A T H 



A T H 



mod powerful obdaclf to the accomplifliment of tlic-ir de- 

 fi>,nis. The Spartans, on the other hand, were extremely 

 jealous of the progrefs of the Athenians, and of the formi- 

 dable power they had acquired. Ciinon endeavoured to ap- 

 peafe, Pericles to jiromote, thishodile fpirit between the two 

 chief nations of Greece ; and his fehemes appeared to be 

 the more fuecefsful. But their animofity, before it broke 

 out into adion, was diverted by a calamity equally fuddeii 

 and unforcfeen. In the year four hundred and iixty-iime 

 before Clirill, Sparta was overwhelmed by an earthquake. 

 Tavetus and the neighbouring mountains were ihakcn 

 to the foundation, au^ twenty tlioufand Lacedaemonian 

 citizens or fubjefts pcrilhed in this dreadful difaller. 

 Amidil the ruins of Sparta, one defcription of men beheld 

 the public misfortunes not only witliout horror, but with a 

 fecret fatisfatlion. The opprefTed Spartan flavcs, known 

 by the appellations of Helots and Meffcnians, aOTembled in 

 crowds from the villaires in which they were cantoned, and 

 took mcafures for delivering themfelves, during the cruelty 

 of the elements, from the not lefs inexorable cruelty of their 

 unfeeling tyrants. The prudent arrangements of king Arclii- 

 tlamus, who, forefeeing the revolt, had fummoned the citi- 

 zens to arms, prevented them from getting immediate pof- 

 feffion of the capital ; but they rendered themfelves mailers 

 of the ancient and llrong fortrefs of Ithome, from which 

 thev continued many years to infell the Lacedemonian ter- 

 _ ritories. Cimon eai'neftly fcconded the application of the 

 Spartans, and the Atiienians were prevailed on to fend them 

 the requ'red afllltince, and the combined forces proceeded 

 to the iiege of the fortrefs. The befiegers, however, met 

 with fo little fuecefs, that the Spart^.ns difmifil-d their Athe- 

 nian auxiliares, on pretence indeed that tlieir help was no 

 longer neceffary, but in reality, from a fnfpicion that they 

 favoured the interelt of the rebels. The Athenians were 

 greatly offended by this caprice, and Pericles inllrutted his 

 partifau Ephialtes to remind the people that Cimon was the 

 chief promoter of fending afTillance to the Spartans. The il- 

 ludrious captain was accufed, and a farther charge laid againil 

 him that by prefents from the Macedonians he was prevailed 

 upon to let ll'p a manifeft opportunity of enlarging his con- 

 quefts, after taking fromthePerlians the gold mines of Thrace. 

 To this accufation Cimon replied, that to the utmofl; of his 

 power he had profecuted the war againil the Thracians and 

 other enemies of the Hate o'' Athens ; but that it was true 

 he had not ir.ade any inroads in Macedonia, becaufe he did 

 not imagine that he was to aft as a public enemy to man- 

 kind, and becaufe he was ftruck with refpeft for a nation 

 moduli in their carriage, jull in their dealings, and llriftly 

 honourable in their behaviour towards him and the Athe- 

 nians ; that if his countrymen looked upon this as a crime, 

 he mud alwde their judgment ; but, for his part, he could 

 never be brought to think fuch conducl amifs. His defence 

 however was unavailing, and he was banifhed for ten years. 

 (B.C. 460.) 



Pericles, ttuis free from the control of Cimon, confirmed 

 his own credit with the people, and made innovations on the 

 ellablillied form of government. He deprived the Areopa- 

 gus of the power of judging in the moll important quellions 

 th,.t had formerly belonged to their jurifdiftion ; he render- 

 ed the other courts of jullice fubfcrvient to his pleafure ; 

 and he became fo abfolute in Athens, that uniicr tliis repub- 

 lican government he pofTeffed a power almofl defpotie. To 

 fecure the permanency of his power, while he promoted in- 

 du'.lry and beneficial aftion, he gratified their love of plea- 

 fure. The city now (to ufe the language of Dr. Gillies) 

