G R iE C I A. 



't.p'!, a Phrygian, '.vliofc dcfccndants, by intermarriages with 

 :h')fe of Danaus, king of Argos, and Tyndarcus, king of 

 Laccd^mon, or SpAi'a. aeqtiirod in the pcrfon of Agamoni- 

 -lou ftf powerftil an alcendant in the Pi-loponncfiis. 'I'he fa- 

 mily of Deucahon ftiU reigned in Theffaly ; hut Thebes, 

 i'\tlien% Argos, and Sparta, vvhieh were long regarded as 

 ih;' principal cities of Greece, thus fell under the dominion 

 gf four foreign lines of princes, wliofe exploits, and g'ory, 

 and misfortunes are immortalized by the firlt and noblelt pro- 

 ductions of Grecian genius ; fuch are the works of Ilo'.ner 

 aud Pindar, and of the Greek tragedians. 



Tlie invaders of Greece introduced many important and 

 uleiul improvements. They brought into that country tiie 

 knowledge of the Piiocnici.'.n alphabet ; they affillcd them in 

 the operations of agriculture ; they multiplied the rites of rc- 

 )'i ;lon ; difeovered to tliem feveralules of the metals ; and, 

 : return, adopted the Grecian language, and generally con- 

 loiaied to the Grecian cuftoms and inltitutions. By the 

 Plurnicians they were taught and encom-aged to brave the 

 dangers of the lea.and to maintain a commercial intercourfe 

 with each other, as well as with foreign nations. Their 

 country, indeed, was peculiarly advantageous for this pur- 

 pofe ; three fides of it being waflied by the fea, and being 

 furrounded by numerous illands, aud abounding in excellent 

 harbours. Greece, however, was llow in availing itfelf of 

 the advantages it enjoyed; and in making improvements in 

 commerce, as well as in agriculture, and other ufeful arts. 

 Many circumllances concurred to retard its improvement. 

 The inliabitants of different parts of the country were un- 

 GOHnetled on account of the creeks and rivers, as well as the 

 mountains and promontories, that rendered Greece different 

 from any other part of Europe. The Grecian dates 

 were fmall ; each city was at war with its neighbour, 

 and vrant of union and mutual concurrence privented 

 their advancement in fcience and the arts. Befides, 

 their coafts were ravaged by pirates, and the metals, inflead 

 of being formed into ufeful implements of agriculture, were 

 converted into inftrnments of deilrurtion, partly forhollility 

 and partly for felf-defence : and the inland country was in- 

 vaded by Thracians, Amazons, and other northern favages. 

 But thefe irruptions and ravages of the barbarians ocea- 

 fioned the inftitution of the Amphictyonic council, which re- 

 ftored fome degree of prefent tranquillity to Greece, and laid 

 the foundation of its future grandeur. Tliis council produced, 

 after a confiderable interval of lime, vii. in the year 1263 

 B- C. the Argonautic expedition, an undertaking which was 

 attended with a beneficial effeft on the manners and charafter 

 of the Greeks. (Roe AiUiO^Auric.) In the progrefs of 

 the Greeks towards civilization, they pciceived the advan- 

 tages of political confederacy, before they became fenfible 

 ef the benclits of civil union; and accordingly a federal 

 affociation between different communities was formed 

 before the members of any one Hale had been fufficiently 

 united in the fyllem of domellic policy. In order to ce- 

 ment fuch diforderly communities b) laws and governments, 

 they had recourfe to the wife inllitutions and e,\amples of 

 the Cretans, which are reprcfentcd not only as the moll 

 ancient, but as the bell regulations that ever were eftabliihed 

 in any portion of ttie Grecian territory. (See Cuetk. ) 

 Thefeus communicated the Cretan improvements to the 

 Atheikians ; from Athens tliey were diffuled through Attica, 

 and in proceis of time through the neighbouring provinces of 

 Greece ; infomuch, that at the commenccn.ent of the Trojan 

 war, in i (93 B. C. all the Grecian dates had adojited one uni- 

 form fyftcm of government, uniting the independent fjjirit of 

 European freedom with the refpeftful veneration of Egyp- 

 tian and AHatic fupcrllitiun. 



