famine, surrendered; and thus Athens gained at least one disputed point.

3. But anxiety and care had done their work for Pericles. He was attacked by the plague in a modified form, and sunk by slow degrees to his rest. When he was at the point of death, his friends, sitting above his bed, began to discourse upon his extraordinary virtue and great exploits; for while he was commander-in-chief, he had erected no less than nine trophies to the honor of Athens. They said these things, supposing his senses were gone; how great then, was their astonishment when he suddenly aroused, and observed, "I am surprised that while you extol these acts of mine, in which fortune had her share, you take no notice of the most honorable part of my character: that no Athenian, through my means, ever put on a mourning-robe." 4. Thus died Pericles, who had held the pre-eminence for the space of forty years among some of the most distinguished men Greece ever produced; who had managed the finances of the republic without the least taint of avarice; and who, though all the power of the magistrates centered in himself, had so preserved his popularity, that he was the first great man, after Solon, that escaped banishment.

Pericles and Aspasia,-Croly.

[Inseparably associated with the name of Pericles is that of Aspasia, the most celebrated woman of her age, being as much distinguished for her learning, genius, and eloquence, as for her beauty and feminine fascinations. During many years she lived with Pericles, and by some is said to have aided him in the composition of those splendid orations by which he gained so much applause. The following lines are from the pen of the Rev. George Croly.]

THIS was the ruler of the land,

When Athens was the land of fame;
This was the light that led the band,
When each was like a living flame;

The centre of earth's noblest ring,
Of more than men, the more than king.

Yet not by fetter, nor by spear,

His sovereignty was held or won:
Feared-but alone as freemen fear;
Loved-but as freeman love alone;

He waved the sceptre o'er his kind
By nature's first great title-mind.

Resistless words were on his tongue,

Then Eloquence first flashed below;
Full armed to life the portent sprung,
Minerva from the Thunderer's brow!
And his the sole, the sacred hand,
That shook her Ægis o'er the land.

And throned immortal by his side,
A woman sits with eye sublime,
Aspasia, all his spirit's bride;

But, if their solemn love were crime,
Pity the beauty and the sage,-
Their crime was in their darkened age.

He perished, but his wreath was won;
He perished in his height of fame:
Then sunk the cloud on Athens' sun,

Yet still she conquered in his name.
Filled with his soul, she could not die⚫
Her conquest was Posterity!

The Defense of Socrates.-Plato.

[The condemnation and death of Socrates reflected undying disgrace upon the Athe nians; for not only was the sentence passed against him an unjust one, but it showed that the bigotry and ignorance of the people rendered them insensible to the loftiest virtue and magnanimity, and the profoundest wisdom of which pagan history affords any example. His defense, part of which is here given, was reported by his most illustrious pupil, Plato; the translation is from Rollin's "Ancient History."]

1. "I AM accused of corrupting the youth,* and instilling dangerous maxims into them, as well in regard to the worship of the gods, as the rules of government. You know, Athenians, that I never made it my profession to teach; nor can envy, however violent against me, reproach me with having ever sold my instructions. I have an undeniable evidence for me in this respect, which is my poverty. Always equally ready

• The accusation against Socrates ran thus :-"Melitus, son of Melitus, of the borough of Pitthos declares these upon oath against Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, of the borough of Alopece : Socrates Is guilty of reviling the gods whom the city acknowledges, and of preaching other new gods: more over, he is guilty of corrupting the youth. Penalty, death"

to communicate my thoughts either to the rich or poor, and to give them entire leisure to question or answer me, I lend myself to every one who is desirous of becoming virtuous; and if, among those who hear me, there are any who prove either good or bad, neither the virtues of the one, nor the vices of the other, to which I have not contributed, are to be ascribed to

me.

2. "My whole employment is to persuade the young and old against too much love for the body, for riches, and all other precarious things of whatever nature they be, and against too little regard for the soul, which ought to be the object of their affection; for I incessantly urge upon you that virtue does not proceed from riches, but, on the contrary, riches from virtue; and all the other goods of human life, as well public as private, have their source in the same principle.

