Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/140

118 118 HISTORY OF THE stone where the heralds were wont to stand, and sang in an impass.oned tone an elegy, which began with these words : — " I myself come as a herald from the lovely island of Salamis, using song, the ornament of words, and not simple speech, to the people." It is manifest that the poet feigned himself to be a herald sent from Salamis, and returned from his mission ; by which fiction he was enabled to paint in far live- lier colours than he could otherwise have done the hated dominion of the Megarians over the island, and the reproaches which many Salaminian partizans of Athens vented in secret against the Athenians. He described the disgrace which would fall upon the Athenians, if they did not re- conquer the island, as intolerable. " In that case (he said) I would rather be an inhabitant of the meanest island than of Athens ; for wher- ever I might live, the saying would quickly circulate — ' This is one of the Athenians who have abandoned Salamis in so cowardly a man- ner*.'" And when Solon concluded with the words "Let us go to Salamis, to conquer the lovely island, and to wipe out our shame,'' the youths of Athens are said to have been seized with so eager a desire of fighting, that an expedition against the Megarians of Salamis was un- dertaken on the spot, which put the Athenians into possession of the island, though they did not retain it without interruption. § 12. A character in many respects similar belongs to the elegy of which Demosthenes cites a long passage in his contest with ^Eschines on the embassy. This, too, is composed in the form of an exhortation to the people. " My feelings prompt me (says the poet) to declare to the Athenians how much mischief injustice brings over the city, and that justice everywhere restores a perfect and harmonious order of things." In this elegy Solon laments with bitter regret the evils in the political state of the commonwealth, the insolence and rapacity of the leaders of the people, i. e. of the popular party, and the misery of the poor, many of whom were sold into slavery by the rich, and carried to foreign countries. Hence it is clear that this elegy is anterior to Solon's legislation, which, as is well known, abolished slavery for debt, and made it impossible to deprive an insolvent debtor of his liberty. These verses give us a livelier picture of this unhappy period of Athens than any historical description. " The misery of the people (says Solon) forces itself into every man's house : the doors of the court- yard are no longer able to keep it out ; it springs over the lofty wall, and finds out the wretch, even if he has fled into the most secret part of his dwelling." But in other of Solon's elegies there is the expression of a subdued and tranquil joy at the ameliorations brought about in Athens by his legisla- tive measures (Olyinp. 46,3. 594 B.C.), by which the holders of property and the commonaltj had each received their due share of consideration and
 * Fragm. ib