The Persians, doubtless, meditated no more invasions of Greece. The latter was left in the possession of unrivalled glory; and the former were compelled to set bounds to their schemes of ambition.

If the first part of Grecian history conducts the reader through a period of fiction, the part which we are now upon, opens to the mind, a period of virtue, genius, merit and lasting fame. They could boast of a Homer, whose amazing genius was able to construct an epic poem, not only the first, but the noblest ever formed; a poem, from which the mythologist, the legislator, the historian, the prince, the soldier, and even the geographer, could draw appropriate instructions; a poem, whose form has ever since been regarded as an immutable rule and model of perfection; a poem, which has tinged the whole current of poetry in all polite nations, and the lofty flights of whose muse have never been outsoared. They could boast of an Amphictyon, whose wise and comprehensive mind had originated the first political confederacy, to whose benign influence the prosperity and grandeur of Greece may be clearly traced, and to which all free, deliberative, representative, legislative bodies do homage, as their grand parent. They could boast of a Lycurgus, whose powerful, projecting mind could control the licentious savage with laws, which, if not the most amiable and humane, yet displayed an energy, almost more than mortal; and which, if they did not produce the most happy, certainly produced the most masculine, determined and brave society of men, ever known.

But if the institutions of Lycurgus were deficient in mildness and urbanity, they could boast of a Solon, who united in one system, and condensed into one body, the scattered rays of political wisdom and experience, gleaned up from the wisest nations of his time; who mingled mercy with justice, and the sternest precepts of philosophy with the softer dictates of sensibility and compassion.

In short, as we approach to the final issue of the Persian invasion, we are surprised at a group of great characters, which suddenly crowded the scene. Our minds are struck with the lustre of their virtues and actions. Miltiades, whose talents, as a soldier and commander, availed him

* It is by no means certain, that Homer's epic poem was the first, that was ever composed.-Ed.

instead of a host, first comes forward; then Leonidas and his adventurous companions, whose souls appear like so many bright flames of courage and love of glory; then Themistocles, whose deep penetration enabled him to predict and ward off approaching danger, and as by his foresight, so by his courage and conduct, to be the savior of his country. But their names and due praises would fill a volume. So far are we from being able to do them justice, that we hope only to awaken in the reader a desire to trace them at large in the pages of ancient history.

CHAPTER IX.

ANCIENT GREECE, FROM THE PERSIAN INVASION TILL THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

IN the preceding view of the history of Grecce, the reader will perceive, that little mention is made of any of the states, except Lacedemon and Athens. For this omission, two reasons are to be assigned; first, the brevity of this work requires, that but few things be noticed, as we pass through a field of such extent; and secondly, the other states, whether in the Peloponnesus, or out, whether in Europe or Asia, were generally animated by the same views and motives, governed by the same politics, and followed by the same fortunes.

Greece had now acquired the summit of her glory and happiness; but still she continued to exhibit unquestionable proofs, that no community can either boast of unsullied virtue, or can enjoy unmingled happiness. Many of those great men, whose talents and virtues raised their country to its present greatness, either by their own vices or the ingratitude and envy of their countrymen, were doomed to experience the most painful reverse of fortune. Disgraced by their country, they descended in poverty, sorrow and infamy, to their graves; leaving it for posterity to do justice to their memory.

It will be remembered, that Pausanias and Aristides commanded the Greeks at the celebrated battle of Platæa, where the Persians received their last defeat under Mardonius. Pausanias afterwards, lost to all true sense of rectitude and honor, became a traitor, and suffered the punish

ment he deserved. His colleague, Aristides, though once banished upon suspicion, was recalled, and was able fully to demonstrate his innocence. He lived to a great age, enjoying the highest honors of public confidence, and was surnamed the Just. But to no commander, did the Greeks owe more, than to Themistocles. Historians generally allow, that after the defeat of the Persian invasion, under Darius Hystaspes, the Greeks were of opinion, that there would never be another invasion. Themistocles assured them to the contrary. He clearly foresaw, that what advantage had been gained over the Persians, would rather rouse their resentment, and stimulate their ambition, than break their spirit. He said, therefore, that the battle of Marathon was but a prelude to a more glorious contest; and by his counsel and authority, the Athenians were prevailed upon to forsake their city, which they could have defended, and risk their fortune at sea. That was doubtless their salvation, as their naval skill far excelled that of the Persians; and even when their fleets were drawn up in sight of each other, the policy of Themistocles brought on an engagement contrary to the wish of both fleets, and by that means, gave the victory to Greece, which did in reality decide the fate of the war.

