their leaders rob thoſe who have ſubſtance, and give it to the people, that they may have the moſt themſelves. Theſe, then, who are thus deſpoiled, are obliged to defend themſelves, ſaying and doing all they can among the people. Others, then, give them occaſion to form deſigns againſt the people, and ſo they become oligarchic, even although they ſhould have no inclination to introduce a change of government: thence they go to accuſations, law-ſuits, and conteſts, one with another, the leaders ſlandering, and the drones ſtinging.
The people are wont always to ſet ſome one in a conſpicuous manner over themſelves, to cheriſh him, and greatly to increaſe his power. Whenever a tyrant riſes, it is from this root, and from nothing elſe, that he bloſſoms. What then is the beginning of a change, from a preſident into a tyrant?—The wolf in the temple of Arcadia, dedicated to Lycæan Jupiter, had this inſcription, "That whoever tailed human entrails, mixed with other ſacrifices, neceſſarily became a wolf." In the ſame manner, he who, being preſident of the people, and receiving an extremely ſubmiſſive multitude, abſtaineth not from kindred blood, but unjuſtly accuſing them, and bringing them into courts of juſtice, ſtains himſelf with bloodſhed, and baniſhes and ſlays, and propoſes the abolition of debts, and diviſion of lands;—muſt not ſuch a one either be deſtroyed by his enemies, or exerciſe tyranny, and, from being a man, become a wolf? He now becomes ſeditious towards thoſe who have ſubſtance, and when he fails he goes againſt his enemies with open force, and becomes an accompliſhed tyrant; and if they be unable to expel him, or put him to death by an accuſation before the city, they conſpire to cut him off privately, by a violent death. On this account, all