Of the mythology and manners of tlie Greeks In 

 the heroic ages, as well as their gcograpliy and liiflory, 

 Homer, whilll he has indulged 1i:j fancy, has given 

 us an accnrate delineation ; and fuch as was conform- 

 able to tlie fyllem of opinions and belief which pro ailed 

 among his countrymen. The religion, or inytholugy of the 

 Gretk.^ \vas adapted to the mehoratioii of their condition, 

 and to the improvement of civil fociety. Unlike that of the 

 rude inhabitant, of ancient Germany,' among whom the of- 

 fices of priell and king were adminillered by diiicrent pcr- 

 fons, the fceptre, wijich denoted the connedion of civil 

 power with facrcd protection, was conferred, among l!e 

 Greeks, oil thofe who, wliile titey continued the humble 

 miniflers of the gods, were appointed to be the chief, but 

 accountable guardians of the people. The fame v.ice (fays 

 Dr. Gillies), that fummoned the warriors to arms, or tliat 

 decided, in time of peace, their domellic connexions, conduct- 

 ed the order of their religious worrtiip, and prefided in the 

 prayers and hymns addrelled to the divinity. Thefe prayers 

 and hymns, togetlierwith the important rite'offacririce( which 

 was hkewife performed by royal ii uids), formed lh\: cerimonini 

 part of the Grecian religion. The moral was far more exten- 

 (ive, including the principal offices of life, and tiie nol)Iell vir- 

 tucsof the mind. The ufeful quality of courage was peculiarly 

 acceptable to the Hern god of war ; but tlie virtues of cli:i- 

 rity and holpitality were llill more pleafing to the more ami- 

 able divinities. To this purpofc Homer lays (Od. xiv. ^C.) 

 " all llrangers and beggars come from .love.' The fubmif- 

 fioii ot fubjecls to tlieir prince, the duty of a priiKe to pre- 

 ferve inviolate the rights of his fubjefls (II. xvi. 3S5.), tlie 

 obedience of children to their parents, the rcfpecl of the 

 young for the aged, the facred laws of truth, jullice, 

 honour, and decency, were inculcated and maintained by 

 the awful authority of religion. Even the moll ordinary 

 tranfaftioHS of private life were confecrated by the piety of 

 the Greeks. They ventured not to undertake a 

 voyage, or a journey, without fohciting the propitious 

 aid of their heavenly protedlors. Every meal (and they 

 had three in a day, vix.. a^^-ov, oarr 1:, ^-wo.), was 

 accompanied with a facrilicc and libation. The common 

 forms of politenefs, the cullomary duties of civihtv, 

 were not decided by the varying talles-of individuals, but de- 

 fined by the precife voice of the gods. Tlie laws of religion 

 were guarded and enforced by corre.'jionding fanftions. The 

 dreaded vengeance of imaginary powers was ellabliihed in the 

 Grecian treed ; and it appears from the writings of Homer 

 throughout, that every important event, profperous or ad- 

 verfe, which happened cither-to individuals or to nations, ap- 

 peared to the Greeks, as the reward of their religion and vir- 

 tue, or the puniilmieiit of their irreligion and vice. The 

 principles above Hated are confirmed not onlv by the writ- 

 ings of Homer and Heliod, but by almoll every page of 

 Herodotus, of Pind;u-, as well as of the Greek tragedians 

 and hiftorians. 



The origin of the gods of Greece has afforded a 

 fubjecl of elaborate difcuiTion ; and many leanud writers 

 have traced it to Palelline, Egypt, and other nations, 

 whence the firll fettlers or fature emigrants fprung. By llie 

 dim ligl-it of etymology and tr.idition (fays the ingenious liif- 

 torian of Greece), and the deceitful glare of legend anJ 

 fable, iiiquilltive men have endeavoured to trace llie ci.i rupt- 

 ed llreams of Pagan worfliip to the jiure fountain of the Jew- 

 ilh difpenlatio:i ; and it mull be acknowledged, that the ge- 

 neral ducirine of jirovideiice, tlie rebellion in lieaven, the Hale 

 of innocence, the fall of man, atonement by facrfice, and a 

 future Hale of retribution, for whicli the prefent hie is only 

 preparatory, are tenets, all, or fome of which, ,tre ft>. nd ir. 



1. the 



