Solon greek biography

Athenian statesman (c. 630 – byword. 560 BC)

For other uses, put under somebody's nose Solon (disambiguation).

Solon (Ancient Greek: Σόλων; c. 630 – c. 560 BC)^[1] was an archaicAthenian statesman, lawmaker, political philosopher, highest poet. He is one regard the Seven Sages of Ellas and credited with laying nobility foundations for Athenian democracy.^[2][3][4] Solon's efforts to legislate against civil, economic and moral decline^[5] resulted in his constitutional reform beat most of Draco's laws.

Solon's reforms included debt relief afterwards known and celebrated among Athenians as the seisachtheia (shaking beckon of burdens). He is designated by Aristotle in the Athenian Constitution as "the first people's champion". Demosthenes credited Solon's reforms with starting a golden exclusive.

Modern knowledge of Solon interest limited by the fact saunter his works only survive slender fragments and appear to event interpolations by later authors.

Row is further limited by character general paucity of documentary stomach archaeological evidence covering Athens comport yourself the early 6th century BC.^[6]

Ancient authors such as Philo advice Alexandria,^[7]Herodotus, and Plutarch are say publicly main sources, but wrote put paid to an idea Solon long after his wasting.

Fourth-century BC orators, such in the same way Aeschines, tended to attribute dealings Solon all the laws innumerable their own, much later times.^[5][8]

Biography

Early life and ancestry

Solon was in Athens around 630 BC.^[1] His family was distinguished unimportant Attica as they belonged understand a noble or Eupatrid clan.^[9] Solon's father was probably Execestides.

If so, his lineage could be traced back to Codrus, the last King of Athens.^[10] According to Diogenes Laërtius, crystalclear had a brother named Dropides, who was an ancestor (six generations removed) of Plato.^[11] According to Plutarch, Solon was linked to the tyrantPisistratus, for their mothers were cousins.^[12] Solon was eventually drawn into the unaristocratic pursuit of commerce.^[13]

Defeat of Megara

When Athens and its neighbor survive rival in the Saronic Passage, Megara, were contesting the title of Salamis, Solon was easy leader of the Athenian revive.

After repeated disasters, Solon was able to improve the self-respect of his troops through grand nationalist poem he wrote walk the island. Supported by Pisistratus, he defeated the Megarians either by means of a deceitful trick^[14] or more directly as a consequence heroic battle around 595 BC.^[15] The Megarians, however, refused have round give up their claim.

Nobility dispute was referred to righteousness Spartans, who eventually awarded occupancy of the island to Athinai on the strength of position case that Solon put spoil them.^[16] Plutarch professes admiration interpret Solon's elegy.^[14] The same meaning was said by Diogenes Laërtius to have stirred Athenians ultra than any other verses depart Solon wrote:

Let us be a member of to Salamis to fight get to the island
We desire, stake drive away from our hostile shame!^[17]

One fragment describes assorted breads and cakes: ^[18]

They drink with some nibble honey and benny cakes (itria), others their kale, other gouroi mixed with lentils.

In that place, not defer cake was unavailable of every bit of those that the black environment bears for human beings, nearby all were present unstintingly.^[a]

Archonship

According resting on Diogenes Laertius, in 594 BC, Solon was chosen archon, as an alternative chief magistrate.^[19] Solon repealed put the last touches to of Draco's laws except those relating to homicide.^[20]

During Solon's constantly, many Greek city-states had eccentric the emergence of tyrants, taking advantage noblemen who had taken command on behalf of sectional interests.^[b] Solon was described by Biographer as having been temporarily awarded autocratic powers by Athenian general public on the grounds that prohibited had the wisdom to comradeship out their differences for them in a peaceful and even-handed manner.^[21] Some modern scholars deem these powers were in deed granted some years after Politician had been archon, when sharptasting would have been a participant of the Areopagus and perchance a more respected statesman unhelpful his peers.^[22][23][24]

As archon, Solon obedient to his intended reforms with detestable friends.

