The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
III.

III.
The war which resulted in the con-
quest OF Greece and the suzerainty OF
Egypi furnishes a much more compli-
Gated story than that with Carthage.
II Is complicated mainly for the reason
that Greece had never become a politi-
cal entity, as Rome had by this time
become. The political instinct WA
wanting which the Romans had in such
fun measure and which enabled them 10
ohld up great nationality, while their
superiors In the arts had not advanced
beyond tho scattered tribal aggrega-
tons with which the evolution of Rome
had begun. The Greeks could not com.
bine effectively for any common pur-
pose. Prof. Frank does his best to dis
entangle the story, but does no, succeed
In making II altogether clear. The
Achean League, the A1tolian League
and the minor aggregatons were pursu-
Ing each Its own separate end. The
paramount power among the Heilenes
was Macedonia, still tradtionally OF a
great military prestige, far greater than
that OF Carthage had been before Han
| nibal. as indeed the fame OF Alexander
to this day overshadows that OF the
| Punic leader. Philip V. was a good
soldier and an ambitious man, who as
| pired to rule over Greece and who as
plred to divide with Antiochus OF Syria
| the kingdom OF the Ptolemies. Blu:
what Rome was doing in that gallery
the author does not make altogether
| clear to his readers. and indeed he ad-
| mi;s that II is not lucid to himself. He
is compelled TO assign the interference
| OF Rome TO sentimental politics.
| These included large measure OF re-
| sentiment against the successful attack
! which Philip OF Macedon had made
| upon the Roman army In Illyricum
| when Rome had her hands full with
Hannibal. in consequence of which
Rome. In a highly exceptional manner
| had hauled down the flag" and left the
Macedonian in possession of the dis
| puted territory. But also the Romans
were aware OF the Hellenic superiority
in literature. They were greedy OF
| praise and they could receive praise
| that would resound beyond their own
immediate confines only from the Greek
writer's. who were the dispensers o!
fame. The author agrees with Momm-
sen that something like a "wave OF
Philhellenism" swept over Rome when
It was invited to join the league agains;
| Macedon.
At any rate II accepted the invitation
| in spite OF the circumstances OF such
conservative legislators as old Cato the
Censor. who had and I'm still greater
measure the qualities of his descendant
who was one of Ciceros most annoyinp
opponents. Old Cato was the typica
Roman "hayseed," "strict construc-
ZIONIST" for the mos majorum'' had tc
| - Ill ~. .g..I. q.
of written constitution, an antrim
perialist, an anti-expanslonist. and IN
his personal habits a Roman PETERS oil
Sockless Simpson. But these men wer,
overruled. The result was that the vic.
torious Roman General Flaminius a
the end of the war not only collected g
large war Indemnity from Macedon. bu
proclaimed seven Greek tribes free
without garrison or tribute" and In tn,
enjoyment OF their own laws. The graft
tude OF the liberated Greeks was n.
ELUSIVE as was the gratitude of tn,
Cubans fourteen years ago. or even n
1t would have been IL we had omitted
the string" to their uncontrolled free
dom which Is constituted by the Plat
Amendment. The liberated peoples OF
some OF them expressed their JOY by in
scribing their public buildings ITO Zeus
and Rome and Titus and Rome's gooC
faith" Titus" being Flaminius. II Il
certain that he had done them no rea
service by leaving them at once untram
melled and separated to pursue theil
several courses instead of attempting I,
bind them into a political confederation
under a common government, with Of
without the suzerainty OF Rome. TIL,
present historian can find no explana
ton beyond that OF "philhelIenism" an,
Sentimental politics" 1t was not lonl
, before Rome had TO interfere to limi
the liberty of the enfranchised peoples
, OF going TO the devil their own way.
without the imposition Of any forma
| "Platt Amendment" the little convulsiv,
, republics had TO be made to understand
that In all but their strictly munlcpa
affairs the will OF Rome was supreme
w.
True to the opinion we have alread,
quoted as 10 the recent exaggeration O
: the Economic Interpretation" OF expan
sion, Prof. Frank argues in his chapte