History of Greece. 
political supremacy. Rome, however, never supplants the 
tongue and culture of Greece, but largely accepts them herself 
until much of her own power is transferred to a Greek city, 
Constantinople. Hence, at the revival of learning, the products 
of the old Greek mind come forth to transform the Western 
world. 
CHAPTER IL 
PRELIMINARY SKETCH. 
ı. On this subject some observations have been already made in 
Importance the introduction to this book (page 3). "The interest 
of Grecian Of the great story of ancient Greece is really inex- 
historys haustible. It has been well said that “of all histories 
of which we know so much, this is the most abounding in con- 
sequences to us who now live. The true ancestors of the 
European nations are not those from whose blood they üre 
sprung, but those from whom they derive the richest portion of 
their inheritance. The battle of Marathon, even as an event 
in English history, is more important than the battle of Hastings, 
If the issue of that day had been different, the Britons and the 
Saxons might still have been wandering in the woods. "The 
Greeks are also the most remarkable people who have yet 
sxisted.” This high claim is justly made on the grounds of the 
power and efforts that were required for them to achieve what 
they did for themselves and for mankind. With the exception 
of Christianity, they were the beginners of nearly everything of 
which the modern world can boast. 
2. It was by their own unaided exertions that they raised 
intetteetuat themselves so far above surrounding peoples. It 
pre-eminence Was they who originated political freedom and first 
ofthe Greeks. „-oduced an historical literature, and that a perfect 
one of its kind. "The same wonderful race rose to the height 
of excellence in oratory, poetry, sculpture, architecture, They 
were the founders of mathematics, of physical science, of true 
political science, of the philosophy of human nature and life, 
In each of these departments of skilled and systematic acquire- 
ment they made for themselves those first steps on which all the 
rest depend. Freedom of thought was their grand invention, 
and they bestowed it on the world, a heritage for all ages to 
come. Unfettered by pedantries or superstitions, they looked