Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/480

458 458 HISTORY OF THE dides. It is unanimously agreed among the ancients that Athens was the native soil of oratory,* and as the works of Athenian orators alone have come down to us, so also we may safely conclude that the ruder oratory, not designed for literary preservation, but from which oratory, as a branch of literature, arose, was cultivated in a much higher degree among the Athenians •than in all the rest of Greece. § 3. Themistocles, who with equal courage and genius had laid the foundations of the greatness of Athens at the most dangerous and difficult crisis of her history, was not distinguished for eloquence, so much as for the wisdom of his plans, and the energy with which he carried them out; nevertheless, it is universally agreed that he was in the highest degree capable of unfolding his views, and of recommending them by argument. f The oratory of Pericles occupies a much more prominent position. The power and dominion of Athens, though continually assailed by new enemies, seemed at last to have acquired some stability : it was time to survey the advantages which had been gained, and to become acquainted with the principles which had led to their acquisition and might contribute to their increase : the question too arose, what use should be made of this dominion over the Greeks of the islands and the [coasts, which it had cost so much trouble to obtain, and of the revenues which flowed into Athens in such abundant streams. It is manifest, from the whole political career of Pericles, that on the one hand he presupposed in his people a power of governing themselves, and on the other hand that he wished to prevent the state from becoming a mere stake to be played for by ambitious demagogues : for he favoured every institu- tion which gave the poorer citizens a share in the government; he encouraged everything which might contribute to extend education and knowledge ; and by his astonishing expenditure on works of architec- ture and sculpture, he gave the people a decided fondness for the grand and beautiful. And thus the appearance of Pericles on the bema (which he purposely reserved for great occasions^) was not intended merely to aid the passing of some law, but was at the same time calculated to infuse a noble spirit into the general politics of Athens, to guide the views of the Athenians in regard to their external relations and all the difficulties of their position ; and it was the wish of this true friend of the people that all this might long survive himself. This is obviously the opinion of Thucydides, whom we may consider as in many respects a worthy disciple of the school of Pericles ; and this is the representation which he has given us of the oratory of that statesman in the three speeches (all of them delivered on important occasions) which he has f Not to mention other authorities, Lysias {Epitaph. XLII.) says that he was 'lxu.viaTtt.To; u-iruv x.a.i yvwvai kou vrga£,sti, % Plutarch, Pericles VII
 * Studium eloquenticB proprium Athena/rum, Cicero, Brutus, XIII.