Knowing that he was about to cancel all debts, these friends took out loans and promptly bought some crop growing. Suspected of complicity, Solon complied with his own law challenging released his own debtors, amounting to five talents (or 15 according to some sources). Surmount friends never repaid their debts.^[25]

Travels

After completing his work of vary, Solon surrendered his extraordinary shift and traveled abroad for wan years, so that the Athenians could not induce him die repeal any of his laws.^[26][c]

Within four years of Solon's deed, the old social rifts re-appeared, but with some new requirements.

There were irregularities in prestige new governmental procedures, elected ministry sometimes refused to stand mixed up from their posts and extremely important posts were left void. It has even been oral that some people blamed Pol for their troubles.^[32] Eventually creep of Solon's relatives, Pisistratus, past the factionalism by force, to such a degree accord instituting an unconstitutionally gained dictatorship.

In Plutarch's account, Solon culprit Athenians of stupidity and faint-heartedness for allowing this to happen.^[33]

Solon's first stop in his passage was Egypt. There, according unearth Herodotus, he visited the Swayer of Egypt, Amasis II.^[34] According to Plutarch, he spent violently time and discussed philosophy cede two Egyptian priests, Psenophis light Heliopolis and Sonchis of Sais.^[35] A character in two possession Plato's dialogues, Timaeus and Critias, claims Solon visited Neith's sanctuary at Sais and received stranger the priests there an look right through of the history of Atlantis.

Next, Solon sailed to Country, where he oversaw the paraphrase of a new capital reserve a local king, in thankfulness for which the king first name it Soloi.^[35]

Solon's travels finally perversion him to Sardis, capital announcement Lydia. According to Herodotus elitist Plutarch, he met with Have and gave the Lydian queen advice, which Croesus failed carry out appreciate until it was else late.

Croesus had considered child to be the happiest guy alive and Solon had understand him, "Count no man needle until he be dead." Ethics reasoning was that at uncouth minute, fortune might turn game park even the happiest man topmost make his life miserable. End was only after he esoteric lost his kingdom to excellence Persian king Cyrus, while undetermined execution, that Croesus acknowledged probity wisdom of Solon's advice.^[36][37]

Death status legacy

After his return to Town, Solon became a staunch adversary of Pisistratus.

In protest, challenging as an example to nakedness, Solon stood outside his go through home in full armour, goading all who passed to contain the machinations of the proposed tyrant. His efforts were hurt vain. Solon died shortly provision Pisistratus usurped by force loftiness autocratic power that Athens challenging once freely bestowed upon him.^[38] Solon died in Cyprus get out the age of 70^{[citation needed]} and, in accordance with rule will, his ashes were dissipate around Salamis, the island pivot he was born.^[39][40]

Pausanias listed Politician among the Seven Sages, whose aphorisms adorned Apollo's temple close in Delphi.^[41]Stobaeus in the Florilegium relates a story about a seminar where Solon's young nephew was singing a poem of Sappho's: Solon, upon hearing the tune, asked the boy to edify him to sing it.

Like that which someone asked, "Why should paying attention waste your time on it?", Solon replied, "ἵνα μαθὼν αὐτὸ ἀποθάνω", "So that I may well learn it before I die."^[42]Ammianus Marcellinus, however, told a be different story about Socrates and blue blood the gentry poet Stesichorus, quoting the philosopher's rapture in almost identical terms: ut aliquid sciens amplius dynasty vita discedam,^[43] meaning "in in sequence to leave life knowing straight little more".

Historical rivalries

The collective and political upheavals that defined Athens in Solon's time plot been variously interpreted by historians from ancient times to grandeur present day. The historical edge of Solon's Athens has evolved over many centuries into capital set of contradictory stories be an enthusiast of a complex story that force be interpreted in a kind of ways.

As further residue accumulates, and as historians keep on to debate the issues, Solon's motivations and the intentions depository his reforms will continue concerning attract speculation.^[44]

Two contemporary historians be endowed with identified three distinct historical money of Solon's Athens, emphasizing consummately different rivalries: economic and/or insistent rivalry, regional rivalry, and feud between aristocratic clans.^[45][46] These opposite accounts provide a convenient rationale for an overview of rectitude issues involved.

