The Copy Book

The Liberty of Athens

The supreme arts and literature of ancient Athens all sprang from the State’s refusal to interfere in the life of the citizen.

1857

Queen Victoria 1837-1901

Photo by George E. Koronais, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

More Info

Back to text

The Liberty of Athens

Photo by George E. Koronais, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source
X

A view over Athens today, looking towards the Saronic Gulf, with the Acropolis centre-stage. There was, of course, more to Macaulay’s litany of praise for the liberties of ancient Athens than historiography. He was holding William Mitford to account for his persistent criticism of Athenian democracy, and his bold support for oligarchy — i.e. rule by a select few — as an ideal system of government. For Macaulay, there was no one ‘right’ system of government, so long as the result was that the people were free to pursue happiness in their own fashion. But of all systems, he said, oligarchy was the worst. Sparta showed what was wrong with oligarchy. Envious Athenians sometimes cut great men down, like great trees, in their prime; but the Spartan bean-counters never let them grow in the first place.

Back to text

Introduction

In 1808, William Mitford (1744-1827) published a History of Greece to the death of Alexander in 327 BC. A recurrent theme of his narrative was a horror of the kind of popular politics for which Athens is famous, and his conviction that stability comes from a close-knit group of elder statesmen keeping the country on a tight rein. Macaulay completely disagreed.

AT Athens the laws did not constantly interfere with the tastes of the people. The children were not taken from their parents by that universal step-mother, the state. They were not starved into thieves, or tortured into bullies; there was no established table at which every one must dine, no established style in which every one must converse. An Athenian might eat whatever he could afford to buy, and talk as long as he could find people to listen. The government did not tell the people what opinions they were to hold, or what songs they were to sing. Freedom produced excellence. Thus philosophy took its origin. Thus were produced those models of poetry, of oratory, and of the arts, which scarcely fall short of the standard of ideal excellence. Nothing is more conducive to happiness than the free exercise of the mind, in pursuits congenial to it.

From “On Mitford’s History of Greece” in ‘Critical and Miscellaneous Essays’ Volume 3 (1857) by Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859).

Précis

Commenting in a history of classical Greece, Victorian critic Lord Macaulay reminded readers that the government of Athens in her pomp had left her citizens free to think, speak and enjoy the simple pleasures of life as they saw fit. From this quiet liberty, he said, had come the bountiful harvest of arts and sciences for which Athens is famous. (60 / 60 words)

Commenting in a history of classical Greece, Victorian critic Lord Macaulay reminded readers that the government of Athens in her pomp had left her citizens free to think, speak and enjoy the simple pleasures of life as they saw fit. From this quiet liberty, he said, had come the bountiful harvest of arts and sciences for which Athens is famous.

Edit | Reset

Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, besides, despite, just, may, not, ought.

About the Author

Archive

Word Games

Spinners Find in Think and Speak

For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Excellence. Mother. Pursuit.

2 Conducive. Scarce. There.

3 Find. No. State.

Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)

Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak

Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Government. 2. Produce. 3. Constant. 4. Child. 5. Standard. 6. Art. 7. Eat. 8. Parent. 9. Poetry.

Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.

Homonyms Find in Think and Speak

Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Long. 2. Free. 3. Hold. 4. Found.

Show Suggestions

For each word above, choose one or more suitable meanings from this list.

1. Extending over great time or distance. 2. Establish an institution. 3. Yearn. 4. Chief cargo space of a ship. 5. Discovered. 6. Unrestrained, liberated. 7. Have in the hands; one’s grip. 8. Without charge.

High Tiles Find in Think and Speak

Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?

x 0 Add

Your Words ()

Show All Words (47)

If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.

Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.

Related Posts

Treat Me Like a King!

When Porus, the Indian king, surrendered to Alexander the Great at Jhelum, he had only one request to make of him.

The Glory of Athens

Classical Greece has been an inspiration to every generation because she stands for the triumph of liberty and reason over prejudice and power.

A Conqueror Has No Friends

When Alexander the Great threatened the people of Scythia, their ambassadors reminded him that a conqueror has many more burdens to carry than an ally has.

Speech Therapy

Demosthenes was about sixteen when he decided he wanted to be a lawyer, but he was the most unpromising advocate imaginable.