Chapter XI: Solonian Laws and Constitution

Life, character, and poems of Solon. — War between Athens and
Megara about Salamis. — Acquisition of Salamis by Athens. —
Settlement of the dispute by Spartan arbitration in favor of
Athens. — State of Athens immediately before the legislation of
Solon. — Internal dissension — misery of the poorer population. —
Slavery of the debtors — law of debtor and creditor. — Injustice
and rapacity of the rich. — General mutiny, and necessity for
a large reform. — Solon made archon, and invested with full
powers of legislation. — He refuses to make himself despot.
— His seisachtheia, or relief-law for the poorer debtors. —
Debasing of the money standard. — General popularity of the
measure after partial dissatisfaction. — Different statements
afterwards as to the nature and extent of the seisachtheia. —
Necessity of the measure — mischievous contracts to which the
previous law had given rise. — Solon’s law finally settled the
question — no subsequent complaint as to private debts — respect
for contracts unbroken under the democracy. — Distinction made
in an early society between the principal and the interest of
a loan — interest disapproved of _in toto_. — This opinion was
retained by the philosophers after it had ceased to prevail in
the community generally. — Solonian seisachtheia never imitated
at Athens — money-standard honestly maintained afterwards. —
Solon is empowered to modify the political constitution. — His
census — four scales of property. — Graduated liability to
income-tax, of the three richest classes, one compared with
the other. — Admeasurement of political rights and franchises
according to this scale — a Timocracy. — Fourth or poorest class
— exercised powers only in assembly — chose magistrates and held
them to accountability. — Pro-bouleutic or pre-considering Senate
of Four Hundred. — Senate of Areopagus — its powers enlarged.
— Confusion frequently seen between Solonian and post-Solonian
institutions. — Loose language of the Athenian orators on this
point. — Solon never contemplated the future change or revision
of his own laws. — Solon laid the foundation of the Athenian
democracy, but his institutions are not democratical. — The real
Athenian democracy begins with Kleisthenês. — Athenian government
after Solon still oligarchical, but mitigated. — The archons
still continue to be judges until after the time of Kleisthenês.
— After-changes in the Athenian constitution overlooked by the
orators, but understood by Aristotle, and strongly felt at Athens
during the time of Periklês. — Gentes and Phratries under the
Solonian constitution — status of persons not included in them. —
Laws of Solon. — The Drakonian laws about homicide retained; the
rest abrogated. — Multifarious character of the laws of Solon: no
appearance of classification. — He prohibits the export of landed
produce from Attica, except oil. — The prohibition of little or
no effect. — Encouragement to artisans and industry. — Power of
testamentary bequest — first sanctioned by Solon. — Laws relating
to women. — Regulations about funerals. — About evil-speaking and
abusive language. — Rewards to the victors at the sacred games.
— Theft. — Censure pronounced by Solon upon citizens neutral in
a sedition. — Necessity, under the Grecian city-governments, of
some positive sentiment on the part of the citizens. — Contrast
in this respect between the age of Solon and the subsequent
democracy. — The same idea followed out in the subsequent
Ostracism. — Sentiment of Solon towards the Homeric poems and the
drama. — Difficulties of Solon after the enactment of the laws.
— He retires from Attica. — Visits Egypt and Cyprus. — Alleged
interview and conversation of Solon with Crœsus at Sardis. —
Moral lesson arising out of the narrative. — State of Attica
after the Solonian legislation. — Return of Solon to Athens. —
Rise of Peisistratus. — His memorable stratagem to procure a
guard from the people. — Peisistratus seizes the Akropolis and
becomes despot — courageous resistance of Solon. — Death of Solon
— his character. — Appendix, on the procedure of the Roman law
respecting principal and interest in a loan of money. 88-162

CHAPTER XII.

EUBŒA. — CYCLADES.

The islands called Cyclades. — Eubœa. — Its six or seven towns —
Chalkis, Eretria, etc. — How peopled. — Early power of Chalkis,
Eretria, Naxos etc. — Early Ionic festival at Dêlos; crowded
and wealthy. — Its decline about 560 B. C. — causes thereof.
— Homeric Hymn to the Delian Apollo — evidence as to early
Ionic life. — War between Chalkis and Eretria in early times —
extensive alliances of each. — Commerce and colonies of Chalkis
and Eretria — Euboic scale of money and weight. — Three different
Grecian scales — Æginæan, Euboic, and Attic — their ratio to each
other. 163-172