Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/209

Rh public edifices was entrusted to Pheidias, under whose superintendence were employed his two pupils Alcamenes and Agoracritus, Ictinus and Callicrates the architects of the Parthenon, Mne- sicles the architect of the Propylaea, Coroebus the architect who began the temple at Eleusis, Calli- machus, Metagenes, Xenocles and others. These works calling into activity, as they did in various ways, almost every branch of industry and com- merce at Athens, diifused universal prosperity while they proceeded. Such a variety of instru- ments and materials were now needed, that there could hardly be an artisan in the city who would not find scope for his industry and skill ; and as every art required the services of a number of subordinate labourers, every class of the labouring citizens found employment and support. This, however, though a most important object, and one which Pericles had distinctly in view, was not the only one which he set before himself in this ex- penditure. Independently of the gratification of his personal taste, which in this respect accorded with that of the people, his internal and external policy formed parts of one whole. While he raised Athens to that supremacy which in his judgment she deserved to possess, on account both of the natural capabilities of the people and the glorious sacrifices which they had made for the safety and freedom not of themselves only but of Greece, the magnificent aspect which the city assumed under his directions was designed to keep alive among the people a present consciousness of their great- ness and power. (Comp. Demosth. Aristocr, p. 689, Mid. p. 565.) This feature of his policy is distinctly expressed in the speech delivered by him over the slain in the first winter of the Pelopon- nesian war, a speech equally valuable as an em- bodiment of his views, whether the sentiments contained in it be, as is most probable, such as he actually delivered, or such as his contemporary Thucydides knew him to entertain (Thucyd. ii. 35 — 46). He calls upon the survivors to resolve that the spirit they cherish towards their enemies shall be no less daring than that of those who had fallen ; considering not alone the immediate benefit resulting from repelling their enemies, but rather the power of the city, contemplating it in reality daily, and becoming lovers (epaa-rds) of it ; and whenever it seems to them to be great, consider- ing that men acquired this magnificence by daring, and judging what was necessary, and maintaining a sense of honour in action (c. 48). The design of his policy was that Athens should be thoroughly prepared for war, while it contained within itself every thing that could render the citizens satisfied with peace ; to make them conscious of their great- ness, and inspire them with that self-reliance and elastic vigour, which was a surer safeguard than all the jealous measures resorted to by the Spartans (c. 36 — 39). Nothing could well be further from the truth than the estinmte Plato formed of the policy of Pericles, if he makes Socrates express his own views, in saying that Pericles made the Athenians idle, and cowardly, and talkative, and money-loving, by first accustoming them to receive pay {Gorg. p. 515, e.). The great object of Pencles was to get the Athenians to set before themselves a great ideal of what Athens and an Athenian ought to be. His commendations of the national characteristics partook quite as much of the nature of exhortation as of that of praise. This object, of leading the Athenians to value highly their station and privileges as Athenian citizens, may doubtless be traced in the law which he got passed at an early period, that the privileges of citizenship should be confined to those whose parents were both Athenians ; a law which was called into exercise in B. c. 444, on the occasion of a present of corn being sent by Psammetichus from Egypt, to be distributed among the Athenian citizens. At the scrutiny which was set on foot only about 14,000 were found to be genuine Athenians, nearly 5000 being discovered to be aliens. That he had not miscalculated the effect likely to be produced on the minds of his fellow- citizens, is shown by the interest and pride which they took in the progress and beauty of the public works. When it was a matter of discussion in the assembly whether marble or ivory should be used in the construction of the great statue of Athene, the latter was selected, apparently for scarcely any other reason than that it was the more costly. We have already seen that the bare idea of having their name disconnected with the works that adorned their city, was suflScient to induce them to sanction Pericles in his lavish application of the public treasures. Pity, that an expenditure so wise in its ends, and so magnificent in its kind, should have been founded on an act of appro- priation, which a strict impartiality cannot justify, though a fair consideration of all the circumstances of the age and people will find much to palliate it. The honesty of the objections raised against it by the enemies of Pericles on the score of its injustice is very questionable. The issue of the opposition of Thucydides and his party has already been noticed.

It was not the mere device of a demagogue anxious to secure popularity, but a part of a settled policy, which led Pericles to provide amusement for the people in the shape of religious festivals and musical and dramatic entertainments. These were at the same time intended to prepare the citizens by cheerful relaxation and intellectual stimulus for enduring the exertions necessary for the greatness and well-being of the state, and to lead them, as they became conscious of the enjoy- ment as well as dignity of their condition, as Athenian citizens, to be ready to put forth their most strenuous exertions in defending a position which secured to them so many advantages. (Thucyd. ii. 38, 40.) The impulse that would bo given to trade and commerce by the increase of requirements on the part of the Athenians was also an element in his calculations (Thucyd. ii. 38). The drama especially characterised the age of Pericles [Aeschylus, Sophocles; Diet, of Ant. art. Comoedia., Tragoedia]. From the comic poets Pericles had to sustain numerous attacks. Their ridicule of his personal peculiarity could excite nothing more than a passing laugh. More serious attempts were made by them to render his position suspicious in the eyes of the people. They exaggerated his power, spoke of his party as Peisistratids, and called upon him to swear that he was not about to assume the tyranny. Cratinus threw out insinuations as to the tardiness with which the building of the third long wall to Peiraeeus proceeded. His connection with Aspasia was made the ground of frequent sallies (Schol. ad Plat. p. 391, ed. Bekker ; Pint. Per. 24). His high cha- racter and strict probity, however, rendered all