Page:The City-State of the Greeks and Romans.djvu/112

88 themselves, such as would be likely to break into the traditional and willing acceptance of monarchy as a natural and inevitable institution. This is no more than we might have guessed for ourselves. Weakness arising from whatever cause — disunion or other, — and on the other hand ambition and arbitrary use of power, are the causes which have throughout all history been apt to destroy not only monarchies, but all governments. And when the monarch is but the chief among a number of lesser potentates, it is easy enough to guess not only at the causes but at the results of revolutions which have at least much apparent resemblance to those of the early modern State.

Perhaps it may be said that we have at least one glimpse of a monarchy on the point of falling to pieces, — though even that glimpse is one into a region that is mythical and misty. Odysseus was king in Ithaca; and during his twenty years' absence his kingship barely survives the attacks made upon it by the aristocracy of the island, the lesser. There seems to be indeed no idea of abolishing monarchy as an institution. Telemachus assumes that some one will be king, even if it be not one of the true kingly family. "There are many other chiefs of the Achæans in sea-girt Ithaca — kings young and old; some one of them shall surely have this kingship since goodly Odysseus is dead." But if the kingship be removed from the family which has so far held it, the first step is taken towards its destruction; and Antinous says angrily