with for espousing Cleopatra, the niece of one of the principal officers of his army. As soon as the Athenians heard of the death of this prince, they delivered themselves over to the most immoderate joy, and Demosthenes crowned himself with a garland, although his daughter was then lying newly buried. Alexauder, his son and successor, swore to make a nation, then considered as polished, suffer for conduct so unworthy of them. The death of Philip awoke theirworst passions; all who had trembled before this prince united against his successor, whom they considered incapable of the cares of government. Demosthenes reanimated in Greece the hopes of the Athenians, and the tributary towns of Macedonia wished to throw off the yoke. Amyntas and Attalus aspired to the crown. The kingdom, menaced internally and externally by factions and dangerous rivals, required a man with a head of iron to seize the reins of government. A exander, whom we have already seen at Charonea, presented himself as the successor of Philip, his father. He was only 21 years old, and united every great and noble quality, added to an excellent education. The exploits of his father and the lessons of the celebrated Aristotle ought to have made an accomplished man of this prince, had he not allowed himself to become mastered by two dangerous passions, the desire of glory and an immeasurable ambition, both fatal where the interests of a nation are concerned (336).

Alexander would not listen to the timid advice of his two friends, who wished him to abandon Greece. He found the means, through his greatness of mind and his courage, to pacify his States. He ordered the death of Attalus, and reduced, through sheer force of arms, all those who had risen against him. The eloquence of Demosthenes had caused the revolt of the Thebans; they were joined by the Athenians. Alexander marched rapidly towards Thebes, carried it by assault, gave it up to pillage, and burnt it to the ground. Greece. astonished and trembling, sent ambassadors to congratulate the Macedonian prince, who inflexibly demands ten of their orators, Demosthenes amongst the number; but the Athenians persuaded him to forgive them, and he contented himself with demanding the exile of their most celebrated general, who fled for refuge to the court of the King of Persia.

Greece being pacified, Alexander occupied himself with the war against Persia. To effect this he convoked all the States of Greece to meet at Corinth, and was elected by them generalissimo

of the army. troops. On his return home he regulated the affairs of his own country, and appointed Antipater governor in his absence. It is said that at the time he meditated at Dium the plan of the expedition, he saw an old man in a dream, majestic, and dressed as a high priest, who invited him to pass into Asia, promising him the Empire of Persia (334). Alexander soon traversed the Hellespont at the head of a warrior-like army, entered Asia, sacrificed on the tomb of Achilles, overthrew the Persians, conducted by Memnon, the lieutenant of Darius. This first success opened at once the gates of Sardis, Miletus, and Halicarnassus, the Kingdom of Pontus, and at last all the towns of Phrygia, after having cut at Gordium the Gordian knot. He also subjugated the Barbarians near the frontiers of Lycia. He permitted all the soldiers who were newly married to return to their homes in Macedonia during the winter months. In the following campaign be overcame Galatia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, and at last Cilicia, where he was laid up owing to his having imprudently bathed in the Cidmus. When convalescent he marched against Darius, and defeated him near the town of Issus. He became master of his camp, his treasures, and his family (333). Alexander was master at sea as well as land, and took possession of Tyre. After a siege of seven months he overcame Egypt, without combat, and founded Alexandria.

The Lacedæmonians alone refused to furnish

At last the desire of glory on the one hand, and the necessity of defence on the other, placed the enemies once more in each other's presence. Darius was entirely defeated on the plains of Gangamella, near Arbela. The King of Persia in his flight being treacherously betrayed, was put in irons and basely treated by Bessus, one of his generals, who assassinated him the moment he heard of Alexander's approach. This hero received his last sigh. With Darius's life ended the Persian Empire, which had lasted nearly two centuries.

After having subjugated the empire belonging to Cyrus, Alexander carried his armies into India, and was victorious. His successes seemed to have changed his nature, for he at one time loved moderation. Proud of his conquests he gave himself up to every excess suggested by pride and happiness. He returned to Babylon. A slow, but burning fever, caused by intemperance and poison, placed him in the tomb in the vigour of his youth, after a reign of twelve years.

On the death of Alexander in 224 his vast monarchy was divided; four generals, after many bloody wars, divided the country between them. Macedonia fell to Cassandra, Thracia and Bithynia to Lysimachus, Syria to Seleucus, and Egypt to Ptolemy, chief of the Lagides.

As to Macedonia, the Greeks made vain efforts to bring it into subjection, and caused bloody wars, until the Romans interfered and terminated the debate by making war against Philip and against Perseus, who was vanquished by Paul Emelius, and conducted prisoner to Rome (148).

THE EASTERN EMPIRE.

