Politics abandoned by thinking men 171 except as a purely theoretical question, with some fatal exceptions 172 Dignity and courage of the philosophers 172 shown by suicide 173 Rise of despots on principle 173 Probably not wholly unpopular 174 Contemptible position of Athens and Sparta in politics, except in mischievous opposition to the new federations, whose origin was small and obscure 174 The old plan of a sovran State not successful 176 The leading cities stood aloof from this experiment 176 Athens and the Ætolians, or the Achæans 177 Sparta and the Achæans 178 A larger question 178 What right has a federation to coerce its members? 178 Disputed already in the Delian Confederacy by Athens and the lesser members 179 Duruy's attitude on this question 179 Greek sentiment very different 180 Nature of the Achæan League 180 Statement of the new difficulty 181 In its clearest form never yet settled except by force 182 Case of the American Union 182 Arguments for coercion of the several members 183 Cases of doubtful or enforced adherence 184 Various internal questions 185 Looser bond of the Ætolian League 185 Radical monarchy of Cleomenes 186 CHAPTER X. The Romans in Greece. Position of Rome towards the Leagues 187 Roman interpretation of the 'liberty of the Greeks' 187 Opposition of the Ætolians 188 Probably not fairly stated by Polybius 189 Rome and the Achæans 189 Mistakes of Philopœmen gave Rome excuses for interference 189 Mommsen takes the Roman side 190 Hertzberg and Freeman on the Achæan question 190 Senility of the Greeks 191 Decay of the mother-country 191 The advocates for union with Rome 192