observances, but by doing
good." This teaching, which was misunderstood by many, together with the
dislike--not to say hatred--which such a "cross-examining missionary"
would inevitably excite, caused his trial for impiety or rejection of
the popular deities. He was then over seventy. When asked whether he had
prepared his defence, he replied "that his whole life had been a
preparation, since he had spent it in studying what was right and
endeavoring to do it." Condemned by the judges to drink poison, he spent
the last hours of his life conversing with his friends on the
immortality of the soul. Xenophon has left an entertaining and valuable
sketch of his beloved master.

[118] =Banished=: Xenophon was banished for attachment to Sparta against
his country--Athens. (Grote.)

[119] =Olympic festivals=: the greatest of the religious festivals among
the Greeks. It was held at Olympia every four years in honor of Zeus
(Olympian Jove), and was celebrated by games and contests lasting
several weeks. All Greece sent delegations to attend and take part in
the festival.

[120] =Artemision=: the temple of Artemis or Diana.

[121] =Temple of Olympia=: the magnificent temple of Zeus (Olympian
Jove). It contained a colossal statue of the god, seated, and holding
the globe and the sceptre as emblems of his power. The work was by the
celebrated sculptor Phidias, and was carved in gold and ivory.

[122] =Knight=: originally one of an upper class of citizens ranking
second in point of wealth and political power.

[123] Alexander the Great encouraged his soldiers before the battle of
Issus by referring to the bravery of the Greeks in the "Retreat of the
Ten Thousand."

[124] =Anabasis= (The March Up-country): the name given by Xenophon to
his account of the expedition of Cyrus the younger in his march from the
shore of the Mediterranean against the King of Persia at Babylon. The
narrative of the "Retreat of the Ten Thousand" forms part of the
"Anabasis." Strictly speaking, this portion of the work should be called
the Katabasis, or "The March Down"; that is, from Babylonia to the Black
Sea.

SKETCH OF NAPOLEON.

(INTRODUCTORY TO THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW.)

Napoleon Bonaparte was born at Ajaccio, Corsica (then recently ceded to
France), in 1769. He was of Italian descent, and up to the age of ten
could speak no French. In 1779 he was sent to the military school of
Brienne, in France, and there began his education for t