H2 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



is the hiftory of the Greeks, the moft curious ancl 

 mofl important of all antiquity. 



XX. Greece was fo named from an ob- 

 fcure king called Grascus. Another king, who 

 was named Hellen, gave to the Greeks the 

 name of Hellenifts. The different augmentations 

 of this people have occafioned the learned to dif- 

 tinguifh their hiftory into four different ages, 

 marked by the like number of important epochs. 

 The firft age comprehends almoft 700 years, 

 from the foundation of the fmall kingdoms of 

 Greece to the fiege of Troy. To this period be- 

 longs the foundation of Athens, Lacedemon, 

 Thebes, Argos, Corinth and Sicyon ; the atro- 

 cious act of the Danaides, the labours of Her- 

 cules, and, in general, all the exploits of the firft 

 heroes of Greece. The fecond age includes 800 

 years, from the Trojan war to the battle of Ma- 

 rathon. The third age continued only 158 

 years : it begins with the battle of Marathon, 

 and ends with the death of Alexander. So many 

 accomplilhed philofophers, orators and generals* 

 never exifted upon the earth at the fame time, as 

 during this period. The fourth age was not 

 longer than the third ; for, after the death of Alex- 

 ander, the Greeks began to decline, and at laft 

 became fubjecl to the dominion of the Romans. 



XXI. Here we are to diftinguifh that which is 

 called Great Greece, which comprehends fome 

 adjacent countries alfo with Greece properly fo 



called. 



