Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/283

261 LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE. 261 prose; was evidently fitted to be the cradle of historical composition in Greece. If the Milesians had not, together with their neighbours of Asia Minor, led a life of too luxurious enjoyment; if they had known how to retain the severe manners and manly character of the ancient Greeks, in the midst of the refinements and excitements of later times; it is probable that Miletus, and not Athens, would have been the teacher of the world. § 3. Cadmus of Miletus is mentioned as the earliest historian, and, together with Phcrecydes of Syros, as the earliest writer of prose. His date cannot be placed much before the 60th Olympiad, b. c. 540*; he wrote a history of the foundation of Miletus (Kriaig MiXiyrcv), which embraced the whole of Ionia, The subject of this history lay in the dim period, from which only a few oral traditions of an historical kind, but intimately connected with mythical notions, had been preserved. The genuine work of Cadmus seems to have been early lost; the book which bore his name in the time of Dionysius (that is, the Augustan age) was considered a forgery f. The next historian, in order of time, to Cadmus, was Acusilals of Argos. Although by descent a Dorian, he wrote his history in the Ionic dialect, because the Ionians were the founders of the his- torical style: a practice universally followed in Greek literature. Acu- silaus confined his attention to the mythical period. His object was to collect into a short and connected narrative all the events from the formation of chaos to the end of the Trojan war. It was said of him that he translated Hesiod into prose J : an expression which serves to characterise his work. He appears, however, to have related many legends differently from Hesiod, and in the tone of the Orphic theo- logers of his own time §. He seems to have written nothing which can properly be called history. § 4. HecatjEus of Miletus, the Ionian, was of a very dilferent character of mind. With regard to his date, we know that he was a man of great consideration at the time when the Ionians wished to attempt a revolt against the Persians under Darius (Olymp. 69. 2. b.c. 503). At that time he came forward in the council of Aristagoras, and dissuaded the undertaking, enumerating the nations which were subject to the Fersian king, and all his warlike forces. But if they determined to revolt, he advised them to endeavour, above all things, to maintain the sea by a large fleet, and for this purpose to take the + Concerning Xantluis and all the following historians, see the paper " On certain early Greek historians mentioned l>y Dionysius of Halicamassus," in the Museum Criticum, Vol. I. p. 80. 216; Vol. II. p. 90. J Clem. Alex. Strum, vi. p. (i'J!) A. § Ch. xvi. § -4, note. For the fragments of Acusilaus see Sturz's edition of Pho recydes
 * See Clinton, F. H. Vol. II. p. 368, sqq.