Questions for Examination. 1. In what manner did the primitive Grecians live? and by whom, was marriage introduced? 2. Was polygamy permitted? 3. What was the most propitious season for marriage?' 4. With whom might the Greeks intermarry? 5. What was necessary to render marriage lawful? 6. Were dowries given with the Grecian women? 7. What ceremony was necessary previous to marriage? 8. What was peculiar at the sacrifice? 9. Describe the nuptial dress and ceremonies. 10. Were the Grecian women allowed much liberty? 11. Were there no exceptions to this? 12. What was allowed to persons who had no children? 13. What was expected of children? 14. What was the diet of the Greeks? 15. Did they always retain this simplicity? 16. What was their common drink? 17. What was peculiar in the entertainments? 18. How did the ancient Greeks dispose themselves at meals? 19. What was the more modern custom? 20. How did the feast commence ? 21. How was the feast regulated? 22. What custom was observed in drinking? 24. What happened when a person fell sick? 28. What occurred at the funeral pile? 29. What followed? 30. Where did they bury the ashes? 31. What solemnities were observed at the tombs? and what con cluded the ceremony? THE HISTORY OF GREECE. CHAP. I. Of the earliest States of Greece. 1. Petty, a. small, insignificant. Perspicu'ity, s. clearness, distinctness. Mythology, s. the history and explanation of fabulous gods and heroes. 2. Olympiad, 8. (in chronology) the space or period of four years, whereby the Greeks reckoned their time. Vide Intro. ch. v. 3. A'braham, s. the son of Terah, a native of Ur, in Chaldea, born A.M. 2008, and B.C. 1996, from whom sprang the Hebrews. 4. Hercules, s. a demi-god of the ancient Greeks, fabled to be the son of Jupiter. He was one of the greatest heroes of antiquity. Vide Intro. ch. iii. 5. Licentious, a. unlawful, unrestrained. 8. Peasant, s. a country fellow. 15. Aristocrat'ical, a. that form of government where the supreme power is held by the nobility. 17. Republicanism, a. that form of government administered by magistrates chosen by the people. 20. Apollo, Dian'a, Lato'na, Miner'va. Vide Intro.ch. iii. 1. THE history of ancient Greece, like that of modern Germany, is not so much the history of any particular king, dom, as of a number of petty independent states, sometimes at war, and sometimes in alliance with one another. Of these different states, therefore, we shall now give an account, with as much brevity as is consistent with perspicuity; and we shall begin our narrative at that period where real and authentic history commences; for as to the more early, that is, the fabulous times of the Grecian republics, these belong rather to mythology than to history.* * It may not be amiss, however, to observe, that, in the very early ages, the inhabitants of Greece were little better than brutes, living 2. Si'cyon was the most ancient of the kingdoms established in Greece. The beginning of it is placed by historians in the year of the world one thousand nine hundred and fifteen; before Christ two thousand eighty-nine; and before the first Olympiad* one thousand two hundred and five. Its first king was Ægi'alus; and it is said to have lasted a thousand years.t 3. The kingdom of Argos, in Peloponne'sus, began one A.M. thousand and eighty years before the first Olym2148. S piad, in the time of Abraham. Its first king was In'achus. 4. This was succeeded by the kingdom of Myce'næ, so called because the seat of government was transferred from Argos to Myce'næ, by Per'seus, the grandson of Acris'eus, the king of Argos, whom Perseus unfortunately slew. Eurys'theus, the sixth in succession from him, was expelled by the Heracli'dæ, or descendants of Hercules, who made themselves masters of Peloponne'sus.‡ 5. The kingdom of Athens was first formed into a reguA.M.lar government by Cecrops, an Egyptian. This 2448. S prince, having quitted Egypt, and spent some time in travelling through Phoenicia and other parts, came at last into Attica, where he married the daughter of Actæ'us, indifferently on every herb, root, and fruit that came in their way; and lying either in the open fields, or, at best, sheltering themselves from the inclemency of the weather in dens, caves, and hollow trees. When, by degrees, they had acquired a small portion of refinement, and had begun to form communities, each governed by its chief, their condition was but little bettered, as the strong preyed upon the weak, and those only were safe whose territory presented no temptation to the plunderer. Laws they had none; but every one did what was right in his own eyes, unless restrained by weakness or fear. *The first Olympiad was B.C. 884. + This kingdom was originally called Ægi'ala, from its first king, and did not receive the name of Si"cyon till 740 years after its foundation, from Silcyon, its nineteenth monarch. Agamemnon, the celebrated leader of the confederated Greeks at the siege of Troy, was the second in succession from Eurys/theus. the king of that country, and upon his death succeeded to the throne. 