Even in periods so remote as not to be confounded with those of national migrations, a small body of superior personal strength, physical beauty, mental organization, or greater skill in arms, may establish a preponderance over a more numerous but less favoured race: in such a case they will probably join the whole mass of the people, receiving or taking lands among them, and they will by right of their superiority constitute a noble, sacerdotal, royal race, among a race of freemen[226]. They may introduce their religion as well as their form of government, as did the Dorians in the Peloponesus. Or if, as must frequently be the case, a compromise take place, they and their god will reserve the foremost rank, although the conquered or otherwise subjected people may retain a share in the state, and vindicate for their ancient deities a portion of reverence and cult: the gods of nature, of the earth and agriculture, thus yield for a while to the supremacy of the gods of mental cultivation and warlike prowess: Demeter gives way before Apollo, afterwards however to recover a portion of her splendour: Odinn obtains the soul of the warrior and the freeman; Ðórr must content himself with that of the thrall. Footnote 226: Αἴτιον δὲ ... ὅτι τρόπον τινὰ ἀρετὴ τυγχάνουσα χορηγίας καὶ βιάζεσθαι δύναται μάλιστα, καὶ ἔστιν ἀεὶ τὸ κρατοῦν ἐν ὑπεροχῆ ἀγαθοῦ τινὸς, ὥστε δοκεῖν μὴ ἄνευ ἀρετῆς εἶναι τὴν βίαν.... Arist. Polit. I. cap. 6. (Bekker.) We may remember the Incas in Peru. -----