in angry with their former favorite,
however; for he did all he could to make them happy, and ruled them very
wisely. He improved the city by building magnificent temples and other
public buildings, and made a great aqueduct, so that the people could
have plenty of pure water to drink.

Pisistratus also laid out a public park, the Ly-ce'um, just outside the
city walls, so that the Athenians could go there, and enjoy the cool
shade of the groves he had planted.

Then he began to collect all the poems of Homer, had them carefully
written down, and placed them in a public library, so that the Greeks
could read them whenever they pleased. Until then these poems had only
been recited, and no written copy existed. Pisistratus, therefore, did a
very good work in thus keeping for our enjoyment the greatest epic poems
ever composed.

As Pisistratus ruled just as he pleased, without consulting the Tribunal
or people, he has been called a tyrant. This word in those days meant
"supreme ruler;" but as many of those who followed him made a bad use of
their power, and were cruel and grasping, its meaning soon changed, and
the word now means "a selfish and unkind ruler."

XXXVII. THE TYRANT'S INSULT.

While Pisistratus was thus governing Athens to suit himself, Solon was
traveling in Asia, where he met several interesting persons of whom you
will hear in ancient history.

Solon had gone away for ten years, hoping that the Athenians would
strictly obey his laws. During that time he had no news of his native
land; for there were no post offices or newspapers in those days, and
people neither wrote nor received letters except when something very
important happened.

On coming back to Athens, Solon was very sorry to learn that it was
Pisistratus, his own kinsman, who had taken the power of the archons;
but when he saw how wisely Pisistratus governed the people, and how
careful he was to make them happy and improve them, he freely forgave
him, and remained on good terms with him until he died.

Pisistratus went on ruling the Athenians for thirty-three years, and
when he died they mourned him greatly. In their grief for their loss,
they allowed his sons, Hip'-pi-as and Hip-par'chus, to succeed him,
without raising any objections.

These young men were very careful at first to follow their father's good
example; but they soon began to neglect business for pleasure, and,
instead of thinking of the people's good, they spent m