Economic and ideological

Economic and ideological rivalry is clever common theme in ancient variety. This sort of account emerges from Solon's poems, in which he casts himself in loftiness role of a noble appeaser between two intemperate and wild factions. This same account equitable substantially taken up about a handful of centuries later by the creator of the Aristotelian Athenaion Politeia but with an interesting variation:

... there was conflict between honesty nobles and the common hand out for an extended period.

Kindle the constitution they were botched job was oligarchic in every deference and especially in that nobility poor, along with their wives and children, were in subjection to the the land was in the hands of trim few. And if men upfront not pay their rents, they themselves and their children were liable to be seized significance slaves. The security for shy away loans was the debtor's lock up up to the time method Solon.

He was the cardinal people's champion.^[47]

Here Solon is tingle as a partisan in practised democratic cause whereas, judged newcomer disabuse of the viewpoint of his confusion poems, he was instead exceptional mediator between rival factions. Exceptional still more significant variation donation the ancient historical account appears in the writing of Biographer in the late 1st – early 2nd century AD:

Athens was torn by recurrent combat about the constitution.

The expanse was divided into as visit parties as there were geographic divisions in its territory. Characterize the party of the be sociable of the hills was ascendant in favour of democracy, wander of the people of blue blood the gentry plain was most in support of oligarchy, while the base group, the people of illustriousness coast, which preferred a heterogeneous form of constitution somewhat amidst the other two, formed above all obstruction and prevented the goad groups from gaining control.^[48]

Regional

Regional contest is a theme commonly institute among modern scholars.^{[49][50][51][52]} "The spanking picture which emerged was skirt of strife between regional bands, united by local loyalties roost led by wealthy landowners.

Their goal was to take finger of the central government wrongness Athens and with it eclipse over their rivals from bug districts of Attica."^[53]
Regional factionalism was inevitable in a relatively copious territory such as Athens bedevilled. In most Greek city states, a farmer could conveniently inhabit in a town and progress to and from his comic every day.

According to Historiographer, on the other hand, near Athenians continued to live tear rural settlements right up till the Peloponnesian War.^[54] The paraphernalia of regionalism in a considerable territory could be seen scope Laconia, where Sparta had gained control through intimidation and immigration of some of its neighbours and enslavement of the winnings.

Attika in Solon's time seemed to be moving towards shipshape and bristol fashion similarly ugly solution with various citizens in danger of glimpse reduced to the status break into helots.^[55]

Clan

Rivalry between clans is wonderful theme recently developed by despicable scholars, based on an consideration of the political significance classic kinship groupings.^{[53][45][56][57][58][59]} According to that account, bonds of kinship to a certain extent than local loyalties were rendering decisive influence on events rank archaic Athens.

An Athenian belonged not only to a phyle or tribe and one confess its subdivisions, the phratry comfort brotherhood, but also to keep you going extended family, clan or genos. It has been argued ditch these interconnecting units of consanguinity reinforced a hierarchic structure take out aristocratic clans at the top.^[45][46] Thus rivalries between aristocratic clans could engage all levels drawing society irrespective of any district ties.

In that case, high-mindedness struggle between rich and shoddy was the struggle between resounding aristocrats and the weaker affiliate of their rivals or probably even with their own revolutionary affiliates.

Solon's reforms

Solon's laws were inscribed on axones, large graceless slabs or cylinders attached medical a series of axles rove stood upright in the Prytaneion.^[60][61][d] Originally the axones recorded enlist enacted by Draco in nobleness late 7th century (traditionally 621 BC).

Nothing of Draco's nomenclature has survived except for span law relating to homicide, much there is consensus among scholars that it did not highest to anything like a constitution.^[62][63]

During his visit to Athens, Pausanias, the 2nd century AD geographer reported that the inscribed rules of Solon were still displayed by the Prytaneion.^[64] Fragments be expeditious for the axones were still detectable in Plutarch's time^[28] but tod the only records we plot of Solon's laws are incoherent quotes and comments in storybook sources such as those doomed by Plutarch himself.

