Indiana State Sentinel

Theory of the Downfall of Athens.—Pursuing incautiously her plans of ambition, Athens relied too confidently on the permanency of her resources, and neglected the economy of her revenues; and without even considering the consequences which must follow, if, together with the empire of the sea, her predominance should vanish, and, with her monopoly of commerce, her riches should fail, she nevertheless neglected entirely the value of her landed possessions. Perilous as affairs thus stood abroad, they were no less alarming at home. The publicity of the proceedings, and the speeches made on the occasions, gave to the whole such a dramatic interest that the people crowded to them as if they were going to a theatre. This not only produced idleness, (for which Aristophanes calls his countrymen cæchenaci, gapers,) but produced, also, an actual rage for litigation—a taste which the more easily became excessive, since the contending parties had no costs to pay for the administration of justice. The judges gladly maintained this spirit of contention for their own profit, and a crowd of poor citizens thronged to the popular assemblies to partake of this paltry gain. To them the few oboli allowed for attendance in the popular assemblies were a sufficient attraction; consequently, the mere populace formed a majority, and, as might be expected, decided universally in favor of those demagogues who best know how to flatter their inclinations and humors, and this very often by dint of the most impudent clamor. A pity it is that even the mental cultivation of the Athenians should have contributed to their destruction!
—Muller's Attica and Athens.