among themselves, they engaged in the most destructive and unnatural hostilities. The Athenians began the spirit of domineering, but being subdued by the Spartans, the latter became insolent in their turn, Thebes at length engaged in a contest against Sparta, and indeed against all the associated states of Greece Epaminondas, leading the Theban armies, defeated his enemy at the celebrated battle of Leuc'tra, and, eight years after, still further humbled their power at the battle of Mantine'a, in which the Theban commander was slain. Though the Thebans became independent and formidable among the Grecian states, solely from the wise counsels and vigorous measures of Epaminondas, the Spartans had but little cause for exultation at his death. This event may be said to have paved the way for the entire subjugation of Greece to a foreign power. Distinguished Characters in Period VXX. 1. Confucius, the great Chinese Philosopher. 2. Herod'otus, a Greek, the father of profane history. 3. Pin'dar, the chief of the Grecian lyric poets. 4. Socrates, the greatest of heathen moralists. 5. Thucydides, an eminent Greek historian. 6. Hippocrates, the father of medicine. 1. Confucius was born in the province at present called Chan Long, 551 years B. C. He was a man of distinguished knowledge, wisdom, and integrity; and hence universally admired and beloved. Men of all ranks sought his counsels, and yielded to his superior sagacity. He died in his 73d year. 2. Herod'otus was a native of Halicarnas'sus, and flourished about 440 years B. C. Having left his country, oppressed by Lyg'damis, he returned after he had surveyed the most celebrated countries, and succeeded in expelling the tyrant. Instead of procuring admiration, it displeased the populace; and he was again obliged to flee. When in his 39th year, he appeared at the Olym'pic games; and recited his history, which was received with such applause, that its nine books were named after the nine Muses, and procured for him the name of the Father of History. The history contains the wars of the Greeks and Persians, with an account of other celebrated nations. It is written with ease and elegance; if it contain a portion of the incredible, it was the manner of the age, and it is related on the authority of others. 3. Thebes was the birth-place of Pin'dar. His compositions were sought by statesmen and princes, and his hymns were repeated in the temples, at the celebration of festivals. Some of his odes are extant, and are greatly admired for grandeur of expression, and magnificence of style. He died 435 B. C. at the age, as some say, of 86. 4. Soc'rates was a native of Ath'ens. He often appeared in the field of battle, but shone more in the display of that exemplary virtue, for which he has ever since been venerated. By a false accusation he was condemned to death by a majority of three voices. He received the poison administered to him with signal composure, in his 70th year, and about 400 B. C. 5. Thucydides was also a native of Athens. He early appeared in the Athenian armies ; but an instance of ill success caused his banishment, in the 8th year of the Peloponne'sian war. He then wrote the history of that war to the 21st year of it. He is admirably concise and energetic in his narrative. 6. Hippocrates was born in the island of Cos. He improved himself by reading, in the tablets of the temples, the diseases and means of recovery of individuals. Some say he delivered Athens from a dreadful pestilence. His writings, but few of which remain, have procured for him the epithet of divine. Miscellaneous Observations on 1. Greece at this time reached the zenith of her glory. Her philosophers, historians, poets, and artists, are too numerous to be here mentioned. Indeed, a succession of them continued a hundred years later than this period. A taste for literature and the fine arts survived long after public spirit and heroic virtue had departed. With Greece this was emphatically the era of liberty, heroism, and military enterprise. The names of Miltiades, Aristi'des, Themistocles, Ci'mon, Per'icles, Pelop'idas, and Epaminon'das, without being associated particularly with literary greatness, shed a lustre over the annals of Greece. In the useful and necessary arts, such as agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, the Greeks were never greatly distinguished. But in those which are called the fine arts, they surpassed all other ancient nations. The administration of Per'icles was the era of splendour and luxury. The arts broke out at once with surprising lustre; and architecture, sculpture, and painting, were carried to perfection. 2. The Romans continued comparatively an unenlightened people, but pursued with energy and success heir system of war and conquest. No authors as yet appeared among them, although their language doubtless became improved by the extension of their intercourse with neighbouring nations, particularly with Greece. We hear but little of the Asiatic nations during this period. They come principally into view, in their wars with the Greeks; but from the time of Xerxes they appear to have become, in a degree, enervated. The Assyrian and Babylonian empires had come to an end, and Egypt, in Africa, constituted a part of the Persian empire, from the time of Cambyses, 525 B. C. until Alexan'der vanquished Darius. 3. It is important to trace the events in Jewish history, from their intimate connexion with the true religion in the world. In their dependent state under the sovereigns of Persia, the Jews continued to enjoy a degree of prosperity. This was the case with them until the death of Alexander. Darius manifested his favour towards them during his long reign. Xerxes, his son, confirmed their privi leges. Under Artaxerxes they were still more favoured, through the influence of his queen, Esther, a Jewess. From this prince, Ez'ra obtained very liberal donations, to be applied to the service of the temple, and full powers to govern the Jews agreeably to the divine constitution. A similar commission was granted to Nehemiah, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and reformed many abuses both in religion and in the administration of government. After Ez'ra and Nehemi'ah, we find no more governors of Ju'dea, which probably became subject to the governor of Syr'ia. Under these favourable circumstances, the cause of religion became prosperous for a period, and thus the light that was in the world was kept from being utterly extinguished. Greece, in the height of its glory, knew not the true God; and this is always the fact, where revelation does not enlighten the human mind.. 4. Navigation and commerce have made more or less progress from the earliest times. During the present period, sea-fights became very frequent, and immense armaments by sea were sent both by the Greeks and Persians. This fact shows the progress made in ship-building, though doubtless this art was still very imperfect, compared with the state of it in modern times. 5. The best models of a popular form of government, among the ancients, were exhibited in Greece and Rome during this period. But they were far from being perfect, and their deficiency was connected with a vast many evils. Nothing was more common than revolution, faction, and bloodshed. The condition of the people under those governments was very undesirable, compared with the best governments of modern times. In all the states of Greece, the slaves formed the actual majority of the inhabitants. To this miserable class of men the free citizens were rigorous bond-masters. Bondage being a consequence of the contraction of debts even by freemen, a great proportion of these were subject to the tyranny of their fellow-citizens. Emportant Events in Period VXXX. This period comprises seven principal events. First, the Subjugation of the Grecian states to the dominion of Philip : Second, the Overthrow of the Persian Empire by Alexander: Third, the Partition of the Macedo'nian Empire into four great monarchies : Fourth, the Defeat of Pyr'rhus by the Romans: Fifth, the first Punic War: Sixth, the second Punic War: |