irmly established in the government, his administration was
marked by mildness and equity. He maintained the institutions of
Solon, taking care, however, that the highest offices should always be
held by some members of his own family. He not only enforced strict
obedience to the laws, but himself set the example of submitting to
them. Being accused of murder, he disdained to take advantage of his
authority, and went in person to plead his cause before the Areopagus,
where his accuser did not venture to appear. He courted popularity by
largesses to the citizens and by throwing open his gardens to the poor.
He adorned Athens with many public buildings. He commenced on a
stupendous scale a temple to the Olympian Zeus, which remained
unfinished for centuries, and was at length completed by the emperor
Hadrian. He was a patron of literature, as well as of the arts. He is
said to have been the first person in Greece who collected a library,
which he threw open to the public; and to him posterity is indebted for
the collection of the Homeric poems. On the whole it cannot be denied
that he made a wise and noble use of his power.

Pisistratus died at an advanced age in 527 B.C., thirty-three years
after his first usurpation. He transmitted the sovereign power to his
sons, Hippias and Hipparchus, who conducted the government on the same
principles as their father. Hipparchus inherited his father's literary
tastes. He invited several distinguished poets, such as Anacreon and
Simonides, to his court. The people appear to have been contented with
their rule; and it was only an accidental circumstance which led to
their overthrow and to a change in the government.

Their fall was occasioned by the conspiracy of Harmodius and
Aristogiton, who were attached to each other by a most intimate
friendship. Harmodius having given offence to Hippias, the despot
revenged himself by putting a public affront upon his sister. This
indignity excited the resentment of the two friends, and they now
resolved to slay the despots at the festival of the Great Panathenaea,
when all the citizens were required to attend in arms. Having
communicated their design to a few associates, the conspirators
appeared armed at the appointed time like the rest of the citizens, but
carrying concealed daggers besides. Harmodius and Aristogiton had
planned to kill Hippias first as he was arranging the order of the
procession outside the city, but, upon a