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STATESMEN AND ORATORS. 179prepared an abode for Plato and his philosophy, by converting the barren field, which occupied the site of the Academy, into a lovely, well-watered grove and;for the Athenians, he made the market-place their most favourite place1of resort, by plantingit with plane-trees. He was intimatelyacquainted with the artists of his time, especially with thepainter Polygnotus; to whose art and patriotism, theAthenians were indebted for the paintings which decoratedthe most celebrated of their public halls. 2Cimon may therefore justly be styled the precursor ofPericles, whose name we use to designate the second period.The time was arrived, when the arts of peace were to flourishno less than those of war ;when almost every branch of thearts and of literature was to put forth its most beautiful andmost imperishable blossoms.Under such circumstances, and in a republic, of whichno one could possess the direction without understandingand admirthe means of winning and preserving the respectation of his fellow-citizens, it is obvious, that new qualitieswere necessary in the statesman, and new requisitions madeof him. The reciprocal influence which exists betweenmen of genius and their age, is perhaps one of the most interesting inquiries for which history presents us the materials. When we survey the several periods in which, at agreater or less distance, the remarkable changes of individual nations, and even of a large part of mankind, havetaken place, we shall always find in them individualwho men,may in some measure be regarded as the representatives of their age and who ;frequently and justly lend theirnames to it.They can in a certain degree rise above theirage but ; they do not the less remain children of the time inwhich they live ;and a history of mankind, as contained inthe history of these leading minds, would perhaps be themost faithful that can be given.He who has truly delineated Herrman and Caesar, or Gregory, or Luther, orFrederic, has sketched the chief traits of their respectiveTo be in advance of one's age,as is the usual modeages.of expression, means but to understand one's age correctlyPlutarch. L c13 Plutarch. Op. ii. p. I78L Hence called the yariegated, w&uc^jj. It wasadjoining to the forum.