Page:History of Greece Vol III.djvu/142

126 HISTORY OF GREECE. remaining fragments, 1 "^ much strength as sufficed for thcii needs, without either enlarging or diminishing their dignity : for those too who possessed power and were noted for wealth, I took care that no unworthy treatment should be reserved. I stood with the strong shield cast over both parties, so as not to allow an unjust triumph to either." Again, Aristotle tells us that Solon bestowed upon the people no greater measure of power than was barely necessary, 2 to elect their magistrates and to hold them to accountability : if the people had had less than this, they could not have been expected to remain tranquil, they would have been in slavery and hostile to the constitution. Not less distinctly does Herodotus speak, when he describes the revolution sub- sequently operated by Kleisthenes the latter, he tells us, found 1 Solon, Fragm. ii, 3, ed. Schneidcwin : A^/iu IJ.EV yup eduKa TOGOV KpuToc, oaaov er fip/C ovr' u<j>e?MV, ovr' 1 Of 6' dxov 6isvafj.iv KOI Kal roZf i<j>paau[j.7jv fii/de "Earijv <5' u{u}>ij3cd.uv Kparcpbv Ni/cpv 6' OVK elac? ovderepovf u The reading iTrapKel in the first line is not universally approved : BruncK adopts eirapKfiv, which Niebuhr appi oves. The latter construes it to mean, " I gave to the people only so much power as could not be withheld from them." (Rom. Geschicht. t. ii, p. 346, 2d ed.) Taking the first two lines together, I think Nicbuhr's meaning is substantially correct, though I give a more literal translation myself. Solon seems to be vindicating himself against the reproach of having been too democratical, which was, doubtless, addressed to him in every variety of language. 2 Aristot. Polit. ii, 9, 4. 'ETTE So/low 7' <HKE T//V uvaynainTUTTjv dirodidij- vai T> di/f/.u dvvaftiv, rb raf upx&e atpsiadat nai evdiiveiv firjde -yap TOVTGV KVplOf UV 6 (%iOf, JoC?,Of UV 17) /Cat TTO/lCjUiOf. In this passage respecting Solon (containing sections 2, 3, 4 of the edition of M. Barthelemy St. Hilaire), Aristotle first gives the opinion of certain critics who praised Solon, with the reasons upon which it is founded ; next, the opinion of certain critics who blamed him, with their reasons ; thirdly, his own judgment. The first of these three contains sect. 2 (from 26/lwva <T evtot, down to rtl diKaarqpta -xoifjaaf IK TTO.VTUV). The second contains the greater part of sect. 3 (from bib KOI nf^ovrai nvef avr(J, down to rr/v vvv dri/ioKpariav. The remainder is his own judgment. I notice this, because sections 2 and 3 are not to be taken as the opinion of Aristotle him- eif, but of those upon whom he was commenting, who considered Solon at ihc author of the dikastcries selected by lot