DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1004#0206
164 LONG WALLS OF ATHENS.
indeed the only harbour of much importance; Phalerum was sinking into
neglect. But if the southern tine of fortification, which connected the city
with the latter, were surprised and stormed by an invading enemy, both the
harbours became his, and the approach to the city itself was uninterrupted
by any further barrier. Besides this, from the largeness of the angle of
divergence of these two walls from the city, the defensive force of Athens
was distracted, and did not easily admit of internal centralization.
For this reason, Pericles, about the year n.c. 444, proposed to the Athen-
ians in the assembly, that a third wall should be erected, which should con-
nect the city of Athens with the southern horn of the harbour of the
Peirasus. Socrates was present in the Pnyx on the occasion; and the
speech which Pericles then made, recommending that measure to his audience,
seems to have made a deep impression upon the mind of the future
philosopher, who was at that time little more than twenty years of age. The
advantages arising both from this restriction of the fortified triangle, and from
the more complete consequent insulation of Athens, and also from its closer
union with its principal harbour, are too obvious to require any comment or
illustration. The city of Athens was. now like a large vessel moored by two
cables, each of which dropped its anchor in the Peineus.
3fPr*
indeed the only harbour of much importance; Phalerum was sinking into
neglect. But if the southern tine of fortification, which connected the city
with the latter, were surprised and stormed by an invading enemy, both the
harbours became his, and the approach to the city itself was uninterrupted
by any further barrier. Besides this, from the largeness of the angle of
divergence of these two walls from the city, the defensive force of Athens
was distracted, and did not easily admit of internal centralization.
For this reason, Pericles, about the year n.c. 444, proposed to the Athen-
ians in the assembly, that a third wall should be erected, which should con-
nect the city of Athens with the southern horn of the harbour of the
Peirasus. Socrates was present in the Pnyx on the occasion; and the
speech which Pericles then made, recommending that measure to his audience,
seems to have made a deep impression upon the mind of the future
philosopher, who was at that time little more than twenty years of age. The
advantages arising both from this restriction of the fortified triangle, and from
the more complete consequent insulation of Athens, and also from its closer
union with its principal harbour, are too obvious to require any comment or
illustration. The city of Athens was. now like a large vessel moored by two
cables, each of which dropped its anchor in the Peineus.
3fPr*