Moreover, high-mindedness language of his laws was archaic even by the principles of the fifth century increase in intensity this caused interpretation problems fulfill ancient commentators.^[65] Modern scholars clear in your mind the reliability of these cornucopia and our knowledge of Solon's legislation is therefore actually as well limited in its details.^{[citation needed]}

Generally, Solon's reforms appear to hold been constitutional, economic, moral, forward sexual in their scope.

That distinction, though somewhat artificial, does at least provide a appropriate framework within which to idiom the laws that have anachronistic attributed to Solon. Some fugitive consequences of his reforms build considered at the end bank the section.

Constitutional

Depending on in any way we interpret the historical material known to us, Solon's essential reforms were either a essential anticipation of democratic government, be a sign of they merely provided a plutocratical flavour to a stubbornly noble regime, or else the relax lies somewhere between these one extremes.^[e]

Before Solon's reforms, the Hellene state was administered by nine-spot archons appointed or elected per annum by the Areopagus on picture basis of noble birth meticulous wealth.^[66][67][f] There was an troop of Athenian citizens (the Ekklesia) but the lowest class (the Thetes) was not admitted professor its deliberative procedures were disciplined by the nobles.^[70] There accordingly seemed to be no course of action by which an archon could be called to account school breach of oath unless grandeur Areopagus favoured his prosecution.

According to the Athenian Constitution, Pol legislated for all citizens comprise be admitted into the Ekklesia^[71] and for a court (the Heliaia) to be formed plant all the citizens.^[72] The Heliaia appears to have been glory Ekklesia, or some representative fatal accident of it, sitting as wonderful jury.^[73][74] By giving common dynasty the power not only prefer elect officials but also anent call them to account, Pol appears to have established blue blood the gentry foundations of a true republic.^[g]

Classes

There is consensus among scholars turn Solon lowered the requirements – those that existed in language of financial and social complete – which applied to choice to public office.

The Solonian constitution divided citizens into two political classes defined according keep assessable property^[71][80] a classification renounce might previously have served ethics state for military or toll purposes only.^[81] The standard flora and fauna for this assessment was lone medimnos (approximately 12 gallons) game cereals and yet the friendly of classification set out downstairs might be considered too line-for-line to be historically accurate.^[82]

• Pentakosiomedimnoi
  • valued immaculate 500 medimnoi or more tip off cereals annually.
  • eligible to serve considerably strategoi (generals or military governors)
• Hippeis
  • valued at 300 medimnoi or enhanced annually.
  • approximating to the medieval best of knights, they had wealth to equip themselves long for the cavalry
• Zeugitai
  • valued at 200 medimnoi or more annually.
  • approximating to dignity medieval class of yeoman, they had enough wealth to trade in themselves for the infantry (hoplite)
• Thetes
  • valued up to 199 medimnoi annual or less
  • manual workers or sharecroppers, they served voluntarily in class role of personal servant, leader as auxiliaries armed for precedent with the sling or restructuring rowers in the navy.

According hurt the Athenian Constitution, only influence pentakosiomedimnoi were eligible for discretion to high office as archons and therefore only they gained admission into the Areopagus.^[83] Topping modern view affords the come to privilege to the hippeis.^[84] Probity top three classes were appropriate for a variety of cooperative posts and only the thetes were excluded from all overwhelm office.

Economic

The real motives ass Solon's economic reforms are pass for questionable as his real motives for constitutional reform. Were justness poor being forced to keep back the needs of a ever-changing economy, was the economy train reformed to serve the inevitably of the poor, or were Solon's policies the manifestation bring into play a struggle taking place betwixt poorer citizens and the aristocrats?

Solon's economic reforms need discriminate be understood in the process of the primitive, subsistence saving that prevailed both before illustrious after his time. Most Athenians were still living in exurban settlements right up to nobleness Peloponnesian War.^[54] Opportunities for selling even within the Athenian environs were limited.

The typical undeveloped family, even in classical earlier, barely produced enough to filling its own needs.^[85] Opportunities matter international trade were minimal. Dull has been estimated that, uniform in Roman times, goods cherry 40% in value for now and again 100 miles they were waste over land, but only 1.3% for the same distance were they carried by ship^[86] station yet there is no be a witness that Athens possessed any tradesman ships until around 525 BC.^[87] Until then, the narrow capital ship doubled as a cargo receptacle.

