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GREECE.

1. The most memorable country mentioned in ancient history, in respect to the perfection of the arts, literature, and laws, is ancient Greece. This country, from the extreme part of Thessaly in the north, to Cape Metapan in the south, included about three hundred miles. Greece was divided into Greece proper, and Peloponnesus. Greece proper was subdivided into Attica, Boeotia, Phocis, Etolia, Epirus, Doris, Locris, and Megara. Thessaly and Macedonia lay north of these provinces; and to the north of Thessaly and Macedon, lay Illyria on the west, and Thrace on the Illyria and Thrace were not civilized like Greece, but they were conquered by the Greeks. Greek cities were established upon the Thracian coast, and these countries under modern names, are included with the territory of ancient Greece in European Turkey. Peloponnesus was subdivided into Achaia, Sicyon, Corinth, Elis, Arcadia, Argolis, Messinia, and Laconia.

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2. These provinces were governed by separate laws and magistrates, like the different states in the republic of the United States in America; and like the United States, the Greeks had a general council or congress. This was called the Amphictyonic Council, and consisted of members or delegates sent from the different states, who met twice a year; but the authority of this council was by no means so precisely fixed as that of our congress, nor is it known at the present time exactly how many of the states were represented in it. It is the first mentioned representative

body of any nation, and affords the first example of free, elective, and associated government among separate communities.

3. The following is an account of the origin of this council. At an early age of Greece, twelve nations, chiefly independent tribes of Thessaly, together with the Dorians, Ionians, Phocians, and Boeotians, sent deputies twice a year to a common council. The deputies met once in the year at Delphi, and once at Anthela in Thessaly. The council was first instituted, it is said, to reconcile the differences and prevent the wars which disturbed the states of Greece. The emigrants from northern Greece, some of whom went over to Ionia in Asia Minor, and others to Lacedæmon, or Sparta, the principal city of Laconia, claimed the right to send members to the Amphictyonic council, and they did so. The Amphictyons took care of the temple of Apollo at Delphi.

4. Among the Grecian states, Athens, in Attica, and Sparta in Laconia, were the most famous; Athens, on account of its wise laws, the refinement of the people, the cultivation of useful and ornamental arts, the progress made in science and philosophy, the beauty of its poetry, and the excellence of its general literature: Sparta for its peculiar laws, the hardihood, and the martial spirit of its citizens.

ATTICA.

1. The province of Attica was nearly a triangle ; twenty-seven miles of it bordered on Boeotia ; forty six miles of coast lay towards Euboea, and extended south of that island, and forty lay on the Saronic gulf.

2. The early history of Greece describes Attica as a barbarous country, first civilized by Cecrops, who led thither an Egyptian colony. This colony brought with them the future religion of Greece, and the rudiments of the arts. Cecrops collected the scattered population of Attica into twelve settlements, abolished human sacrifices, and began to establish peace and industry. Seventeen kings, his successors, carried on the work of civilization.

3. Theseus is the most memorable of the kings of Athens, the chief city of Attica. Till his time the twelve cities of Attica were so many independent republics, and their petty interests being always at variance, the common welfare was destroyed by mutual quarrels. Theseus persuaded these hostile neighbours to unite, and make Athens the metropolis of the whole territory. He abolished their little senates, and formed a legislative assembly chosen from three orders in the statethe nobles, the husbandmen, and the artificers. Theseus invited strangers into Attica, embellished and enlarged the capital, added the territory of Megara to Athens, and passed the greater part of his life in promoting the happiness of his subjects.

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4. The succession of kings at Athens was not always hereditary. Codrus was the last. Athenians were engaged in a war with the Hera

clidæ, or posterity of Hercules, when an acie predicted that the army would be victorious whose general should fall in battle. Codrus voluntarily sacrificed his life, and it happened that the Athenian army prevailed. After this victory, the government of Athens was new modelled, and the chief magistrate of the republic was styled the Archon.

6. Medon, the son of Codrus, was the first archon. Changes in government produce discon tents among the people, even when these changes lead to ultimate good. Some of the inhabitants of Attica, took offence at the new order of things; and about this time, emigrants from Attica and the neighbouring colonies established colonies in the Greek islands, and in Asia Minor. The Greek settlements in Asia are known by the name of the Ionian colonies, and Ionia is laid down in the maps of Asia Minor.

6. The office of Archon was first held for life ; it afterwards became annual, and the office was held by nine individuals, but continual discord between the different classes of people, particularly between the rich and poor, obliged the people to empower an individual with authority to form a new constitution. Draco was invested with this office but little is known of him, except the extreme strictness of his government. From the severity of his laws they were said to be written in blood. Cruelty is no part of wisdom, and the legislator of Athens found himself compelled to fly from the vengeance of a people whom he had attempted to rule with the sword.

7. To the flight of Draco a deplorable state of anarchy succeeded; but the genius of Solon was

destined to regenerate Athens, and to establish those laws which made this republic in all respects the most excellent government then in existence. It is impossible to give a just notion of the institutions of Solon in this place. But they entrusted the rights of all the citizens, in respect to their persons and their property, to the protection of just magistrates; and they divided the legislative power between a senate and an assembly of the people.

8. The people of Athens were divided into four classes, according to their property. All the citizens of a certain age might vote in the popular assembly; but the three higher classes only could hold any office of magistracy.

9. It was decreed to be death, for any person to assume the sovereign power, and take upon himself the name of king. The education of children was provided for by the public institutions. Respect was shown to females by making it criminal to be a bad husband. The idle man, or one without art or profession, was to be punished. Children were to support their parents in old age, unless those parents had neglected during the youth of their children, to furnish them a suitable education. Such are some of the principal regulations of Solon.

10. After Solon had arranged his system of government, and after it had been approved and put into operation by the Athenians, he took leave of his country, and spent ten years in travelling abroad, in Asia and in Egypt.

11. Among the most distinguished men at this time in Athens was Pisistratus. He was very rich, very handsome in his person, eloquent, amia ble in his manners, and fond of letters. He made

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