按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and the ecclesia had first to determine by a special vote whether the safety of the state required such a step to be taken。 If they decided in the affirmative； a day was fixed for the voting； and each citizen wrote upon a tile or oyster…shell ＇OSTRACON； whence the name OSTRACISM＇ the name of the person whom he wished to banish。 The votes were then collected； And if it was found that 6000 had been recorded against any one person； he was obliged to withdraw from the city within ten days： if the number of votes did not amount to 6000； nothing was done。
The aristocratical party； enraged at these reforms called in the assistance of Cleomenes； king of the Lacedaemonians。 Athens was menaced by foreign enemies and distracted by party struggles。 Clisthenes was at first compelled to retire from Athens； but the people rose in arms against Cleomenes； expelled the Lacedaemonians； who had taken possession of the city； and recalled Clisthenes。 Thereupon Cleomenes collected a Peloponnesian army in order to establish Isagoras as a tyrant over the Athenians； and at the same time he concerted measures with the Thebans and the Chalcidians of Euboea for a simultaneous attack upon Attica。 The Peloponnesian army； commanded by the two kings； Cleomenes and Demaratus； entered Attica； and advanced as far as Eleusis； but when the allies became aware of the object for which they had been summoned； they refused to march farther； and strongly protested against the attempt to establish a tyranny at Athens。 Their remonstrances being seconded by Demaratus； Cleomenes found it necessary to abandon the expedition and return home。 At a later period （B。C。 491） Cleomenes took revenge upon Demaratus by persuading the Spartans to depose him upon the ground of illegitimacy。 The exiled king took refuge at the Persian court。
The unexpected retreat of the Peloponnesian army delivered the Athenians from their most formidable enemy； and they lost no time in turning their arms against their other foes。 Marching into Boeotia； they defeated the Thebans and then crossed over into Euboea； where they gained a decisive victory over the Chalcidians。 In order to secure their dominion in Euboea； and at the same time to provide for their poorer citizens； the Athenians distributed the estates of the wealthy Chalcidian landowners among 4000 of their citizens； who settled in the country under the name of CLERUCI。
The successes of Athens excited the jealousy of the Spartans； and they now resolved to make a third attempt to overthrow the Athenian democracy。 They had meantime discovered the deception which had been practised upon them by the Delphic oracle； And they invited Hippias to come from Sigeum to Sparta； in order to restore him to Athens。 The experience of the last campaign had taught them that they could not calculate upon the co…operation of their allies without first obtaining their approval of the project； and they therefore summoned deputies from all their allies to meet at Sparta； in order to determine respecting the restoration of Hippias。 But the proposal was received with universal repugnance； and the Spartans found it necessary to abandon their project。 Hippias returned to Sigeum； and afterwards proceeded to the court of Darius。
Athens had now entered upon her glorious career。 The institutions of Clisthenes had given her citizens a personal interest in the welfare and the grandeur of their country。 A spirit of the warmest patriotism rapidly sprang up among them； and the history of the Persian wars； which followed almost immediately； exhibits a striking proof of the heroic sacrifices which they were prepared to make for the liberty and independence of their state。
CHAPTER VI。
THE GREEK COLONIES。
The vast number of the Greek colonies； their wide…spread diffusion over all parts of the Mediterranean； which thus became a kind of Grecian lake； and their rapid growth in wealth； power； and intelligence； afford the most striking proofs of the greatness of this wonderful people。 Civil dissensions and a redundant population were the chief causes of the origin of most of the Greek colonies。 They were usually undertaken with the approbation of the cities from which they issued； and under the management of leaders appointed by them。 But a Greek colony was always considered politically independent of the mother…city and emancipated from its control。 The only connexion between them was one of filial affection and of common religious ties。 Almost every colonial Greek city was built upon the sea…coast； and the site usually selected contained a hill sufficiently lofty to form an acropolis。
The Grecian colonies may be arranged in four groups： 1。 Those founded in Asia Minor and the adjoining islands； 2。 Those in the western parts of the Mediterranean； in Italy； Sicily； Gaul； and Spain； 3。 Those in Africa； 4。 Those in Epirus； Macedonia； and Thrace。
1。 The earliest Greek colonies were those founded on the western shores of Asia Minor。 They were divided into three great masses； each bearing the name of that section of the Greek race with which they claimed affinity。 The AEolic cities covered the northern part of this coast； together with the islands of Lesbos and Tenedos； the Ionians occupied the centre； with the islands of Chios and Samos； and the Dorians the southern portion； with the islands of Rhodes and Cos。 Most of these colonies were founded in consequence of the changes in the population of Greece which attended the conquest of Peloponnesus by the Dorians。 The Ionic cities were early distinguished by a spirit of commercial enterprise； and soon rose superior in wealth and in power to their AEolian and Dorian neighbours。 Among the Ionic cities themselves Miletus and Ephesus were the most flourishing； Grecian literature took its rise in the AEolic and Ionic cities of Asia Minor。 Homer was probably a native of Smyrna。 Lyric poetry flourished in the island of Lesbos； where Sappho and Alcaeus were born。 The Ionic cities were also the seats of the earliest schools of Grecian philosophy。 Thales； who founded the Ionic school of philosophy； was a native of Miletus。 Halicarnassus was one of the most important of the Doric cities； of which Herodotus was a native； though he wrote in the Ionic dialect。
2。 The earliest Grecian settlement in Italy was Cumae in Campania； situated near Cape Misenum； on the Tyrrhenian sea。 It is said to have been a joint colony from the AEolic Cyme in Asia and from Chalcis in Euboea； and to have been founded； according to the common chronology； in B。C。 1050。 Cumae was for a long time the most flourishing city in Campania； and it was not till its decline in the fifth century before the Christian era that Capua rose into importance。
The earliest Grecian settlement in Sicily was founded in B。C。 735。 The extraordinary fertility of the land soon attracted numerous colonists from various parts of Greece； and there arose on the coasts of Sicily a succession of flourishing cities。 Of these； Syracuse and Agrigentum； both Dorian colonies； became the most powerful。 The former was founded by the Corinthians in B。C。 734； and at the time of its greatest prosperity contained a population of 500；000 souls； and was s