Constitution of the Athenians

​XV. Thus his first return came about in this way. After this, when he was expelled for the second time about the seventh year after his return (for he did not hold power for a long time, but because he was unwilling to associate with Megacles’ daughter, fearing both factions, he withdrew), first he founded a settlement around the Thermaic Gulf at a place called Rhaecelus, and from there he passed to the regions around Mt. Pangaeum. Having made money from there and hired soldiers, he came to Eretria, and in the eleventh year again he attempted for the first time then to recover his rule by force, with many others zealously supporting him, especially the Thebans and Lygdamis of Naxos, and furthermore the Knights who held the government in Eretria. And having won the battle at Pallene and taken the city, and having disarmed the people, he now held the tyranny securely; and having captured Naxos, he established Lygdamis as ruler. He disarmed the people in the following manner. Having held an inspection of arms at the Theseum, he attempted to address the assembly and spoke for a short time; when they said they could not hear, he ordered them to go up to the Propylaea of the Acropolis, so that his voice might carry better. While he spent time haranguing them, those appointed for this task picked up the arms, locked them up in the neighboring buildings of the Theseum, and coming to Peisistratus, signaled that it was done. And when he finished the rest of his speech, he spoke also about what had happened to the arms, saying that they should not be surprised or discouraged, but should go home and mind their own business, while he himself would take care of all public affairs.

​XVI. Thus Peisistratus’ tyranny was established from the beginning in this manner and experienced so many vicissitudes. And Peisistratus administered, as has been said, the affairs of the city moderately and in a constitutional rather than tyrannical manner; for in other respects he was humane, gentle, and forgiving to offenders, and in particular he advanced money to the needy for their work, so that they might support themselves by farming. And he did this for two reasons: so that they would not spend time in the city but be scattered throughout the country, and so that, being comfortably off with moderate means and occupied with their private affairs, they would neither desire nor have leisure to attend to public affairs. At the same time, it resulted for him that revenues became greater as the land was cultivated; for he levied a tithe on the produce. Therefore he also established the local judges, and he himself often went out into the country inspecting and settling disputes, so that they would not neglect their work by coming down to the city. For during such an inspection tour made by Peisistratus, they say that the incident occurred concerning the man farming on Hymettus in the place later called “Tax-free.” For seeing someone digging and working among pure rocks, in astonishment he ordered his servant to ask what was produced from the plot; and the man said, “Nothing but troubles and pains, and of these troubles and pains Peisistratus must take his tithe.” Now the man gave this answer not knowing who he was, but Peisistratus was pleased with his frankness and industry and made him free of all taxes. Nor did he harass the populace in other respects during his rule, but always provided peace and preserved quiet; wherefore it was commonly said that the tyranny of Peisistratus was the age of Cronus; for later, when his sons succeeded him, the rule became much harsher. And the greatest of all the things mentioned was that he was democratic and humane in disposition. For in general he wished to administer all things according to the laws, granting no privilege to himself; and once, when summoned to the Areopagus on a charge of homicide, he himself appeared to defend himself, but the accuser took fright and abandoned the case. Wherefore he also remained in power for a long time, and whenever he was expelled he easily recovered it again. For the majority of both the notables and the common people were willing to have him; for he won over the former by his social intercourse and the latter by his help in their private affairs, and was well-disposed by nature toward both. The laws of the Athenians concerning tyrants were also mild at those times, both the others and especially the one pertaining to the establishment of a tyranny. For this was their law: “These are the customs and ancestral laws of the Athenians: if any persons rise up to establish a tyranny, or join in setting up a tyranny, let him and his family be outlawed.”