THE LIFE OF PERICLES. 347
armie) who commended a faire young boy they met as they came to the hauen: Sophocles, said he, a gouernour must not onely haue his hands, but also his eyes cleane. And Stesimbrotus writeth, that in a funerall oration he made in the praise of those that were slaine in the warre of Samos : he said they were immortall as the gods. For we do not see the goddes (said he) as they be, but for the honour that is done to them, and the great happinesse they enioy, we do coniecture they are immortall: and the same things are in those that dye in seruice, and defence of their countrey. Now where Thucydides doth write the gouernement of the Commonweal e vnder Pericles to be as a gouernment of Nobilitie, and yet had apparance of a popular state: it is true that in effect it was a Kingdome, because one alone did rule and gouerne the whole state. And many other say also, he was the first that brought in the custome to deuide the enemies landes wonne by conquest among the people, and of the common money to make the people see playes and pastimes, and that appointed them reward for all things. But this custome was ill brought vp. For the common people that before were contented with litle, and got their liuing paine-fully with sweat of their browes, became now to be very vaine, sumptuous, and riotous, by reason of these things brought up then. The cause of the alteration doth easily appeare by those things. For Pericles at his first comming, sought to winne the fauour of the people, as we haue said before, onely to get like reputation that Cimon had wonne. But comming farre short of his wealth and abilitie, to carie out the port and charge that Cimon did, entertaining the poore, keeping open house to all commers, clothing poore old people, breaking open besides all inclosures and pales through all his landes, that euery one might with more libertie come in, and take the fruites thereof at