§5.1315bὅτι δεῖ μὴ τυραννικὸν ἀλλʼ οἰκονόμον καὶ βασιλικὸν εἶναι φαίνεσθαι τοῖς ἀρχομένοις καὶ μὴ σφετεριστὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπίτροπον, καὶ τὰς μετριότητας τοῦ βίου διώκειν, μὴ τὰς ὑπερβολάς, ἔτι δὲ τοὺς μὲν γνωρίμους καθομιλεῖν, τοὺς δὲ πολλοὺς δημαγωγεῖν.
namely, that he must appear to his subjects to be not a tyrant but a steward and a kingly ruler, and not a usurper but a trustee, and to pursue moderation in life, not excess, and moreover to associate with the notables, and to win over the multitude.
ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἀναγκαῖον οὐ μόνον τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναι καλλίω καὶ ζηλωτοτέραν τῷ βελτιόνων ἄρχειν καὶ μὴ τεταπεινωμένων μηδὲ μισούμενον καὶ φοβούμενον διατελεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναι πολυχρονιωτέραν, ἔτι δʼ αὐτὸν διακεῖσθαι κατὰ τὸ ἦθος ἤτοι καλῶς πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἢ ἡμίχρηστον ὄντα, καὶ μὴ πονηρὸν ἀλλʼ ἡμιπόνηρον.
For from these things it is necessary not only that his rule be more beautiful and more enviable, because he rules over better people and not those who have been humbled, and does not continue to be hated and feared, but also that his rule be longer-lasting, and moreover, that he himself is disposed in character either well toward virtue or being half-good, and not wicked but half-wicked.
καίτοι πασῶν ὀλιγοχρονιώταται τῶν πολιτειῶν εἰσιν ὀλιγαρχία καὶ τυραννίς.
And yet, of all constitutions, the shortest-lived are oligarchy and tyranny.
πλεῖστον γὰρ ἐγένετο χρόνον ἡ περὶ Σικυῶνα τυραννίς, ἡ τῶν Ὀρθαγόρου παίδων καὶ αὐτοῦ Ὀρθαγόρου· ἔτη δʼ αὕτη διέμεινεν ἑκατόν.
For the longest-lasting was the tyranny around Sicyon, that of the sons of Orthagoras and of Orthagoras himself; and this remained for a hundred years.
τούτου δʼ αἴτιον ὅτι τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐχρῶντο μετρίως καὶ πολλὰ τοῖς νόμοις ἐδούλευον, καὶ διὰ τὸ πολεμικὸς γενέσθαι Κλεισθένης οὐκ ἦν εὐκαταφρόνητος, καὶ τὰ πολλὰ ταῖς ἐπιμελείαις ἐδημαγώγουν.
And the cause of this was that they treated their subjects with moderation and in many things were servants to the laws, and because Cleisthenes was warlike he was not easy to despise, and in most things they won over the multitude by their cares.
λέγεται γοῦν Κλεισθένης τὸν ἀποκρίναντα τῆς νίκης αὐτὸν ὡς ἐστεφάνωσεν· ἔνιοι δʼ εἰκόνα φασὶν εἶναι τοῦ κρίναντος οὕτως τὸν ἀνδριάντα τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ καθήμενον.
At any rate, Cleisthenes is said to have crowned the judge who decided against him in a victory; and some say that the statue sitting in the marketplace is a likeness of the judge who decided thus.
φασὶ δὲ καὶ Πεισίστρατον ὑπομεῖναί ποτε προσκληθέντα δίκην εἰς Ἄρειον πάγον.
And they say also that Peisistratus once submitted when summoned to a trial before the Areopagus.
δευτέρα δὲ ἡ περὶ Κόρινθον ἡ τῶν Κυψελιδῶν· καὶ γὰρ αὕτη διετέλεσεν ἔτη τρία καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ ἓξ μῆνας· Κύψελος μὲν γὰρ ἐτυράννησεν ἔτη τριάκοντα, Περίανδρος δὲ τετταράκοντα καὶ τέτταρα, Ψαμμίτιχος δʼ ὁ Γορδίου τρία ἔτη.
And second is the tyranny around Corinth, that of the Cypselids; for this also lasted seventy-three years and six months; for Cypselus was tyrant for thirty years, Periander for forty-four, and Psammetichus the son of Gordias for three years.
τὰ δʼ αἴτια ταὐτὰ καὶ ταύτης· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Κύψελος δημαγωγὸς ἦν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν διετέλεσεν ἀδορυφόρητος, Περίανδρος δʼ ἐγένετο μὲν τυραννικός, ἀλλὰ πολεμικός.
And the causes of this were the same; for Cypselus was a leader of the people and continued during his rule without a bodyguard, while Periander became tyrannical but was warlike.
τρίτη δʼ ἡ τῶν Πεισιστρατιδῶν Ἀθήνησιν.
And third is the tyranny of the Peisistratids at Athens.
οὐκ ἐγένετο δὲ συνεχής· δὶς γὰρ ἔφυγε Πεισίστρατος τυραννῶν· ὥστʼ ἐν ἔτεσι τριάκοντα καὶ τρισὶν ἑπτακαίδεκα ἔτη τούτων ἐτυράννησεν, ὀκτωκαίδεκα δὲ οἱ παῖδες, ὥστε τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο ἔτη τριάκοντα καὶ πέντε.
But it was not continuous; for Peisistratus twice fled while being tyrant; so that within thirty-three years he was tyrant for seventeen of them, and his sons for eighteen, so that the whole came to thirty-five years.
τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἡ περὶ Ἱέρωνα καὶ Γέλωνα περὶ Συρακούσας.
And of the rest, that of Hieron and Gelon around Syracuse.
ἔτη δʼ οὐδʼ αὕτη πολλὰ διέμεινεν, ἀλλὰ τὰ σύμπαντα δυεῖν δέοντα εἴκοσι· Γέλων μὲν γὰρ ἑπτὰ τυραννήσας τῷ ὀγδόῳ τὸν βίον ἐτελεύτησεν, δέκα δʼ Ἱέρων, Θρασύβουλος δὲ τῷ ἑνδεκάτῳ μηνὶ ἐξέπεσεν.
But this also did not last many years, but in all two years short of twenty; for Gelon, having been tyrant for seven years, ended his life in the eighth, and Hieron for ten, while Thrasybulus was expelled in his eleventh month.
αἱ δὲ πολλαὶ τῶν τυραννίδων ὀλιγοχρόνιαι πᾶσαι γεγόνασι παντελῶς.
And most of the tyrannies have all been completely short-lived.
τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τὰς πολιτείας καὶ τὰ περὶ τὰς μοναρχίας, ἐξ ὧν τε φθείρονται καὶ πάλιν σῴζονται, σχεδὸν εἴρηται περὶ πάντων.
Thus, the matters concerning constitutions and those concerning monarchies, from what causes they are destroyed and again preserved, have been almost fully discussed for all of them.