The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-14
D, ot svening without ceremony,

N'.AN'Il u WV -
the Ercirsid.usI. it is clear that no rules ~
deccncv were observed In the streets at night.
To these natural dangers and dlsgu~t> were
added others arising from "a love ol practical
Jokes or the wildne,s of Athehian youths.
The mutilation of the HsrmR Is a notorious
instance OF the outraReS which could he
perpetratei in the pubhc streets with Mite
fear of detection. Lysias gives a graphic de-
scription of a disreputable street row when
only came to an end when every one engaged
hal got a broken head Bands Of young men
roamci the street, and any one who ieI INTO
their hands had reason to remember his mis-
fortune. On the brcakinG-up of an entertain
mcnt the more excited OF a party would burst
open the doors uf a mistress or a companion
and bring the night 10 a close in her apartment.
Tho less rrclucntcd parts of the town we're the
resorts Of the worst characters, and no one could
he found there without some risk to his repu-
tltion. The dstyHomi who had charge OF
the city do not seem to have taken any meas
ures for the prcscrvation Of order; at least
we never hear of any organized night police
or watchmen. The only remedy for outrage
was the law courts.
Down to the time Of their disastrous revolt
against Persia the lonian cities on the sea-
board Of Asia Minor had been the centres Of
Greek trade The ships Of Miletus were known
from the Cmmerian BosporlS to Naucrats in
Egypt. the city was on friendly terms with
trctria In EubTa and with Sybari7 in Italy.
The Phocpan- opened the trade to the Far
We~t. the Samians were known AZ Cvrene, the
Dorian city Of Cuidus was IN close relations with
Cruton. Through these entrepots the products
and wares Of the interior of Asia, Africa
and western Europe passed to Greece.
After the suppression Of the lonlan revolt
aud the outbreak Of ho%stilitics between Persia
- NJ .H,...- yl,- TOT II tItAy- CANA e., ~,
end. For twenty years B G. 5no-lsO Grecian
ship. were excluded from tho Eastern Fgean
and all beyond Delos seemed As far of as the,
Pillars Of Hcrculc. The altered relations
with Persia doubtless checked the trade with
the interior, AT least for n time, and, their power
and prosperity lost. the lonian cities OF Asia
fell into the second rank Much NJ the conf
merce which they lost passed into the hands ~
Athens. Already. at the time when XerSe~
crossed the HolleSpont, Athens was importing
grain from the EuNine, and after the liberation
Of lonia tho Helle,pont trade would be free
to follow the natural channels and gather around
the city which now became the centre Of the
Greek world. Under tho shadow Of the Delian
League the commercial supremacy Of Athens
became firmly rooted She not only entered into
treaties with numerous emporia In the Htean,
and even on the coasts Of the Euxine. but she felt
herself sufficiently strong 10 impose navigation
laws on many cities which traded with her.
In the importation Of grain especially the most
stringent precautions we're taken TO secure
an ample supply at n moderate price. by
the conquest Of .Fgina she got rid of a power
ful rival, and though the trade with the West
still remained chiefly in the hands Of CoriHth.
the Of Athens was 50 firmly estab-
listed that even the capture Of the city by
Ly.ander failed to destroy II.
This was not the case with Athenian agricnl-
ture. From the days Of Pisistratus to the out
break Of the Peloponnesian War. hthee xcep-
ton Of tho invasion of Nerxcs, Attica had en-
joyed unbroken security. The land was not only
titled wherever tillage was possible, and used
a. pasture In the wilder parts, but the owners
Of the soil lived on their farms. built them
selves handsome houses and enjoyed to the
fun the quiet and Independence Of a country
life. All this was changed by the Pelopon-
neSian War. Those who had lived In COM
fort and abundance were driven into Athens
toiflnd shelter where they could, and. by the
end of the war. most of them were ruined.
of the straits TO which they were reduced We
may read in the Memorabilia OF &enophon.
In the Piutus Of Aristophanes also. which be-
longs to the period after the war. we get n
picture Of dire poverty. In the earlier plays
the poor man complains Of the aggression Of
the rich and Of their monopoly OF the good
things OF the State. but 1t Is not wealth which
he covets 50 much as power. lie Is happy
enough on three obols a day. II only he can
show his contempt for the rich. To have the
great man at an advantage. To make him crlnge
and cog this Is marrow to the juryman who
sees highly paid Offices going into the hands
Of tho son Of Coesyra."
when one attempts to form any genera
co.ccption Of the social life and character
90 --f 80 .---V - H. 80 No. aaTNntn
facts of primary importance. The institutions OF
sla very divided every city and every house,
hold into two sections. of which one was sup
posed to exist for the comfort and conven-
fence Of the other. 1t may be true that slaves
were kindly treated in daily life by the Greeks.
but their legal position was intolerable, In his
own house every man was "A tyrant. with more
than a tyrant's power over those around him.
The moral dangers of such relations are obvious.
and they must also have been fatal in a large
degree to elevation of character. The slave
owner alternated between a self-sufiCient pride
when he compared himself with the living
tool" which he employed, and an ever-prcsent
apprehension that his tools might combine
against him. Society was on an Insecure
basis, and though the difficulties which attend
the opposition of labor and capital were avoided.
oven trade and industry were greatly injured
by the system. Again, there we're no pro-
LESSONS in Hellas. and even II their place
may have been taken TO some slight extent
by the various societies so popular among
the Greeks, the profound influence which pro-
LESSONS now exercise on character was not
brought to bear in shaping individual life. Mr..
Abbott think that. perhaps, an exception ought
20 be made in favor of medicine, but even this
art was largely practised by slaves. The army
at Sparta and the navy at Athens were also
useful in bringing men together and di1using
an esprit de corps among them. Finally. as
we began by noting. women we're not admitted
into society at Athens. and though In some other
cities. as AT Sparta. they were not 30 strictly
secluded. social life in the modern sense did
not exist. Of Athenian women il would be
monstrous to take our opinions from the
comedians. though in Aristophanes there
are some pleasant elimpses OF domestic life.
II. in the Nth century y. G., Greece had de-
clined somewhat from that wonderful age in
which Arete and Nausicaa, Penelope and An
dromache. had their births, Athens was at
least still capable Of admiring an Alcestis and
an Antigone. NJ. ". h.