We may observe, that each of these moral systems Was, in general, accompanied by a physical system, professing to account for all the grand phenomena of the universe. This last, however, being founded commonly on very imperfect and inaccurate observa tion, was of little comparative value. It would seem, on the whole, that no branch, either of physical or mathematical science, was much indebted to Athens. Living nature was there too varied and in teresting, to leave much room for attention to its dead and inanimate portions.
Where political events were so varied and im portant, the art of recording them was not likely to be neglected. Although Athens cannot boast of having produced the father of history, yet the most eminent of his successors sprung up in her bosom. Thucydides has left us a history of cotem porary events, free from all those partialities to which such a narrative might be supposed liable. His per. formance is a model of sound judgment, attic pre cision, and grave and severe eloquence. His sue cessor Xenophon was, still more than he, versant in real life and in public affairs. His style, less nervous, is more simple, sweet, and flowing. In his Anabasis, and in hi4 Grecian history (a continuation of that of Thucydides,) his fidelity is equally unimpeached; but in the Cyropedia, his refined moral taste has led him to wander into the regions of fiction, in order to delineate a more perfect model than real life could afford. With him expired the historic muse of Athens.
Amid these higher pursuits, Athens was not less busily nor less successfully occupied in cultivating those arts, which relate to the beauty of external form. Paint ing and sculpture originated indeed, not there, but in the fertile and earlier civilized regions of Ionia, and the islands of the JEgean Sea. It was in Athens, however, and under the auspices of Pericles, that these arts at tamed their highest perfection. The fame of Phi.. dies and Praxiteles as sculptors, of Zeuxis and Par: rhasius as painters, is still unrivalled in their respective ' departments. All these indeed were not born in Athens, but it was there that their talents were chiefly formed and exerted. With the masterpieces of these artists Pericles lavishly adorned the public buildings and temples of Athens, and thus gratified at once the taste and vanity of his countrymen. All the works of Grecian painting have been swallowed up by time ; but the ruins of Athens present remains of sculpture and architecture, which still astonish the world. The termination of Athenian liberty involved also that of the fine arts : in the age of Alexander, the school of Sicyon had already attained the pre-emi nence.
veterans who had conquered under Alexander. This was too hard a trial for the Athenian levies; they were vanquished ;.and at this single disaster, the whole confederacy fell immediately to pieces. Antipater marched directly to Athens, which' submitted with= out resistance. Demosthenes was the victim of this
revolution. Having fled to the island of Calauria, and taken refuge in a temple, he was surrounded by Macedonian officers, and, to save himself from falling into their hands, swallowed poison. Phocion, who had always resisted this rash ebullition, now sought in vain to save Athens from the ignominy of a Ma cedonian garrison. Twelve thousand citizens were disfranchised; the popular form of government was suppressed ; and every measure was taken to hold her in the most strict and absolute subjection.
Thus Athens lost all that remained of her liberty ; and she became from this period, as distinguished for the meanness of her adulation, as she had formerly been for the fierceness of her independence. Never did people run into such excesses of flattery. Every successive master who was imposed upon them, from the moment that he came into power, was fawned upon with the same abject servility. Antipater, on his death-bed, left the government of Macedon to Polysperchon, who acting, in every respect, contrary to his predecessor, espoused the popular interest among the states of Greece, and particularly in Athens. Phocion, who had been attached to An tipater and the opposite interest, became then the object of hostility to the new governor, who procu red from the Athenians his condemnation and death. Thus Athens lost her. last great man, in the same manner as she had lost so many of his predecessors.
Polysperchon was not long of being driven out by Cassander, the son of Antipater, who re-esta blished the old system, and set Demetrius Pha lereus at the head of the government. The choice, was excellent ; and under this accomplished Athens enjoyed more quiet, and perhaps more real. happiness, than during the days of her glory. Every species of honour was profusely lavished oh him ; in, somuch, that while Miltiades, the deliverer of the state, was honoured only by a place in an historical painting, three hundred and sixty statues were de creed to Demetrius Phalereus. Yet when, after a of twelve years, he was dispossessed by Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, these statues were instantly _thrown down, and all their adulation transferred to this new master. Demetrius here abandoned himself to every species of debauchery ; and the Athenians dishonoured themselves by their servile compliance even with his most shameful propensities. Yet when, fortune changing, he soon afterwards sought refuge in their city, he found the gates shut against him. By another turn of affairs, he af ter became again master of the city, and, according to every appearance, the Athenians had to dread the se verest effects of his vengeapce. But Dernetrius;an accomplished person, and ambitious of fame, sought rather to attach them by an ostentatious clemency. Yet when adverse fortune compelled him once to seek refuge within her 'walls, he failed not ex perience a second repulse.