BOOK II.
FROM THE LEGISLATION OF SOLON TO THE BATTLE OF MARATHON, B. C.594-490.
CHAPTER I.
The Conspiracy of Cylon.—Loss of Salamis.—First Appearance of
Solon.—Success against the Megarians in the Struggle for Salamis.—
Cirrhaean War.—Epimenides.—Political State of Athens.—Character of
Solon.—His Legislation.—General View of the Athenian Constitution.
I. The first symptom in Athens of the political crisis (B. C. 621)which, as in other of the Grecian states, marked the transition ofpower from the oligarchic to the popular party, may be detected in thelaws of Draco. Undue severity in the legislature is the ordinaryproof of a general discontent: its success is rarely lasting enough toconfirm a government—its failure, when confessed, invariablystrengthens a people. Scarcely had these laws been enacted (B. C.620) when a formidable conspiracy broke out against the reigningoligarchy [195]. It was during the archonship of Megacles (a scion ofthe great Alcmaeonic family, which boasted its descent from Nestor)that the aristocracy was menaced by the ambition of an aristocrat.
Born of an ancient and powerful house, and possessed of considerablewealth, Cylon, the Athenian, conceived the design of seizing thecitadel, and rendering himself master of the state. He had wedded thedaughter of Theagenes, tyrant of Megara, and had raised himself intopopular reputation several years before, by a victory in the Olympicgames (B. C. 640). The Delphic oracle was supposed to have inspiredhim with the design; but it is at least equally probable that theoracle was consulted after the design had been conceived. The divinevoice declared that Cylon should occupy the citadel on the greatestfestival of Jupiter. By the event it does not appear, however, thathe selected the proper occasion. Taking advantage of an Olympic year,when many of the citizens were gone to the games, and assisted withtroops by his father-in-law, he seized the citadel. Whatever mighthave been his hopes of popular support—and there is reason to believethat he in some measure calculated upon it—the time was evidentlyunripe for the convulsion, and the attempt was unskilfully planned.The Athenians, under Megacles and the other archons, took the alarm,and in a general body blockaded the citadel. But they grew weary ofthe length of the siege; many of them fell away, and the contest wasabandoned to the archons, with full power to act according to theirjudgment. So supine in defence of the liberties of the state are apeople who have not yet obtained liberty for themselves!
II. The conspirators were reduced by the failure of food and water.Cylon and his brother privately escaped. Of his adherents, someperished by famine, others betook themselves to the altars in thecitadel, claiming, as suppliants, the right of sanctuary. The guardsof the magistrates, seeing the suppliants about to expire fromexhaustion, led them from the altar and put them to death. But someof the number were not so scrupulously slaughtered—massacred aroundthe altars of the furies. The horror excited by a sacrilege soatrocious, may easily be conceived by those remembering the humane andreverent superstition of the Greeks:—the indifference of the peopleto the contest was changed at once into detestation of the victors. Aconspiracy, hitherto impotent, rose at once into power by thecircumstances of its defeat. Megacles—his whole house—all who hadassisted in the impiety, were stigmatized with the epithet of"execrable." The faction, or friends of Cylon, became popular fromthe odium of their enemies—the city was distracted by civilcommotion—by superstitious apprehension