54, 55] HIPPIAS THE ELDER SON 221 during his term of office he dedicated the altar of the Twelve Gods in the Agora, and another altar in the temple of the Pythian Apollo. The Athenian people after- wards added to one side of the altar in the Agora and so concealed the inscription upon it ; but the other inscrip- tion on the altar of the Pythian Apollo may still be seen, although the letters are nearly effaced. It runs as follows : — ' Pisistratus the son of Hippias dedicated this memorial of his archon- ship in the sacred precinct of the Pythian Apollo.' That Hippias was the eldest son of Pisistratus and 55 succeeded to his power I can positively y^^,.-^,^^ p^.^^j^ ^^^/,^ affirm from special information which fact that Hippias was has been transmitted to me. But there *f'^ ^'der sou. is other evidence. Of the legitimate sons of Pisistratus he alone had children ; this is indicated by the altar just mentioned, and by the column which the Athenians set up in the Acropolis to commemorate the oppression of the tyrants. For on that column no son of Thessalus or of Hipparchus is named, but five of Hippias who were born to him of Myrrhine the daughter of Callias the son of Hyperechides ; now there is a presumption that the son who married first would be the eldest. Moreover, his name is inscribed "on the same column'^ immediatel}' after his father's ; this again is a presumption that he was his eldest son and succeeded him. I think too that Hippias would have found a difficulty in seizing the tyranny if Hipparchus had been tyrant at the time of his death and he had tried to step into his place. As it was, owing to the habitual dread which he had inspired in the citizens, and the strict discipline which he maintained among his body-guard, he held the government with the
- Reading iv rri air^ ffTjjXj/. Or, reading with the MSS. Iv rf} npuiTT]
ar-qXri : ' on the front part of the column.' But the words can hardly bear this meaning. The word npujTri is probably derived from wpwros which follows.
