he　has　himself　made　of　the　matter　in　his　poems。　Thus：
  I　gave　to　the　mass　of　the　people　such　rank　as　befitted　their　need；　　　I　took　not　away　their　honour；　and　I　granted　naught　to　their　greed；　　　While　those　who　were　rich　in　power；　who　in　wealth　were　glorious　and　　　　　great；　　　I　bethought　me　that　naught　should　befall　them　unworthy　their　　　　　splendour　and　state；　　　So　I　stood　with　my　shield　outstretched；　and　both　were　sale　in　its　　　　　sight；　　　And　I　would　not　that　either　should　triumph；　when　the　triumph　was　　　　　not　with　right。
  Again　he　declares　how　the　mass　of　the　people　ought　to　be　treated：
  But　thus　will　the　people　best　the　voice　of　their　leaders　obey；　When　neither　too　slack　is　the　rein；　nor　violence　holdeth　the　sway；　For　indulgence　breedeth　a　child；　the　presumption　that　spurns　control；　　　When　riches　too　great　are　poured　upon　men　of　unbalanced　soul。
  And　again　elsewhere　he　speaks　about　the　persons　who　wished　to　redistribute　the　land：
  So　they　came　in　search　of　plunder；　and　their　cravings　knew　no　hound；　Every　one　among　them　deeming　endless　wealth　would　here　be　found。　And　that　I　with　glozing　smoothness　hid　a　cruel　mind　within。　Fondly　then　and　vainly　dreamt　they；　now　they　raise　an　angry　din；　And　they　glare　askance　in　anger；　and　the　light　within　their　eyes　Burns　with　hostile　flames　upon　me。　Yet　therein　no　justice　lies。　All　I　promised；　fully　wrought　I　with　the　gods　at　hand　to　cheer；　Naught　beyond　in　folly　ventured。　Never　to　my　soul　was　dear　With　a　tyrant's　force　to　govern；　nor　to　see　the　good　and　base　Side　by　side　in　equal　portion　share　the　rich　home　of　our　race。
  Once　more　he　speaks　of　the　abolition　of　debts　and　of　those　who　before　were　in　servitude；　but　were　released　owing　to　the　　Seisachtheia：
  Of　all　the　aims　for　which　I　summoned　forth　　　The　people；　was　there　one　I　compassed　not？　　　Thou；　when　slow　time　brings　justice　in　its　train；　　　O　mighty　mother　of　the　Olympian　gods；　　　Dark　Earth；　thou　best　canst　witness；　from　whose　breast　　　I　swept　the　pillars　broadcast　planted　there；　　　And　made　thee　free；　who　hadst　been　slave　of　yore。　　　And　many　a　man　whom　fraud　or　law　had　sold　　　For　from　his　god…built　land；　an　outcast　slave；　　　I　brought　again　to　Athens；　yea；　and　some；　　　Exiles　from　home　through　debt's　oppressive　load；　　　Speaking　no　more　the　dear　ATHENIAN　tongue；　　　But　wandering　far　and　wide；　I　brought　again；　　　And　those　that　here　in　vilest　slavery　　　Crouched　'neath　a　master's　frown；　I　set　them　free。　　　Thus　might　and　right　were　yoked　in　harmony；　　　Since　by　the　force　of　law　I　won　my　ends　　　And　kept　my　promise。　Equal　laws　I　gave　　　To　evil　and　to　good；　with　even　hand　　　Drawing　straight　justice　for　the　lot　of　each。　　　But　had　another　held　the　goad　as　　　One　in　whose　heart　was　guile　and　greediness；　　　He　had　not　kept　the　people　back　from　strife。　　　For　had　I　granted；　now　what　pleased　the　one；　　　Then　what　their　foes　devised　in　counterpoise；　　　Of　many　a　man　this　state　had　been　bereft。　　　Therefore　I　showed　my　might　on　every　side；　　　Turning　at　bay　like　wolf　among　the　hounds。
  And　again　he　reviles　both　parties　for　their　grumblings　in　the　times　that　followed：
  Nay；　if　one　must　lay　blame　where　blame　is　due；　　　Wer't　not　for　me；　the　people　ne'er　had　set　　　Their　eyes　upon　these　blessings　e'en　in　dreams：…　　　While　greater　men；　the　men　of　wealthier　life；　　　Should　praise　me　and　should　court　me　as　their　friend。
  For　had　any　other　man；　he　says；　received　this　exalted　post；
  He　had　not　kept　the　people　hack；　nor　ceased　　　Til　he　had　robbed　the　richness　of　the　milk。　　　But　I　stood　forth　a　landmark　in　the　midst；　　　And　barred　the　foes　from　battle。
  Part　13
  Such　then；　were　Solon's　reasons　for　his　departure　from　the　country。　After　his　retirement　the　city　was　still　torn　by　divisions。　For　four　years；　indeed；　they　lived　in　peace；　but　in　the　fifth　year　after　Solon's　government　they　were　unable　to　elect　an　Archon　on　account　of　their　dissensions；　and　again　four　years　later　they　elected　no　Archon　for　the　same　reason。　Subsequently；　after　a　similar　period　had　elapsed；　Damasias　was　elected　Archon；　and　he　governed　for　two　years　and　two　months；　until　he　was　forcibly　expelled　from　his　office。　After　this；　it　was　agreed；　as　a　compromise；　to　elect　ten　Archons；　five　from　the　Eupatridae；　three　from　the　Agroeci；　and　two　from　the　Demiurgi；　and　they　ruled　for　the　year　following　Damasias。　It　is　clear　from　this　that　the　Archon　was　at　the　time　the　magistrate　who　possessed　the　greatest　power；　since　it　is　always　in　　connexion　with　this　office　that　conflicts　are　seen　to　arise。　But　altogether　　they　were　in　a　continual　state　of　internal　disorder。　