66 "THE COMING OF MAN 



Their coming among the Neolithic settlements of Greece 

 must have been like the arrival of a party of cowboys in a 

 community of pacificists. They '' painted the town red." 

 Resistance was hopeless, submission usually quick. They 

 probably exacted from the people not very much more of 

 toil and labor than had been demanded before, and were 

 excellent watchdogs. Their heroes married the daughters of 

 the rulers of the land and became kings. The changes were 

 quick, thorough and not altogether for the worse. 



These roving bands of emigrants from the Aryan home- 

 land were composed mostly of the young and vigorous. They 

 had left behind them the old men, the lawgivers of the tribe, 

 and guardians of its traditions. They had broken and cast off 

 all the old tribal fetters and restraints and enjoyed their free- 

 dom to the full. Their leader was a young adventurous 

 fighter like themselves. The source of his authority was his 

 prowess and success as champion and ability to lead. Dour 

 gigantic Ajax, swift and athletic Achilles, and shrewd resource- 

 ful Ulysses listen patiently to wise wordy old Nestor, and do 

 as they will. Their only law was the word of the leader, and 

 his power depended on his right arm and the loyalty of his 

 followers. 



The city states, which sprang up somewhat later all over 

 Greece, prospered or failed largely according to the power, 

 ability and wisdom of the individual irresponsible ruler. He 

 is the outstanding feature and characteristic of the Bronze and 

 early Iron Ages, and loyalty to him is the chief virtue of his 

 followers. Tribal rule and tribal conscience have seemingly 

 disappeared, vanished with an outgrown past. 



They had left the mother-goddess behind in the homeland, 

 very possibly even there her cult and worship had long since 

 declined. Their conception of divinity was quite naturally 

 a war god hurling thunderbolts or wielding a magic hammer. 

 His moral endowments were of secondary importance. The 

 goddess of the conquered land seems often to have been mar- 

 ried to their own god. They were exceedingly liberal in 

 matters of theology, and freely admitted new divinities to 



