GREEK WOMEN.

Women in Greece were not permitted to appear in the public assemblies, but they took a conspicuous part in the education of the children, and also in the public services of religion. The Spartan women imbibed the warlike spirit of their nation, and cherished it in their sons; it is said, that when a young man departed from his home for some warlike expedition, his mother would say, as she presented to him his shield, "Return with it or upon it." If he returned with it, that would show that no enemy had disarmed him, if his dead body were borne upon it, that would prove that he had died in defending himself, or more properly, in defending the country which he served.

2. Some of the Athenian ladies were highly accomplished: philosophers, poets, and orators took great pleasure in their conversation. Socrates and Pericles delighted to resort to their society. It is related that among the treasures of Delphos was a golden book, the offering of Aristomache, a lady who had won the prize of poetry at the Isthmian games. Pindar, the Theban poet, found a competitor in a beautiful woman of Beœtia, named Corinna.

3 Teresilia, a lady of Argolis, was equally celebrated for her writings and her courage. When the city of Argos was about to surrender to the Lacedæmonians, who had besieged it, Teresilla collected the women who were able to effect her purpose, and by their exertions under her command, she succeeded in driving the enemy from the walls. This service was rewarded by

She was

the erection of a statue to her honour. represented standing upon a column in front of the temple of Venus; at her feet lay the volumes which she had composed, and in her hands was a helmet which she was about to put upon her head.

4. The facts mentioned above are not related as examples for females of the present age, they only serve to show, that women can perform all the duties which their circumstances may require ; and, that they can cultivate their understandings for the advantage and pleasure of others as well as their own. The Greek poets give a beautiful character to some of the heroines in their fables.

5. Antigone, the daughter of Edipus, is an instance of the most exemplary attachment of a daughter to a parent, of a sister to a brother; and Electra the daughter of king Agamemnon of Mycenæ is not less amiable than Antigone. These young women are described as humble and pious -honouring all the Deity they knew, and fearing to offend him-loving their duty above all things, and choosing to suffer for conscience sake and for those they loved, rather than to connive with the designs of the wicked, or to participate in their favours. Christian daughters and sisters should not permit themselves to be excelled by those who lived in the comparative darkness of heathenism.

6. Plato, a philosopher, who died about 325 B. C. had such respect for women, that he has spoken of them in terms which are thus expressed in our language. "May not that sex which we confine to obscure and domestic employments, be intended for more noble and exalted functions? Have they not a thousand times given examples of courage, wisdom, excellence in every virtue

"Both sexes,"

and success in all the arts?" said this philosopher, "should be instructed in the elements of science, and the lessons of wisdom."

7. In this Plato was right, but if this great man, had understood how honourable all the occupations of a woman's domestic life could be made, he would not have proposed any higher function for them than to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers.

MACEDONIA.

Macedonia was not included in Greece proper, it lay immediately north of Thessaly. Before the age of Philip, a monarchial government was established in the country; cities were built, and some of the arts of Greece were cultivated. Philip was a prince of the royal family, and was educated at Thebes under Epaminondas. Philip was not the immediate heir to the throne of Macedon, but he contrived to establish himself as king, and to make himself master of the Greek cities on the coasts of his dominions; and disputes concerning the possession of these cities, and other pretensions of Philip, which some of the states denied, were the cause of those wars which ended in the subjugation of Greece.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

Alexander, of Macedon, was the son of that Philip who conquered the Greeks at Cheronea.

Philip was assassinated in the forty-seventh year of his age, B. C. 336, and was succeeded in his empire by Alexander. The education of this young prince is said to have been entrusted to Aristotle, an eminent philosopher; but if this is true, the philosopher failed to implant moderation and the love of mankind in the heart of his royal pupil, for the love of war and conquest was the prevailing passion of Alexander.

2. Philip had formed a design to conquer Persia, and his son resolved to accomplish it; but before Alexander attempted to penetrate into Asia he secured his father's European conquests, and made himself complete master of Illyria and Thrace. He collected an army of 30,000 foot and 5,000 horse, with which he invaded Asia. In the course of his wars, he made himself master of Asia Minor, took the city of Tyre, and subdued Syria, Egypt, and Persia. Alexander, after his conquest of Egypt, founded the city of Alexandria on the western side of the Nile, visited the oracle of Jupiter Ammon in Lybia, and caused the priests to salute him as the son of the god. On account of this, Alexander is sometimes called in poetry "Ammon's son."

3. Alexander died at Babylon, in consequence of excessive drinking, when he was about thirtytwo years of age, B C. 323. After the death of Darius, king of Persia, his wife and mother were prisoners to Alexander, and he has been commended for his humane treatment of these unfortunate princesses, who fell at his feet and supplicated his mercy.

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4. To be kind to those who are entirely in our power, is not generosity, unless we give up part of our own comfort for their benefit-it is only justice. To do good to those whom we have deprived of their happiness is only imperfect justice, such as the favours of Alexander to the Persian princesses. But it is due to his memory to say that this act of clemency in Alexander displayed more of the quality of mercy than was common to conquerors in ancient times, for they most frequently abused and insulted those whom they had conquered.

5. After the death of Alexander, his conquests were divided among four military chiefs. Ptolemy established himself in Egypt, and his successors, called Ptolemies, became kings of Egypt and reigned there till about thirty years before Christ. Seleucus and his posterity, called the Seleucidæ, became sovereigns of Syria and Babylon. Antigonus got possession of Asia Minor and Antipater of Macedonia.