1832.] Pericles A Tale of Greece. 553 



still greater hopes hopes, which would in all probability have been 

 realized, had not Anticles been unexpectedly catalogued (such is the 

 phrase in the Greek), or levied, among the other Athenian youth, to aid 

 in the defence of Plateea, then besieged by the Thebans. This at first 

 appeared the deathblow to all their fondest hopes ; for by declining to 

 serve, or escaping from his post, Anticles would have incurred that 

 indelible stigma, which ever after attached to those who evaded the 

 Athenian service a service, though they had to maintain themselves, 

 which it was considered honourable to perform, and disgraceful to escape. 

 No alternative was left he was obliged to leave, though Callirrhoe must 

 be forsaken. The only hope that remained was, that the besieging 

 Thebans might be so speedily defeated, as to enable him to return before 

 Pericles could arrive ; but of this no reasonable expectation could be 

 entertained, as the Boeetians were no less remarkable for their warlike 

 force, than for their singular stupidity.* 



* * * # * # 



On their arrival at Athens, Anticles unfortunately fuund, upon imme- 

 diate inquiry, that Pericles was returned j but undaunted by the decisive 

 declarations which he had frequently been heard to make, and inspirited 

 by his own warlike achievements on their return from Plataea, he resolved 

 to prosecute his suit, despite of the aristocratical pride of the father of his 

 love. The reception which he met with from the noble statesman was 

 what he had expected, dignified, haughty, and contemptuous; though 

 from his manner he could not but suspect that he had had some intima- 

 tion of his intentions, and immediately addressed him on that supposition. 



" What !" said Pericles, in a burst of indignation, " the daughter of 

 Pericles be wedded to a plebeian soldier! Get thee gone, insulting youth!" 



" You are probably not aware," replied the undaunted Anticles, " of 

 the deeds of valour which I have recently done ?" 



Pericles looked inquiringly, and Anticles proceeded, giving an account of 

 his brave exploits on their return from Plataea, which had saved the army 

 from destruction, and Athens from disgrace. And the eloquence and 

 vigour with which he related it, appeared to produce considerable im- 

 pression on Pericles. 



" Your valour," replied the statesman, " is the only quality you possess 

 to redeem the objections of your birth ; and 



" ' Valour \A'ith me than friendship more avails.' "f 



This was an acknowledgment, which Anticles could not but consider 

 as something more than poetry, and therefore began to converse in a 

 bolder strain. Pericles was charmed with the eloquence and beauty both 

 of language and of sentiment with which he spoke ; and though he had 

 so lately regarded him as an insolent and ignorant common soldier, vainly 

 attempting to intrude himself into a family of the nobility, he now con- 

 sidered him as a specimen, not only of valorous patriotism, but of elegant 

 and martial eloquence ; and though he was still too resolute to revoke his 

 denial, the impression Anticles had produced on him by his conversation 

 was too strong to be easily effaced. And the fame which the adventurous 

 plebeian soon acquired among every class of people in Athens was so 



* Here we regret to say is another lacuna (vald6 deflenda) in the MS., in which it is 

 probable the exploits of the Athenian army, and of Anticles in particular, were detailed. 

 The beginning of the next sentence is mutilated, but the meaning is clear. 



t Sophoc. Aj. 1357. 



M.M. New Strict. Vo\. XIII. No. 77. 2 P 



