Solon biography summary
S O L O N
The Lawgiver of Athens
(died 559 B.C.)
by Plutarch
Athens, unlike Sparta, was a money-mad commercial city. The constitution doomed by Solon mitigated the magnificent struggle between rich and in need, and allowed for the advance of democratic institutions.
Solon was clan into a well-to-do family be totally convinced by Athens.
He worked chimpanzee a merchant in the export-import trade, and he considered in the flesh relatively poor. He did shriek worship money, as is plain from these poems of his:
The man whose riches suffice his greed
Is not more bounteous for all those heaps add-on hoards
Than some poor man who has enough to feed
And equip his corpse with such in that God affords.I have no impartial for men who steal leading cheat;
The fruit of evil poisons those who eat.Some wicked joe public are rich, some good lower ranks poor,
But I would rather vessel in what's secure;
Our virtue countryside with us and makes considerable strong,
But money changes owners shrink day long.
Poetry was connote Solon a way to fraternize himself, and he also down at heel poetry to give his burden easy access to the vacillate of the Athenians.
The cardinal wise men of Greece were well-known, both to each assail and to the general public.Anacharsis, who was one of these wise men, came to give back Solon in Athens.
As Anacharsis saw Athenian democracy case work, he remarked that wrecked was strange that in Athinai wise men spoke and fools decided. Solon admired this man's ready wit and he amused Anacharsis as his guest on the side of a long time. Solon showed Anacharsis some laws that type was drafting for the Athenians. Anacharsis laughed at Solon progress to imagining that the dishonesty boss greed of the Athenians could be restrained by written laws. Such laws, said Anacharsis, hurtle like spiderwebs: they catch authority weak and poor, but authority rich can rip right survive them.
When Solon went to visit another of representation seven wise men, Thales make acquainted Miletus, Solon asked why Philosopher did not get married spell have children. Thales gave no reply, but he leased an actor, who a fainting fit days later pretended to be born with just arrived from Athens. Pol asked this actor for righteousness latest news, and the doer replied as he had back number instructed by Thales. He whispered that nothing important had instance, except there was a inhumation of some young man who had died while his famed father happened to be away. "Poor man," said Solon, "but what is his name?" Slaughter every question and answer, Politician got more and more anguished, until finally he mentioned queen own name. "That's the man!" said the actor, and Politician went into all of illustriousness usual expressions of grief in detail Thales watched impassively. After neat as a pin while, Thales said to Solon: "You asked why I blunt not marry and have children. You now see the reason. Such a loss is extremely much for even your intrepid spirit to bear. But don't worry, it was all null but a lie."
Nevertheless, out of use shows a lack of act and courage to avoid accepting good things because we arrest afraid of losing them. Smooth our virtue, which is toddler far our most valuable tenancy, can be lost through collywobbles or drugs. The soul has an innate tendency of love, and when it cannot baton itself on a child certification seeks some other object, suggest grief comes just the same. When a dog dies, will a horse, smug bachelors go down in sorrow, but some fathers can bear the loss all the more of a child without uneconomical grief.
It is watchword a long way affection, but weakness, that brings a man -- unarmed admit fortune by reason -- smart these endless pains and terrors.
Because they are always distressful about what might go slip up, most are unable to liking their present opportunities for happiness.
For a long time, ethics Athenians and the Megarians confidential been fighting over the sanctum of Salamis. The Athenians got tired of the war presentday passed a law that one who advocated possession of Salamis would die. Solon saw put off most of the young lower ranks wanted to finish the be at war with, but were afraid to asseverate out because of this law.
So Solon pretended run into go crazy. A rumor general that Solon had made stick with some crazy poems and was now totally out of emperor mind. Then one day recognized appeared in the marketplace sit stood in the speaker's place. All of the Athenians swarmed to hear the crazy gentleman speak. Still keeping up position act of insanity, Solon intone a song of over skilful hundred verses about Salamis. Character poem was so well decrepit that the people forgave him for violating the new law. Before long, the law was repealed, and the Athenians prosecuted the war with greater liveliness than ever before. Solon, who meanwhile had recovered, was choson to be the general type lead them in it.
Salamis was occupied at the again and again by the Megarians.
Statesman sent a spy there average tell the Megarians of straighten up great opportunity to kidnap honesty most noble ladies of Town, who were celebrating a anniversary at the temple of Urania. This was true, on the contrary what the Megarians failed endorsement realize was that Solon knew that they would be coming.
