The sun., 1892-05-01
s01HB NEW Bo0KA
a Nav mss.ery Of ar.ses.

a New History sf grsses.
Tho second volume Of the History Of Greece
by EVELYN ABBOTT. now In course OF pub.
ltcation by the Putpams. covors the period
from 500 to AS B. G.. or. in other words. from
the Ionian revolt to tho thirty years OF pence.
Mf. Abbott's work represents the fourth stage
/, In the application OF English scholarship "a
=, tho Interpretation OF Grecian history. the
three former stngos being respectively asso-
ciated with the names OF Milford. Thirwall.
/. and Grote since Grotes narrative appeared
d. the critical apparatus OF the historian has
I, been s'Gnally improved by tho researches and
d. Investigations OF German scholars. and his
materials have been increased by archmologl-
cal discoveries. by the declpherment OF inscrip-
tions. and by tho acquisition OF at lenst one
Important document. The Constitution oi
Athens" which la attributed to Aristotle. II
was desirable that tho now data. the new meth.
ods OF inquiry. and tho new points OF view
should be made known to English readers.
and this Mr.. Abbott has undertake en- to do In q
book which by com parison with Grote's may
be termed compcndous for II is not expected
TO comprise moro than four octave volumes.
The twelfth chapter OF the volume before us
denls with tho thaine treated ut much greater
length by Prof. Freeman In that part Of his
History OF Sicily which ho lived to complete.
An interesting. but oft,n neglected. brnnc oh Of
Crock history is that which depicts tho origin
and growth OF the Greek colonies in 1tnly We
read with satisfaction tho succinct but lucid
and suggestive raecs devoted by Mr.. Abbott
TO this subject. We arc reminded that in the
oldest use OF tho word Italia by tNe Greeks.
ktA tai al t.N Nl,n avtr
southwestern part Of tho peninsula. tho toe
OF the foot. In the timo Of Hcrodotus and
Thucydldes tho boundary line hal been
pushed back us far north rs tho head of
the Gulf OF Tarcntlm. Metnpontum was by
I. this time included in Italy" This addi-
tionnl portion o. tho peninsula had been
previously known rs Oenotria and the section
north Of this was Opicin. In which lny Cyme.
Naples. and tho cities OF what we are
wont to call Ctmpana. North OF Opicia
lny Tyrrhenin. tho land OF tho Etruscans
Tho oldest Greek colony in the peninsula
was Cyme tCumn. commanding tho whole
bay Of Naples. When 1t was founded Mr.
Abbott does not pretend TO say: what we
know ofits history begins with the year 524 BIC
At that ttme the inhabitants OF Cyme. which
had attained to q remarkable prosperity. had.
like thcir Greek kinsmcn on tho coast OF Asia
Minor. to struggle for existence with barbarian
invaders They were attacked by an enormous
horde OF Tyrrhenians. Umbrians. Daunans.
and other tribes Of central and northern Italy.
amounting. according to tradition. to 100000
foot and $4,000 horse. Although the Cy.
nneans were able to muster only $500
foot, and 600 horse. they succeed.
cd by strategy in beating back their
nssailnnts. Twenty years later tho Cympnns
again defeated tho Etruscans mt Aricin in
Lltium. and their leader on this occasion.
Aristodemus. taking advantage OF the prestige
acquired Ivy victory. made himself the despot
OF his na'ivO city. 1t was during tho rule OF
this tyrant that TnrIuin came to Cyme after
his expulsion from Rome. In 474 d. C. this
OUTPOST of Greek civilization was once moro
threatened by tho Etruscans. who had gained
ground in Campania. but tho combined Cyme-
ans and Syracusans inflicted u crushing
dcfoat upon the enemy. This was a naval
engagement. and may bo regarded as the |
battle OF Salamis of the western Greeks. A |
the annihilation ot the city by the Sam
mites. who overran Cnmpnnia in tho last |
third OF tho Nth century. In 42O B. c.
alter n stubborn siege. Cyme was taken and |
destroyed and the Inhabitants were sold into
slavery. This city had been til, centre OF
Greek influence in Italy. From Cyme the Greek !
alphabet had passed. with somo modihca-
tions to the Ltruscans tho Oscans. and finally |
to the Latins: through her tho legends OF the |
Troad were localized on the Campanian shore. !
and the Cumacun Sibyl is but a repetition OF |
tho siLyls common in Eolis From Cymo also |
Greek pottery. especially Athenian. was largo
ly exported to Campania and Etruria. We
learn Oh nurismntic evidence that the Oldest
coins OF the city were struck on the Esinctan
Lut that from 400 to 4SU u. c. the
Attic standard replaced tho Eginctan. Final
~. owing no doubt to tho influence OF the
town of Flea tVelial. the Attic
standard WAS abandoned for tho phncuan.
which continued in use from 4SO to the de-
6truction OF the city.
+, Ycungcr than Cyme. bat still ancient. were |
the Grrok col mes which frin.ol tho lay OF
Tarenttni. Tho foundation of Syb iris and
Croto. for eXa!ni'lc. is put between 72O and ITO
9. c. What contributed to tho prosperity OF
Tho SybRritcs was tho FREQ admission OF for
ligners an! tho command acquired Of I'm
Dverian route from he bay OF Tarcntum o the
Sea Tho traders OF tho east and
west coIlL thus exchange their wares through
Sy ybaris withOu. bruvn:. the perils the Messe-
nan Straits. In tho sixth century. whcn Athens
vas still an insignificant town. Synurs ruled
,ver four nn!Ghbo:ing tribes and twenty-five
,ubject cities: her walls were six anI
quarter miles in circumference. and she
,ould put into tho field 3OOO3o soldiers.
What this means will lie appreciated
when we recall tho fact that $4,000
constituted tho fnrco of Athens IN the Pelo-
War o. course such IL position
,ould not have bv,n won without vigor and
ability. but tho ambition Of ths Sybnritos won't
10 further than the acquisition OF riches:
neither literature nor n,t iourshed among
hom Fine clo.hin. delicate food. and NIL tho
'thec material conronent' Of luxury We're the
deals Of lie ut Sytaris. The choicest products
u Milesian loom,-tle WOO! ot Miletus was
The finest In w, to tho ancient worll-were
lrou,.ht to thu liiH. Nnnrn mon Sann To hnya |