separate states of Greece lived, as it were, in the presence of each
other, and at the same time resisted all influences and all efforts
towards a coalescence with each other, until the time of Alexander.
Their country, a word of indefinite meaning to the Asiatic, conveyed to
them as definite an idea as that of their own homes. Its whole
landscape, with all its historic associations, its glorious monuments of
heroic deeds, were perpetually present to their eyes. Thus their
patriotism, concentrated within a narrow sphere, and kept alive by the
sense of their individual importance, their democratic spirit, and their
struggles with surrounding communities to maintain their independence,
became a strong and ruling passion. Their geographical surroundings had,
therefore, a powerful influence upon their political institutions.
Conquest, which forces nations of different habits, characters, and
languages into unity, is at last the parent of degrading servitude.
These nations are only held together, as in the Roman empire, by the
iron hand of military power. The despot, surrounded by a foreign
soldiery, appears in the conquered provinces, simply to enforce tribute,
and compel obedience to his arbitrary will. But the small Greek
communities, protected by the barriers of their seas and gulfs and
mountains, escaped, for centuries, this evil destiny. The people, united
by identity of language and manners and religion, by common interest and
facile intercommunication, could readily combine to resist the invasions
of foreign nations, as well as the encroachments of their own rulers.
And they were able to easily model their own government according to
their own necessities and circumstances and common interests, and to
make the end for which it existed the sole measure of the powers it was
permitted to wield.[20]

[Footnote 20: _Encyc. Brit_, art. "Greece."]

The soil of Attica was not the most favorable to agricultural pursuits.
In many places it was stony and uneven, and a considerable proportion
was bare rock, on which nothing could be grown. Not half the surface was
capable of cultivation. In this respect it may be fitly compared to some
of the New England States. The light, dry soil produced excellent
barley, but not enough of wheat for their own consumption. Demosthenes
informs us that Athens brought every year, from Byzantium, four hundred
thousand _medimni_ of wheat. The alluvial plains, under industrious
cultivation, would