184 SOLON.

much that he lost his eye in the scuffle, was able to employ the most effectual means for the safety aud har- mony of a state, by not permitting any to be poor or rich in his commonwealth. Solon could not rise to that in his polity, being but a citizen of the middle classes ; yet he acted fully up to the height of his power, having nothing but the good-will and good opinion of his citi- zens to rely on ; and that he offended the most part, who looked for another result, he declares in the words, Formerly they boasted of me vainly ; with averted eyes Now they look askance upon me ; friends no more, but enemies. And yet had any other man, he says, received the same power, He would not have forborne, nor let alone, But made the fattest of the milk his own. Soon, however, becoming sensible of the good that was done, they laid by their grudges, made a public sacrifice, calling it Seisacthea, and chose Solon to new-model and make laws for the commonwealth, giving him the entire power over every thing, their magistracies, their assem- blies, courts, and councils ; that he should appoint the number, times of meeting, and what estate they must have that could be capable of these, and dissolve or con- tinue any of the present constitutions, according to his pleasure. First, then, he repealed all Draco's laws, except those concerning homicide, because they were too severe, and the punishments too great ; for death was appointed for almost all offences, insomuch that those that were con- victed of idleness were to die, and those that stole a cab- bage or an apple to suffer even as villains that committed sacrilege or murder. So that Demades, in after time, was thought to have said very happily, that Draco's laws were

written not with ink, but blood ; and he himself, being