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THE PERIOD FOLLOWING THE HEROIC AGE. 67often contained many states, if it possessed several independent cities ; though a whole district sometimes formed theterritory of but one city, as Attica of Athens, Laconia ofSparta, etc., and in such a case formed of course but onestate. But itmight easily happen, that the cities of onedistrict, especially if their inhabitants were of kindred tribes,formed alliances for mutual safety ;as the twelve Achaeancities had done. But these alliances had reference only toforeign relations and thus;they formed a confederation ofcities, but not one state ;for each individual city had its owninternal constitution, and itsmanaged own concerns. Itmight also happen, that some one of the cities, on becomingpowerful, should claim the sovereignty over the rest; asThebes over the Boeotian cities. But however far such asuperior rank might lead ;it was intended by the Greeks,not only that each state should preserveits internal liberty;but that its submission should be voluntary ; although theclaims of a supreme city occasionally led to compulsorymeasures. When Thebes usurped the first rank in Boeotia,Plataeae would never acknowledge its sovereignty. Theconsequences of it are known from history.The whole politicallife of the nation was thus connectedwith cities and their constitutions ;and no one can judge ofGrecian history with accuracy, unless he comprehends thespirit of them. The strength of such cities seems to be verylimited ;but the history of the world abounds in examples,which show how far beyond expectation they can rise.from civilThey are animated by public spirit, resultingand the force of that spiritcan be expressed inprosperity ;no statistical tables.CHAPTER VI.HOMER.THE EPIC POETS.THE heroic age was past, before the poets,who celebrated it,arose. It produced some contemporary with itself jbut their fame was eclipsed bythose who came afterF 2