it in their
power to injure the other; but that the tyrant should attach to himself
that party which is the most powerful; which, if he does, he will have
no occasion either to make his slaves free, or to deprive citizens of
their arms; for the strength of either of the parties added to his
own forces will render him superior to any conspiracy. It would be
superfluous to go through all particulars; for the rule of conduct which
the tyrant ought to pursue is evident enough, and that is, to affect to
appear not the tyrant, but the king; the guardian of those he governs,
not their plunderer, [1315b] but their protector, and to affect
the middle rank in life, not one superior to all others: he should,
therefore, associate his nobles with him and soothe his people; for his
government will not only be necessarily more honourable and worthy of
imitation, as it will be over men of worth, and not abject wretches who
perpetually both hate and fear him; but it will be also more durable.
Let him also frame his life so that his manners may be consentaneous
to virtue, or at least let half of them be so, that he may not be
altogether wicked, but only so in part.

CHAPTER XII

Indeed an oligarchy and a tyranny are of all governments of the shortest
duration. The tyranny of Orthagoras and his family at Sicyon, it is
true, continued longer than any other: the reason for which was, that
they used their power with moderation, and were in many particulars
obedient to the laws; and, as Clisthenes was an able general, he never
fell into contempt, and by the care he took that in many particulars his
government should be popular. He is reported also to have presented a
person with a crown who adjudged the victory to another; and some say
that it is the statue of that judge which is placed in the forum.

They say also, that Pisistratus submitted to be summoned into the court
of the Areopagites. The second that we shall mention is the tyranny of
the Cypselidse, at Corinth, which continued seventy-seven years and
six months; for Cypselus was tyrant there thirty years, Periander
forty-four, and Psammetichus, the son of Georgias, three years; the
reason for which was, that Cypselus was a popular man, and governed
without guards. Periander indeed ruled like a tyrant, but then he was an
able general. The third was that of the Pisistradidae at Athens; but it
was not continual: for Pisistratus himself was twice expelled; so that
out of thirt