a smaller history of greece-第10章

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Solon　laid　only　the　foundation　of　the　Athenian　democracy　by　giving　the　poorer　classes　a　vote　in　the　popular　assembly；　and　by　enlarging　the　power　of　the　latter；　but　he　left　the　government　exclusively　in　the　hands　of　the　wealthy。　　For　many　years　after　his　time　the　government　continued　to　be　an　oligarchy；　but　was　exercised　with　more　moderation　and　justice　than　formerly。

Solon　enacted　numerous　laws；　containing　regulations　on　almost　all　subjects　connected　with　the　public　and　private　life　of　the　citizens。　　He　encouraged　trade　and　manufactures；　and　invited　foreigners　to　settle　in　Athens　by　the　promise　of　protection　and　by　valuable　privileges。　　To　discourage　idleness　a　son　was　not　obliged　to　support　his　father　in　old　age；　if　the　latter　had　neglected　to　teach　him　some　trade　or　occupation。

Solon　punished　theft　by　compelling　the　guilty　party　to　restore　double　the　value　of　the　property　stolen。　　He　forbade　speaking　evil　either　of　the　dead　or　of　the　living。

Solon　is　said　to　have　been　aware　that　he　had　left　many　imperfections　in　his　laws。　　He　described　them　not　as　the　best　laws　which　he　could　devise；　but　as　the　best　which　the　Athenians　could　receive。　　Having　bound　the　government　and　people　of　Athens　by　a　solemn　oath　to　observe　his　institutions　for　at　least　ten　years；　he　left　Athens　and　travelled　in　foreign　lands。　　During　his　absence　the　old　dissensions　between　the　Plain；　the　Shore；　and　the　Mountain　broke　out　afresh　with　more　violence　than　ever。　　The　first　was　headed　by　Lycurgus；　the　second　by　Megacles；　an　Alcmaeonid；　and　the　third　by　Pisistratus；　the　cousin　of　Solon。　Of　these　leaders；　Pisistratus　was　the　ablest　and　the　most　dangerous。　　He　had　espoused　the　cause　of　the　poorest　of　the　three　classes；　in　order　to　gain　popularity；　and　to　make　himself　master　of　Athens。　　Solon　on　his　return　to　Athens　detected　the　ambitious　designs　of　his　kinsman；　and　attempted　to　disuade　him　from　them。　Finding　his　remonstrances　fruitless；　he　next　denounced　his　projects　in　verses　addressed　to　the　people。　　Few；　however；　gave　any　heed　to　his　warnings：　　and　Pisistratus；　at　length　finding　his　schemes　ripe　for　action；　had　recourse　to　a　memorable　strategem　to　secure　his　object。　　One　day　he　appeared　in　the　market…place　in　a　chariot；　his　mules　and　his　own　person　bleeding　with　wounds　inflicted　with　his　own　hands。　　These　he　exhibited　to　the　people；　telling　them　that　he　had　been　nearly　murdered　in　consequence　of　defending　their　rights。　　The　popular　indignation　was　excited；　and　a　guard　of　fifty　clubmen　was　granted　him　for　his　future　security。　He　gradually　increased　the　number　of　his　guard　and　soon　found　himself　strong　enough　to　throw　off　the　mask　and　seize　the　Acropolis　（B。C。　560）。　　Megacles　and　the　Alcmaeonidae　left　the　city。　　Solon　alone　had　the　courage　to　oppose　the　usurpation；　and　upbraided　the　people　with　their　cowardice　and　their　treachery。　〃You　might；〃　said　he；　〃with　ease　have　crushed　the　tyrant　in　the　bud；　but　nothing　now　remains　but　to　pluck　him　up　by　the　roots。〃　But　no　one　responded　to　his　appeal。　　He　refused　to　fly；　and　when　his　friends　asked　him　on　what　he　relied　for　protection；　〃On　my　old　age；〃　was　his　reply。　　It　is　creditable　to　Pisistratus　that　he　left　his　aged　relative　unmolested；　and　even　asked　his　advice　in　the　administration　of　the　government。　　Solon　did　not　long　survive　the　overthrow　of　the　constitution。　　He　died　a　year　or　two　afterwards　at　the　advanced　age　of　eighty。　　His　ashes　are　said　to　have　been　scattered　by　his　own　direction　round　the　island　of　Salamis；　which　he　had　won　for　the　Athenian　people。

