Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-03-16
4 FIFE ANCIENT. GREEKS
ErHEY WERE MASTERS IN The
SCIENCE OF GOVERNMENT.

Many Stnr.ty Qualities Had The Mul-
iitu.i-. bust the fGsiixiduaI Cnui.l
Not StanI lreSperisy-Om- Isrilliamt
Exception io the Rule.
The statues and literary master
pieces of Hellas, whose themes were
mainly legendary, are responsible for
the impression that the ancient Greek
VAS east in the heroic mold. The he
::oic Greek was Il turbulent. master
!nl. cgotistic demisod. He had no
counterpart in any historical figure ex-
ccpt Alexander the Great. WHO deem
ell himself Il descendant OF Achilles,
the sc:, nynph's son. and acted very
much like him.
The Greek Of history was an unconl-
monty consistent republican,. In the
tolerance he gave TO individualiSm and
the capacity he showed-ilside his city
Staicfor collective action he carried
the science OF government and OF po-
litical self control in some respects to
a height from which all subsequent
history is 4 descending slope While
maintaining democratic standards. lie
did not enforce nor bow to that tyran-
nous and narrowing public opinion
which in our own time threatens to
cast all men in much the same mold.
He found Il place in his scheme Of
things for diyersitieS OF natural bent
for the eHeminate dress OF IAlcibiades.
the tub OF Diogenes, the ratings OF
Cleon, the austerities Of Aristides, the
satire Of Aristophanes. the arrogance
Of Phocion. The democracy of Athens
was never the democracy of the dead
level. 1t meant opportunity, not Il
steam roller.
AS creditable 4 story is told on the
side Of collective action. Greek politics
implied. as NIahaffy has observed 1.-THE
reasonable discussion Of the public, the
final decision OF the majority, the sub
mission OF magistrates aud rulers to
the Will Of the people, The Greek
'mulitudc' was tolerant. patient 10y
81 to its leaders and capable, as it
showed i'll the peloponnesian war, or
maxim" exemplary sacrifices and of III
ltatny and maintaining course Of
action for !, protracted period, The
~
stance abandoned the country ana
took to their ships. leaving the enemy
to destroy their city and their posses
sioEs While they sought him and finally
conquered him on the sea For that
fortitude it would be impossible to ind
I modern parallel
The civic qualities are uppermost in
the great period Of Greek history--a
Keen appreciation OF Aumor that acted
as Il safety valve TO the turbulence OF
assemblies. an aptitude at public
speaking which WAS useful i'll battle as
in:councl- Every free Greek was ut
admiral or general.
There was one capital defect in the
Hellenic character. The individual
Greek could not stand prosperity AS
Grotc put it. The effects OF a copious
draft Of glory OH the temperament Of
IN entelprising ana ambitious Greek
We're perfectly matldenng:s lie was Il
goUi loser. but nearly always :, bad
winner. Almost every conspicuous
Greek or history became at the end Il
corruptloMst or Il traitor. Ailtiaues.
victor of Marathon. became Il pirate
and died il imprisonment Themisto-
cies was negotiating to betray the Gre
clan armament to the great king the
day before he destroyed the Persian
fleet 1T S;lamiS. Alcbiales betrayed
III turn the Athenans, the Spurtans
and the Persians. Demosthenes was
banished for embeZZlement The syria
clisan leaders became tyrants when
they could. or all Greeks only limo
leon. the Corinthian who freed SYRIA
ctse. was at once honorable, fortunate
and acclaimed
Although the Hellenic world frinyed
the Mediterranean and the Black seas
from end to end, the significant politi-'
cal history of Greece is almost alto
gethef the history OF Athens and Spar
tn. The great places Of heroic legend.
Ithaca and Pylos and Phthia and Ar
cadia and Argos and Corcyra. s.'the
Phneakes' land" figure but family III
the historical period. Ithaca was only
a barren rock, Arcadia recruiting
ground for rustic mercennries and ar
gos and Corcyra and such states rs Ae-
tolia, Messena, Thessaly and the 1Achae-
an League ancient prototypes OF the
rude and turbulent Balkan states Of to-
day. The transitory pre-eminence Of
Thebes was the pre-eminence OF it's
| one great soldier Epaminondas.
Between them Spartans and Atheni-
ans wrote the great story Of political
Greece. The SpartaEs We're more i
military brotherhood than state, the
men dining i'll barracks and visiting
tleir families by stealth and all free
men lespising wealth and any toll ex-
cept that of the gymnasium, the drill
ground and the battlefield. They We're
!, proud, shy. self contained. home