boldness in deciding. Plutarch, in a treatise where he shows that it is to statesmen that a philosopher ought chiefly to attach himself, preferably to any other class of men, because in instructing them, he at the same time teaches whole cities and republics, verifies his assertion from the example of the greatest men both of Greece and Italy, who derived this help from philosophy. Pericles, of whom we now write, was taught by Anaxagorus; Dionysius of Syracuse, by Plato; many princes of Italy by Pythagoras; Cato, the famous censor, travelled to the place where Athenodorus lived, for the same purpose; and lastly, the famous Scipio, the destroyer of Carthage, always kept Panetius the philosopher near his person.

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One of the chief endeavours of Pericles also was, to study thoroughly the genius and disposition of the Athenians, that he might discover the secret springs which were to be employed in order to set them in motion; and the manner it was proper to act for acquiring their confidence; for it was principally in that the great men among the ancients used to make their skill and politics consist. He found by the reflections he had made on the several transactions of his time, that the predominant passions of this people were, a violent aversion to tyranny, and a strong love of liberty, which inspired them with sentiments of fear, jealousy, and suspicion, of all such citizens as were too conspicuous for their birth, their personal merit, their own credit and authority, or that of their friends. He not

9 Plut. in Symp. lib. i. p. 777.

⚫ Olim noscenda vulgi natura, et quibus modis temperanter haberetur; senatusque et optimatium ingenia qui maxime perdidicerant, callidi temporum et sapientes habebantur. Tacit. Annal. 1. iv. c. 33.

only was very like Pisistratus, with regard to the sweetness of his voice, and fluency of expression, but he also resembled him very much in the features of his face, and his whole air and manners; and he observed, that the most ancient Athenians who had seen the tyrant, were prodigiously struck at the resemblance. Besides, he was very rich, was descended from an illustrious family, and had very powerful friends. To prevent, therefore, his being obnoxious to the suspicion and jealousy of the people, he at first shunned all affairs of government, which requires a constant attendance in the city; and was solely intent upon distinguishing himself in war and dangers.

Seeing Aristides dead, Themistocles banished, and Cimon engaged almost continually in foreign wars, and absent from Greece, he began to appear in public with greater confidence than before, and entirely devoted himself to the party of the people"; but not out of inclination, for he was far from affecting popular power, but to remove all suspicions of his aspiring to the tyranny, and still more, to raise a strong bulwark against the credit and authority of Cimon, who had joined with the nobles.

At the same time, he quite changed his conduct and way of life; and assumed in all things the character of a statesman, wholly busied in affairs of government, and entirely devoted to the service of his country. He was never seen in the streets, except when he was going either to the assembly of the people, or to the council. He left off going to banquets, assemblies, and other diversions of that kind, which he had used to frequent; and during the many years that he presided VOL. 3.

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in the administration, he was never seen to go to supper with his friends, except once at the nuptials of a near relation.

• He knew that the people, who are naturally fickle and inconstant, commonly increase their disregard for those who are always in their sight; and that too strong a desire to please them, grows at last tiresome and importunate and it was observed that such a behaviour did Themistocles great prejudice. To avoid this error, he used to go very rarely to the assemblies; and never appeared before the people but at intervals, in order to make himself desired; and to preserve such an ascendant over their minds as might be always new, and not worn, and in a manner withered, by an over great assiduity; wisely reserving himself for great and important occasions." Hence it was said that he imitated Jupiter, who, in the government of the world, according to some philosophers, busied himself in great events only, and left the direction of those of less importance to subaltern deities. And indeed, Pericles used to transact all petty affairs by his friends, and by certain orators that were entirely devoted to him, among whom was Ephialtes.

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Pericles employed his whole industry and application to gain the favour and esteem of the people, in order to counterbalance the fame and credit of Cimon. However, he could not equal the magnificence and liberality of his rival, whose immense riches gave him an opportunity of bestowing such largesses as

• Plut. de sui laude, p. 441.

Ista nostra assiduitas, Servi, nescis quantum interdum afferat hominibus fastidii, quantum satietatis. Utrique nostrum desiderium nihil obfuisset. Cic. pro Mur. n. 21.

" Plut. de ger. rep. p. 811.

Plut. in Pericl. p. 156.

appears to us almost incredible, so much they differ from our behaviour in that respect. Finding it impossible for him to rival Cimon in this particular, he` had recourse to another expedient, in order to gain the love of the populace, no less effectual perhaps, but certainly not so lawful and honourable. He was the first who divided the conquered lands among the citizens; who distributed among them the public revenues for the expenses of their games and shows, and annexed pensions to all public employments; so that certain sums were bestowed on them regularly, as well to gratify them at the games, as for their presence in the courts of justice, and the public assemblies. It is impossible to say how fatal these unhappy politics were to the republic, and the many evils with which they were attended: for these new regulations, besides their draining the public treasury, gave the people a luxurious and dissolute turn of mind, whereas they before were sober and modest, and contented themselves with getting a livelihood by their sweat and labour.

By such arts as these, Pericles had gained so great an ascendant over the minds of the people, that he may be said to have attained a monarchical power under a republican form of government; moulding the citizens into what shape he pleased, and presiding with unlimited authority in all their assemblies. And indeed, Valerius Maximus makes scarce any other difference between Pisistratus and Pericles, except that the one

* Pericles felicissimis naturæ incrementis, sub Anaxagora præceptore summo studio perpolitus et instructus, liberis Athenarum cervicibus jugum servitutis imposuit; egit enim ille urbem et versavit arbitrio suo. Quid inter Pisistratum et Periclem interfuit, nisi quod ille armatus, hic sine armis, tyrannidem exercuit? Val. Max. 1. viii. c. 9.

exercised a tyrannical power by force of arms, and the other by the strength of his eloquence, in which he had made a very great progress under Anaxagoras.

This credit and authority, however enormous, could not yet restrain the comic writers from lashing him very severely in the theatres; and it does not appear that any of the poets who censured Pericles with so much boldness, were ever punished, or even called to account for it by the people. Perhaps it was out of prudence and policy that he did not attempt to curb this licentiousness of the stage, nor to silence the poets, that he might amuse and content the people by this vain shadow of liberty, and prevent their discovering that they really were enslaved.

'But Pericles did not stop here. He boldly resolved, if possible, to weaken the authority of the tribunal of the Areopagus, of which he was not a member, because he had never been elected either Archon, Thesmothetæ, king of the sacrifices, nor Polemarch. These were different employments in the republic, which from time immemorial had been given by lot; and none but those who had behaved uprightly in them, were allowed a seat in the Areopagus. Pericles, taking advantage of Cimon's absence, set Ephialtes, who was his creature at work clandestinely; and at last lessened the power of that illustrious body, in which the chief. strength of the nobility consisted. The people, emboldened and supported by so powerful a faction, sub

7 Plut. in Pericl. p. 157. In Cim. p. 488.

2 After some changes had been made in the form of the Athenian gov ernment, the supreme authority was at last invested inʼnine magistrates, called Archons, and lasted but one year. One was called Rex, another Polemarchus, a third Archon, and this magistrate was properly at the head of the rest, and gave his name to the year; and six Thesmotheta, whe presided immediately over the laws and decrees.