There is simply no historical precedent for a large empire calling it quits because it could not compete economically or technologically.
( There ( ( ( is simply ) ( ( no ( historical precedent ) ) ( for ( ( a ( large empire ) ) ( calling ( it ( quits ( because ( it ( ( could not ) ( compete ( ( economically or ) technologically ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (EX There)) (VP (VBZ is) (ADVP (RB simply)) (NP (NP (DT no) (JJ historical) (NN precedent)) (PP (IN for) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ large) (NN empire)) (VP (VBG calling) (SBAR (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ quits) (SBAR (IN because) (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (MD could) (RB not) (VP (VB compete) (ADJP (RB economically) (CC or) (VBG technologically)))))))))))))) (. .)))
Greece will be the first empire to quit because it couldn't compete economically.
( Greece ( ( will ( be ( the ( first ( empire ( to ( quit ( because ( it ( ( could n't ) ( compete economically ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP Greece)) (VP (MD will) (VP (VB be) (NP (DT the) (JJ first) (NN empire) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB quit) (SBAR (IN because) (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (MD could) (RB n't) (VP (VB compete) (ADVP (RB economically)))))))))))) (. .)))