History of the Peloponnesian War

and that, too, not unnaturally, as he was the eldest next to him, and enjoyed the tyranny.

Nor, again, do I think that Hippias would ever have obtained the tyranny with such ease at the moment, if Hipparchus had been in power when he was killed, and Hippias had had to establish himself in it on the same day. But owing to his former habit, both of striking fear into the citizens, and of paying strict attention to his mercenaries, he retained his sway with superabundant security; and was at no loss, as though he had been a younger brother, and so had not previously been familiar with [*](ξυνεχῶς ὡμιλήκει τῇ ἀρχῇ] These words seem to refer to the tempo-rary exercise of power which he might have enjoyed as archon for a year, in opposition to the permanent exercise of it as tyrant, which he would not have enjoyed, had he been the younger son of his father.) the constant exercise of power.