For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

ON THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF
THE ATHENIANS.

AT
THENS was one of the wealthiest
and most flourishing of the
Grecian republics; but it was poor
in comparison with the Roman com-
monwealth, or with the poorest of
the modern nations of Europe. The
city of Athens had many superb
edifices; but as a whole it was a
paltry place, compared with those
of modern times. The habitations
of Miltiades and Themistocles were
not distinguishable from those of
the meanest citizens. That of So-
crates, with all its furniture, was
worth only five minæ (£18 15s.)
The celebrated garden of Epicurus,
which was very large, and inclu-
ded a fine plantation of olive-trees,
cost eighty mina (£300)

Such of the Athenians as possessed landed property, were aсcustomed to reside on their estates, and superintend their cultivation. Many engaged in commercial speculations, and others purchased slaves, whom they instructed and employed in trades. Thus the father of Sophocles carried on the trade of a smith; and the father of Demosthenes that of a cabinet-maker. The profits of trade must have been great, as the interest of money was sometimes exorbitant. Twelve per cent was the ordinary rate; but twenty-four, thirty-six,

BELFAST MAG. NO. XLI,

common;

and even forty-eight, were not unand some usurers required twenty-five per cent a day, so that in four days the interest equalled the principal.

The expense of living among the Athenians was trifling. A sheep, in the time of Solon, cost ninepence of our money; an ox but three times that sum; and a bushel of wheat sixpence. Neither were these the constant diet of the people. Onions, beans, and lentils, were the principal food of the commonalty: and even Plato, who was a man of property, lived chiefly upon olives. In a comedy of Lynceus, however, a parasite complains of the Athenian fare; and observes, that they understood good living much better at Chalcis, in the island of Euboea. Though the Greeks make bread of their corn, this was the food only of the better sort. Hippocrates directs bread to be given to those who are recovering from an inflammation of the liver, if they have been accustomed to eat it; or maza, if this were their common food. The diet given to the Athenians at the Prytaneum, according to the laws of Solon, was only maza in ordinary days; but on festivals they were allowed bread. The maza was a kind of hasty-pudding made of barley-meal; which they who could afford it, seasoned with boiled wine, or with honey.

The Athenians certainly made

Kk k

entertainments for their friends: but that such a one as is described in the travels of Anacharsis was ever given at Athens, even by Alcibiades, is very questionable. On On such occasions it was customary to hire a cook for the day, who brought his utensils with him, for the kitchens of private persons were too scantily furnished for them. They had a custom tending much to promote sociability several would meet to eat together, each bringing his own portion. Indeed they were fond of eating in conipany; and a man would frequently take his supper in a basket to a friend's house, to eat it there. Their greatest expense was for wine, of which they were very fond. The authors who have des cribed the manners of Athens, speak of spendthrifts much less frequently than of misers; and no language has so many terms to express a lover of money.

Though several of the Athenians kept a number of slaves, it was to derive profit from their labour, not to make a display of a splendid retinue. Indeed the keeping of a useless slave was prohibited by law. As it was the custom 10 travel on foot, a man would take a slave with him to carry his baggage: if he ventured to take two, he would incur the imputation of being proud or vain.

With all this semblance of poverty to a modern eye, we cannot help contrasting the great and admirable achievements of the Athenians, notwithstanding the defects of their constitution, and the still more dangerous vices in their character; the excellence to which they carried the fine arts, many models of which have come down even to our times*; and the noble

examples they have set us in the walks of literature. A people could not have been really poor, without whose inventions the wealthiest of after-days would have been, and would still remain, no better than barbarians. T.O.C.

Islington, Nov. 5, 1811.

For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

ACCOUNT OF APOLLODORUS THE TY

RANT.

THE history of ancient Greece,

which has transmitted to us memorials of the greatest and noblest actions, has likewise devoted its tyrants to the execration of posterity. There are two of these, whose names are almost always coupled together by the ancients, when they would cite examples of inhumanity scarcely credible. The first of these is Phalaris of Agrigentum; the second, Apollodorus of Cassandria, in Macedonia. The time at which the former lived, still remains doubtful; and that of the latter, though much nearer us, is little better known.

Polyænus informs us, that he usurped the sovereignty, after the Cassandrians had been restored to liberty by Eurydice. But who was this Eurydice, a name common to different women, who are more or less conspicuous in history after

enterprising spirit of Lord Elgin, all that remained in evidence of the former splendour of Athens, threatened as it was with speedy destruction, has been removed to England, or accurately copied and secured in a permanent form, so that this country may now boast the finest collection of ancient Greek sculp ture in the world. See Memorandum on the subject of the Earl of Elgin's Pursuits in Greece; printed by W. Mil

The city of Potidea, built on the isthmus that joined the peninsula of Pallene to the Continent, was destroyed by Philip, king of Macedon; and re-built about fifty years after, by Cassander, who gave it his own name, and by the privileges he granted it, soon rendered it one of the principal cities of Macedonia, if not the chief. After his death, and during the troubles that ensued, it is probable, that encroachments were made on the privileges of the Cassandrians; and that these were restored by his grand-daughter, the widow of Ptolemy, son of Lagos, after the death of her son, Ptolemy Ceraunus, who had placed a garrison in the city, to overawe the inhabitants. It appears, that Apollodorus, who had the command there, caused the soldiers of the garrison to be admitted into the rauk of citizens, and to have lands assigned them in the Peninsula: while at the same time a festival was instituted, named Eurydicia, out of gratitude to their deliverer.