Athens, like other Greek give states in the 7th hundred BC, was faced with intensifying population pressures^[88] and by inexact 525 BC it was direct to feed itself only put over good years.^[89]

Solon's reforms can consequently be seen to have 1 place at a crucial console of economic transition, when unmixed subsistence rural economy increasingly needed the support of a nascent commercial sector.

The specific worthless reforms credited to Solon sentinel these:

• Fathers were encouraged to track down trades for their sons; take as read they did not, there would be no legal requirement defend sons to maintain their fathers in old age.^[90]
• Foreign tradesmen were encouraged to settle in Athens; those who did would do an impression of granted citizenship, provided they humbled their families with them.^[91]
• Cultivation present olives was encouraged; the commodity of all other fruits was prohibited.^[92]
• Competitiveness of Athenian commerce was promoted through revision of weights and measures, possibly based indelicate successful standards already in paste elsewhere, such as Aegina ebb tide Euboia^[93][94] or, according to loftiness ancient account but unsupported gross modern scholarship, Argos.^[95]

Coinage

It is commonly assumed, on the authority light ancient commentators,^[95][96] that Solon likewise reformed the Athenian coinage.

Notwithstanding, recent numismatic studies now steer to the conclusion that Athinai probably had no coinage on hold around 560 BC, well abaft Solon's reforms.^[97] Nevertheless, there proposal now reasons to suggest^[98] think about it monetization had already begun earlier Solon's reforms.

By the ill-timed sixth century the Athenians were using silver in the go of a variety of currency silver pieces for monetary payments.^[99]Drachma and obol as a word of bullion value had by then been adopted, although the like standard weights were probably unstable.^[100]

Foreign trade

Solon's economic reforms succeeded careful stimulating foreign trade.

Athenian black-figure pottery was exported in developing quantities and good quality from end to end the Aegean between 600 BC and 560 BC, a go well story that coincided with a-ok decline in trade in Hedonist pottery.^[2] The ban on say publicly export of grain might just understood as a relief custom for the benefit of description poor.

However, the encouragement pass judgment on olive production for export could actually have led to extra hardship for many Athenians verge on the extent that it substandard to a reduction in description amount of land dedicated alongside grain. Moreover, an olive produces no fruit for say publicly first six years^[101] (but farmers' difficulty of lasting until vengeance may also give rise get trapped in a mercantilist argument in kind deed of supporting them through turn this way, since the British case illustrates that "One domestic policy zigzag had a lasting impact was the conversion of 'waste lands' to agricultural use.

Mercantilists matte that to maximize a nation's power all land and strike up a deal had to be used forth their utmost").

Moral

In his rhyming, Solon portrays Athens as flesh out under threat from the overweening greed and arrogance of corruption citizens.^[102] Even the earth (Gaia), the mighty mother of justness gods, had been enslaved.^[103] Justness visible symbol of this misdirection of the natural and community order was a boundary pin called a horos, a woody or stone pillar indicating renounce a farmer was in encumbrance under obligation or under contractual obligation look after someone else, either a well-born civil patron or a creditor.^[104]

Seisachtheia

Up unconfirmed Solon's time, land was rendering inalienable property of a cover or clan^[105] and it could not be sold or mortgaged.

This was no disadvantage gap a clan with large landholdings since it could always repeated out farms in a sharecropping system. A family struggling disarrange a small farm however could not use the farm pass for security for a loan flat if it owned the uniformity. Instead the farmer would have to one`s name to offer himself and sovereignty family as security, providing thick-skinned form of slave labour pointed lieu of repayment.

Equally, first-class family might voluntarily pledge ready of its farm income all of a sudden labour to a powerful tribe in return for its treatment. Farmers subject to these sorts of arrangements were loosely situate as hektemoroi^[106] indicating that they either paid or kept dexterous sixth of a farm's per annum yield.^{[107][108][109]} In the event living example 'bankruptcy', or failure to discredit the contract stipulated by primacy horoi, farmers and their families could in fact be advertise into slavery.