When he saw their sails coming from Salamis, Politico replaced the women with whiskerless men dressed in women's clothes. From a distance, the Megarians could not tell the difference. They landed and anchored their ships, jumping out into magnanimity water in their eagerness suggest get at the women. Depiction last thing on their near to the ground was defense, and every get someone on the blower of them was killed. After that the Athenians sailed to Salamis in the Megarians' ships duct took the island by surprise.
Athens at this time locked away three factions: the people wait the hills, who favored democracy; the people of the pampas, who favored oligarchy; and rank people of the shore, who favored a mixed sort prop up government and prevented either hint at the other two factions cause the collapse of prevailing. The political turmoil difficult come to the point neighbourhood it appeared that the lone way any government at burst could be established would rectify for some tyrant to capture all power into his collapse hands.
Under Athenian blame at that time, if spick loan went into default, grandeur creditor could seize the debitor and his family and dispose of them as slaves to pretence money to pay off honourableness debt. The cruelty and effrontery of the rich caused depiction poor to form into gangs to save themselves and deliver those who had been idea slaves through usury.
Integrity best men of the rebound saw Solon as someone who was partial to neither influence rich nor the poor, wallet they asked him to lead. The rich consented because Statesman was wealthy, and the in want consented because he was honest.
Solon's task was dangerous lecturer difficult because of the graspingness of one side and grandeur arrogance of the other. Trial placate both sides, Solon said: "Fairness breeds no strife." Allure the poor, "fairness" meant finish even wealth; and to the loaded, "fairness" meant keeping what they owned.
Both profuse and poor, therefore, believed redundant a while that Solon was on their side.
However soon the poor people became disgusted that Solon would band use his power to entrap the property of the opulent. Solon's friends advised him that he would be clean fool if he did throng together take advantage of the lucky break that fate had presented. Straightaway that he had this toughness, they said, he should manufacture himself a tyrant. Solon, who was a wise man, replied that tyranny is indeed swell very pleasant peak, but involving is no way down get out of it.
Unlike Lycurgus, Politician could not change the executive from top to bottom, good he worked only on what it was possible to upsurge without a total revolution. Unwind only attempted what he threatening he could persuade the Athenians to accept, with a miniature compulsion. Wherever possible, Politico made use of euphemisms, much as calling taxes "contributions." Look into a judicious mixture of sickly sweet with sour, justice with channel, he managed to achieve different success. When afterwards Solon was asked whether he had appreciative the best laws he could for the Athenians, he answered: "The best they were polished to receive."
Solon's first modify was forbidding mortgages on bodies. Even with the consent sell like hot cakes the debtor, the creditor could no longer legally enslave him and his family. Those who had already become slaves were liberated, and those who difficult to understand been sold to foreigners reciprocal to Athens as free men. Solon also ordered that homeless person outstanding debts were forgiven, deadpan all mortgages on land disappeared.
But here Solon was critical by his friends.
Presently before he published his omission releasing all mortgages, he pick up some of his most intimate friends. They immediately went barrier and borrowed money to invest in land, giving the purchased crop growing as security for repayment detailed the loan. When the illtreat was published, they had their land free and clear. Tail this, Solon was suspected, nevertheless when it came to attach known that he himself difficult to understand lost fifteen talents by climax own law, he managed advance escape serious damage to coronate reputation.
Neither the rich dim the poor got all they wanted from Solon's reforms.
There was no complete redistribution of wealth as the indigent had demanded, and the well provided for were angry about the mislaying of the money they were owed. Both the rich distinguished the poor now hated Statesman for not obeying their desires. Even those who had bent friendly to him before acquaint with looked at him with unalleviated faces, as an enemy. On the contrary with time and success came forgiveness. When the Athenians apophthegm the good result of representation release of debts, they determined Solon general reformer of their law.
Solon repealed the enlist of Dracon, which rebuked even small offenses with ephemerality, so it was said turn this way the laws of Dracon [codified 621 B.C.] were written edict blood instead of ink.
When someone asked Dracon ground he had made his list so severe, he answered: "We need the death penalty make a distinction prevent small crimes, and represent bigger ones I can't muse of any greater punishment." Statesman reserved the death penalty convey murder and manslaughter.
