ignior. However, we must do justice to those able men. A king was what
Greece in reality required; had she secured one at this time strong
enough to hold her conflicting interests in check, she would have become
the mistress of the world. Her leading men saw this.

[Sidenote: The consequence is her vast intellectual progress.]

[Sidenote: Her progress in art.]

The elevating effect of the Persian wars was chiefly felt in Athens. It
was there that the grand development of pure art, literature, and
science took place. As to Sparta, she remained barbarous as she had ever
been; the Spartans continuing robbers and impostors, in their national
life exhibiting not a single feature that can be commended. Mechanical
art reached its perfection at Corinth; real art at Athens, finding a
multitude not only of true, but also of new expressions. Before Pericles
the only style of architecture was the Doric; his became at once the age
of perfect beauty. It also became the age of freedom in thinking and
departure from the national faith. In this respect the history of
Pericles and of Aspasia is very significant. His, also, was the great
age of oratory, but of oratory leading to delusion, the democratical
forms of Athens being altogether deceptive, power ever remaining in the
hands of a few leading men, who did everything. The true popular
sentiment, as was almost always the case under those ancient republican
institutions, could find for itself no means of expression. The great
men were only too prone to regard their fellow-citizens as a rabble,
mere things to be played off against one another, and to consider that
the objects of life are dominion and lust, that love, self-sacrifice,
and devotion are fictions; that oaths are only good for deception.

[Sidenote: The treaty with Persia.]

Though the standard of statesmanship, at the period of the Persian wars,
was very low, there can be no doubt that among the Greek leaders were
those who clearly understood the causes of the Asiatic attack; and
hence, with an instinct of self-preservation, defensive alliances were
continually maintained with Egypt. When their valour and endurance had
given to the Greeks a glorious issue to the war, the articles contained
in the final treaty manifest clearly the motives and understandings of
both parties. No Persian vessel was to appear between the Cyanean Rocks
and Chelidonian Islands; no Persian army to approach within three days'
journey of the Medit