There are other circumstances, that tend to confirm the period, here assigned to these events. Apollodorus, while yet a simple citizen, proposed to the Cassandrians, to form an alliance with Antiochus, and to put themselves under his protection; but this could not have been earlier than the year 281, B. C.; for it was then the reign

too, from Diodorus Siculus, that Apollodorus had a body of Gauls for his guards. Now the first expedition of these people into Greece was that in which Ptolemy Ce. raunus was killed, toward the end of the year 280, B.C. They came again the year following; and advanced on one side to Delphi, and on the other to Byzantium, whence they passed over into Asia Minor. At this time some of their troops, being scattered, entered into the pay of different princes.

The first measures that Apollodorus took to seize the sovereignty, were badly concerted. He failed, and

was brought to trial: but throwing himself at the mercy of his judges, who were softened by the appearance of his wife and daughters at their feet, in habits of mourning, he was acquitted. This only rendered him more enterprising, as he formed a second conspiracy. As the first had been discovered through the indiscretion of one of the conspirators, he took the most horrible means of preventing a similar occurrence. Hav. ing invited them to a feast, he made them unknowingly eat of the entrails, and drink of the blood of a young man, whose dead body he afterwards showed them. Thus, finding themselves involved in a crime of such a nature, they imagined themselves unable to recede, or separate his fate from their own. A party among the people too was necessary for his purpose; and this he found in the slaves, to whom he promised their liberty. Accordingly in a very little time after his acquittal, he contrived to make himself absolute master of the city.

The judges, who had absolved him, had soon cause to repent their weakness; for the first use he made

of his power, was to put them to a cruel death. He hired for his guards, a number of these Gauls, who, recently employed in ravaging Macedonia and Greece, were inu red to murder and plunder; and his chief minster was Calliphon, one of the agents of Agathocles, tyrant of Sicily. Thus supported, his avarice and barbarity knew no bounds, and his hands were sullied with the most atrocious crimes. His chief delight seemed to be in blood; for he often ordered his guards to slay before bis eyes persons who had given him no offence, and from whose death he could expect no advantage.

A tyranny so disgusting, could scarcely be of long duration; and indeed could not subsist, as soon as Macedonia enjoyed the benefit of a regular government. Antigonus Gonatas, the son of Demetrius, had kept possession of Baotia, and some other parts of Greece. After different wars, in which he had but little success, he maintained a contest against Antiochus, the son of Seleucus, which was concluded by a treaty of amity, and his espousing the daughter of Seleucus and Stratonice. On this he turned his thoughts to the recovery of Macedonia, which had been for some time a prey to anarchy and the Gauls. He proceeded thither. by sea; and had scarcely landed, when he cut in pieces a body of Gauls, who had come to plunder his camp and fleet. Soon after he laid siege to Cassandria, which was justly deemed one of the keys of the country: but Apollodorus had a strong garrison of foreigners, and had taken all the necessary measures for an obstinate defence. After having besieged the place ten months, Antigonus despaired of becoming master of it by force, and therefore had recourse to strata

gem. He broke up the siege, and directed Aminias, the commander of the Pirates, who formed a part of his fleet, to enter into negocia tion with Apollodorus for peace, and promise him a supply of wine and provision, of which he began to stand in need. Seduced by these appearances, and supposing Antigonus at a distance, Apollodorus became negligent in his guard of the city. Of this negligence Aminias availed himself, making himself master of the place, which he entered in concert with Antigonus, whom he had apprised of what was passing. The tyrant, thus taken unawares, was delivered up to the fury of the people, who first burned his daughters to death before his eyes, after which they flead him alive, and then threw him into a caldron of boiling

ACCOUNT OF A CHARITABLE FUND OF

FORTY GUINEAS, PRODUCED BY THE
SKILL AND INDUSTRY OF FIVE
YOUNG LADIES, IN THE SPACE OF
ONE YEAR.

FIVE young ladies in a consider

able town in England, resolved to devote their leisure hours to the service of suffering humanity. They expended, successively, twenty gui neas in the purchase of materials for various kinds of fancy work, with the avowed intention of reimbursing themselves, as it was not their intention to devote more than their time and skill to the general species of charity they had in contemplation. They made every sort of fancy work, boxes, workbags, pincushions, needle-books, thread-cases, every thing in short of this