77 



The representative principle, by which such a government might ex- 

 pand over large countries without becoming despotic, was as foreign to 

 the political wisdom of antiquity as the conception of a social condition 

 without slavery. Hence the impossibility of forming a comprehensive 

 Greek state. Athens no sooner became pre-eminent and dominant, 

 than she became despotic. No means were found to establish an 

 equality of rights between the people of the annexed territories and 

 of Athens. There was no free alliance and equal union for the forma- 

 tion of a large commonwealth of freemen. Power and liberty resided 

 only in one centre. Those who were at a distance from that centre, 

 had only the choice between subjection and perfect separation. The 

 small Greek cities had too much of local life and vigour to submit 

 for any length of time to the former, and none of them had a territory 

 sufficiently ample, or political wisdom and martial strength enough, to 

 rise permanently to uncontested superiority, and to enforce obedience. 



Rime was more wise, determined, or fortunate. The inhabitants of 

 this one city became the rulers first of a densely peopled disti'ict all 

 round the political centre, and then of the whole of Italy. This was 

 already a severe test of the pei-manence of their municipal government. 

 Yet their fortune carried them vastly beyond even these limits, and in 

 course of time they became the masters of the world. But the 

 gloiy of conquest was purchased ^vith the loss of freedom. The first 

 general, who led a Roman army beyond tlie sea, was no longer merely a 

 servant of the citizens of Rome — he was a member of the ruling 

 aristocracy, destined to become more powerful, more arrogant, more 

 selfish and rapacious, in proportion as the legions added more and 

 ever more provinces to the huge dominion of the Emi:)ire City. 

 During the period of his command he swayed monarchical power, and 

 it was found impossible to bring him back again to the modest position 

 of a private citizen. 



A great anomaly was thus created. The state was brought into 

 a strange, unnatural condition, which could not last long. The 

 populace of an overgrown town — poor, idle, abject, and venal — 

 pretended to govern a vast empire. The elections and laws, made 

 in the Roman forum by a turbulent and ignorant mob, determined 

 the fate of the once free and flourishing commonwealths of Greece and 

 Asia, of the dwellers on the Ebro, the Rhone, the Po, the Hebrus. 

 But this popular sovereignty was all sham and illusion. The real 

 governors of the Roman world were behind the scenes, and pulled the 

 strings. It was the aristocracy, who brought the people to the forum 

 to give their votes and to confer armies and provincial governments on 

 tlu; members of tlie noble houses. In the tui fortunate provinces these 



