into the Revival of Greek Literature in Italy. 393 



reign of AUGUSTUS, although the deterioration of the Grecian 

 language was at first scarcely discernible, yet the seeds of change 

 were but too surely sown. Greece itself was now occupied 

 by the Romans, that new and mighty nation which had already 

 acted so grand a part in the history of the world, and the Attic 

 muses, as if attracted and dazzled by the Roman triumphs, de- 

 serted their native valleys, and fixed their seats in the beautiful 

 fields of Italy. THEOCRITUS and MENANDER, the first in the 

 sweetness of his pastorals, and the second in the playful elegance 

 of dramatic poetry, shed, indeed, an auspicious ray over the com- 

 mencement of this period. POLYBIUS, too, published his ad- 

 mirable Commentaries ; and a crowd of philosophers, sophists, 

 and rhetoricians, preserved, in their works of controversy and cri- 

 ticism, some shadowy traces of the perfection of this noble lan- 

 guage. But, with metaphysical subtilties, there crept in new 

 forms of expression. A mixture of foreign nations, and a familia- 

 rity with less perfect and polished tongues, polluted gradually its 

 ancient purity ; and, to use the words of HARLES, those symptoms 

 of decay were visible, which told too surely that the freshness 

 and vigour of manhood were past, and the infirmities of age ap- 

 proaching *. 



If such was the state of Grecian literature and philosophy 

 upon the death of AUGUSTUS, under whose reign the Roman 

 muses were destined to enjoy their highest triumph, it will rea- 

 dily be believed that the three succeeding centuries, which filled 

 up the interval from the accession of TIBERIUS to the reign of 

 CONSTANTINE the Great f, brought only increasing decay and 

 corruption to the pure and nervous language of DEMOSTHENES 

 and XENOPHON. Works of talent, and even of genius, were not 

 wanting. The geographical labours of STRABO J, PTOLEMY ||, 



* HARLBS, p. 209. f From A. D. 14 to 806. 



J STRABO died A. D. 25. || PTOLEMY, A. D. 161. 



3 D 2 



