ist, especially the elegiac form, or
songs for the dead. Epic poetry was of still earlier date, as seen in the
Homeric poems. The AEolian and Ionic Greeks of Asia were early noted for
celebrated poets. Alcaeus and Sappho lived on the Isle of Lesbos, and were
surrounded with admirers. Anacreon of Teos was courted by the rulers of
Athens.

(M408) Even philosophy was cultivated at this early age. Thales of Miletus
flourished in the middle of the seventh century, and Anaximander, born
B.C. 610--one of the great original mathematicians of the world, speculated
like Thales, on the origin of things. Pythagoras, born in Samos, B.C.
580--a still greater name, grave and majestic, taught the harmony of the
spheres long before the Ionian revolt.

But neither art, nor literature, nor philosophy reached their full
development till a later era. It is enough for our purpose to say that,
before the Persian wars, civilization was by no means contemptible, in all
those departments which subsequently made Greece the teacher and the glory
of the world.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE PERSIAN WAR.

We come now to the most important and interesting of Grecian history--the
great contest with Persia--the age of heroes and of battle-fields, when
military glory was the master passion of a noble race. What inspiration
have all ages gained from that noble contest in behalf of liberty!

(M409) We have seen how Asiatic cities were colonized by Greeks, among
whom the Ionians were pre-eminent. The cities were governed by tyrants,
who were sustained in their usurpation by the power of Persia, then the
great power of the world. Darius, then king, had absurdly invaded Scythia,
with an immense army of six hundred thousand men, to punish the people for
their inroad upon Western Asia, subject to his sway, about a century
before. He was followed by his allies, the tyrants of the Ionian cities,
to whom he intrusted the guardianship of the bridge of boats by which he
had crossed the Danube, B.C. 510. As he did not return within the time
specified--sixty days--the Greeks were left at liberty to return. A body of
Scythians then appeared, who urged the Greeks to destroy the bridge, as
Darius was in full retreat, and thus secure the destruction of the Persian
army and the recovery of their own liberty. Miltiades, who ruled the
Chersonese--the future hero of Marathon, seconded the wise proposal of the
Scythians, but Histiaeus, tyran