perfect, thus the continuity and circle
would be preserved. But one tyranny often changed into another; as
at Syria, from Myron's to Clisthenes'; or into an oligarchy, as was
Antileo's at Chalcas; or into a democracy, as was Gelo's at Syracuse; or
into an aristocracy, as was Charilaus's at Lacedsemon, and at Carthage.
An oligarchy is also changed into a tyranny; such was the rise of most
of the ancient tyrannies in Sicily; at Leontini, into the tyranny of
Panaetius; at Gela, into that of Cleander; at Rhegium into that of
Anaxilaus; and the like in many other cities. It is absurd also to
suppose, that a state is changed into an oligarchy because those who are
in power are avaricious and greedy of money, and not because those who
are by far richer than their fellow citizens think it unfair that those
who have nothing should have an equal share in the rule of the state
with themselves, who possess so much-for in many oligarchies it is not
allowable to be employed in money-getting, and there are many laws to
prevent it. But in Carthage, which is a democracy, money-getting is
creditable, and yet their form of government remains unaltered. It is
also absurd to say, that in an oligarchy there are two cities, one of
the poor and another of the rich; for why should this happen to them
more than to the Lacedaemonians, or any other state where all possess
not equal property, or where all are not equally good? for though no
one member of the community should be poorer than he was before, yet
a democracy might nevertheless change into an oligarchy; if the rich
should be more powerful than the poor, and the one too negligent, and
the other attentive: and though these changes are owing to many causes,
yet he mentions but one only, that the citizens become poor by luxury,
and paying interest-money; as if at first they were all rich, or the
greater part of them: but this is not so, but when some of those who
have the principal management of public affairs lose their fortunes,
they will endeavour to bring about a revolution; but when others do,
nothing of consequence will follow, nor when such states do alter is
there any more reason for their altering into a democracy than any
other. Besides, though some of the members of the community may not have
spent their fortunes, yet if they share not in the honours of the state,
or if they are ill-used and insulted, they will endeavour to raise
seditions, and bring about a revolution, that they ma