194 CHRISTIAN GREECE AND LIVING GREEK. the champions of faith and independence. They, on their part, justly considered them- selves as a superior caste to the common ray as, who trembled at the sight of the Osmanli. The answer Kolokotronis gave to those who ad- vised him to submit is a characteristic example of the high and independent spirit which ani- mated these men. He said: "The Turks have murdered other Greeks and made slaves of many ; but we have lived free from generation to gen- eration. Our king was killed in battle without making peace, his guard has since kept up the fight and some of his castles are still unsubdued. We, the Klephts, are his guard, and Maina and Souli his castles." Thus lived these men, un- conquered and unsubdued, until the day when they freed the land of their fathers of the infidel pest, and hailed a new king.
