and of making them free men again.

It is said that in consequence of this measure he met with the greatest trouble of his life.  As he was meditating how he might put an end to debt, and what words and preambles were best for the introduction of this law, he took counsel with his most intimate friends, such as Konon and Kleinias and Hipponikus, informing them that he had no intention of interfering with the tenure of land, but that he intended to abolishing all existing securities.  They instantly took time by the forelock, borrowed large sums from the wealthy, and bought up a great extent of land.  Presently the decree came forth, and they remained in enjoyment of these estates, but did not repay their loan to their creditors.  This brought Solon into great discredit, for the people believed that he had been their accomplice.  But he soon proved that this must be false, by remitting a debt of five talents which he himself had lent; and some state the sum at fifteen talents, amongst whom is Polyzelus of Rhodes.  However, his friends were for ever afterwards called “The Swindlers.”

XVI.  By this measure he pleased neither party, but the rich were dissatisfied at the loss of their securities, and the poor were still more so because the land was not divided afresh, as they hoped it would be, and because he had not, like Lykurgus, established absolute equality.

But Lykurgus was eleventh in direct descent from Herakles, and had reigned in Lacedaemon for many years, and had his own great reputation, friends, and interest to assist him in carrying out his reforms:  and although he chose to effect his purpose by violence, so that his eye was actually knocked out, yet he succeeded in carrying that measure, so valuable for the safety and concord of the state, by which it was rendered impossible for any citizen to be either rich or poor.  Solon’s power could not reach this height, as he was only a commoner and a moderate man; yet he did all that was in his power, relying solely upon the confidence and goodwill of his countrymen.

It is clear that they were disappointed, and expected more from his legislation, from his own verses—­

    “Once they speculated gaily, what good luck should them befall,
    Now they look upon me coldly, as a traitor to them all.”

Yet he says, if any one else had been in his position,

    “He ne’er would have desisted from unsettling the laws,
    Till he himself got all the cream.”

However, not long afterwards, they perceived the public benefits which he had conferred upon them, forgot their private grievances, and made a public sacrifice in honour of the Seisachtheia, or “Relief from burdens.”  Moreover, they constituted Solon supreme reformer and lawgiver, not over some departments only, but placing everything alike in his hands; magistracies, public assemblies, senate, and law-courts.  He had full powers to confirm or abolish any of these, and to fix the proper qualifications for members of them, and their numbers and times of meeting.