Untitled - 24grammata.com

THE PERSIAN WARS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES, 99more was intended to be given, than the conduct of the warthat was still to be continued with united efforts against thePersians. No government of the allied states, no interference in their internal affairs, was intended. But how^much was included in the conduct of a war againsta verypowerful enemy from the very nature of the office; and howmuch more for them who knew how to profit by it As !longas the war againstthe Persian king was continued, could itbe much less than the guidance of all external affairs ? Forin a periodlike that, what other relations could have employed the practical politicsof the Greeks. Or if any othersexisted, were they not at least intimately connected withthat war? And as for the grand questions respecting theduration of the war and the conditions of peace,did they notdepend on those who stood at the head of the undertaking ?The first use which Athens made of this superior command, was the establishment of a general treasury,as wellas a common fleet, for the carrying on of the war ;while itwas fixed, which of the allies should contribute money andships, and in what proportion:The Athenians, says Thucydides,now 1 first established the office of treasurers 2 ofwho were to collect the tribute, as the sums whichGreece;were raised were denominated (and names are not matters-of indifference in politics); the amount of which was thenfixed at four hundred and sixtytalents. 3Yet to avoid everything which could seem odious, the treasury was not directlyfixed at Athens, but at Delos, in the temple of Apollo ;where the assemblies also were held. But the most important circumstance was, that the most justof the Grecians,Aristides, was appointed treasurer; and the office of assigning to each state itsproportion of the general contribution,was intrusted to him. 4 No one in those days made anycomplaint and Aristides died as poor as he had lived.Two ;remarks are here so naturally suggested, that theyhardly need any proof; the first is, that Athens, by meansof this regulation,laid the foundation of its greatnessthe;second is,that hardly any government, and how much lessa popular government, coulcl long withstand the temptationto abuse this power. But a third remark must be made in1Thucyd. i. 96. 2'E\Ajj*orp/a*.3 Full ?2>700.4 Plutarch. Aristil Op. ii. p. 535.