GREEK AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GREEKS 135 



strongly marked (witness the difference between Greece and Rome), 

 its function in the differentiation of languages is less well known; 

 nor can I have the hardihood to attempt to set apart the activity 

 of the will from that of the intellect and feelings in this brief study 

 of the relation of the physiognomy of the Greek mind to Greek speech. 



To this study there are two methods of approach, each of which 

 has its proper advantages. We may contrast the Greeks with them- 

 selves at different periods of their history, tempera mutantur nos et 

 mutamur in illis. Or we may seek to discover the characteristics 

 of Greek speech by comparison with Latin or with the modern 

 languages. For my present purpose it is this method to which I 

 shall give special prominence. 



For the study of the qualities of the Hellenic mind we have the 

 direct evidence of the peoples with which the ancient Greeks came 

 into contact. To this secondary source of information the moderns 

 must have recourse, but a surer guide is afforded by their own 

 examination of the expression of mind and character that is con- 

 tained in the records of the Greeks themselves. 



The Roman characterization of the Greeks presents no exception 

 to the rule that the estimation of one people by another is colored 

 by the national traits of the observer. Roman analysis is in the main 

 deduced from contemporary observation. 1 The Roman writers 

 were not impelled to search for the psychological causes that pro- 

 duced Hellenic superiority when Hellenic intellect or Hellenic arms 

 achieved their highest preeminence. 



On the social side the Romans did not fail of appreciation of the 

 Greek comitas (Tacitus, Agr. 4), liberalitas, facilitas and elegantia. 

 Capitolinus, Maximinus (29, 3), says: soror mea (i. e. of Alexander 

 Aurelius) Graecis munditiis erudita. 



To the keenness of the Greek, particularly the Attic, intellect, the 

 Roman pays tribute. Graeca facundia is echoed from Sallust to 

 Ausonius. Quintilian (12, 10, 36) opposes the strength of his coun- 

 trymen to the mental agility of the Greek: non possumus esse tarn 

 graciles, simus fortiores; subtilitate vincimur, valeamus pondere. 

 Greek sales, lepor, subtilitas, salsi eloquii venustas, the nasus Atticus, 

 are commonplaces of Roman criticism, but not infrequently the 

 sensitiveness of the Greek intellect appears as ingenium molle to the 

 rugged and less delicate Roman. But it is the levitas propria Graeco- 

 rum (Cicero, pro Flacco, 57) that is the dominant note. Lactantius 

 says : quorum levitas . . . incredibile est quantas mendaciorum nebu- 

 las excitaverit (Div. Inst. 1,15). Akin to this levitas is the negligentia 

 of the Greek (Cicero, Epist. 16, 4, 2) ; the Greek is otiosus et loquax 

 (de Oral. 1, 102). Cicero says: hoc vitio (ineptum esse) cumulata 



1 The evidence is collected by Wolflin in Archiv fur Latein. Lexicographic und 

 Grammatik, 7 (1890-92), 140f. 



