HISTORY AND EtllNOLOGY. 17 



followed, the Greeks displayed a rare intellectual and physical energy, which 

 nothing but intense patriotism and zeal for Hberty could have prompted. 

 Then the Greek mind seems to have received its first high and glorious 

 impulse: an impulse which called forth the most perfect works of the Fine Arts. 



With the introduction of art and refinement came also their almost 

 invariable accompaniments : luxury, extravagance, licentiousness. The 

 Persian campaigns opened the way to oriental voluptuousness, which tended 

 greatly to the degeneration of the Greeks. 



Fears of foreign subjugation had united the states in defensive alliance ; but 

 when the danger had subsided, the former internal animosities returned with 

 increased acrimony, viz. the discord of the neighboring provinces, caused 

 by envy and jealousy, and the special interests which separated the smaller 

 states from those of Sparta and Athens. When Sparta ceased to promote 

 the contest against Persia, Athens persevered, until, at the expense of her 

 allies, the islands of Scyros, Naxos, and Thasos, she acquired the sovereignty 

 of the seas, and even dictated peace to Asia, 449 B.C. Under Pericles, 

 her power continued to rise, and her neighbors, Megara, Euboea, Samos, 

 and Corinth, felt her oppression in no small degree. Sparta found herself 

 disregarded, and her power diminished. In all the states, contentions arose 

 between the aristocracy and the democracy. Sparta lent assistance 

 and protection to the aristocratic party (the oligarchy), while the democracy 

 found strong support in Athens. Thus Sparta still retained influence over 

 some states, and even subdued several. At length all the forces of the 

 Peloponnesus rose against Athens, 431 B.C., which was compelled to yield, 

 and henceforth Sparta held the supremacy of Greece from 404-371 B.C. 

 For this success she was indebted to the genius and talents of Lysander. 



The inhabitants of the conquered cities and islands soon felt the yoke of 

 the rude Spartans. A new war with Persia required great subsidies, which 

 had to be furnished partly by them, a circumstance which made this 

 dominion still more painful. 



Agesilaus wanted to penetrate boldly into Persia, and would probably 

 have completely overwhelmed that empire, if the Persians had not succeeded 

 by bribery in counteracting his plans, while they more and more agitated the 

 Greek people at home. The war of Corinth ensued, 394 B.C. The Spartans 

 fought the memorable battle at Coronea, and won a splendid victory over 

 the Thebans. But Corion of Athens defeated the Spartan fleet at Cnidus. 

 Athens, after this, had the superiority, and envy induced the Spartans to 

 conclude a dishonorable peace with Persia, 387 B.C. This treaty took its 

 name from Antalcidas, the Spartan Ambassador by whom it was 

 negotiated. 



Thebes was forced to Join it, and soon felt the insolence of the Spartans, 

 who, during divisions among the democrats and aristocrats in Thebes, took 

 possession of this city, and besieged Cadmea. But the fall of Sparta soon 

 ensued. Under Epaminondas the Thebans gained a glorious victory, 371 

 B.C., and Thebes rose to be the first and most important state of Greece. 

 With the death of Epaminondas, 362 B.C., the flames of civil strife in 

 Greece were temporarily smothered. 



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