a smaller history of greece-第7章

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ed　reputation　at　Athens；　and　to　whom　his　fellow　citizens　looked　up　as　the　only　person　in　the　state　who　could　deliver　them　from　their　political　and　social　dissensions；　and　secure　them　from　such　misfortunes　for　the　future。　　This　man　was　Solon；　the　son　of　Execestides；　and　a　descendant　of　Codrus。　　He　had　travelled　through　many　parts　of　Greece　and　Asia；　and　had　formed　acquaintance　with　many　of　the　most　eminent　men　of　his　time。　　On　his　return　to　his　native　country　he　distinguished　himself　by　recovering　the　island　of　Salamis；　which　had　revolted　to　Megara　（B。C。　600）。　　Three　years　afterwards　he　persuaded　the　Alcmaeonidae　to　submit　their　case　to　the　judgment　of　three　hundred　Eupatridae；　by　whom　they　were　adjudged　guilty　of　sacrilege；　and　were　expelled　from　Attica。　　The　banishment　of　the　guilty　race　did　not；　however；　deliver　the　Athenians　from　their　religious　fears。　　A　pestilential　disease　with　which　they　were　visited　was　regarded　as　an　unerring　sign　of　the　divine　wrath。　　Upon　the　advice　of　the　Delphic　oracle；　they　invited　the　celebrated　Cretan　prophet　and　sage；　Epimenides；　to　visit　Athens；　and　purify　their　city　from　pollution　and　sacrilege。　By　performing　certain　sacrifices　and　expiatory　acts；　Epimenides　succeeded　in　staying　the　plague。

The　civil　dissensions　however　still　continued。　　The　population　of　Attica　was　now　divided　into　three　hostile　factions；　consisting　of　the　PEDIEIS　or　wealthy　Eupatrid　inhabitants　of　the　plains；　of　the　DIACRII；　or　poor　inhabitants　of　the　hilly　districts　in　the　north　and　east　of　Attica；　and　of　the　PARALI；　or　mercantile　inhabitants　of　the　coasts；　who　held　an　intermediate　position　between　the　other　two。　　Their　disputes　were　aggravated　by　the　miserable　condition　of　the　poorer　population。　　The　latter　were　in　a　state　of　abject　poverty；　They　had　borrowed　money　from　the　wealthy　at　exorbitant　rates　of　interest　upon　the　security　of　their　property　and　their　persons。　　If　the　principal　and　interest　of　the　debt　were　not　paid；　the　creditor　had　the　power　of　seizing　the　person　as　well　as　the　land　of　his　debtor；　and　of　using　him　as　a　slave。　Many　had　thus　been　torn　from　their　homes　and　sold　to　barbarian　masters；　while　others　were　cultivating　as　slaves　the　lands　of　their　wealthy　creditors　in　Attica。　　Matters　had　at　length　reached　a　crisis；　the　existing　laws　could　no　longer　be　enforced；　and　the　poor　were　ready　to　rise　in　open　insurrection　against　the　rich。

In　these　alarming　circumstances　the　ruling　oligarchy　were　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　Solon；　and　they　therefore　chose　him　Archon　in　B。C。　594；　investing　him　under　that　title　with　unlimited　powers　to　effect　any　changes　he　might　consider　beneficial　to　the　state。　His　appointment　was　hailed　with　satisfaction　by　the　poor；　and　all　parties　were　willing　to　accept　his　mediation　and　reforms。

Solon　commenced　his　undertaking　by　relieving　the　poorer　class　of　debtors　from　their　existing　distress。　　He　cancelled　all　contracts　by　which　the　land　or　person　of　a　debtor　had　been　given　as　security；　and　he　forbad　for　the　future　all　loans　in　which　the　person　of　the　debtor　was　pledged。　　He　next　proceeded　to　draw　up　a　new　constitution　and　a　new　code　of　laws。　　As　a　preliminary　step　he　repealed　all　the　laws　of　Draco；　except　those　relating　to　murder。　　He　then　made　a　new　classification　of　the　citizens；　distributing　them　into　four　classes　according　to　the　amount　of　their　property；　thus　making　wealth　and　not　birth　the　title　to　the　honours　and　offices　of　the　state。　　The　first　class　consisted　of　those　whose　annual　income　was　equal　to　500　medimni　of　corn　and　upwards；　and　were　called　　PENTACOSIOMEDIMNI。　　＇The　medimnus　was　one　bushel　and　a　half。＇　　The　second　class　consisted　of　those　whose　incomes　ranged　between　300　and　500　medimni　and　were　called　KNIGHTS；　from　their　being　able　to　furnish　a　war…horse。　　The　third　class　consisted　of　those　who　received　between　200　and　300　medimni；　and　were　called　ZEUGITAE　from　their　being　able　to　keep　a　yoke　of　oxen　for　the　plough。　　The　fourth　class；　called　THETES；　included　all　whose　property　fell　short　of　200　medimni。　　The　first　class　were　alone　eligible　to　the　archonship　and　the　higher　offices　of　the　state。　　The　second　and　third　classes　filled　inferior　posts；　and　were　liable　to　military　service；　the　former　as　horsemen；　and　the　latter　as　heavy…armed　soldiers　on　foot。　　The　fourth　class　were　excluded　from　all　public　offices；　and　served　in　the　army　only　as　light…armed　troops。　　Solon；　however；　allowed　them　to　veto　in　the　public　assembly；　where　they　must　have　constituted　by　far　the　largest　number。　　He　gave　the　assembly　the　right　of　electing　the　archons　and　the　other　officers　of　the　state；　and　he　also　made　the　archons　accountable　to　the　assembly　at　the　expiration　of　their　year　of　office。

This　extension　of　the　duties　of　the　public　assembly　led　to　the　institution　of　a　new　body。　　Solon　created　the　Senate；　or　Council　of　Four　Hundred　with　the　special　object　of　preparing　all　matters　for　the　discussion　of　the　public　assembly；　of　presiding　at　its　meetings；　and　of　carrying　its　resolutions　into　effect。　　No　subject　could　be　introduced　before　the　people；　except　by　a　previous　resolution　of　the　Senate。　　The　members　of　the　Senate　were　elected　by　the　public　assembly；　one　hundred　from　each　of　the　four　ancient　tribes；　which　were　left　untouched　by　Solon。　　They　held　their　office　for　a　year；　and　were　accountable　at　its　expiration　to　the　public　assembly　for　the　manner　in　which　they　had　discharged　their　duties。

The　Senate　of　the　Areopagus　＇It　received　its　name　from　its　place　of　meeting；　which　was　a　rocky　eminence　opposite　the　Acropolis；　called　the　hill　of　Ares　（Mars　Hill）＇；　is　said　by　some　writers　to　have　been　instituted　by　Solon；　but　it　existed　long　before　his　time；　and　may　be　regarded　as　the　representative　of　the　Council　of　Chiefs　in　the　Heroic　age。　　Solon　enlarged　its　powers；　and　intrusted　it　with　the　general　supervision　of　the　institutions　and　laws　of　the　state；　and　imposed　upon　it　the　duty　of　inspecting　the　lives　and　occupations　of　the　citizens。　　All　archons　became　members　of　it　at　the　expiration　of　their　year　of　office。

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