free as a bird in the air; but I would rather be the slave of a peasant in foreign lands, than hold the highest office under Pisistratus.  The sovereign power in Athens belongs to us, its nobles; but Cimon by laying his chaplet at the feet of Pisistratus has acknowledged the tyrants, and branded himself as their servant.  He shall hear that Phanes cares little for the tyrant’s clemency.  I choose to remain an exile till my country is free, till her nobles and people govern themselves, and dictate their own laws.  Phanes will never do homage to the oppressor, though all the Philaidae, the Alkmaeonidae, and even the men of your own house, Kallias, the rich Daduchi, should fall down at his feet!”

With flashing eyes he looked round on the assembly; Kallias too scrutinized the faces of the guests with conscious pride, as if he would say: 

“See, friends, the kind of men produced by my glorious country!”

Taking the hand of Phanes again, he said to him:  “The tyrants are as hateful to me as to you, my friend; but I have seen, that, so long as Pisistratus lives, the tyranny cannot be overthrown.  His allies, Lygdamis of Naxos and Polykrates of Samos, are powerful; but the greatest danger for our freedom lies in his own moderation and prudence.  During my recent stay in Greece I saw with alarm that the mass of the people in Athens love their oppressor like a father.  Notwithstanding his great power, he leaves the commonwealth in the enjoyment of Solon’s constitution.  He adorns the city with the most magnificent buildings.  They say that the new temple of Zeus, now being built of glorious marble by Kallaeschrus, Antistates and Porinus (who must be known to you, Theodorus), will surpass every building that has yet been erected by the Hellenes.  He understands how to attract poets and artists of all kinds to Athens, he has had the poems of Homer put into writing, and the prophecies of Musaeus collected by Onomakritus.  He lays out new streets and arranges fresh festivals; trade flourishes under his rule, and the people find themselves well off, in spite of the many taxes laid upon them.  But what are the people? a vulgar multitude who, like the gnats, fly towards every thing brilliant, and, so long as the taper burns, will continue to flutter round it, even though they burn their wings in doing so.  Let Pisistratus’ torch burn out, Phanes, and I’ll swear that the fickle crowd will flock around the returning nobles, the new light, just as they now do around the tyrant.

“Give me your hand once more, you true son of Ajax; for you, my friends, I have still many an interesting piece of news untold.