Solon

When this had been done, and the city was in an uproar, Megacles[*](Grandson of the Megacles who brought the taint of pollution upon the family (Plut. Sol. 12.1-3). He had been allowed to return from banishment.) straightway fled, with the rest of the Alcmaeonidae. But Solon, although he was now a very old man, and had none to support him, went nevertheless into the market-place and reasoned with the citizens, partly blaming their folly and weakness, and partly encouraging them still and exhorting them not to abandon their liberty.

Then it was, too, that he uttered the famous saying, that earlier it had been easier for them to hinder the tyranny, while it was in preparation; but now it was a greater and more glorious task to uproot and destroy it when it had been already planted and was grown. No one had the courage to side with him, however, and so he retired to his own house, took his arms, and placed them in the street in front of his door, saying: I have done all I can to help my country and its laws. [*](It was for others to do the same. Cf. Aristot. Const. Ath. 14.2.)

From that time on he lived in quiet retirement, and when his friends urged him to fly, he paid no heed to them, but kept on writing poems, in which he heaped reproaches on the Athenians:—

1. If now ye suffer grievously through cowardice all your own,
2. Cherish no wrath against the gods for this,
3. For ye yourselves increased the usurper’s power by giving him a guard,
4. And therefore are ye now in base subjection.

In view of this, many warned him that the tyrant would put him to death, and asked him on what he relied that he was so lost to all sense, to which he answered, My old age. However, when Peisistratus had become master of the situation, he paid such court to Solon by honoring him, showing him kindness, and inviting him to his palace, that Solon actually became his counsellor and approved of many of his acts. For he retained most of Solon’s laws, observing them first himself, and compelling his friends to do so.