Book II - Wilbourhall.org

IV.] POINTS m THE HISTORY. Ixxiiievery citizen, whatever his position, ought to beenabled to devote his talents to the state. To combineculture with politics was the object that he hadin view ;and by that union he hoped that Athenianstatesmen would remain free from the vulgarity of avestry, and Athenian citizens from the provincialismof a bourgeoisie.Before the war the country people ingeneral had not troubled themselves much about whatoccurred in the city, and had rather prided themselveson keeping aloof from the business of the townbut Pericles now impressed upon them the necessity oftaking an active part in politics. Such people likedto be called dtrpdyfibiv ; but dxpfios, says Periclesthe word which described those who were of no use tothe state—was the right name for them. He had nowish to claim all their time for the state ; but all whotook any part in political life knew that their interestin private life was not diminished, but ratherenhanced by intercourse with the town and familiaritywith current ideas. Classen points out that itis an indication of the vulgarity of Cleon's character,that he considered the combination of want of culture{dfjjadia) with self-restraint {