Some　found　the　cause　and　justification　of　their　discontent　in　the　abolition　of　debts；　because　thereby　they　had　been　reduced　to　poverty；　others　were　dissatisfied　with　the　political　constitution；　because　it　had　undergone　a　revolutionary　change；　while　with　others　the　motive　was　found　in　personal　rivalries　among　themselves。　The　parties　at　this　time　were　three　in　number。　First　there　was　the　party　of　the　Shore；　led　by　Megacles　the　son　of　Alcmeon；　which　was　considered　to　aim　at　　a　moderate　form　of　government；　then　there　were　the　men　of　the　Plain；　who　desired　an　oligarchy　and　were　led　by　Lycurgus；　and　thirdly　there　were　the　men　of　the　Highlands；　at　the　head　of　whom　was　Pisistratus；　who　was　looked　on　as　an　extreme　democrat。　This　latter　party　was　reinforced　by　those　who　had　been　deprived　of　the　debts　due　to　them；　from　motives　of　poverty；　and　by　those　who　were　not　of　pure　descent；　from　motives　of　personal　apprehension。　A　proof　of　this　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　after　the　tyranny　was　overthrown　a　revision　was　made　of　the　citizen…roll；　on　the　ground　that　many　persons　were　　partaking　in　the　franchise　without　having　a　right　to　it。　The　names　given　to　the　respective　parties　were　derived　from　the　districts　in　which　they　held　their　lands。
  Part　14
  Pisistratus　had　the　reputation　of　being　an　extreme　democrat；　and　he　also　had　distinguished　himself　greatly　in　the　war　with　Megara。　Taking　advantage　of　this；　he　wounded　himself；　and　by　　representing　that　his　injuries　had　been　inflicted　on　him　by　his　political　rivals；　he　persuaded　the　people；　through　a　motion　proposed　by　Aristion；　to　grant　him　a　bodyguard。　After　he　had　got　these　'club…bearers'；　as　they　were　called；　he　made　an　attack　with　them　on　the　people　　and　seized　the　Acropolis。　This　happened　in　the　archonship　of　Comeas；　thirty…one　years　after　the　legislation　of　Solon。　It　is　related　that；　when　Pisistratus　asked　for　his　bodyguard；　Solon　opposed　the　request；　and　declared　that　in　so　doing　he　proved　himself　wiser　than　half　　the　people　and　braver　than　the　rest；…wiser　than　those　who　did　not　see　that　Pisistratus　designed　to　make　himself　tyrant；　and　braver　than　　those　who　saw　it　and　kept　silence。　But　when　all　his　words　availed　nothing　he　carried　forth　his　armour　and　set　it　up　in　front　of　his　house；　saying　that　he　had　helped　his　country　so　far　as　lay　in　his　power　（he　was　already　a　very　old　man）；　and　that　he　called　on　all　others　to　do　the　same。　Solon's　exhortations；　however；　proved　fruitless；　and　　Pisistratus　assumed　the　sovereignty。　His　administration　was　more　like　a　constitutional　government　than　the　rule　of　a　tyrant；　but　before　his　power　was　firmly　established；　the　adherents　of　Megacles　and　Lycurgus　made　a　coalition　and　drove　him　out。　This　took　place　in　the　archonship　of　Hegesias；　five　years　after　the　first　establishment　of　his　rule。　Eleven　years　later　Megacles；　being　in　difficulties　in　a　party　struggle；　again　opened…negotiations　with　Pisistratus；　proposing　that　the　latter　should　marry　his　daughter；　and　on　these　terms　he　brought　him　back　to　Athens；　by　a　very　primitive　and　simple…minded　device。　He　first　spread　abroad　a　rumour　that　Athena　was　bringing　back　Pisistratus；　and　then；　having　found　a　　woman　of　great　stature　and　beauty；　named　Phye　（according　to　Herodotus；　of　　the　deme　of　Paeania；　but　as　others　say　a　Thracian　flower…seller　of　the　deme　of　Collytus）；　he　dressed　her　in　a　garb　resembling　that　of　the　　goddess　and　brought　her　into　the　city　with　Pisistratus。　The　latter　drove　in　on　a　chariot　with　the　woman　beside　him；　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　city；　struck　with　awe；　received　him　with　adoration。
  Part　15
  In　this　manner　did　his　first　return　take　place。　He　did　　not；　however；　hold　his　power　long；　for　about　six　years　after　his　return　he　　was　again　expelled。　He　refused　to　treat　the　daughter　of　Megacles　as　his　wife；　and　being　afraid；　in　consequence；　of　a　combination　of　the　　two　opposing　parties；　he　retired　from　the　country。　First　he　led　a　colony　　to　a　place　called　Rhaicelus；　in　the　region　of　the　Thermaic　gulf；　and　thence　he　passed　to　the　country　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Mt。　Pangaeus。　Here　he　acquired　wealth　and　hired　mercenaries；　and　not　till　ten　years　had　elapsed　did　he　return　to　Eretria　and　make　an　attempt　to　recover　the　government　by　force。　In　this　he　had　the　assistance　of　many　allies；　notably　the　Thebans　and　Lygdamis　of　Naxos；　and　also　the　Knights　who　held　the　supreme　power　in　the　constitution　of　Eretria。　After　his　victory　in　the　battle　at　Pallene　he　captured　Athens；　and　when　he　had　disarmed　the　people　he　at　last　had　his　tyranny　securely　established；　and　was　able　to　take　Naxos　and　set　up　Lygdamis　as　ruler　there。　He　effected　the　disarmament　of　the　people　in　the　following　manner。　He　ordered　a　parade　in　ful