the magnificent encomium upon that famous engagement, to which he ascribes the success of all the ensuing victories and campaigns. Leonidas, knowing that Xerxes marched at the head of the forces of the east, in order to overwhelm and crush a little country by the dint of his numbers, rightly conceived, from the superiority of his genius and understanding, that if they pretended to make the success of that war consist in opposing force to force, and numbers to numbers, all the Grecian nations together would never be able to equal the Persians, or to dispute the victory with them; that it was therefore necessary to point out to Greece another means of safety and preservation, whilst she was under these alarms; and that they ought to show the whole universe, who had all their eyes upon them, what glorious things may be done, when greatness of mind is opposed to force of body, true courage and bravery against blind impetuosity, the love of liberty against tyrannical oppression, and a few disciplined veteran troops against a confused multitude, though ever so

numerous.

9. These brave Lacedæmonians thought it became them, who were the choicest soldiers of the chief people of Greece, to devote themselves to certain death, in order to make the Persians sensible how difficult it is to reduce freemen to slavery; and to teach the rest of Greece, by their example, either to vanquish or to perish. The event proved the justness of such sentiments. That illustrious example of courage astonished the Persians, and gave a new spirit and vigor to the Greeks. The lives then of this heroic leader and his brave troops were not thrown away, but usefully employed; and their death was attended with a double effect, more great and lasting than themselves had imagined.

10. On one hand, it was in a manner the seed of their ensuing victories, which made the Persians for ever after lay aside all thoughts of attacking Greece; so that, during the seven or eight succeeding reigns, there was neither any prince, who durst entertain such a design, nor any flatterer in his court who durst propose the thing to him.

On the

other hand, such a signal and exemplary instance of intrepidity made an indelible impression upon all the rest of the Grecians, and left a persuasion deeply rooted in their hearts, that they were able to subdue the Persians, and subvert their vast empire. Cimon was the man who made the

first attempt of that kind with success. Agesilaus afterwards pushed that design so far, that he made the great monarch tremble in his palace at Susa. Alexander at last accomplished it with incredible facility. He never had the least doubt, no more than the Macedonians who followed him, or the whole country of Greece that chose him general in that expedition, but that with 30,000 men he could reduce the Persian empire, 300 Spartans having been sufficient to check the united forces of the whole east.

11. The brave will love the brave, and deep revere;
Les freemen honor with a brother's tear
That king of freedom and his Spartan band
Who nobly fought to save their native land.
No love of conquest urg'd them to invade ;
They fought th' invader, and they fell betray'd.

Should foemen fill our country with alarms,
Think of Thermopylæ, and rouse to arms.

SOGRATES.

1. SOCRATES, the famous Greek philosopher, was born at Athens, about 451 years before Christ. He gave early proofs of his valor in the service of his country; but chiefly applied himself to the study of philosophy, and was a person of irresistible eloquence and accomplished virtue. His distinguishing characteristic was a perfect tranquillity of mind, which enabled him to support, with patience, the most troublesome accidents of life. He used to beg of those with whom he usually conversed, to put him on his guard, the moment they' perceived in him the first emotions of anger; and when they did so, he instantly resumed perfect composure and complacency. His wife, Xantippe, a woman of the most whimsical and provoking temper, afforded him sufficient opportunity of exercising his patience, by the revilings and abuse with which she was constantly loading him.

2. Socrates possessed, in a superior degree, the talent of reasoning. His principal employment was the instruction

Where and when was Socrates born?

of youth, an object to which he directed all his care and attention. He kept, however, no fixed public school, but took every opportunity, without regarding times or places, of conveying to them his precepts, and that in the most enticing, agreeable manner. His lessons were so universally relished, that the moment he appeared, whether in the public assemblies, walks, or feasts, he was surrounded with a throng of the most illustrious scholars and hearers. The young Athenians quitted even their pleasures to listen to the discourse of Socrates.

3. He greatly exerted himself against the power of the thirty tyrants, and in the behalf of Theramenes, whom they had condemned to death; insomuch that they became so alarmed at his behavior, that they forbade him to instruct the Athenian youth. Soon after, an accusation was formally exhibited against him by Melitus, containing in substance "That he did not acknowledge the gods of the republic, but introduced new deities in their room;" and further, “that he corrupted the youth." He urged, in his defence, that he had assisted, as others did, at the sacrifices and solemn festivals. He denied his endeavoring to establish any new worship. He owned, indeed, he had received frequent admonitions from a divine voice, which he called his genius, that constantly attended him, and discovered to him future events; that he had often made use of this divine assistance for the service of himself and his friends; but, that if he had been thus particularly favored by Heaven, it was owing chiefly to the regularity of his life and conduct; and that the approbȧtion of the Supreme Being, which was given him as a reward for his virtue, ought not to be objected to him as his crime.

4. Then, as to the other article, wherein he was accused of corrupting the youth, and teaching them to despise the settled laws, and order of the commonwealth, he said, he had no other view in his conversation with them, than to regulate their morals; that as he could not do this with any public authority, he was therefore forced to insinuate himself into their company, and to use, in a manner, the same methods to reclaim, which others did to corrupt them.

5. How far the whole charge affected him, it is not easy to determine. It is certain, that amidst so much zeal and

What were the charges against Socrates?