The Greek Commonwealth

Greece, where for the student everything depends upon remaining steadily conscious, in and through the smallest detail, of the wonder and greatness Of the whole. It is so easy, for instance, in studying the Erechtheum building inscriptions to become absorbed in their interesting information about work and wages, and to forget that they relate to the Erechtheum. Yet when that is forgotten all is forgotten. Books and articles written in this spirit are easily detected and can be allowed for accordingly. But there is a second tendency to error, against which it is more difficult to guard. It arises from the application of modern methods and ideas to ancient times without a sufficient estimate Of the difference between ancient Greek and modern conditions. To take an obvious instance. It has long been clear to historians that economic circumstances had a good deal to do with the Peloponnesian War; yet we have no right to pass from this to an explanation of the whole struggle in modern economic terms. What is mis leading in such explanations is not the details but the back ground. They seem to be based upon a wrong or at least an inadequate conception of the normal economic life Of ancient Greece. The only safe road to the solution of this and kindred problems is to go back to first beginnings, to the careful analysis of ordinary ancient terms and processes. This must be my excuse for the disproportionate length of the third section ofthe book.

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