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historian is a mere narrator the remark is undoubtedly true。 But
to appreciate the harmony and rational position of the facts of a
great epoch； to discover its laws； the causes which produced it and
the effects which it generates； the scene must be viewed from a
certain height and distance to be completely apprehended。 A
thoroughly contemporary historian such as Lord Clarendon or
Thucydides is in reality part of the history he criticises； and； in
the case of such contemporary historians as Fabius and Philistus；
Polybius in compelled to acknowledge that they are misled by
patriotic and other considerations。 Against Polybius himself no
such accusation can be made。 He indeed of all men is able； as from
some lofty tower； to discern the whole tendency of the ancient
world； the triumph of Roman institutions and of Greek thought which
is the last message of the old world and； in a more spiritual
sense； has become the Gospel of the new。
One thing indeed he did not see； or if he saw it； he thought but
little of it … how from the East there was spreading over the
world； as a wave spreads； a spiritual inroad of new religions from
the time when the Pessinuntine mother of the gods； a shapeless mass
of stone； was brought to the eternal city by her holiest citizen；
to the day when the ship CASTOR AND POLLUX stood in at Puteoli； and
St。 Paul turned his face towards martyrdom and victory at Rome。
Polybius was able to predict； from his knowledge of the causes of
revolutions and the tendencies of the various forms of governments；
the uprising of that democratic tone of thought which； as soon as a
seed is sown in the murder of the Gracchi and the exile of Marius；
culminated as all democratic movements do culminate； in the supreme
authority of one man； the lordship of the world under the world's
rightful lord； Caius Julius Caesar。 This； indeed； he saw in no
uncertain way。 But the turning of all men's hearts to the East；
the first glimmering of that splendid dawn which broke over the
hills of Galilee and flooded the earth like wine； was hidden from
his eyes。
There are many points in the description of the ideal historian
which one may compare to the picture which Plato has given us of
the ideal philosopher。 They are both 'spectators of all time and
all existence。' Nothing is contemptible in their eyes； for all
things have a meaning； and they both walk in august reasonableness
before all men； conscious of the workings of God yet free from all
terror of mendicant priest or vagrant miracle…worker。 But the
parallel ends here。 For the one stands aloof from the world…storm
of sleet and hail； his eyes fixed on distant and sunlit heights；
loving knowledge for the sake of knowledge and wisdom for the joy
of wisdom； while the other is an eager actor in the world ever
seeking to apply his knowledge to useful things。 Both equally
desire truth； but the one because of its utility； the other for its
beauty。 The historian regards it as the rational principle of all
true history； and no more。 To the other it comes as an all…
pervading and mystic enthusiasm； 'like the desire of strong wine；
the craving of ambition； the passionate love of what is beautiful。'
Still； though we miss in the historian those higher and more
spiritual qualities which the philosopher of the Academe alone of
all men possessed； we must not blind ourselves to the merits of
that great rationalist who seems to have anticipated the very
latest words of modern science。 Nor yet is he to be regarded
merely in the narrow light in which he is estimated by most modern
critics； as the explicit champion of rationalism and nothing more。
For he is connected with another idea； the course of which is as
the course of that great river of his native Arcadia which；
springing from some arid and sun…bleached rock； gathers strength
and beauty as it flows till it reaches the asphodel meadows of
Olympia and the light and laughter of Ionian waters。
For in him we can discern the first notes of that great cult of the
seven…hilled city which made Virgil write his epic and Livy his
history； which found in Dante its highest exponent； which dreamed
of an Empire where the Emperor would care for the bodies and the
Pope for the souls of men； and so has passed into the conception of
God's spiritual empire and the universal brotherhood of man and
widened into the huge ocean of universal thought as the Peneus
loses itself in the sea。
Polybius is the last scientific historian of Greece。 The writer
who seems fittingly to complete the progress of thought is a writer
of biographies only。 I will not here touch on Plutarch's
employment of the inductive method as shown in his constant use of
inscription and statue； of public document and building and the
like； because it involves no new method。 It is his attitude
towards miracles of which I desire to treat。
Plutarch is philosophic enough to see that in the sense of a
violation of the laws of nature a miracle is impossible。 It is
absurd； he says； to imagine that the statue of a saint can speak；
and that an inanimate object not possessing the vocal organs should
be able to utter an articulate sound。 Upon the other hand； he
protests against science imagining that； by explaining the natural
causes of things； it has explained away their transcendental
meaning。 'When the tears on the cheek of some holy statue have
been analysed into the moisture which certain temperatures produce
on wood and marble； it yet by no means follows that they were not a
sign of grief and mourning set there by God Himself。' When Lampon
saw in the prodigy of the one…horned ram the omen of the supreme
rule of Pericles； and when Anaxagoras showed that the abnormal
development was the rational resultant of the peculiar formation of
the skull； the dreamer and the man of science were both right； it
was the business of the latter to consider how the prodigy came
about； of the former to show why it was so formed and what it so
portended。 The progression of thought is exemplified in all
particulars。 Herodotus had a glimmering sense of the impossibility
of a violation of nature。 Thucydides ignored the supernatural。
Polybius rationalised it。 Plutarch raises it to its mystical
heights again； though he bases it on law。 In a word； Plutarch felt
that while science brings the supernatural down to the natural； yet
ultimately all that is natural is really supernatural。 To him； as
to many of our own day； religion was that transcendental attitude
of the mind which； contemplating a world resting on inviolable law；
is yet comforted and seeks to worship God not in the violation but
in the fulfilment of nature。
It may seem paradoxical to quote in connection with the priest of
Chaeronea such a pure rationalist as Mr。 Herbert Spencer； yet when
we read as the last message of modern science that 'when the
equation of life has been reduced to its lowest terms the symbols
are symbols still；' mere signs； that is； of that unknown reality
which underlies all matter and all spirit； we may feel how over the
wide strait of centuries thought calls to thought and how Plutarch
has a higher position than is usually claimed for him in the
progress of the Greek intellect。
And； indeed； it seems that not merely the importance of Plutarch
himself but also that of the land of his birth in the evolution of
Greek civilisation has been passed over by modern critics。 To us；
indeed； the bare rock to which the Parthenon serves as a crown； and
which lies between Colonus and Attica's violet hills； will always
be the holiest spot in the land of Greece： and Delphi will come
next； and then the meadows of Eurotas where that noble people lived
who represented in Hellenic thought the reaction of the law of duty
against the law of beauty； the opposition of conduct to culture。
Yet； as one stands on the ＇Greek text which cannot be reproduced＇
of Cithaeron and looks out on the great double plain of Boeotia；
the enormous importance of the division of Hellas comes to one's
mind with great force。 To the north are Orchomenus and the Minyan
treasure…house； seat of those merchant princes of Phoenicia who
brought to Greece the knowledge of letters and the art of working
in gold。 Thebes is at our feet with the gloom of the terrible
legends of Greek tragedy still lingering about it； the birthplace
of Pindar； the nurse of Epaminondas and the Sacred Band。
And from out of the plain where 'Mars loved to dance；' rises the
Muses' haunt； Helicon； by whose silver streams Corinna and Hesiod
sang； while far away under the white aegis of those snow…capped
mountains lies Chaeronea and the Lion plain where with vain
chivalry the Greeks strove to check Macedon first and afterwards
Rome； Chaeronea； where in the Martinmas summer of Greek
civilisation Plutarch rose from the drear waste of a dying religion
as the aftermath rises when the mow