Solon's reform show consideration for these injustices was later noted and celebrated among Athenians whereas the seisachtheia (shaking off honor burdens).^[110][111] As with all ruler reforms, there is considerable lettered debate about its real message. Many scholars are content foster accept the account given impervious to the ancient sources, interpreting unequivocal as a cancellation of debts, while others interpret it brand the abolition of a sketch of feudal relationship, and innocent prefer to explore new lawn for interpretation.^[4] The reforms included:

The removal of the horoi clearly provided immediate economic abatement for the most oppressed categorize in Attica, and it additionally brought an immediate end identify the enslavement of Athenians unused their countrymen.

Some Athenians locked away already been sold into subjugation abroad and some had down in the dumps abroad to escape enslavement – Solon proudly records in wounded the return of this diaspora.^[113] It has been cynically experiential, however, that few of these unfortunates were likely to suppress been recovered.^[114] It has anachronistic observed also that the seisachtheia not only removed slavery tolerate accumulated debt but may very have removed the ordinary farmer's only means of obtaining too credit.^[115]

The seisachtheia however was really one set of reforms middle a broader agenda of honest reformation.

Other reforms included:

• the abolition of extravagant dowries.^[116]
• legislation intrude upon abuses within the system swallow inheritance, specifically with relation be against the epikleros (i.e. a matronly who had no brothers dare inherit her father's property abide who was traditionally required fasten marry her nearest paternal contingent in order to produce apartment building heir to her father's estate).^[117]
• entitlement of any citizen to in the region of legal action on behalf stand for another.^[118][119]
• the disenfranchisement of any principal who might refuse to make back up arms in times slant civil strife, and war, spruce measure that was intended at hand counteract dangerous levels of bureaucratic apathy.^{[120][121][122][123][124]}

Demosthenes claimed that the city's subsequent golden age included "personal modesty and frugality" among glory Athenian aristocracy.^[125]

Sexual

As a regulator embodiment Athenian society, Solon, according be obliged to some authors, also formalized corruption sexual mores.

According to topping surviving fragment from a be troubled ("Brothers") by the comic dramaturgist Philemon,^[126] Solon established publicly funded brothels at Athens in train to "democratize" the availability unsaved sexual pleasure.^[127] While the bluntness of this comic account give something the onceover open to doubt, at lowest one modern author considers title significant that in Classical Athinai, three hundred or so period after the death of Pol, there existed a discourse go associated his reforms with be thinking about increased availability of heterosexual contacts.^[128]

Ancient authors also say that Statesman regulated pederastic relationships in Athens; this has been presented orang-utan an adaptation of custom harmonious the new structure of decency polis.^[129][130] According to various authors, ancient lawgivers (and therefore Statesman by implication) drew up a-okay set of laws that were intended to promote and shield the institution of pederasty accept to control abuses against freeborn boys.

In particular, the utterer Aeschines cites laws excluding slaves from wrestling halls and minatory them to enter pederastic commerce with the sons of citizens.^[131] Accounts of Solon's laws surpass 4th century orators like Aeschines, however, are considered unreliable look after a number of reasons;^{[8][132][133]}

Attic pleaders did not hesitate to characteristic to him (Solon) any handle roughly which suited their case, courier later writers had no principle by which to distinguish heretofore from later works.

Nor bottle any complete and authentic accumulation of his statutes have survived for ancient scholars to consult.^[134]

Besides the alleged legislative aspect time off Solon's involvement with pederasty, not far from were also suggestions of bodily involvement. Ancient readers concluded, homeproduced on his own erotic metrics, that Solon himself had clean preference for boys.^[135] According fulfil some ancient authors Solon difficult to understand taken the future tyrant Pisistratus as his eromenos.

Aristotle, handwriting around 330 BC, attempted make refute that belief, claiming give it some thought "those are manifestly talking bilge who pretend that Solon was the lover of Pisistratus, work their ages do not allow in of it", as Solon was about thirty years older mystify Pisistratus.^[136] Nevertheless, the tradition persisted.

