And yet who can show a leadership more ancestral than this, which had its origin before
most of the cities of Hellas were founded, or
more serviceable than this, which drove the barbarians from their homes and advanced the
Hellenes to so great prosperity?
Nor did our city, after she had played her part in bringing to pass the most important
benefits, neglect what remained to be done; on the contrary she made it but the beginning
of her benefactions to find for those who were in want that sustenance which men must have
who are to provide well also for their other needs; but considering that an existence
limited to this alone was not enough to make men desire to live, she gave such careful
thought to their remaining wants as well that of the good things which are now at the
service of mankind—in so far as we do not have them from the gods but owe them to each
other—there is not one in which our city has had no part, and most of them are due to her
alone.
For, finding the Hellenes living without laws and in scattered abodes, some oppressed by
tyrannies, others perishing through anarchy, she delivered them from these evils by taking
some under her protection and by setting to others her own example; for she was the first
to lay down laws and establish a polity.The tradition is
probably correct that Athens was the first
city to set her own house in order and so extended her influence over Greece. The creation of a civilized state out of
scattered villages is attributed to King Theseus. See Isoc.
10.35; Isoc. 12.128 ff.. In Isoc. 12.151-4, Isocrates maintains that certain features of
the Spartan constitution were borrowed from Athens.
This is apparent from the fact that those who in the beginning brought charges of
homicide, and desired to settle their mutual differences by reason and not by violence,
tried their cases under our laws.There is no evidence to
bear out a literal interpretaion of this statement, but the tradition is probably right
which regarded the Areopagus in Athens as
the first court set up in Greece for the trial
of cases of homicide. It was believed that this court was first convened to ty the case
of Orestes, an alien. See Aesch. Eum. 684; Dem. 23.65 ff. Yes, and the arts also, both those which
are useful in producing the necessities of life and those which have been devised to give
us pleasure, she has either invented or stamped with her approval, and has then presented
them to the rest of the world to enjoy.So Isoc. 12.202. Pliny Nat. Hist.
7.194, catalogues many Athenian discoveries in art. Cf. Milton, Par.
Reg. iv. 240: “Athens the eye of
Greece, mother of arts and eloquence.”
Moreover, she has established her polity in general in such a spirit of welcome to
strangersThucydides in Pericles' funeral oration
emphasizes the open hospitality of Athens to
foreigners and strangers, Thuc. 2.39.1. and
friendlinessThe word oi)kei/ws suggests me/toikoi, the
foreign residents, who numbered about one-third of the free population of Athens. to all men, that it adapts itself both
to those who lack means and to those who wish to enjoy the means which they possess, and
that it fails to be of service neither to those who are prosperous nor to those who are
unfortunate in their own cities; nay, both classes find with us what they desire, the
former the most delightful pastimes, the latter the securest refuge.
Again, since the different populations did not in any case possess a country that was
self-sufficing, each lacking in some things and producing others in excess of their needs,
and since they were greatly at a loss where they should dispose of their surplus and
whence they should import what they lacked, in these difficulties also our city came to
the rescue; for she established the Piraeus
as a market in the center of Hellas—a market of such abundance that the articles which it
is difficult to get, one here, one there, from the rest of the world, all these it is easy
to procure from Athens.Thucydides states that all the products of the whole world found their way to
Athens, ii. 38. 2.
Now the founders of our great festivals are justly praised for handing down to us a
custom by which, having proclaimed a truceThe armistice or
“Peace of God”—the sacred month as it was called at Olympia—during which the states
participating in the games ceased from war. See Gardner and Jevons, Manual of Greek Antiquities, p.
270. and resolved our pending quarrels, we come together in one place, where, as
we make our prayers and sacrifices in common, we are reminded of the kinship which exists
among us and are made to feel more kindly towards each other for the future, reviving our
old friendships and establishing new ties.Lys. 33.1, speaks of Heracles as having founded the Olympic
festival out of good will for Hellas.
And neither to common men nor to those of superior gifts is the time so spent idle and
profitless, but in the concourse of the Hellenes the latter have the opportunity to
display their prowess, the former to behold these contending against each other in the
games; and no one lacks zest for the festival, but all find in it that which flatters
their pride, the spectators when they see the athletes exert themselves for their benefit,
the athletes when they reflect that all the world is come to gaze upon them. Since, then,
the benefits which accrue to us from our assembling together are so great, here again our
city has not been backward;
for she affords the most numerous and the most admirable spectacles, some passing all
bounds in the outlay of money, some highly reputed for their artistic worth, and others
excelling in both these regards;Isocrates here refers to
the sights and show-places of Athens, and to
the Panathenaic and the Dionysiac festivals especially. See Tucker, Life in
Ancient <placeName key="perseus,Athens">Athens</placeName>, Chap. xii.
and the multitude of people who visit us is so great that, whatever advantage there is in
our associating together, this also has been compassed by our city, Athens. Besides, it is possible to find with us as
nowhere else the most faithful friendships and to enjoy the most varied social
intercourse; and, furthermore, to see contests not alone of speed and strength, but of
eloquence and wisdom and of all the other arts—and for these the greatest prizes;