832 G R E 
firmeft fliielch and bucklers. When they miffed their 
aim, or when the flroke proved ineffedtual through 
want ot force, they drew their fwords, and, fummoniiig 
their iitmort: refolution, darted impetuoully on the foe. 
Tliey itad bows, and Hings, and darts, intended for the 
pradtiee ot diftant hoftility ; but th.e ufe of titefe wea¬ 
pons, wliiclt were much employed in the military paf- 
times of the heroic age, was confined in the field to 
warriors of inferior renown. Their defenfive armour 
was remarkably complete;-a bright helmet, adorned 
with plumes, covered the head and face, a firm corflet 
defended the bread, greaves of brafs defcended to the 
feet ; and an ample thield, loofely attached to the 
Ihonlders, and turning in all diredtions, oppofed its firm 
refiftance to every hoftile affault. 
Before any war could be lawfully undertaken, it was 
necell'ary to difpatch ambaifadors, v/lto might explain 
the injury that had been done, demand immediate and 
complete fatistadlion ; and if this was refilled, denounce 
in form the refolution of their community to profecute 
its claim by force^ ot arms. After they had begun to 
execute their purpofe, the characters of iieralds, thofe 
l.tcred miiiiders ot kings, were equally refpedfed by 
triends and foes. They travelled in I'afety tluough the 
midlt of embattled hofis, proclaimed to the lilent war¬ 
riors the commitlions witii which th.ey were entrutted, 
or demanded a truce for burying th.e dead, -wliich could 
not be retufed without eliormons impiety. The ufe of 
poilbned weapons was forbidden, under pain of the di¬ 
vine .ditplcafure. 11 was agreeable to the will of the 
gods that the life thould be fpared, when a fufficient 
rantom was proniifed. And after a treaty of peace was 
concluded between hottile nations, without any appa¬ 
rent ratification but the honour of the contradting par¬ 
ties, the perfidious wretches who betrayed the fandlity 
ot their engagements, were devoted, aniidtl folemn la- 
crifices and libations, to the fury of the goddeffes. 
l-'rom the arts of peace the early Greeks had acquired 
the necelfaries, and procured the accommodations, but 
had not obtained the luxuries, of lile. Pafturage and 
agriculture fupplied them with the mofl: indifpenfable 
articles of food, and with the principal materials of 
clothing. The implementsof hufljundry were extremely 
jinperfcdt ; the plough, the mofl: ufeful of them all, 
being compofed entirely of wood, which arofe rather 
fi'orii the fcarcity of iron titan from any defedl of me¬ 
chanical ingenuity. They employed, in the time of 
Heliod, the invention of tiiears, for depriving the flieep 
or their wool, having formerly waited the leafoii of its 
annual feparation by nature. Barley was the principal 
produce of their fields, and funtiflied the ordinary food 
both of men and of Jiorfes. The invention of mills 
was unknown, and the grain underwent feveral tedious 
operations, in order to facilitate the bruifing of it be¬ 
tween two large fiones witli the hand. Although the 
Greeks cultivated the olive, they were unacquainted 
with the benefit derived from the fruit of this plant, fo 
well adapted to cheer the melancholy gloom of night. 
Tlie Grecian I'oil was naturally favourable to the grape; 
but the long and operofe procefs by which the juice of 
3t was feparatfd and prepared, rendered wme fcarce 
and dear. 
In the heroic age men had neither leifure nor inclina¬ 
tion to attend to the fpeculative Iciences. All the know¬ 
ledge that they poffeffed or efleemed was of the prac¬ 
tical kind. From arithmetic they learned lucli fiinple 
calculations as liiited the narrow fphere of their tranf- 
aflions. Aflronomy taught them' to oblerve the con- 
Iteliations inoft_ neceffary to diredt the adventurous 
cOUrfe of the .'.ai iner : but tiieir navigation was flill fo 
imperfedt that uhey feldom abandoned the coafts ; and 
the only fla.rs mentioned by Homer are the Great and 
Little Bear, the Pleiades, the Hyades, Orion, and the 
Dpg Star. TJie main objedts propofed in the education 
of the young warriors were, that tliey Ihould learn to 
E C E. 
