Since the days of her ancient splendor, poor Greece, shorn of all her
glory, has been terribly humiliated.
First, the Romans broke her power; then the Venetians tore her from the
Romans; and then, worse than all, she became a slave to the Turk. For a
Christian nation, that means all possible suffering. And for five hundred
years she was scourged and insulted by her Mohammedan master.
In the year 1820 the Greeks on the little peninsula resolved to be free,
or to perish.
Like Cuba, they struggled. For nine long years Europe looked calmly on.
Then people began to wonder at the invincible spirit of these new Greeks,
and finally the world rang with praises of their valor, and there was an
outburst of popular sympathy. Men from England and other lands volunteered
to help them in their splendid fight for liberty. And Lord Byron, the
great English poet, laid down his life in their cause.
At last the Great Powers began to think it would not be a bad thing to
have a Christian race ruling the classic peninsula. And England, France,
and Russia decided to help to put the little kingdom on its feet, and
appointed its ruler.
They first selected Prince Alfred, Victoria's second son.
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