The Eastern Empire comprised Illyria in Asia, Natolia, Arabia, Syria; in Africa, Egypt and Lybia; in Europe, all the country situated along the borders of the Danube up to Belgrade. Constantine transferred the seat of the Roman empire to Byzantium, which was afterwards called Constantinople. After the death of this prince (336), Constantine II., Constantius, and Constans, his sons, Julien the Apostate, and Jovien, reigned successively over the whole of the empire. It was at this time the first division of the empire took place, in the year 364, under Valentinian I., who reserved for himself the Western Empire, and gave the Eastern Empire to his brother, Valens. The final separation took place in 395, on the death of Theodosius the Great, who, after having reunited both, left the Eastern kingdom to Arcadius, and the Western to Honorius. The last of the two fell under the repeated blows of the Herules in 476. Nothing can be more disgusting than the detailed history of this empire; we find in its perusal little worthy of remark, excepting cruelty, usurpation, and religious quarrels. The names of the principal princes are Theodosius II., the son and successor of Arcadius, to whom we owe the code of laws called after him, which he had culled from those of his predecessors.

These laws were not used after the time of Justinian VI., but the Ostrogoths, the Lombards, the Visigoths, the Burgundians, the Trones and others, who had established themselves in the Roman provinces, still preserved them. Theodosius had a sister called Pulcharia, who, during his minority, ruled with firmness. Athenais, the daughter of the Athenian philosopher Leontinius, was also very clever (408-450).

Justinian's reign was full of glory, cruelty, and of misfortunes.

F

Belisarius, his general, gained Italy and Africa for him, but the principal event of his lifetime, and which did him most credit, was his code of laws, which, though incomplete, were much esteemed.

Heraclius is next mentioned. In this reign, we perceive Mahomet, in 622. This emperor fought the Persians victoriously, and made peace with the Turks. The Arabs took Syria and Egypt from him (632-641). Leon III., the Isaurian, of low origin, but distinguished for his courage. He suppressed the adoration. of images, and commenced several religious quarrels (717-741). Constantine V. (Copronymus), whose mother, Irene, put out his eyes for him, comes next on the list of emperors. This princess was blindly superstitious, and committed many atrocities towards her relatives.

THE FAMILY OF COMNENUS.

Alexius Comnenus, who was overthrown in Dalmatia by Robert Guiscon, Duke of Calabria. It was in his time that the first Crusade took place. He deceived the Crusaders who passed through Constantinople on their way to. Palestine. Anna Comnenus, his daughter, was endowed by nature with some talent, and has left a written history of her life in fifteen volumes (1081 to 1108).

John Comnenus, who made himself master of Armenia. A poisoned arrow from his own quiver caused his death. He was good and just. Manuel Comnenus betrayed the Crusaders in the second war. He conducted himself well with regard to Louis le Jeune, the French prince. Roger I., King of Sicily, made war against him for five years. He destroyed the navy, owing to his avarice alone (1143 to 1180). Alexius II., Comnenus Andronicus, the cousin German of Manuel, made himself master of Constantinople during his minority, and strangled the empress mother, Mary. The young emperor committed unheard-of cruelty with regard to the upper classes, but the nation, indignant at so much cruelty, seized the tyrant, loaded him with chains, tormented him, and hung him by the feet. (From 1180 to 1183 and 1185.)

Isaac Angelus gained the affection of his subjects by his meekness and kindness of heart, but his mind and character were weak, and he gave himself up to pleasure. His brother, Alexis Angelus, dethroned him, put out his eyes, and threw

him into prison (from 1185 to 1195), but Alexius, the son of Isaac, took to flight, and at least reached the home of his sister, Irene, the wife of the Emperor of Germany, and raised all the west in favour of his father's cause. The Crusaders were then at Venice. They marched for Constantinople, and besieged the town, which they took. The usurper fled, and Isaac Angelus was replaced on the throne. Soon afterwards a prince of the House of Ducas, called Alexius Ducas, and surnamed Murbzuphlus, owing to his thick eyebrows, managed to lower this prince in the estimation of his subjects, and keep at a distance the young Alexius Comnenus. The Latins besieged Constantinople a second time, took it, and precipitated the usurper from the top of a tower, putting on the throne a French prince, called Baldwin I., Count of Flanders.

In 1204 the Greek Empire was divided.

The Venetians took possession of the islands in the neighbourhood of Peloponnesus and some of the Asiatic isles.

Boniface, Marquis of Montserrat, took the provinces near the Bosphorus. Vilhardoin, Marechal of Champagne, took Greece. Jacques d'Avene, of Hainault, had the Isle of Eubea.

THE LATIN EMPIRE.

There were two Christian Empires in the East-one in Asia, and one in Europe.

In Asia, Theodorus Lascaris, the husband of Anna, daughter of Alexius III., passed into Natolia, and reigned as a despot. He was proclaimed Emperor at Nice. His successors lessened the territory of Constantinople, and Michael Polæologus, one of them, took possession of the empire in 1261. Trebizonde was up to that time, in 1462, the seat of the Greek Empire. Mahomet, Emperor of the Turks, then on the throne of Constantinople, took Doerd Comnenus and killed him. Some of the descendants of Comnenus still remain in Europe.

In Europe, Baldwin I., was named Emperor, May 16th, 1204, and was taken by the Bulgarians, who cut off his arms and legs and then gave him up to wild beasts. He reigned two years (1206). His brother Henry succeeded him, and made war with success against the Bulgarians. He was recognised by Theodorus Lescaris, Peter of Courtenay, Count of Auxarre, the brother-in-law of Henry, and grandson of Louis le Gros. Theodorus, Prince of Epirus, made him prisoner, and put him