catched up by our Prelates, and hath caught some of our Presbyters. In Athens, where books and wits were ever busier than in any other part of Greece, I find but only two sorts of writings which the magistrate cared to take notice of; those either 170 blasphemous and atheistical, or libellous. Thus the books of Protagoras were by the judges of Areopagus commanded to be burnt, and himself banished the territory for a discourse begun with his confessing not to know whether there were gods, or whether not: And against defaming, it was agreed that none should be traduced by name, as was the manner of Vetus Comoedia, whereby we may guess how they censured libelling; And this course was quick enough, as Cicero writes, to quell both the desperate wits of other atheists, and the open way of defaming, as the event showed. 165, 166. was catched; hath caught. These expressions show the looseness which prevailed with regard to the use of the past participle. A 166. our Prelates. reference to the Star Chamber decree of 1637. 168. Athens was the most popular of all the Greek Republics in its forms and administration. Almost all the Greek writers of eminence were natives of Attica. 172. Protagoras. By the order of the Athenians Protagoras was banished from the city and territory and his books publicly burnt, because he could not say whether the gods existed or not. This is Cicero's statement. The book was "Peri Theon," ie., “Concerning the Gods," and the banishment and burning took place in 411 B.C. 172. Protagoras, a Greek philosopher, about 400 B.C. 172. Areopagus. Note the correct omission of "the." Of other sects and opinions, 176, 177. Yetus Comoedia, 177. censured, judged. 178. as Cicero writes; in his 178. quell, kill; A.S. cwellan to kill. 180. the event, the result. The punishment of Protagoras brought an end to both blasphemous and libellous writings. 180 though tending to voluptuousness, and the denying of Divine Providence, they took no heed. Therefore we do not read that either Epicurus, or that libertine school of Cyrene, or what the Cynic impudence uttered, was ever questioned by the laws. Neither is it recorded that the writings of those old comedians were suppressed, though the acting of them were forbid; and that Plato commended the reading of Aristophanes, the loosest of them all, to his royal scholar Dionysius, is commonly known, and may be excused, if holy Chrysostom, as is reported, nightly 190 studied so much the same author and had the art to cleanse a scurrilous vehemence into the style of a rousing sermon That other leading city of Greece, Lacedæmon, considering that Lycurgus their lawgiver was so addicted to elegant learning as to have been the first that brought out of Ionia the scattered 183. Epicurus founded a school in Athens about the year 310 B.C., and taught that virtue was the only way to real happiness. His followers degraded his principles, and made "happiness their being's end and aim." Self-indulgence and Epicureanism became, therefore, synonymous. 183. libertine school of Cyrene was founded by Aristippus in 370 B.C. He taught that pleasure was the only aim of life. 184. Cynic impudence. The Cynic school was founded about the same time by Antisthenes. A contempt for externals and a rude brushing away of specious coverings were the characteristics of the school, whose most famous member was Diogenes, the cynic of the tub. Cynic is from Gr. kynikos = -like. 136. were forbid, subj. mood. Note forbid for forbidden. 187,188. Plato, Aristophanes, 189. Chrysostom. John, called Chrysostom, or "Goldenmouth," was patriarch of Constantinople in 397 A.D., and died in exile 407 A.D. 192. Lacedæmon, or Sparta, the chief city of Laconia, in Greece The Spartans trained themselves to endurance and bravery, and were famous for their brevity of speech. Our modern word laconic" is derived from the name of their country. 193. Lycurgus, King of Sparta, colle t d the poems of Homer and introduced them to the Spartans. works of Homer, and sent the poet Thales from Crete to prepare and mollify the Spartan surliness with his smooth songs and odes, the better to plant among them law and civility, it is to be wondered how museless and unbookish they were, minding nought but the feats of war. There needed no licensing of books among them, for they disliked all but their own laconic 200 apothegms, and took a slight occasion to chase Archilochus out of their city, perhaps for composing in a higher strain than their own soldierly ballads and roundels could reach to: Or if it were for his broad verses, they were not therein so cautious, but they were as dissolute in their promiscuous conversing; whence Euripides affirms in Andromache that their women were all unchaste. Thus much may give us light after what sort of 195. Thales, or Thaletas, of Crete, a writer of odes. Müller says he lived two centuries after Lycurgus. 197. civility, politeness. 198. museless, without the taste for the Muses. 200. laconic. See Note above on Lacedæmon. 201. apothegms, Milton's spelling. Gr. apophthengomai I speak my mind plainly. 201. Archilochus. Lived about the year 700 B.C. "Some writers of antiquity say that the Lacedæmonians banished Archilochus for an unpatriotic sentiment in a poem, wherein he had ventured to tell the citizens of Sparta that it was better for a man to throw away his arms than lose his life; but others assert it to have been for the indecent licentiousness of his verses that he was expelled the Republic.' (HOLT WHITE.) Milton's spelCf." ballatry," 203. ballads. ling is ballats. 7. 685. 203. roundel. A roundel was originally a song sung to a circle dance. The term was then applied to a song in which the I may the beauty of them not So woundeth it throughout my And but your word will healen My heartés woundé while that it Your eyés two will slay me I may the beauty of them not 204. broad, licentious. 206. Euripides, in his Andro- to. 207. after, as to, according "Neither reward us after our iniquities."-PRAYER BOOK. 207. after what sort, as to what way. |