Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/298

 266 HISTORY OF GREECE. judgment, an estimate of his character contraiy to the evidence. Alexandei- is indeed said to have invited suggestions from Aris- totle as to the best mode of colonizing ; but his temper altered so much, after a few years of Asiatic conquest, that he came not onlv to lose all deference for Aristotle's advice, but even to hate him bitterly.^ Moreover, though the philosopher's full sugges- tions have not been preserved, yet we are told generally that he recommended Alexander to behave to the Greeks as a leader or president, or limited chief — and to the Barbarians (non-Hel- lenes) as a master ; ^ a distinction substantially coinciding with that pointed out by Burke in his speeches at the beginning of the American war, between the principles of government proper to be followed by England in the American colonies, and in Brit- ish India. No Greek thinker believed the Asiatics to be capa- ble of that free civil polity' upon which the march of every Gre- Hellenisclien Staatcn Systemes (Hamburg, 1843). See especially the last and most recent work, p. 27 seqq p. 651 seqq. — and elsewhere /)ass/w. ' Plutarch, Alex. 5.5-74. ' Plutarcli, Fortun. Alex. M. p. 329. 'AP.f'favJpof 6e tu 'Koyi^ to Ipyov napeax^v' oii }'(ip, wc 'ApiaToriATjc; avveSov/^evev avrC), toI<; fiev 'E/.'^tjaiv TfyefioviKug, roif 6e (Sapi3upot( deanortnu)^ ;j;p(j/i£V0i' •...(lAAd Koivor f/Keiv i9eoi?ev ipnoarfj^ kol SiaXXanTTj^ rdv o?.uv vofii^uv, oix tu XoyiJ ft!) avvriye, Tolc oTi/.oii pLa^oiievo^, etc to ovto avveveyKCov ru Ttavraxo'&ev, etc. Strabo (or Eratosthenes, see Strabo, i. p. 66) and Plutarch understand the expression of Aristotle erroneously — as if that philosopher had meant to recommend harsh and cruel treatment of the non-Hellenes, and kind treat- ment only towards Greeks. That Aristotle could have meant no such thing, is evident from the whole tenor of his treatise on Politics. The dis- tinction really intended is between a greater and a less measure of extra- popular authority — not between kind and unkind purposes in the exercise of authoritj'. Compare Tacitus, Annal. xii. 11 — the advice of the Empe- ror Claudius to the Parthian prince Meherdates. ' Aristot. Politic, i. I, 5 ; vii. 6, 1. See the memorable comparison drawn oj' Aristotle (Polit. vii. 6) between the Europeans and Asiatics generally. He pronounces the former to be courageous and energetic, but wanting in intelligence or powers of political combination ; the latter to be intelligent and clever in contrivance, but destitute of courage. Neither of them have more than a "one-legged aptitude" (di'icrti' fwvomjlov) ; tlie Greek alon> possesses both the courage and intelligence united. The Asiatics are con demned to perpetual subjection ; the Greeks might govern the sovi cwuld they but combine in one political society.