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CHAP.

LXYl.

THE DECLINE AND FALL

“ been depraved by the people, and infected by“ the multitude of strangers and merchants,who“ every day flock to the city, and mingle with“ the inhabitants. It is from the disciples of“ such a school that the Latin language received“ the versions of Aristotle and Plato , so obscure“ in sense, and in spirit so poor But the Greeks11 who have escaped the contagion are those“ whom we follow; and they alone are worthy“ of our imitation. In familiar discourse, they“ still speak the tongue of Aristophanes and“ Euripides , of the historians and philosophers“ of Athens; and the style of their writings is“ still more elaborate and correct. The per-“ sons who, by their birth and offices, are at-“ tached to the Byzantine court, are those who“ maintain, with the least alloy, the ancient“ standard of elegance and purity; and the na-" tire graces of language most conspicuously“ shine among the noble matrons, who are ex-“ eluded from all intercourse with foreigners.“ With foreigners, do I say? They live retired“ and sequestered from the eyes of their fellow-“ citizens. Seldom are they seen in the streets;“ and when they leave their houses, it is in the“ dusk of evening, on visits to the churches and“ their nearest kindred. On these occasions,“ they are on horseback, covered with a veil,“ and encompassed by their parents, their hus-“ bands, or their servants.” n

mercium, merus ille ac purus Groecorum sermo servabatur intactus(Philelph. Epist. ad ann. 1451, apud IIodium, p. 188, 189). He ob-serves in another passage, uxor ilia mea Theodora locutione erat ad-tnodum moderate ct suavi et maxirae Attica.

" Pliilelphus, absurdly enough, derives this Greek or Oriental jea-lousy from the manners of ancient Rome .