e
archonship of Solon, and often in the factions of the Italian republics
in the middle ages--the collision of opposing forces had rendered
society intolerable, and driven all parties to acquiesce in the choice
of some reforming dictator. Usually, however, in the early Greek
oligarchies, this ultimate crisis was anticipated by some ambitious
individual, who availed himself of the public discontent to overthrow
the oligarchy and usurp the powers of a despot. And so probably it
might have happened in Athens, had not the recent failure of Cylon, with
all its miserable consequences, operated as a deterring motive. It is
curious to read, in the words of Solon himself, the temper in which his
appointment was construed by a large portion of the community, but more
especially by his own friends: bearing in mind that at this early day,
so far as our knowledge goes, democratical government was a thing
unknown in Greece--all Grecian governments were either oligarchical or
despotic--the mass of the freemen having not yet tasted of
constitutional privilege. His own friends and supporters were the first
to urge him, while redressing the prevalent discontents, to multiply
partisans for himself personally, and seize the supreme power. They even
"chid him as a mad-man, for declining to haul up the net when the fish
were already enmeshed." The mass of the people, in despair with their
lot, would gladly have seconded him in such an attempt; while many even
among the oligarchy might have acquiesced in his personal government,
from the mere apprehension of something worse if they resisted it. That
Solon might easily have made himself despot admits of little doubt. And
though the position of a Greek despot was always perilous, he would have
had greater facility for maintaining himself in it than Pisistratus
possessed after him; so that nothing but the combination of prudence and
virtue, which marks his lofty character, restricted him within the trust
specially confided to him. To the surprise of every one--to the
dissatisfaction of his own friends--under the complaints alike (as he
says) of various extreme and dissentient parties, who required him to
adopt measures fatal to the peace of society--he set himself honestly to
solve the very difficult and critical problem submitted to him.

Of all grievances, the most urgent was the condition of the poorer class
of debtors. To their relief Solon's first measure, the memorable
_Seisachtheia_, or s