6. He taught the people, who had hitherto led a wandering life, the use of fixed habitations; restrained all licentious amours, by obliging every man to be content with one wife; and, for the better administration of justice, he instituted the celebrated court of Areopagus.* 7. Amphic'tyon, the third king of Athens, established the famous Amphictyon'ic Council,† which makes so capital a figure in the history of Greece; and Codrus, the last prince of this line, devoted himself for the good of his country. 8. For in a war between the Athenians and the Heracli'dæ, in which the latter had penetrated to the very gates of Athens, Codrus, hearing that the Oracle had declared, that the Athenians would prove conquerors, should their king fall in the contest, disguised himself in the habit of a peasant, and going over to the enemy's camp, purposely provoked one of their soldiers, who instantly slew him. 9. The Heracli'dæ, being informed of this circumstance, concluded that heaven had declared against them; and they therefore retreated to their own country without striking another blow. 10. After the death of Codrus, the title of king was abo *The Areopagus was a hill in the neighbourhood of Athens, de dicated to Mars, on which was held a seat of justice, called by the same name. The number of judges that composed this court is unknown, but they were selected from the most upright and illustrious of the citizens. The Areopagitæ took cognizance of murders, impiety, and immoral behaviour, particularly of idleness, which they deemed the cause of all vice. They always sat in the open air, and heard causes and passed sentence in the dark, that the countenance of the plaintiff or defendant might not influence the decision. Those who pleaded before them were forbidden to use eloquent language, a plain statement of facts only being permitted. Their sentence was sacred and inviolable. + This council originally consisted of twelve persons, but it was afterwards increased to thirty. They were the wisest and most virtuous men, from different cities of Greece. lished at Athens, and that of Archon, or chief governor, substituted in its stead. The enjoyment of this office was at first for life, but it was afterwards limited to ten years, and finally to one year. 11. Cadmus was the founder of the kingdom of Thebes. A. M. He is said to have invented sixteen letters of the 2549. Greek alphabet; though it is probable that he only borrowed them from the Phoenician. 12. The kingdom of Sparta, or Lacedæ'mon, is supposed to have been first instituted by Lelex.* 13. Helena, the tenth in succession from this Monarch, is equally famous for her beauty and her infidelity to the marriage-bed. She had not lived above three years with her husband Menela'us, when she was carried off by, Paris, the son of Priam, king of Troy. In revenge, the Greeks invested that city, and took it after a siege of ten years, about the time that Jephtha was judge in Israel.+ 14. Corinth began to be formed into a state at a later A. M. period than any of the kingdoms above mentioned. 2820. Its first sovereign was Sis'yphus, the son of Æ'olus; and, upon the expulsion of his descendants, Bacchis assumed the reigns of power.‡ 15. The government after this became aristocratical, chief magistrates being annually chosen by the name of Pryt'anes. At length Cyp ́selus usurped the supreme authority, which he transmitted to his son Perian'der, who was reckoned one of the seven wise men of Greece. 16. The kingdom of Macedon was first governed by Car'anus, a descendant of Her'cules, and subsisted from his * Euro'tus, the grandson of Lelex, having no male offspring, left his kingdom to Lacedæ'mon, who, marrying Sparta, the daughter of Euro'tus, named the city after her, and the country after himself; but this distinction was not observed. + On the events of the last year of this siege, Homer has founded his exquisite poem of the Iliad. From him this race was called Bacchi'ades. |