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 SCHOLABS IN GEEEK EMPIEE 403 walls of Constantinople than could be found dispersed over the extensive countries of the West.' 1 While not losing sight of the fact that the Greek Departure . . . of Greek Church from the time of Justinian had exercised influence scholars in Venice and Calabria, it may yet be stated that the depar- f01 Italy ture of Greek scholars from Constantinople for the West began with the Latin conquest. Italy, on account of her commerce with the East and the intimate relations which had existed between Venice and other cities and the New Kome before the Latin occupation, was the country to which most of the fugitives turned their steps. Venice, owing to the part she took in the Latin conquest of the city, had become Queen of the Seas, and naturally received at first the largest contingent. But the supremacy of Venice was now shared by various rivals, and Greek students found their way to other cities. Greek was still spoken in Calabria, where the liturgy was said in that language and where, indeed, the language is still spoken, 2 but with this exception nowhere else in Italy had any knowledge of Greek been preserved-. Boccaccio asserts that even the Greek characters were unknown. 3 In the troubles which existed during the century and a half preceding the Moslem conquest the number of exiles increased. Many priests and monks were glad to escape from the disorders in their native land by seeking refuge in Italy. While these voluntary exiles contributed largely to aids awaken an interest in the study of Greek, it must be noted learning that their arrival in Italy was at an opportune period. mItal y- Gibbon remarks that in 'the resurrection of science Italy was the first that cast away her shroud.' The study of the Latin classical authors had already been recommenced. There had been a gradual awakening from the stupor, the indifference, and, in spite of a few individual exceptions, the 1 Gibbon, vol. vii. 116. 2 See H. F. Tozer's article on ' The Greek-speaking Population of Southern Italy,' in Journal of Hellenic Studies, x. p. 99. 3 ' Nemo est qui Graecas literas novit.' Quoted in Hodius, De Graecis illus- tribus, p. 3. D I) 2