Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/166

 144 mSTORY OF GREECE. " We live under a constitution such as noway to envy the lawi of our neighbors. ourselves an example to others, rather thai mere imitators. It is called a democracy, since its permanent aim tends towards the many arid not towards the few : in regard to private matters and disputes, the laws deal equally with every man : while looking to public affairs and to claims of individual influence, every man's chance of advancement is determined, not by party-favor but by real worth, according as his reputation stands in his own particular department : nor does poverty, or obscure station, keep him back, 1 if he really has the means of benefiting the city. And our social march is free, not merely in regard to public affairs, but also in regard to intolerance of each other's diversity of daily pursuits. For we are not angry with our neighbor for what he may do to please himself, nor do we ever put on those sour looks, 2 which, though they do no positive damage, are not the less sure to offend. Thus conducting our private social intercourse with reciprocal indulgence, we are restrained from wrong on public matters by fear and reverence of our magistrates for the time being, and of our laws, especi- ally such laws as are instituted for the protection of MTongful sufferers, and even such others as, though not written, are en- forced by a common sense of shame. Besides this, we have provided for our minds numerous recreations from toil, partly by our customary solemnities of sacrifice and festival throughout the year, partly by the elegance of our private establishments, the daily charm of which banishes the sense of discomfort From the magnitude of our city, the products of the whole eartl are brought to us, so that our enjoyment of foreign luxuries is as In the Demosthenic or pseudo-Demosthenic Orat. Funebris, c. 8, p. 1397 XP t l aT & v iKLTTidEVfiaTuv avvTifteia, TTJ<; 67ij]f iro^ireiag VTro&eaif, etc. 1 Thucyd. ii, 37. ovd' av KOTO, neviav, tyuv 6s n ayadbv dpdaai TTJV v, df tw/zarof utyaveia KEKulvTai : compare Plato, Menexenus, c. 8. Thucyd. ii. 37. Att;#epw? 6e TO, re irpbf "d noivbv xol.irevofiev, KOI ej i9' rjfiipav iiriTijdEV/iUTUv i>7ro^iav, ov 6C opyiji rov ' i)6ovi]v TI 6pp, c^ovref, oi'6e a&fiiovs fiev, Avjrqpuc; Je, ry tnf>ei irpoaTi&E/ievoi. 'Avc7ra#<Jf de TU Idta TTpoao/udovvTec TU 010, Jti di'of puMaTa ov irapavoftovfiev, ruv re uet ev apxy OVTUV aapouaei ruv vofiuv, /cat fjta?.iara avruv 5aoi re en 3 ti^e/leta TUV udtKOVftevuv a2 oaoi uyoafyo- ovref aia^vvtiv Ofj.o^.oyovnivi]v (jiepovot.