The Story of the Greeks by H. A. Guerber (good books for 7th graders TXT) 📕
The descendants of Danaus long ruled over the land; and one member of his family, Per´seus, built the town of My-ce´næ on a spot where many of the Pelasgian stone walls can still be seen.
The Pelasgians who joined this young hero helped him to build great walls all around his town. These were provided with massive gateways and tall towers, from which the soldiers could overlook the whole country, and see the approach of an enemy from afar.
[Illustration: The Lion Gate, Mycenæ.]
This same people built tombs for some of the ancient kings, and many treasure and store houses. These b
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In the course of the war, Philopœmen was led into an artfully arranged ambuscade, and was taken in chains to Messenia, where, notwithstanding his gray hair, he was exposed to the jeers of the common people.
After thus humiliating him, they led him to the place of torture; but when he heard that his army had escaped from the ambush, he fervently cried, "I die happy, since the Achæans are safe."
This only hastened the end of the brave patriot, who has been called the "Last of the Greeks," because he was the last to try to maintain his country's independence.
The Achæans soon after took the town of Messenia, stoned all Philopœmen's murderers on his tomb, and carried his ashes to Meg-a-lop´o-lis, his native city, where they were buried with great pomp.
CXV. GREECE A ROMAN PROVINCE.For centuries the Greeks had been in the habit of assembling at Corinth every three years for the celebration of the Isthmian games, in honor of Poseidon, god of the sea. Here, as at Olympia, there were races, wrestling and boxing matches, and contests in verse and song; and as usual the prizes were simple crowns of olive leaves, which were considered far more precious than silver or gold.
In 196 B.C. not only were the Greeks present at this celebration, but there were also many Romans who wished to witness the games. The Greeks were then particularly happy because the War of the Two Leagues seemed to be ended, and the country was at peace.
In the midst of the festival, Quin´tius Flam-i-ni´nus, the Roman consul, mounted the orator's block, and proclaimed that the Roman army had just won a great victory over the revolted King of Macedon, and that the Greek states were now indeed free.
These tidings were received with such a tumult of joyful cries, it is said, that a flock of birds that were flying overhead fell to the earth, stunned by the shock of cheers which rent the air.
This joy, however, did not last very long, for the new-won freedom of Greece existed in name only. As soon as the Romans had completed the conquest of Macedon under its last ruler, Perseus, they prepared to annex Greece also.
Their first move was to accuse the Achæans of sending aid to Macedon. Under this pretext, one thousand leading citizens were seized, and sent to Rome to be tried.
Here they were kept in exile for many a year, longing to go home, and fuming against their detention. When they were finally allowed to return, they were so imbittered, that, as the Romans had foreseen, they soon stirred up a revolt among the Achæans.
Æ-mil´i-us Pau´lus, the conqueror of Macedon, then marched into Greece, and swept over the whole country. He took the city of Corinth, and burned it to the ground, after carrying off many of its most precious works of art to adorn his triumph.
Such was the ignorance of the Romans at that time, however, about all matters of art, that the sailors who were to carry these treasures to Rome were warned by the consul to be careful, as they would have to replace any article they had damaged or lost.
The Romans then placed garrisons in the principal Greek towns, and the country became a mere province of Rome, under the name of Achaia.
Thus ends the history of ancient Greece, which, though so small, was yet the most famous country the world has ever known,—the country from which later nations learned their best lessons in art, philosophy, and literature.
