The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-11
ARlsToTLE'S TREATISE.
Tho Newly Discovered Book Makes Som,
Alterations in Athenian History.

Tho Newly Discovered Book Makes Some
Alterations in Athenian History.
Since the world of classical students
was startled by the discovery Of n hith-
crto unknown work by Aristotle there
has been great eagerncss to find what
new facts it mny bring to light, what
theories it may confirm or explode, says
the Boston Advertiser. This manu-
script was found during some Egyptian
excavations, and its authenticity is cs-
tablishcd beyond doubt. 1t is in the
possession of the British museum and
has been published 1t is entitled "a
Treatise on the Constitution of Athens"
ana will clear up many disputed points
concerning the government and history
of the Attic capital The first copies
arrived in this country about u week
ago, and one of these is in the hands of
Prof. w. w. Goodwin, of Harvard
The manuscript is in four papyrus
rolls, three of them in good condition
and the last fragmcntary. The writing,
as is usually the case, is on the reverse
of the papyrns, which originally held
some mercantile accounts dated 10 A. D.
Allowing, therefore. reasonable
length of time for those to become use
49, CSAOiS tlC ICNCTSC SlQC would Oe
used, the date may pretty safely be fixed
at the end of the first century. Refer
ence to the treatise is undoubtedly
made in n catalogue of Aristotles
works, none of whose titles correspond
with anything previously known. Since
the clcarness of the latest work marks
it in contrast with the technical STYLE of
Aristotle's other writings, q confirma-
ton is found in the old theory that the
catalogue is n list of Aristotle's popular
works.
The treatise falls into two sections.
The first consists of history of the de-
vclopmcnt of the Athenian state and is
complete. The second is description
of the Athcnian government OF
Aristotlc's time. The last part is frar-
mcntary, but we know most of Il
through quotations from it by the gram
marian Pollux. In the first part. how
ever there is an abundance of hitherto
unknown material A few months aCo
Prof. j. IL. Wright, of Harvard, com
mcnccd an article for the Harvard elias
Steal studies, in which he maintained.
merely on literary grounds. that the
Cylonlan conspiracy took place at q
much earlier date than that accepted bv
Grote. In the very first chapter of this
new manuscript the date is fixed, as Prof.
Wright argued it should be, before the
legislation of Draco. Furthermore the
hitherto unknown fact is established
that Draco instituted tho Athenian sen
ate and that Areopagus was in ex-
lstcnce before his time.
Solon's reforms arc explained anew.
1t appears that his reduction of the
coinage was much later than his nbol-
ishment of debts, but that both were
accomplished by him. The nine archons
were chosen, as was not before SUD-
posed, by lot from forty men, elected in
tens from the four tribes. The division
OF the tribes equally into mountain,
plain and seashore is now known for
the first time The fight of Thcmi-
stoclcs from Athens at the time of the
revolt at NaXos, which marks the first
break in the asccndcncy of Athens, is
shown to be as late as 46o b. c. This,
with other and less important rovela-
tfons, sets the whole history OF this
period. The history continues down to
the time of Aristotle, but the state
1ncnts concerning the latter period are
mostly already well known or are un-
Important