of their affairs according to the ordinances established by you. And they are better governed than they would be under a democracy ; for I allow no one to extend his rights, and though I am tyrant I arrogate to myself no undue share of reputation and honour, but merely such stated privileges as belonged to the kings in former times. Every citizen pays a tithe of his property, not to me but to a fund for defraying the cost of the public sacrifices or any other charges on the State or the expenditure on any war which may come upon us. “T do not blame you for disclosing my aMbigns ; you acted from loyalty to the city, not through any enmity to me, and further, in ignorance of the sort of rule which I was going to establish ; since, if you had known, you would perhaps have tolerated me and not gone into exile. Wherefore return home, trusting my word, though it be not sworn, that Solon will suffer no harm from Pisistratus. For neither has any other enemy of mine suffered ; of that you may be sure. And if you choose to become one of my friends, you will rank with the foremost, for I see no trace of treachery in you, nothing to excite mistrust ; or if you wish to live at Athens on other terms, you have my permission. But do not on my account sever yourself from your country. So far Pisistratus. To return to Solon: one of his sayings is that 70 years are the term of man’s life. - He seems to have enacted some admirable laws ; for instance, if any man neglects to provide for his parents, he shall be disfranchised ; moreover there is a similar penalty for the spendthrift who runs through his patrimony. Again, not to have a settled