INDEX. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZAcademy, gardens of 142 Achæan League 268-270 Achæans exiled to Rome 281 Achilles, avenges Patroclus 50 betrays himself 46 death of 51 in the Styx 45 prophecy regarding 44 Acropolis, captured 88, 96 Parthenon on 149 statue of Athene on 115 temple to Theseus, near 28, 143 Adrastus 37-40 Ægean Sea, derivation of name 27 Persian vessels forbidden to enter 147 Ægeus 27 Ægina, Draco at Island of 88 Æneas, escape of 53 Ætolian League 268, 273 Agamemnon, insults priest of Apollo 48 King of Mycenæ 44 Age of Pericles 146 Agesilaus, at Coronea 189 courage of 185, 199 Agis, condemned to death 275 type of old Spartans 271 Alcibiades, anecdotes of 161, 163, 164 hostility toward 166 killed by Persians 171 shield of 162 Alexander I 197-199 Alexander the Great, birthplace of 227 crosses Libyan desert 245 cuts Gordian knot 238 death of 236, 253 enters Jerusalem 244 generosity of 248 horsemanship of 229, 231 marriage of 252 omens concerning 227 prophecy of 256 self-denial of 251 takes title of "Shah in Shah" 249 tomb of 255 victory of 237, 246 visit of, to Diogenes 235 Alexandria, founded 244 Lighthouse of 264 Ambassador, life of, sacred 111, 120 Amphictyonic Council 20, 217, 224 Anaxagoras, philosopher 151, 152 Antalcidas, treaty of 190 Antigone 36, 40 Antigonus Doson 275 Antigonus Gonatas 269 Antigonus, "the one-eyed" 262 Antipater, governor of Macedon 256, 258, 260 Apollo sends plague 48 statue in honor of 264 Appetite, recipe for good 238 Aratus, leader of Achæan League 269 poisoning of 277 Arbela, battle at 246 Archon, how elected 87 origin of title of 57 Areopagus, court of law 91 Pisistratus before the 95 Aristides, anecdote of 118 burial of 141 discovers plans of Xerxes 133 recall of 124 Aristocrat, derivation of 95 Aristodemus, daughter sacrificed by 72 first ruler of Sparta 61 Aristogiton 99, 102 Aristomenes 73-77 Aristophanes 173-175 Aristotle, teacher of Alexander 231 Arridæus 256, 261 Artaxerxes, befriends Themistocles 140 oath of 147 sends for Hippocrates 155 treachery of 181 Aspasia 152 Aster, an archer 220 Athene, festival in honor of 26 statue of 115, 149, 247 temple to 88, 101, 136, 149, 271 tree planted by 90, 137 Athenians, at Marathon 113-115 bribery of 189 build statues 102, 179 defeat Spartans 56 extravagance of 141 heroes among 113, 114 ingratitude of 117, 119 last of the 261 thirty-years' peace of 148 Athens, art in 149 becomes an oligarchy 87 burning of 132 called Cecropia 16 chains of Xerxes in 137 Olympic games at in, 1896 80 plague in 155 purification of 90 rebuilt 137 title of king in 56 voting in 91, 103 Athos, Mount 110, 124, 126 Babylon, city of 246 Hanging Gardens of 264 Bessus, treachery of 248 Brennus, leader of Gauls 267 Bucephalus, meaning of 229 monument to 250 Bulis, self-sacrifice of 120 Cadmus 17, 191 Canal dug by Xerxes 124 Cassander 260-263 Cassandra 42 Ceadas, pit of 75 Cecropia. See Athens. Cecrops founds Athens 16 Chæronea, battle at 225 Charilaus educated by Lycurgus 62 Charon, babe of, as pledge 193 Chilo dies of joy 86 Chilonis, self-sacrifice of 273 Chios, Island of 60 Cimon, banishment of 146 death of 147 generosity of 143 son of Miltiades 117 Cleombrotus 195, 273 Cleomenes 275, 276 Cleopatra, last of the Ptolemies 265 Clytus 228, 237, 249 Codrus, heroic death of 56 Coinage of money 24 Colchis, Golden Fleece in 25 Colossus of Rhodes 264 Comedy of "The Clouds" 174, 175 Corinth, city of 280, 281 Isthmus of 17, 131 Coronea 148, 189 Crete, location of 22 Criminals, punishment of 176 self-defense of 91 Crito 177, 179 Crœsus, ruler of Lydia 253 Croton, Greek colony 81, 166 Cunaxa, battle at 180 Cyclops, meaning of 14 Cydnus, Alexander bathes in 240 Cylon
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