702 



GREECE. 



hill and that of the Pnyx from the hill of the citadel. The Pnyx is an esplanade, where the 

 Athenians first held their assemblies ; a rostrum, with an ascent of four steps, is cut in the 

 rock; and here Pericles, Demosthenes, and Socrates harangued the ■ Athenians. The hill 

 of the museum is crowned with the tomb of Philopappus, an obscure person of the age of 

 Trajan. 



The Temple of Minerva, at Sunium, is of the Doric order, and the materials are of the 

 whitest marble ; it is one of the most finished specimens of attic architecture. Fifteen columns 

 are yet standing ; and though the marble nearest tlie sea is somewhat decomposed, yet such is 

 the mildness of the climate, that the pencil marks made by travelers on the columns years ago, 

 are as distinct as when first written. The Temple of the Winds is an octagonal edifice, of an 

 imposing character, with figures sculptured in relief upon the sides. The monuments that are 

 called Hadrian's Pillars, are, from their situation and magnitude, to be seen fiom almost every 

 quarter. They are sixteen columns of white marble, of the Corinthian order and of exquisite 

 workmanship ; each is six feet in diameter, and nearly six feet high. These are sometimes 

 described as the remains of the temple of Jupiter Olympus. 



30. History. Greece is the most celebrated country of all antiquity, and the land from 



which the arts of civilization were 

 difiused over Europe. In its ear- 

 liest ages it comprised many small 

 political divisions, independent of 

 each other, but uniting to avert any 

 common danger, or accomplish any 

 purpose of general interest, as evinc- 

 ed in the Trojan war, and the strug- 

 gles against the invading Persians. 

 At a later period Alexander carried 

 Grecian arms to the Indus and the 

 language became prevalent in Syria 

 and Egypt by means of his conquest. 

 The whole country was conquered 

 by the Romans and formed a jiortion 

 of their great empire It continued 

 under the dominion of the Greek 

 emperors till die establishment of the 

 Ottoman power in Europe, when it 

 became a province of Turkey ; and for four centuries lay under the grinding oppression of its 

 Mahometan conquerors. 



In 1821 the Greeks rose in insurrection and declared their independence. A long and bloody 



conflict ensued, in which they received indirect 

 aid from many parts of Europe, and from the 

 United States, allhough no government ofier- 

 ed them any open encouragement. After the 

 country had been thoroughly devastated, and 

 abundant scenes of bloodshed, rapine, and des- 

 olation had evinced the determination of the 

 Greeks not to submit, the governments of Rus- 

 sia, France, and England thought fit to inter- 

 fere from motives of humanity. The negotia- 

 tions for this purpose would, perhaps, have 

 resulted in nothing, but for a fortunate blunder 

 of the British admiral, who, not understanding 

 the niceties of the matter upon his hands, at- 

 tacked the Turks at Navarino, and annihilated 

 their marine at a single blow. This event es- 

 tablished the independence of the Greeks. The Turks were unable to make head against their 

 revolted subjects from this mom.ent, and the allied governments finding themselves fairly com- 

 mitted in the business, persisted till the Sultan was brought to terms. By the protocol of 

 March, iS29, Greece was left to its own government, with a tribute of a million and a half of 

 piaster? tc be paid annually to the Portf . 



iouncr Alexander. 



Struggle between a Turk and a Greek. 