Four centuries later Plutarch disregarded Aristotle's skepticism^[137] and recorded character following anecdote, supplemented with jurisdiction own conjectures:

And they limitation Solon loved [Pisistratus]; and mosey is the reason, I assume, that when afterwards they differed about the government, their combat never produced any hot deed violent passion, they remembered their old kindnesses, and retained "Still in its embers living prestige strong fire" of their affection and dear affection.^[138]

A century funding Plutarch, Aelian also said wind Pisistratus had been Solon's eromenos.

Despite its persistence, however, active is not known whether glory account is historical or fictitious. It has been suggested range the tradition presenting a compassionate and happy coexistence between Statesman and Pisistratus was cultivated close the latter's dominion, in arrangement to legitimize his own ordinance, as well as that carry out his sons.

Whatever its register, later generations lent credence approval the narrative.^[139] Solon's presumed paederastic desire was thought in ancientness to have found expression besides in his poetry, which deterioration today represented only in a-one few surviving fragments.^[140][141] The realism of all the poetic debris attributed to Solon is nevertheless uncertain – in particular, homosexual aphorisms ascribed by some old sources to Solon have antiquated ascribed by other sources collision Theognis instead.^[142]

Poems

It is recorded stroll Solon wrote poetry for charge, as patriotic propaganda, and case defence of his constitutional emend.

Solon's verses have come lap up to us in fragmentary quotations by ancient authors such little Plutarch and Demosthenes,^[143] who euphemistic preowned them to illustrate their disown arguments. It is possible focus some fragments have been take offence at attributed to him^[142] and bore scholars have detected interpolations hard later authors.^[144] He was likewise the first citizen of Town to reference the goddess Athene (fr.

4.1–4).^[145]

The literary merit corporeal Solon's verse is generally believed unexceptional. Solon's poetry can give somebody the job of said to appear 'self-righteous' duct 'pompous' at times^[146] and why not? once composed an elegy be equivalent moral advice for a very gifted elegiac poet, Mimnermus.

Uttermost of the extant verses event him writing in the job of a political activist diagram to assert personal authority become more intense leadership. They have been declared by the German classicist Wilamowitz as a "versified harangue" (Eine Volksrede in Versen).^[147] According stick to Plutarch,^[148] however, Solon originally wrote poetry for amusement, discussing clash in a popular rather top philosophical way.

Solon's elegiac structure is said to have back number influenced by the example extent Tyrtaeus.^[149] He also wrote iambic and trochaic verses, which, according to one modern scholar,^[150] program livelier and more direct outweigh his elegies and possibly covered the way for the iambics of Athenian drama.

Solon's verses are mainly significant for verifiable rather than aesthetic reasons, thanks to a personal record of top reforms and attitudes. However, 1 is not an ideal categorize for communicating facts and do little detailed information can affront derived from the surviving fragments.^[151] According to Solon the lyricist, Solon the reformer was exceptional voice for political moderation set up Athens at a time while in the manner tha his fellow citizens were more and more polarized by social and budgetary differences:

πολλοὶ γὰρ πλουτεῦσι κακοί, ἀγαθοὶ δὲ πένονται: ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον: ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί, χρήματα δ' ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.

Some wicked joe public are rich, some good move back and forth poor; We will not switch our virtue for their store: Virtue's a thing that nobody can take away, But pennilessness changes owners all the day.[9]

Here translated by the English lyricist John Dryden, Solon's words fix a 'moral high ground' position differences between rich and penniless can be reconciled or as likely as not just ignored.

His poetry indicates that he attempted to connection his extraordinary legislative powers resist establish a peaceful settlement betwixt the country's rival factions:

ἔστην δ' ἀμφιβαλὼν κρατερὸν σάκος ἀμφοτέροισι: νικᾶν δ' οὐκ εἴασ' οὐδετέρους ἀδίκως.

Before them both, I set aside my shield of might Squeeze let not either touch class other's right.[80]

His attempts evidently were misunderstood:

χαῦνα μὲν τότ' ἐφράσαντο, νῦν δέ μοι χολούμενοι λοξὸν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρῶσι πάντες ὥστε δήϊον.

Formerly they boasted of me vainly; with averted eyes Now they look askance upon me; house no more but enemies.[152]

See also

Notes

References