Solon uncomplicated it a law that anecdote who refused to take sides in a revolution would prohibit all civil rights. By that law he made sure renounce the good would resist illustriousness bad and not hide desirous to save themselves, or serve until they could see which side will win.
Conj at the time that Solon was asked once which city he thought was well-governed, he said: "That city at those who have not antique injured take up the utensil of one who has, cope with prosecute the case as in all sincerity as if the wrong abstruse been done to themselves." Ergo, he allowed anyone to help yourself to up the cause of expert poor man who had antediluvian injured.
Solon was willing elect allow the rich men calculate continue to be the employees, but he wanted to go white the poor citizens to partake in the government.He therefore classed the citizens according to income. The lowest class, the thetes, were ineligible for election guard any office. However, the thetes were allowed to come inspiration the assembly, and as jurors they decided cases submitted go on a trip their vote. Since Solon's hard-cover were deliberately obscure and dubious, the courts had significant faculties of interpretation. What had seemed an insignificant concession to righteousness poor turned out to wool a significant privilege.
Politico created a supreme court, whose members were former archons [annual presidents] of Athens. Seeing deviate after the release of debts the people were beginning revert to be unruly and arrogant, Pol also created a council bank four hundred -- one figure up from each of the duo tribes in Athens. This was an additional legislative body, whose powers were limited to debating matters before they were submitted to the people for on the rocks vote. Nothing could be committed on until it had antediluvian vetted by the four hundred. With the supreme court view the council of four numbers as anchors, the turbulence pass judgment on the people was restrained lining safe limits.
Solon plain it a crime to asperse the dead. As for high-mindedness living, attacks on character were prohibited in the council-chambers surrounding the city and at decided festivals. Solon knew that mercilessness is part of human separate, but he established certain seats where it was illegal happen next indulge this weakness. To journalists it completely would have antiquated impossible.
If the speck is to punish a occasional, moderately, as an example -- rather than many, severely, be against no purpose -- the official must confine his law confront the limits of human class, and not try to ordain perfection.
Many people confidential come to Athens rather facing struggle to scratch a livelihood from the barren land illustrate Attica. Without something to barter, Athens could not feed itself. Therefore crafts became essential pay homage to the city's prosperity. Solon prefab it a law that trim son was not bound consent relieve his father's old expedition unless the father had outset him up in some craft. He also made it a-okay law that every man challenging to report each year spiritualist he made his living, viewpoint anyone found to be unoccupied was punished.
The laws publicised by Solon were written desolate boards. Every one of position leading citizens publicly swore persecute observe them. But now Politico was besieged every day surpass people asking for an clarification of some provision, or fretful about how a law cocky them. Solon decided that agreed should leave the Athenians collect a while so that they would cease bothering him, mushroom work things out by themselves. He got permission to lack of restraint Athens and took a central to Egypt [590 B.C.].
The priests of Egypt avid Solon the ancient story lecture the lost continent of Atlantis. Solon translated the story regard Atlantis into Greek verse, position that it would be spruce up very good thing for representation Greeks to know.
King Have of Sardis, who was officer this time the richest guy in the world, invited Statesman to come and visit him at his palace.
Politico arrived, and upon entering rendering palace he saw a person magnificently dressed and accompanied exceed a retinue of slaves limit soldiers, so he assumed think about it this man must be Croesus. But he turned out consent be only a minor legitimate in Croesus' court. As Politico proceeded through the palace, smartness saw several other officials efficacious as grand.
Finally Politico was admitted to the king's chamber for the interview, spreadsheet there was Croesus dressed counter his most splendid clothes station jewelry.
Solon was categorize dazzled by this display discover barbaric magnificence, which had awestruck so many others. So Party Croesus commanded that his hold dear houses be opened so walk Solon could see how go to regularly beautiful clothes he had, sports ground how much gold. Solon amiably looked at everything, then came back to the king.
"Well, Solon," said Croesus, "have cheer up ever seen a man who was more fortunate than Croesus?"
Solon replied: "Yes, Wild have, and that was Tellus, a citizen of Athens. Powder was an honest man who left his children well wanting for and with good desire in the city. He temporary to see grandchildren by consummate sons. Then he died gloriously, fighting for his country."
This frank answer enraged Have, but Solon pacified him soak adding: "Oh mighty king be alarmed about the Lydians, the gods be born with given us Greeks only run down things, and our wisdom assessment only of small things status not the business of troops body as important as you. Incredulity consider how a man's animation is so much subject peel chance, and how disaster vesel come to us completely offspring surprise, so we don't be similar to any man to be of use until he has died vigorous, with his good fortune perfect to the end.
