In answer to the reproaches of many of his friends at his refusal to
make himself despot, he wrote as follows:
"Not a clever man was Solon, not a calculating mind,
For he would not take the kingdom, which the gods to him inclined,
In his net he caught the prey, but would not draw it forth to land,
Overpowered by his terrors, feeble both of heart and hand;
For a man of greater spirit would have occupied the throne,
Proud to be the Lord of Athens, though 'twere for a day alone,
Though the next day he and his into oblivion were thrown."
XV. This is the way in which he says the masses, and low-minded men,
spoke of him. He, however, firmly rejecting the throne, proceeded
quietly to administer public affairs, in laying down his laws without
any weak yielding to the powerful, or any attempt to court popularity.
Such as were good, he did not meddle with, fearing that if he
"Disturbed and overset the state,"
he might not have sufficient power to
"Reconstitute and organise again,"
in the best way. He carried out his measures by persuasion, and, where
he thought he could succeed, by force; in his own words,
"Combining Force and Justice both together."
Being afterwards asked whether he had composed the best possible laws
for the Athenians, he answered, "The best that they would endure." And
the habit of Athenians of later times, who soften down harsh words by
using politer equivalents, calling harlots "mistresses," taxes
"contributions," garrisons of cities "protectors," and the common prison
"the house," was, it seems, first invented by Solon, who devised the
name of "relief from burdens" for his measure to abolish all debts.
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