ies for their grumblings in the times
that followed:

Nay, if one must lay blame where blame is due,
Wer't not for me, the people ne'er had set
Their eyes upon these blessings e'en in dreams:
While greater men, the men of wealthier life,
Should praise me and should court me as their friend.

For had any other man, he says, received this exalted post,

He had not kept the people back, nor ceased
Til he had robbed the richness of the milk.
But I stood forth a landmark in the midst,
And barred the foes from battle.

Part 13

Such then, were Solon's reasons for his departure from the country.
After his retirement the city was still torn by divisions. For four
years, indeed, they lived in peace; but in the fifth year after Solon's
government they were unable to elect an Archon on account of their
dissensions, and again four years later they elected no Archon for the
same reason. Subsequently, after a similar period had elapsed, Damasias
was elected Archon; and he governed for two years and two months, until
he was forcibly expelled from his office. After this, it was agreed, as
a compromise, to elect ten Archons, five from the Eupatridae, three
from the Agroeci, and two from the Demiurgi, and they ruled for the
year following Damasias. It is clear from this that the Archon was at
the time the magistrate who possessed the greatest power, since it is
always in connexion with this office that conflicts are seen to arise.
But altogether they were in a continual state of internal disorder.
Some found the cause and justification of their discontent in the
abolition of debts, because thereby they had been reduced to poverty;
others were dissatisfied with the political constitution, because it
had undergone a revolutionary change; while with others the motive was
found in personal rivalries among themselves. The parties at this time
were three in number. First there was the party of the Shore, led by
Megacles the son of Alcmeon, which was considered to aim at a moderate
form of government; then there were the men of the Plain, who desired
an oligarchy and were led by Lycurgus; and thirdly there were the men
of the Highlands, at the head of whom was Pisistratus, who was looked
on as an extreme democrat. This latter party was reinforced by those
who had been deprived of the debts due to them, from motives of
poverty, and by those who were not of pure descent, from motives of
personal apprehension. A pro