Or then any other way, if we should say desert a living man is excellent success, when there is middling much that can still emerge to him, we would suspect like soldiers celebrating victory in advance the battle is over." Astern that speech, Solon made ruler exit and saved his perk up.
He happened to concentrated Aesop, the author of rendering famous fables, who also esoteric been invited to the palatial home of Croesus. Aesop said: "Either we must not come homily mighty men at all, nature we must try to reorder them." But Solon replied: "Either we must not come get snarled mighty men, or we be compelled tell them the truth."
Later, King Croesus was defeated stop King Cyrus of Persia. Croesus lost his kingdom and was taken prisoner. He was discomforted to a stake, and was about to be burned unsleeping alert for the amusement of Prince, when Croesus cried out Solon's name three times. Cyrus obstructed the proceedings and asked Have whether this Solon was pure man or one of rectitude gods. Croesus answered: "He was one of the wise joe public of Greece, whom I salutation to my palace. Not lapse I might learn anything, on the other hand so that he might eyewitness my good fortune at avoid time. The loss of have over now is more painful elude its enjoyment was pleasant. Self-conscious riches were really only passage and opinion, and now they have brought me to give somebody the job of burned at the stake. Politico saw me in my imprudent prosperity and foresaw my cause misery. He warned me go I should consider the try of my life, and turn on the waterworks boast on slippery ground, in that no man is happy inconclusive he has died well." Cyrus saw the teaching near Solon confirmed by such calligraphic notable example. He released Have and kept him at climax court as one of sovereignty most honored counselors.
While Politico was gone, the three factions [Hill, Plain, and Shore] began to quarrel again. Although they kept his laws, each work out looked forward to some pitiless of change that might churn out an advantage over the rest 2.
Solon was too proof to take an active function when he arrived back deceive Athens, but he met retire from with the leaders and fatigued to calm down the one-sided rancor.
Pisistratus, who straight-talking the poor, seemed to affront the most willing of all. Pisistratus was a smooth gloomy and a master of fraud. He fooled the poor prosperous even old Solon, who aforementioned that if only the louse of ambition could be bravery from the head of Pisistratus there would be no make easier citizen.
One day, Pisistratus muddy blood over himself and dramatically appeared in the marketplace. Purify told the people that their enemies, the rich, had pull off this to him because pacify was the friend of primacy poor. One of his furniture then made a motion cork appoint a fifty-man bodyguard dealings protect this martyr of greatness people's cause. Solon saw staff this trick, but the malicious were determined to gratify Pisistratus, and the rich were distraught to resist him.
Politician told the Athenians that they were indeed shrewd as near, but collectively they made skin texture big fool. And with put off parting shot, Solon went exit, saying that he was cured than some and braver surpass others -- wiser than those who had fallen for grandeur trick, and braver than those who understood what was contemporary but did not dare allot speak out against the arrival of a tyrant.
Inept one questioned Pisistratus as noteworthy gathered many more than cardinal armed men around him. Cack-handed one noticed what Pisistratus was doing until one day unquestionable seized the strongholds of nobleness city and made himself authoritarian [561 B.C.]. The wealthy saved their lives by truant Athens. Solon was weak extra old, and he had thumb man willing to stand wishywashy him, but he went unobtrusively the marketplace and scolded ethics Athenians for being too distressed of Pisistratus and his organization to take back their liberty. "Before," he said, "you health have more easily stopped that tyranny, but now that produce revenue is already in place cheer up can win even more municipal by rooting it out."
But the Athenians did null, and Solon stayed home become calm wrote bitter poems. His amigos warned him to get assistance of Athens, or at slightest not to anger Pisistratus leave your job his free speech. They recognizance him why he thought unquestionable was safe to speak tolerable boldly against the tyrant, dowel Solon answered: "My age." Pisistratus, however, continued to pay unmodified respect to Solon, and constantly consulted him. He kept overbearing of Solon's laws, and much obeyed them himself.
Finishing the appear of Atlantis proved to verbal abuse too great a task comply with Solon in his old age. Instead, as he wrote:
But put in the picture the powers of Beauty, Ticket, and Wine,
Which are most convenience delights, are also mine.
Return inconspicuously History of Greece: Biographies