INTRODUCTION. IN times long before any recorded history, there lived in Asia (possibly in the region lying between the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes) a people called the Aryans. As this race increased in numbers, their country became too small to support the excess of population. This excess found relief in migrating to the south and west. The earliest migrations west were made by the Celts, who pushed on as far as the Atlantic coast, and whose language is represented to-day by the inhabitants of Bretagne, Wales, and Ireland. The second migration was made by the Teutons, the ancestors of the English, Germans, Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians. The Teutons were followed by the Slaves and Lithuanians, from whom are descended the inhabitants of Russia, Bohemia, Hungary, and Poland. Distinct from these migrations, another succession of tribes left the primitive Aryan race in later times, and occupied the peninsulas of Greece and Italy. They were called the Pelasgi, and their language formed the foundation of both the Latin and Greek tongue. Nothing definite is known about the Pelasgic period of Greece. Subsequently other tribes branched off from the same mother trunk and swept over Greece. Although originally of the same race as the Pelasgi, they were more highly civilized on account of their contact, in course of migration, with Eastern nations. The tribe that was destined to be predominant among these was the Hellenes, who first settled in Hellas, a small district of southern Thessaly, but finally spread over the whole of Greece and assimilated the other tribes to themselves. The early history of the Hellenes is as much enveloped in darkness as that of the Pelasgi. They claimed to be descended from a common ancestor, Hellen; and that from his two sons, Dorus and olus, and two grandsons, Ion and Achæus, were sprung the four grand divisions of the Hellenic race, — viz., Dorians, Æolians, Ionians, and Achæans. The Ionians and Dorians became the leading races; the former represented by Athens, the latter by Sparta. To relate all the stories of the Greeks about their ancestors would require a volume in itself. We shall speak of only a few. Cecrops,1 who came from Egypt, was said to be the first king of Attica. He founded Athens, and divided 1 Codrus (1045 B.C.) was the last king of Athens. When his city was hard pressed by the Dorians, an oracle stated that his death would ensure the safety of the city. The patriotic king went to the camp of the enemy in disguise, and in a quarrel with the soldiers managed to be killed. The Athenians, unable to find a suitable successor to such a hero, abolished the title of king, electing Medon, the son of Codrus, as Archon for life. This was the beginning of the life Archons, which lasted until 752 B.C., when Archons were appointed to hold office for ten years, called Decennial Archons. INTRODUCTION. 3 the state into twelve parts. He introduced civilization, marriage, and the worship of the gods. Danaus was an ancient king of Argos. He had fled from Egypt with his fifty daughters, and was selected by the Argives as their monarch. Pelops was a native of Phrygia. Driven from his country, he wandered to Greece, where he became of so much influence that all southern Greece was called after him the Peloponnesus, i.e. “Island of Pelops." His son Atreus was king of Mycena. Cadmus was a Phoenician, who founded Thebes, introduced the use of letters and the cultivation of the vine. From these traditions we can infer that the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Phrygians settled in various localities in Greece. The civilization of these settlers was higher than that of the people among whom they settled. Hence the Greeks were improved by them. From the Phoenicians they learned the use of the alphabet. But these settlers were not numerous, and did not affect the language, customs, or religion of the Greeks to any marked extent. RELIGION. The earliest form of Pelasgic religion was the worship of one supreme being, Zeus (Jupiter). The most ancient oracle in Greece was dedicated to him at Dodona, in Epeirus. The responses of the oracle were given from the sacred oaks, in the rustling of whose leaves the voice of the divinity was heard. Subsequently the worship of other divinities was introduced, as that of Aphrodite (Venus), Poseidon (Neptune); and in Attica, Demeter (Ceres), and Athena (Minerva). 4 INTRODUCTION. But the god whose worship was more universal than that of Zeus even, was Apollo. To his oracle at Delphi, persons came from all parts of the Hellenic world to consult the priestess called Pythia. Here was kept a golden statue of the god, and a fire never allowed to die out. In the centre of the temple there was a small opening in the ground, from which arose an intoxicating vapor, supposed to be the breath of the god. The sacred tripod (three-footed stool) stood over this opening, on which the priestess took her seat whenever the oracle was to be consulted. Inspired by the vapor, she gave her answers in verse (hexameters). These answers were not infrequently ambiguous, and might be interpreted in several ways. The Delphian Oracle supplanted in a great measure that of Zeus at Dodona. Mount Olympus was the abode of the gods; and here was the throne of Zeus, who, with his wife Hera (Juno), was the chief of the Olympian council. It consisted of six gods and six goddesses.1 HEROES. Among the heroes of ancient Greece, three stand out prominent : 1 Besides Zeus and Hera, there were in this council: Poseidon (Neptune), the god of the sea. Apollo, the god of music, poetry, and eloquence. Hephaestus (Vulcan), the god of fire. Hermes (Mercury), the messenger of the gods. Athena (Minerva), the goddess of wisdom. |