Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/150

ioo General History of Europe 151. Summary of Greek Achievement after Pericles. The constant conflicts among the Greek cities, which proved so fatal to their political independence, had nevertheless spurred on each city to surpass its rivals in art and literature and all that is finest in civilization. Great as was the age of Pericles, the age that followed was still greater. The tiny Athenian state, having at most twenty-five or thirty thousand citizens, had furnished in this period a group of great artists and thinkers such as never in all the history of the world arose elsewhere in so small a com- munity. Their names today are among the most illustrious in human history, and the achievements which are associated with them form one of the greatest chapters in the higher life of man. QUESTIONS I. What is the meaning of "oligarchy"? Describe the condition of Greece under the leadership of Sparta. What are "mercenaries"? When were professional soldiers and professional military leadership introduced into Greece? Can you give examples in modern states of professional soldiers and citizen soldiers ? What do we usually call the citizen soldiers in America? What circumstances led Xenophon to write the Anabasis ? What improvements were made in military equipment? Where did the Greeks learn the use of siege machinery? How long was Sparta able to maintain her supremacy? What com- bination succeeded in overthrowing Sparta? What put an end to the constant fighting between the city-states? II. Describe the development of business at Athens. What advance was made in sculpture? What discoveries in the art of painting were made by Apollodorus? What newer ideas were coming in during the period of conflict? Tell what you know of the plays of Euripides. Who was Socrates ? Did he leave any writings ? How do we know of him ? What is the Socratic method of teaching ? What was the fate of Socrates ? What advance was made in the writing of history ? How did the history of Thucydides differ from that of Herodotus? Tell what you know of Plato. What contributions did Aristotle make to knowledge? What practical truth did Isocrates try to teach the Greeks ?