 afforded a perpetual fcene of triumph and fellivity. Dra- 

 matic entcrtainmeius, to whick they were pafiionately ad- 



diftcd, were no longer performed in flight tinadorned edi- 

 fices, but in Hone or marble theatres, erefted at great ex- 

 pencc ; and embtllifhed with the mod precious produftions 

 of nature and of art. The trcafury was opened not only to 

 fupply the decorations of this favourite amufement, but to 

 enable the pooier citizens to enjoyitwithout incurring any pri- 

 vate expence; and thus at the cod of the date, or rather of its 

 tributarv allies and colonies, to feaft and delight their ears and 

 fancy with the combined charms of nuific and poetry. The 

 pleafure of the eye was peculiaily conlnlted and gratified in 

 the architeftnre of tlie tlieatres and other ornamental build- 

 ings ; for as Thcmidocles had llrcngthened, Pericles adorn- 

 ed his native city ; and unlefs we had the concurring tcdi- 

 niony of antiquity, as well as the immortal remains of 

 the Parthenon or temple of Minerva, which ftill excite the 

 admiration of travellers, it would be difficult to believe that 

 in the fpace of a few years there could have been created 

 thofe inedimable wonders of art, thofe innumerable temples, 

 theatres, datucs, altars, baths, gymnafia, and porticoes, 

 which, in the language of ancient panegync, rendered 

 Athens the eye and light of Greece. Sums earned in ho- 

 nourable conteds with the Perfians, or extorted from 

 dependant allies, were expended in multiplying theatres, in 

 giving gratuitous admiflion to the poorer citizens to thefe, 

 and alio to fcads and revellings, in procuring parafites, dan- 

 cers, and buffoons, to flatter and gratify the coarfe tade of the 

 caroufing populace, in importing the delicacies of didant 

 countries, in preparing them with all the refinements of 

 cookery to gratify their palates, in encouraging the recep- 

 tion of beautiful courtezans, in codly perfumes and fplendid 

 dreffes, in delighting the cars and fancy with the charms of 

 mufic; in diort, in ijraiifyiiig the fenfes and the vanity of 

 the nuiltitude, without the exertion of their own labour. 

 Meanwhile Pericles anxioullv and ably promoted the fuprc- 

 macy of Athens over tiie red of Greece. Stimulated and 

 afiided by the Spartans, the Thebans made war upon the 

 Athenians; but the aftive vigilance of Pericles fent an army 

 to Boeotia; the valour and condiift of Myronides the Athe- 

 nian general obtained a decilive viftoiy near the walls of 

 Tanagra. Pericles placed Athenian garrifons in feveral Boeo- 

 tian fortreffes ; he made the neighbouring republics of Co- 

 rinth and Megara feel and acknowledge the fuperiority of 

 Athens, and after fending Tolmidas, a commar.dcr endued 

 rather with an impetuous than well-regulated courage, to 

 ravage the coall of the Peloponnefus, he failed thither 

 next year in perfon, and made the Laced;iemonians and their 

 allies deeply regret, that they had too foon difcovered tlieir 

 animofity againil a republic alike capable to proteA its 

 friends, and take vengeance upon its enemies. While the 

 Athenians were thus triumphing over the dates of Greece, 

 they found an inducement to undertake an expedition 

 againil the territories of the Perfian king. Egypt taking- 

 advantage of the fuccefTive defeats of the Perfian monarch, 

 revolted, and headed by Inarus a Libyan chief, expelled the 

 Perlians. Inarus in order to dreiigthen his intered by foreign 

 alliance, difpatched an embaffy to Athens, craving the affid- 

 ance of that viftorions republic againil its moll odious and- 

 inveterate enemy. The application was luccefsful, and the 

 Athenians fent an army to Egypt. Oji their jun^ion with 

 the kmg of Libya, they gave battle to the Perfians, put 

 them to flight, and got podedion of a part ot Memphis.. 

 Next year however the fcene was greatly altered ; for 

 after feveral fi'uitlefs affaults, they were at lall obliged t» 

 raife the fiege of that city on the approach of the enemy, 

 and to retire to Biblis, an idand in the Nile. In this place- 

 they withftood an eight months fiege. But their fleet hap- 

 pening to lie. at anclior in the Nile, the Ptifians by changing 



tlie 