excel in the military exercifes of the age, efpecially 
thole of throwing the lance and of driving the chariot, 
and to command the attention of the fenate, or affem- 
bly, by delivering their opinion in a perfpicuous, ele¬ 
gant, and manly, flyle. The funeral games, and thofe 
celebrated in commemoration of feveral important 
events, both of a civil and facred kind, opened a conti¬ 
nual fource of entertainment. There the young and 
vigorous contended in th.e rapid race; wielded the 
maffy ceflus or ponderous quoit; and exerted equal ef¬ 
forts' of flrength and flcill in the other manly exercifes 
which confirm the vigour of the body and the fortitude 
of the mind. Nor were the aged and infirm allowed to 
languifli for want of proper objects to roufe their emu¬ 
lation, to flatter their pride, and to employ their re¬ 
maining activity. It belQ.nged to them to offer their 
wife counfels, to interpofe their refpedled authority, 
and to decide the quarrels, as well as to determine the 
merit, of the young candidates for fame. The applaufe 
and rewards beflowed on him wiiofe councils and deci- 
lionswere mofl generally approved, confoled the weak- 
nefs of his declining year.';, while his rivals, though dif- 
appointed for -ihe prefent, expedted, on fome future oc- 
calion, to obtain tiie fame honourable marks of the 
public efleem. 
In the heroic age, th.e Greeks had advanced beyond 
that uniform iiifipidity of deportment, that fullen fero¬ 
city of manners, and that hardened infenfibility of heart, 
which univerfally characterife the favage flate. T'hey 
flill pofleffed, hovvever, that patient intrepidity, that 
noble I'pirit of independence, that ardent attachment to 
their friends, and that generous contempt of pain and 
danger and death, which render the defeription of the 
wild tribes of America fo Tnterefling to a philolophic 
mind. Of two principal enjoyments of life, ftudy and 
converfation, they were little acquainted, indeed, with 
the conloiations and pleafures of the firfl, the want of 
which was compenfated by the fincerity, the confidence, 
the charms, ©f the fecond. Their locial aft'eclions were 
lefs comprehenlive in their dbje6Is, but more powerful 
in their effects, than thofe of polilhed nations. A ge¬ 
nerous chief ruflies to certain death, to revenge tlie 
caiife of his friend.; yet refufes to the prayers of an 
aged parent the melancholy confolation of inteiring the 
remains of his favourite Ion ; till the correfponding 
image of his own father flrikes his mind, and at once 
melts him to pity. The imaginary wants and artificial 
paflions which-are fo neceffary to urge the liand of in. 
duflry, and to vary the purfuits of men, in improved 
commercial locieties, were fupplied to the Greeks by 
that exceiTive fenlibility, which interefled them lo 
deeply in the affairs of their community. As they were 
not acquainted with the fame diverfity of employments, 
fo neither were they fatigued with the fame giday round 
of diflipated pleafures which augment the Iplendid mi. 
fery of later times. Though ignorant of innumerable 
arts which adern the prel'ent age, they liad dil'covcred 
one of ineftimable value-—to render the great duties cf 
life its mofl elfential amufement. It will not, perhaps, 
be eafy to point out a nation -w ho united a more com¬ 
plete luhordination to eflabliflied authority with a higher 
fenfe of perfonal independence, and a more reipebfful 
regard to the diitates of religion with a more ardent 
fpirit of martial enterprife. The generous quality of 
their political eflablifliments, and their fancied inter- 
ccurfe with, the gods, confpired to raile them to a cer¬ 
tain elevation of charadter which will be fledfaflly re¬ 
membered, aiid for ever admired. 
Such was the heroic age at the commencement of the 
Trojan war, w hen all the Grecian flates had embraced 
one uniform fyltem of government, uniting the indepen¬ 
dent Ipirit of Luropean freedom wdth the reverential 
•fuperflition of Lgvpt and Afia. This fingular frame of 
political alliance -was peculiarly adapted to great and 
generous undertakings : it ferved to roufe them to dil- 
tant 