3. "If to speak in this manner be to corrupt youth, I confess, Athenians, that I am guilty, and deserve to be punished. If what I say be not true, it is most easy to convict me of false.. hood. I see here a great number of my disciples; they have. only to appear. But perhaps the reserve and consideration for a master who has instructed them will prevent them from declaring against me; at least their fathers, brothers, and uncles cannot, as good relations and good citizens, dispense with their not standing forth to demand vengeance against the corruptor of their sons, brothers, and nephews. But these are the persons who assume my defense, and interest themselves in the success of my cause.

4. "Pass on me what sentence you please, Athenians; I can neither repent of nor change my conduct. I must not abandon nor suspend a function which God himself has imposed upon me, now that he has charged me with the care of instructing my fellow-citizens. If, after having faithfully kept all the posts wherein I was placed by our generals at Potidæ'a, Amphip'olis, and De'lium, the fear of death should at this time make me abandon that in which the Divine Providence has placed me, by commanding me to pass my life in the study of philosophy, for the instruction of myself and others;-this

would be a most criminal desertion indeed, and make me highly worthy of being cited before this tribunal, as an impious man who does not believe the gods.

5. "Should you resolve to acquit me, for the future I should not hesitate to make answer, Athenians, that I honor and love you, but I shall choose rather to obey God than you; and to my latest breath shall never renounce my philosophy, nor cease to exhort and reprove you according to my custom, by telling each of you when you come in my way,' My good friend, and citizen of the most famous city in the world for wisdom and valor, are you not ashamed to have no other thoughts than that of amassing wealth, and of acquiring glory, credit, and dignities, while you neglect the treasures of prudence, truth, and wisdom, and take no pains in rendering your soul as good and perfect as it is capable of being.

6. "I am reproached with abject fear and meanness of spirit, for being so busy in imparting my advice to every one in private, and for having always avoided being present in your assemblies, to give my counsels to my country. I think I have sufficiently proved my courage and fortitude, both in the field, where I have borne arms with you, and in the Senate, when I alone opposed the unjust sentence you pronounced against the ten captains, who had not taken up and interred the bodies of those who were killed or drowned in the sea-fight near the island of Arginu'sæ, and when, upon more than one occasion, I opposed the violent and cruel orders of the thirty tyrants.

7. "What is it, then, that has prevented me from appearing in your assemblies? It is that spirit,* that divine voice, which you have so often heard me mention, and Melitus has taken so much pains to ridicule. That spirit has attached itself to me from my infancy. It is a voice which I never hear but when it would prevent me from persisting in something I have resolved; for it never exhorts me to undertake anything. It is the same being that has always opposed me when I would have intermeddled in the affairs of the republic; and that with

* Called dæmon by Socrates, but the word spirit seems best to represent the meaning in our lan guage.

the greatest reason; for I should have been among the dead long ago had I been concerned in the measures of the state, without effecting anything to the advantage of myself or our country.

8. "Do not take it ill, I beseech you, if I speak my thoughts without disguise, and with truth and freedom. Every man who would generously oppose a whole people, either among us or elsewhere, and who inflexibly applies himself to prevent the violation of the laws and the practice of iniquity in a government, will never do so long with impunity. It is absolutely necessary for him who would contend for justice, if he has any thoughts of living, to remain in a private station, and never to have any share in public affairs.

9. "For the rest, Athenians, if, in the extreme danger in which I now am, I do not imitate the behavior of those who, upon less emergencies, have implored and supplicated their judges with tears, and have brought forth their children, relations, and friends, it is not through pride and obstinacy, or any contempt for you, but solely for your honor, and for that of the whole city. You should know that there are among our citizens those who do not regard death as an evil, and who give that name only to injustice and infamy. At my age, and with the reputation, true or false, which I have, would it be consistent for me, after all the lessons I have given upon the contempt of death, to be afraid of it myself, and to belie in my last action all the principles and sentiments of my past life?

10. "But without speaking of my fame, which I should extremely injure by such a conduct, I do not think it allowable to entreat a judge, nor to be absolved by supplications: he ought to be persuaded and convinced. The judge does not sit upon the bench to show favor by violating the laws, but to do justice in conforming to them. He does not swear to discharge with impunity whom he pleases; but to do justice where it is due. We ought not, therefore, to accustom you to perjury, nor you to suffer yourselves to be accustomed to it; for in so doing, both of us equally injure justice and religion, and both are criminals.