Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-11-08

o'oo"' Uey iouhu ou' 1--WE WHOM the grape shot
had not reached; pmong these was the sergeant
Guedenof They all perishcd under the mur.
derous blows Of the knout. The serjeant main.
tanned his firmness and compnsure to the end
Stretched on the fatal plank, he seemed uncon
scious of the lash that tore his bleeding flesh,
and addressing the execntoner, cody asked if
his allotted number OF blows would slon be- com
pletcd "Thcy are finished now" said the ex-
ecutioner. $50 much the BETTER" replied
Guedeuoff "for am hungry"
Character OF Aristides and ThemistocIes.
Eventiul and alarming periods call forth en-
'raordhary abilities, and great occasions pro.
duce great men After the battle of Marathon
two llus,flous Aihenians, Arisldes and The.
mistoclrs, attracted the expectations of their
coun,rymcn, whose subsequent rank IN history
merits an intimate knowledge OF their charac.
ters.
Ars,idcs was descended from family of the
highest class. An admircr Of the Spartan con-
stu,ion. he had carefully stud ed the laws of Iy-
curgus; and hence, both rom birth and educa.
ton, became attached TO the aristocra,cal par.
~ at Athens. Justice was the prevailing tca-
ture IN his character and the rule of his conduct
both in public and private life. Delcatcly dis
interested, he refused 10 accept of cmpovmens
from the recommendations OF his friends lest II
should lay him under dangerous obligation.
Discerning the merits Of Others but unconscious
OF his own, 1t was he who first resigned hi, day
Of command 10 Mtiades, in the former war
Contrn'ed with small fortune, he rejected the
offers of his friends; and from his simple man.
ner OF life, might have been r citizen of Sparta
Indifferent about popularity, he acquired real
fame. " hen play of Eschylus was perform.
ing, and the actor was repearinga verse which
describes the character of Ampararus, "Ilc
does not desire 10 appear vir'uous man, but 10
be so,"--thc whole audience turned their ewes
To Aris'ldcs,
Themstocles was plcbian hy birth Born
with great abilities, ambition was the ruling
passion. In early youth he showed such symp.
toms of bold and fiery, and at the same time
shrewd disposition that his master predicted
that he would either be blessing or a curse to
his country. Humble from ambition, re court
ed the multitude, because he knew il was only
by them he could rise. Alable and compla-
SAINT, he was always ready TO ob'Ige he knew
all the citizens by name; aud splicilous to pro.
cure friends, PAID little regard to the meaus by
which they were acquired rr retained. Bat il
his moral qualities were doubtful, his political
character wns nnrivalled; and in Tins regard ns
Thucydides, good Judge of human nature, has
mira,irn of posleri'y. He possessed that na,u.
raj ssgnci,y, the rarest and happicst talent for
the management ofpuhc affairs, which, resem-
bling the perceptions ofscnse more than the y.
pcra,ions of intellect, So ze. lis object by inul.
ton, and follows it with the certainty OF instinct
These two characters stood at the head OF
the different parties in the city. From their
childhood they had been at variance, even in
their sports; proof that their con'rsrie'y OF
op:ujon proceeded from liscurauce Of nature.
Thrnisipclcs Was the bplder genius; hri,rldcs
the gen,er spirit Forming great views,
Thems,orles looked to the end concei,Ing
hnnbe intentions, Aris'rdrs regarded the means.
The former was the greater statesman, the lat
ter the better man.
The battle oi Marathon had suggested a bold
enterprise to the active mnG ut ThemIs,ocles
Revolving his scheme, he ruamed the streets al
night and told those he nyt, that the trophy d
Initiates would not allow him t2 rest; Whit
the ArhenlanS, alter thrrr victory over the Per
slams, ahnnduhph themselves to ioy, or renewed
their old disscntions. lhcms,ocies consld
cred that success as the pugnostc of a CO
ming storm, and repeated daily IN the ear
of ms cuuutrymen, that the Persian war, - tot
from being ended, was but inst begun, but be
fore he made preparations iur danger that wa'
distant, he thought II necessary to rid himself u
a rival, who was ready on oil occasions l.
thwart his views.
The sirariSm-'rhis statute was introdu
ced into the Alhenian code IN the early stat,
of Greece, though by whom, or in what period
is unknown; by II, men eminent to such de
gree as to threaten the state with Danger wer,
banshed tor ten years. The exile was not
punishment for a crime, but kind of honorable
retirement, ard employed as a curb to The grow
f ing power OF dangerous citizen. Somethln!
similar prevailed in many Of the ancient repub
les nnl perhaps was necessary in small states
where equality prevails; though, among tn
Athenans in particular, II was frequently sbu
scd The method of proceeding was ih'..,
. IN, l. Il. L.