the history of their country. Knowledge is gained amidst
the varieties of the works of art, the contentions for power, the struggles of ambition,
and the active scenes of war. If a nation is virtuous and rising to distinction, the
human mind receives an impulse and enlargement of its powers, which it scarcely
ever experiences in a state of higher promise. One great action becomes the prelude
to another. The place of one illustrious member of the community is supplied by
thousands. The same spirit that animates the soldier or the sailor in the day of battle,
pervades the peaceful abodes of philosophy and the arts. There too emulation is
kindled, and there men appear illuminating the world by their discoveries and the ef-
forts of their genius, and transmitting to posterity a reputation, better entitled to the
veneration of mankind, than that of those desolating conquerors who attempt to sub-
jugate nations to gratify-their ambition and avarice.
But, such is the instability of human greatness, the most splendid success, and the
migfhtiest efforts of mind often pave the way for corruption of manners, depravation of
taste and laxity of principle. The grand impulse which carried forward virtuous men
in the career of glory is checked by licentiousness, pride and ill governed ambition