Search -
The History of Athens Politically and Philosophically Considered [
The History of Athens Politically and Philosophically Considered Author:William Young General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1804 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER IV. OF THE KINGS AND OF THE FIRST ARGHONS Of ATHENS. Chap. The natural rights and liberties of mankind were ' soon felt, though late understood ; and when, in' this state composed of divers nations and people, the varieties in each, had opened the minds of all; when reason and passion had shown a disposition to make stronger and earlier shoots in this rich and mingled soil; the love and fear of power were of the same birth, and had an equal growth. . sic. From the earliest period of political authority, whether patriarchic or elect, the people were ever encroaching on its supremacy; and many of their kings, raised from a low degree to the throne, thought much too of their own duties, and their people's claims, and of their own just subserviency to the interests of the multitude, whose sovereignty was merely delegated to their care and fidelity. hocrat. En- From the dynasty of Cecrops to the monarchy ' n. of TneseuSi little is there in the narrative worthy the speculations of the politician or philosopher. The monarchy of Theseus is particularly deserv- Am. Ch. ing remark ; it was a new system of government, admitting an intermediate description of men, between the king and the mass of the people, to a share of power. The heads of families were by Theseus called to a seat in his councils, and vestedwith certain dignities, privileges, and immunities, Chap. which placed them in a kind of middle state, and constituted them at once depositaries of the rights of the sovereign and of the people. The youth of Theseus was employed in acts of piut. vit. heroic chivalry; we are told, that Scyro...« less