Pisistratus　however　did　not　retain　his　power　long。　　The　leaders　of　the　factions　of　the　Shore　and　the　Plain　combined　and　drove　the　usurper　into　exile。　　But　the　Shore　and　the　Plain　having　quarrelled；　Pisistratus　was　recalled　and　again　became　master　of　Athens。　　Another　revolution　shortly　afterwards　drove　him　into　exile　a　second　time；　and　he　remained　abroad　ten　years。　　At　length；　with　the　assistance　of　mercenaries　from　other　Grecian　states　and　with　the　aid　of　his　partisans　in　Athens；　he　became　master　of　Athens　for　the　third　time；　and　henceforth　continued　in　possession　of　the　supreme　power　till　the　day　of　his　death。　　As　soon　as　he　was　firmly　established　in　the　government；　his　administration　was　marked　by　mildness　and　equity。　　He　maintained　the　institutions　of　Solon；　taking　care；　however；　that　the　highest　offices　should　always　be　held　by　some　members　of　his　own　family。　He　not　only　enforced　strict　obedience　to　the　laws；　but　himself　set　the　example　of　submitting　to　them。　　Being　accused　of　murder；　he　disdained　to　take　advantage　of　his　authority；　and　went　in　person　to　plead　his　cause　before　the　Areopagus；　where　his　accuser　did　not　venture　to　appear。　　He　courted　popularity　by　largesses　to　the　citizens　and　by　throwing　open　his　gardens　to　the　poor。　　He　adorned　Athens　with　many　public　buildings。　　He　commenced　on　a　stupendous　scale　a　temple　to　the　Olympian　Zeus；　which　remained　unfinished　for　centuries；　and　was　at　length　completed　by　the　emperor　Hadrian。　　He　was　a　patron　of　literature；　as　well　as　of　the　arts。　　He　is　said　to　have　been　the　first　person　in　Greece　who　collected　a　library；　which　he　threw　open　to　the　public；　and　to　him　posterity　is　indebted　for　the　collection　of　the　Homeric　poems。　　On　the　whole　it　cannot　be　denied　that　he　made　a　wise　and　noble　use　of　his　power。

Pisistratus　died　at　an　advanced　age　in　527　B。C。；　thirty…three　years　after　his　first　usurpation。　　He　transmitted　the　sovereign　power　to　his　sons；　Hippias　and　Hipparchus；　who　conducted　the　government　on　the　same　principles　as　their　father。　　Hipparchus　inherited　his　father's　literary　tastes。　　He　invited　several　distinguished　poets；　such　as　Anacreon　and　Simonides；　to　his　court。　　The　people　appear　to　have　been　contented　with　their　rule；　and　it　was　only　an　accidental　circumstance　which　led　to　their　overthrow　and　to　a　change　in　the　government。

Their　fall　was　occasioned　by　the　conspiracy　of　Harmodius　and　Aristogiton；　who　were　attached　to　each　other　by　a　most　intimate　friendship。　　Harmodius　having　given　offence　to　Hippias；　the　despot　revenged　himself　by　putting　a　public　affront　upon　his　sister。　　This　indignity　excited　the　resentment　of　the　two　friends；　and　they　now　resolved　to　slay　the　despots　at　the　festival　of　the　Great　Panathenaea；　when　all　the　citizens　were　required　to　attend　in　arms。　　Having　communicated　their　design　to　a　few　associates；　the　conspirators　appeared　armed　at　the　appointed　time　like　the　rest　of　the　citizens；　but　carrying　concealed　daggers　besides。　　Harmodius　and　Aristogiton　had　planned　to　kill　Hippias　first　as　he　was　arranging　the　order　of　the　procession　outside　the　city；　but；　upon　approaching　the　spot　where　he　was　standing；　they　were　thunderstruck　at　beholding　one　of　the　conspirators　in　close　conversation　with　the　despot。　　Believing　that　they　were　betrayed；　they　rushed　back　into　the　city　with　their　daggers　hid　in　the　myrtle　boughs　which　they　were　to　have　carried　in　the　procession；　and　killed　Hipparchus。　　Harmodius　was　immediately　cut　down　by　the　guards。　　Aristogiton　died　under　the　tortures　to　which　he　was　subjected　in　order　to　compel　him　to　disclose　his　accomplices。

Hipparchus　was　assassinated　in　B。C。　514；　the　fourteenth　year　after　the　death　of　Pisistratus。　　From　this　time　the　character　of　the　government　became　entirely　changed。　　His　brother's　murder　converted　Hippias　into　a　cruel　and　suspicious　tyrant。　　He　put　to　death　numbers　of　the　citizens；　and　raised　large　sums　of　money　by　extraordinary　taxes。

The　Alcmaeonidae；　who　had　lived　in　exile　ever　since　the　third　and　final　restoration　of　Pisistratus　to　Athens；　now　began　to　form　schemes　to　expel　the　tyrant。　　Clisthenes；　the　son　of　Megacles；　who　was　the　head　of　the　family；　secured　the　Delphian　oracle　by　pecuniary　presents　to　the　Pythia；　or　priestess；　henceforth；　whenever　the　Spartans　came　to　consult　the　oracle；　the　answer　of　the　priestess　was　always　the　same；　〃Athens　must　be　liberated。〃　This　order　was　so　often　repeated；　that　the　Spartans　at　last　resolved　to　obey。　　Cleomenes；　king　of　Sparta；　defeated　the　Thessalian　allies　of　Hippias；　and　the　tyrant；　unable　to　meet　his　enemies　in　the　field；　took　refuge　in　the　Acropolis。　　Here　he　might　have　maintained　himself　in　safety；　had　not　his　children　been　made　prisoners　as　they　were　being　secretly　car