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94 ANCIENT GBEECE. [CHAP. vm.became still greater." At the expulsion of the Pisistratidao,Sparta bad, for the first time, -undertaken to exert an Influence beyond the Peloponnesus; Corinth also hud,, foreighty-four years/ been in possession of freedom and a; similar advantage had been gained by several of the lesspowerful cities, by Sicyon 2 and Epidaurus. The islands, noless than the continent, were in a flourishing condition their;independence stood at that time in no clanger from the Persians or the Athenians. Samos never saw an age like that3theof Poly crates, who trembled at his own prosperity ;small island of Naxus could muster eight thousand heavyarmedmen ; 4 the inconsiderable Siphnus, very much enriched by its gold mines, deemed itexpedientPythian oracle on the duration of its fortunes. 5 The citiesof5Magna Grsecia, Tarentum, Croton, and Sybaris/ hadto consult theattained the period of their splendour ; in Sicily, Syracuse,although disturbed by internal dissensions, was yet so powerful that Gelon, its ruler, claimed in the Persian wars the chiefcommand of all the Grecian forces ;Marseilles arose on theshores of Gaul ; Gyrene was established on the coast ofLibya.But some grand object of common interest still was wanting; and as the Spartans were already jealous of Athens, itwas the more to be feared, that the consciousness of increasing strength would lead to nothing but the mutual ruin ofthe cities in civil wars. The Persian wars supplied the objectwhich was needed. Although they by no means resultedin the establishment of that general union of the wholenation of the Hellenes, of which a great man had formed theidea without believingin the possibility of realizingit ;thewhole condition of Greece in succeeding ages, its foreignand for the most partits domestic relations, were all a consequence of them and we;do not say too much, when weassert, that the political character of Greece was formed bythem.There never was any general union of the Greeks againstthe Persians ;but the idea of such a confederation had been1The year 584 before Christ.2From about the year 600 B. C. Epidaurus at the same time.3Herod, iii. 72.* ftHerod, v. 30.Pausan. Phoe, p, 628.Herod, vi. 127- Yet Sybaris was destroyed just before the Persian warsby the 'Crotoniatee, in the year 510 before Christ.