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 THE BYZANTINES. 12$ pire that the Hellenic world which exists to-day, the New, the Christian Hellas, was formed. The decline and fall of the Greeks were not due to any fault in the people. They lacked no quality which renders states great. They met the attacks from without manfully so long as the empire had sufficient strength left to stand. The empire fell at last, exhausted, conquered, but not dishonored; it fell like a soldier who dies on. the field of battle, with his sword in his hand and his face to the enemy. Despite the many wars with their alarming situations and their dangers, Constantinople studied, worked, and continued industrious. In the midst of attacks by barbarians she preserved the traditions of the culture of Athens and Rome and prepared the way for the European Renais- sance. The fine arts developed, as we all know, with great fecundity : the Byzantines created a style of art which is known by their name. It is necessary to mention only the church of St. Sophia which has served as a model for church edifices in Italy and Russia. The predecessors and the teachers of Raphael were imitators, copyists of the Byzantines. In Constantinople, says Finlay, manners were