4. Solon's father was a rich man, but by his kindness to his many friends, and by his great generosity, he ruined his estates and left Solon to make his own fortune.

5. Solon was too independent to accept the assistance of his many rich friends, and he therefore began to consider what he should do to make money enough to pay the claims on the estate.

6. At last he concluded to engage in trade. This was the occasion of his going to other countries, and, doubtless, added greatly to the wisdom for which he became so renowned.

7. For some years he traveled, studied the customs of different nations, and increased his wealth until he was again classed among the rich; but during this time he had lived modestly, had dealt honestly with all, had been generous to the poor, and had become known among the Athenians as wise and just.

8. While engaged in business he had also gained a reputation as a poet, and his verses were read and recited and admired through all Greece. We know, however, little of his poetry, but his reputation as a lawgiver is spoken of all over the world.

9. His first public act was the taking of Salamis, an island to which the Athenians laid claim, and which they had fought for many times.

10. It was at this time held by the Megarians;

and the Athenians, weary of war, had decreed that any man who said that Athens ought to take Salamis should be put to death.

11. Solon thought that it ought to be taken, and knew that thousands of the young Athenians were anxious to begin the war. He feigned insanity, and one day ran into the market place and recited to the crowd some verses, arousing them to a sense of shame and disgrace in giving up the island that really belonged to them.

12. The people were greatly excited, the verses were quoted and praised, the obnoxious decree was repealed, and Solon was appointed to lead the Athenian forces. In a short time Salamis was taken, and Solon became the best known and most influential man in all Greece.

13. When free from foreign war, the Athenians fell into their old quarrels about the government, there being as many parties as there were different interests among the people. The hill people favored democracy; those of the plain, oligarchy; and those by the seaside, a mixed sort of government. The antagonism between the rich and the poor also reached its greatest height, so that the city was in a very dangerous condition.

14. All the common people were indebted to the few who were rich, and either tilled land for them or pledged their bodies for the debt, so that they

might either be sent into slavery at home or be sold to strangers. Some were forced to sell their children or to fly their country to avoid the cruelty of their creditors, so that in time the bravest of them began to combine to help each other and to change the government.

15. The need of a wise man was apparent, and Solon was of all men found to be the only one who was not implicated in the troubles, as he had not joined in the exactions of the rich nor involved himself in the necessities of the poor. He was reluctant to assume so difficult an office, being afraid of the pride of one party and the greediness of the other; but the rich pressed it upon him because he was rich, and the poor because he was honest, that he should become their arbitrator or lawgiver with absolute power.

16. Solon refused everything that looked like the authority of despotism, preferring to use persuasion; and when asked afterward if his laws were the best that could be given, he replied, "They are the best the Athenians could receive." It was soon settled that no man should either give his own body or sell his child for debt, the interest on debts then existing was lessened, and a higher value was given to money, while the debt was not increased.

17. Having been sustained so far, he took an account of the citizens' estates and established four

ranks among them, giving the higher considerable place in the government, and continuing the chief magistracies in the hands of rich and influential men; but allowing those of the fourth rank even to act as jurors, which afterward proved to be an enormous privilege, as it was said that he purposely made the wording of his laws obscure so as to increase the honor of his courts and bring his people into connection with the observance of law. There is a saying of his that that city "was the best modeled where those who are not injured try to punish the unjust as much as those who are."

18. Having established the Areopagus, and perceiving that the people were inclined to be imperious, he formed a council of four hundred, one hundred from each tribe, to take care that nothing but what had first been examined should be brought before the general assembly. This upper council thus became a sort of court of equity to regulate the action of the first.

19. One very peculiar law he made taking all power away from those who, in a sedition, should stand neutral; for he would not have any one regardless of the public good. He forbade all evil speaking in temples, courts, public offices, or at the games, under penalty of a forfeit of three drachmas to the person who made the complaint and two drachmas to the public.

20. Perceiving that persons were flocking to Athens from all parts of Attica, he decreed that traders at sea should export nothing to those who could give nothing in exchange; he turned the attention of the citizens to trade, and made it a law that a son should not be obliged to relieve a father who had brought him up to no trade or calling.

21. All his laws he made to remain in force for a hundred years; and, finding that people were constantly coming to him to ask him to change some minor points, he made an excuse for traveling, and obtained leave of absence for ten years, hoping that by that time his laws would have become familiar, since he bound the Athenians by a promise not to change them while he was away. When he returned he was past the age for public office, and he lived to see many of his beneficent laws set aside under his successor.

1. Contributed, generosity, renowned, reputation, decreed, feigned, repealed, influential, antagonisms, oligarchy, exactions, arbitrator, despotism, sedition, magistracies, obnoxious, Areopagus, drachma.

2. What is meant by a code of laws "? "the Christian era"? Why did Solon feign insanity? How do you suppose it happened that all the common people were in debt to the rich? Why are not all rich? Why was Solon selected to make the laws? What laws did he make? Were they good laws? Can you name the “ seven wise men of Greece"?