A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

202 The Age of Pericles
And cosily taking a seat by my side, with loving entreaty constrains
me to feed;
*'I beseech you taste this, I implore you try that."
VIII.
Two Interesting Documents
Mannes, whose epitaph is given below, was a Phrygian by birth,
doubtless brought as a slave to Attica and afterward liberated. He
was one of a community of woodcutters in central Attica, when he
was killed by the invading Peloponnesians in the first year of the war
(431 B.C.). The second document is the earliest extant Greek letter,
written on a leaden tablet now in the British Museum. The writer
is an Athenian of the later fifth century B.C. The translations are
by Zimmern, Greek Commonwealth, 272, 278 f.
Epitaph of A. Mannes, son of Orymas, who was the best of the
woodman. ^ Phrygians in the broad lands of Athens, Ues in this fine
tomb ; and by Zeus, I never saw a better woodman than
myself.
He died in the war.
Letter of
Mnesiergus
to those at
home.
B. Carry to the Potters' Market, and deliver to Nausias
or Thrasycles or my son.
Mnesiergus sends his love to all at home and hopes this
may find them well as it leaves him.
Please send me a rug, either a sheepskin or a goatskin,
as cheap as you can get it, and not with the hairs on, and
some strong shoe-soles: I will pay some time.
IX.
Criticism on the Athenian Democracy
This Constitution of the Athenians is wrongly ascribed to Xenophon.
It was written by an oligarch (" Old Oligarch ") early in the Peloponnesian
war, and is the oldest extant political pamphlet in any
language.
Introduction. Now, as concerning the Polity of the Athenians, and
the type or manner of constitution which they have
chosen, I praise it not, in so far as the very choice involves