Slike strani
PDF
ePub

remain in prison till his return, or die in his stead if he did not return. The king accepted the substitute, and Damon went on his journey.

When the time appointed for the execution of the sentence drew near, the criminal had not returned, and everybody now began to believe that he had made his escape, and left Pythias involved in ruin. Pythias maintained, however, with unshaken confidence, that his friend would return, unless prevented by death or unavoidable necessity, in which case he should submit to his fate without repining.

The day and the hour arrived; no criminal appeared. An immense crowd of people assembled to see the result of so strange an event. Dionysius himself expressed great uneasiness, but as he expected it had been a plan contrived to screen the offender, he was determined to inflict the sentence on the hostage. Pythias was led to the scaffold. He ascended with an undaunted air and firm step, but, lest the honor of his friend should be tarnished, he requested as much delay as the forms of proceeding in such cases would admit.

What was the astonishment of the whole concourse, when, at this critical moment, the cry of "Damon! Damon!" was heard from an extreme part of the assembly. He approached with haste and terror lest he had come too late, and impeded by the greatness of the crowd, he drew his sword, and forced his way through the throng, till he rushed into the arms of his friend.

But here a scene ensued which is not easily described. Nor is it possible to say whether the sincerity of their friendship, or their superi

ority to death, excited the most admiration. If the king was amazed at the return of Damon, he was more amazed to see Pythias still resolutely determined to die in his stead. In short, the contest now was which should die. Each one saw stronger reasons for wishing his friend to live, than to live himself; each one claimed the right of being the sacrifice.

While the two friends were engaged in this unparalleled dispute, the tone of public sympathy rose to frenzy, and the haughty monarch feared that compassion for his victim might suddenly change into fury, and hurl him from his throne. He felt that a tyrant's power is not equal to the power of virtue, and that a man imbued with noble sentiments is greater than a monarch without them. He rose from his seat, and embracing the two friends, with tears in his eyes, pronounced a free pardon, bade them both live for each other's sake, and desired they would admit him as a third, in a bond of union, so sacred, and so noble.

It is in respect to a people thus characterized by greatness, that we have occasion to observe and regret, that if in genius, taste, learning, patriotism, love of liberty, and heroism, they stand unrivalled among the nations of antiquity, yet they had many traits in their character to be condemned. They were volatile and fickle, ungrateful to their benefactors, fierce in their resentments, and bloody in their revenge.

The injustice that they manifested towards some of their most illustrious patriots and philosophers was remarkable. It must be admitted, too, that their standard of morality, formed without the light of Christianity, was very low. The

boundaries of right and wrong were in many things, undefined, and the strongest had generally the advantage.

On the whole, we are forced to confess that one great lesson taught us by the history of this interesting people is, that the human mind, under favorable circumstances, by its own unassisted efforts may develop powers, achieve deeds, and display traits of great beauty and sublimity-but that it still wanders in sad uncertainty as to the great end of existence, and that if capable of discovering the rules of justice and virtue, it is still unable to devise sufficient motives to enforce and establish them.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Athens. Political Divisions of the People.

THE City of Athens was the capital of Attica, a small territory situated to the north of the Gulf of Saron. It was founded by Cecrops, an Egyptian, who led thither a colony and introduced a knowledge of the arts and sciences, 1556, B. C. It occupied the summit of a rocky mount, in the midst of a large plain, about five miles from the sea; and as the city increased, it filled a large space of the neighboring plain. The Acropolis, or upper city, was fortified as a citadel. This part of Athens was greatly embellished, in the glorious days of the republic, with temples, statues, and monuments. Here are still magnificent remains of that

master-piece of architecture, the Parthenon, and also of the beautiful temple of Neptune.

The seaports of Athens were the Portus Phalerius, the Piræus, and the Munychia, which last was encompassed with a strong wall, that joined it to the Piræus. Two walls, of about five miles in length, enclosing a considerable space between them, united the Piræus and Athens. The whole

[graphic][merged small]

extent of the walls-comprehending every part of Athens and its suburbs- was about twenty-two miles.

One of the most superb buildings in Athens was the temple of Theseus, in the middle of the city. It became a sanctuary for slaves. It still exists as a matchless model, commanding the admiration of all who feel delight in the grandeur and beauty of architecture.

[graphic][merged small]

The inhabitants of Athens were divided into three classes; the freemen, strangers residing in the country, and the slaves. When Athens was in its highest prosperity, the number of free citizens was about 20,000; of foreigners and strangers, 10,000; and of slaves, 400,000.

The freemen were persons whose fathers were citizens in their own right. If, however, an Athenian married a foreign woman, his child could not be enrolled among the citizens, unless by conferring some signal benefit on the state. This admission could only take place in an assembly of the people, and was required to be ratified in a second assembly. From time to time, an inquest was held to clear Athens of pretended citizens. Fathers were careful to register the names of their sons in the ward to which they belonged; young persons, at the age of eighteen, were enrolled a second time.

The citizens were divided into tribes, at first four in number, but afterwards increased to ten. The freemen alone had a voice in the election of magistrates, and in popular assemblies.

« PrejšnjaNaprej »