Athens, under Lycurgus; the Parali of the south of Attica, under
Megacles; and the Diacrii or mountaineers of the eastern cantons, the
poorest of the three classes, under Pisistratus, are in a state of
violent intestine dispute. The account of Plutarch represents Solon as
returning to Athens during the height of this sedition. He was treated
with respect by all parties, but his recommendations were no longer
obeyed, and he was disqualified by age from acting with effect in
public. He employed his best efforts to mitigate party animosities, and
applied himself particularly to restrain the ambition of Pisistratus,
whose ulterior projects he quickly detected.

The future greatness of Pisistratus is said to have been first portended
by a miracle which happened, even before his birth, to his father
Hippocrates at the Olympic games. It was realized, partly by his bravery
and conduct, which had been displayed in the capture of Nisaea from the
Megarians--partly by his popularity of speech and manners, his
championship of the poor, and his ostentatious disavowal of all selfish
pretensions--partly by an artful mixture of stratagem and force. Solon,
after having addressed fruitless remonstrances to Pisistratus himself,
publicly denounced his designs in verses addressed to the people. The
deception, whereby Pisistratus finally accomplished his design, is
memorable in Grecian tradition. He appeared one day in the agora of
Athens in his chariot with a pair of mules: he had intentionally wounded
both his person and the mules, and in this condition he threw himself
upon the compassion and defence of the people, pretending that his
political enemies had violently attacked him. He implored the people to
grant him a guard, and at the moment when their sympathies were freshly
aroused both in his favor and against his supposed assassins, Aristo
proposed formally to the ecclesia (the pro-bouleutic senate, being
composed of friends of Pisistratus, had previously authorized the
proposition) that a company of fifty club-men should be assigned as a
permanent body-guard for the defence of Pisistratus. To this motion
Solon opposed a strenuous resistance, but found himself overborne, and
even treated as if he had lost his senses. The poor were earnest in
favor of it, while the rich were afraid to express their dissent; and he
could only comfort himself after the fatal vote had been passed, by
exclaiming that he was wiser than the former and more de