Lives of Greek Statesmen (Volume 2); Second Series, Ephialtes-Hermokrates (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1886. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... the real facts of the time, unless we have actual testimony to outweigh them. It would be far safer to lay it down as a general rule that they may in all cases be rejected, except where we have positive collateral testimony in their favour. Without the slightest authority, the comic poets of Athens have been paraded before English readers as conscientious Aristophanic teachers of a disinterested morality, who in the Perikhsand m DEGREESst of a hard and corrupt generation adopted Sokrates the only means by which they could hope to win the public ear. It has thus come to be supposed that when Aristophanes says anything about Perikles, Sokrates, or any other prominent citizen, he is, in the absence of direct proof to the contrary, to be believed. With far greater reason we may say that, apart from the clearest corroborative testimony, he is not to be believed. It has been well said that the comic poets were never regarded at Athens in the light in which they are presented to us by modern criticism. The judgement passed by Aristophanes on Sokrates is treated with contemptuous silence by Cicero, who describes the system of the great philosopher in terms diametrically contradicting the libels of the Athenian comic stage. If the Aristophanic picture of Sokrates is to be put aside as worth little or nothing, we cannot attach more worth to what Aristophanes tells us of Perikles. In fact, these things are the mere work of scandal-mongers, and if we give credence to such tales, we may easily bring ourselves to believe that all men are filthy, and all the purposes of life ridiculous; but we shall scarcely succeed in taking that broad and impartial view which shall assign to each set of causes its own proportionate value. Few, after the revolt of Potidaia, could have entertaine