A brief history of the nations and of their progress in civilization . ued Dorian conquest ofPeloponnesus, and themigrations just spoken of, were slow in their progress, andpossibly stretched over centuries. Character of the Greeks. — Originality is a distinguishing traitof the Greeks, and even when they borrowed from others theywere never mere copyists. When we leave Asia for Greece wefind ourselves in another atmosphere and we feel the influenceof the spirit of humanity which pervades their life. A regardfor reason, a sense of order, a disposition to keep everythingwithin measure,
A brief history of the nations and of their progress in civilization . ued Dorian conquest ofPeloponnesus, and themigrations just spoken of, were slow in their progress, andpossibly stretched over centuries. Character of the Greeks. — Originality is a distinguishing traitof the Greeks, and even when they borrowed from others theywere never mere copyists. When we leave Asia for Greece wefind ourselves in another atmosphere and we feel the influenceof the spirit of humanity which pervades their life. A regardfor reason, a sense of order, a disposition to keep everythingwithin measure, is a marked characteristic. Do nothing inexcess was their favorite maxim. Their sense of form, whichincluded a perception of harmony and proportion, made themin politics and letters the leaders of mankind. Their languagein itself seems like a work of art, so unrivaled is it in flexibil-ity, in symmetry, and in perfection of sound. The use of sucha lucid and discriminating language was itself an education tothe young Greek, and its effect upon his mind was like the. The Wkestlees {Florence) PREHISTORIC AGE 65 effect of tlie invigorating climate of Greece upon his body. Byphysical training he acquired great vigor and grace, and he vi^asthus fitted in mind and body to take part in that developmentof civil polity, of artistic discernment, and of complex sociallife which made his people the principal source of modernculture. Their moral traits, however, were not so a race they were less truthful and less marked for theircourage and loyalty than some other peoples inferior to themin intellect. Religion. — In early days the simple religion of the Aryanfathers received new elements from abroad. The Tyrian deityMelkarth appears at Corinth as the hero Melicertes. Astartebecomes Aphrodite (Venus), who springs from the sea. Themyth of Dionysus (Bacchus) and the worship of Demeter (Ceres)may be of foreign origin. The same may be true of Poseidon(Neptune), the god of the sea
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectworldhistory, bookyea