To the superior genius of Themistocles, therefore, Greece was indebted for her liberties, and her existence as a nation; and to the same, the world is indebted for preserving a nation, who were the fathers of literature and government. But his services, however important to his country, or to the world, could not save him. The Spartans regarded him with the most implacable hatred and malice. They implicated him, as being concerned in the treason. and treachery of Pausanias, and caused him to be banished. [More particular account of Themistocles.-Themistocles acted a most distinguished part upon the theatre of Greece, in one of the most eventful periods of her history. His qualities were rather dazzling than amiable. They were calculated to excite the admiration, rather than gain the confidence, of his fellow-citizens.

Of his ambition and love of glory, a striking proof is recorded by Plutarch, who relates, that after the battle of Marathon, in which Miltiades gained so splendid a victory, Themistocles was observed to retire from society, and spend many successive nights in pensive solitude. When his friends anxiously inquired into the cause of this depression

of mind, he replied, that "the trophies of Miltiades would not permit him to sleep." Indeed the great object of his life seems to have been, to acquire and maintain a superiority, not only in Athens, but through all Greece. This was the secret spring of all his political measures. If he exerted himself to procure the banishment of the virtuous Aristides, it was not from any conviction, that that decided patriot was dangerous to the commonwealth, but merely, from a dread of his inflexible justice, envy at his growing popularity, and a desire to exclude a formidable rival, who stood in the way of his ambition. If he proposed to the Athenians to collect a powerful fleet, it was manifestly intended to prepare, not only for the approaching conflict with Persia, but for a yet more arduous struggle, which his discerning mind foresaw, between his own country and the rival states of Greece, in which Athens would owe her superiority solely to her maritime strength. If he suggested to the Athenians the propriety of quitting their city, of fortifying the Pireus, and of greatly augmenting their fleet-if he continually urged the Athenians to some new enterprise, whether just or unjust-all these measures were obviously the result of selfish and unprincipled ambition, though, in some instances, they were eminently beneficial to his country, and might, at first view, be ascribed to patriotic motives.

But the most conclusive evidence of his willingness to sacrifice every thing to glory, may be drawn from the nefarious design, he communicated to Aristides, of burning the ships of the allies, at a moment in which they were engaged in defending the common liberties of Greece-a proposal, at which that upright statesman started back with horror, pronouncing it the most unjust and perfidious of projects. Through his whole administration, indeed, he evinced a total disregard to justice in the means he adopted for the attainment of his wishes. If a system of duplicity and dissimulation, carried on under the disguise of truth and honesty, be essential to state-policy, the world has scarcely ever seen a more finished statesman, than Themistocles, who was a perfect master in all these arts.

His artifices, were, for a time successful. He saw the republic of Athens flourish; his own authority was unbounded; not a rival could stand against him; he was the popular idol; whom all Greece consented to worship. His insatiable ambition could scarcely desire more homage and

applause, than was rendered him by the Greeks, who had assembled for the celebration of the Olympic games, after the victory at Salamis. This pinnacle of fame was a dangerous eminence to a character so susceptible of flattery, so fond of admiration, as Themistocles; an eminence from which he was shortly afterwards suddenly precipitated. The people of Athens grew tired of their idol, and threw it down from the lofty pedestal, on which they had placed it. Themistocles, in his turn, became an object of jealous suspicion. He was pronounced dangerous to the commonwealth, and banished for ten years.

Themistocles retired first to Argos; but was soon obliged to withdraw from the territories of Greece, on account of the suspicion generally entertained of his having been implicated in the treason of Pausanias. It sufficiently appeared in the trial, and after the death of that traitor, that Themistocles was informed of the conspiracy and concealed it; while in his private letters to Pausanias on the subject, he rejected, with indignation, every proposal to join in the enterprise. The Lacedemonians were, on many accounts highly incensed against him, and left no means untried, to procure a sentence of death against one, whom they had ever considered the secret enemy of Sparta. From the persecution of his enemies, he fled to Admetus, king of Molossus, who had previously entertained the deepest resentment against him; but now he saw his dread adversary, a wretched exile, supplicating his protection, he generously forgot all his former enmity, and made his own palace the asylum of the distinguished outlaw.

Yet even here, Themistocles did not consider himself beyond the grasp of his enemies. He escaped to Persia, and sought the protection of Artaxerxes. When the unfortunate exile was arrived at the palace of that monarch, he waited on the captain of the guard, requesting, as a Grecian stranger, to have permission to speak with the king. The officer informed him of a certain ceremony, without which, none were allowed that honor. Themistocles promised to comply; and falling on his face before the king, declared his name, his country and misfortunes. have done," said he, "my ungrateful country services, more than once, and am now come to offer my services to you. My life is in your hands. You may now exert your clemency, or display your vengeance. By the former, you will preserve a faithful suppliant. By the latter, you will