The Athenian Constitution   

assumed the sovereignty. His administration was more like a
constitutional government than the rule of a tyrant; but before his
power was firmly established, the adherents of Megacles and Lycurgus
made a coalition and drove him out. This took place in the
archonship of Hegesias, five years after the first establishment of
his rule. Eleven years later Megacles, being in difficulties in a
party struggle, again opened-negotiations with Pisistratus,
proposing that the latter should marry his daughter; and on these
terms he brought him back to Athens, by a very primitive and
simple-minded device. He first spread abroad a rumour that Athena
was bringing back Pisistratus, and then, having found a
woman of great
stature and beauty, named Phye (according to Herodotus, of
the deme of
Paeania, but as others say a Thracian flower-seller of the deme of
Collytus), he dressed her in a garb resembling that of the
goddess and
brought her into the city with Pisistratus. The latter drove in on a
chariot with the woman beside him, and the inhabitants of the city,
struck with awe, received him with adoration.

Part 15

In this manner did his first return take place. He did
not, however,
hold his power long, for about six years after his return he
was again
expelled. He refused to treat the daughter of Megacles as his wife,
and being afraid, in consequence, of a combination of the
two opposing
parties, he retired from the country. First he led a colony
to a place
called Rhaicelus, in the region of the Thermaic gulf; and thence he
passed to the country in the neighbourhood of Mt. Pangaeus. Here he
acquired wealth and hired mercenaries; and not till ten years had
elapsed did he return to Eretria and make an attempt to recover the
government by force. In this he had the assistance of many allies,
notably the Thebans and Lygdamis of Naxos, and also the Knights who
held the supreme power in the constitution of Eretria. After his
victory in the battle at Pallene he captured Athens, and when he had
disarmed the people he at last had his tyranny securely established,
and was able to take Naxos and set up Lygdamis as ruler there. He
effected the disarmament of the people in the following manner. He
ordered a parade in full armour in the Theseum, and began to make a
speech to the people. He spoke for a short time, until the people
called out that they could not hear him, whereupon he bade them come
up to the entrance of the Acropolis, in order that his voice might
be better heard. Then, while he continued to speak to them at great
length, men whom he had appointed for the purpose collected the arms
and locked them up in the chambers of the Theseum hard by, and came
and made a signal to him that it was done. Pisistratus accordingly,
when he had finished the rest of what he had to say, told the people
also what had happened to their arms; adding that they were not to
be surprised or alarmed, but go home and attend to their private
affairs, while he would himself for the future manage all
the business
of the state.

Part 16

Such was the origin and such the vicissitudes of the tyranny of
Pisistratus. His administration was temperate, as has been said
before, and more like constitutional government than a tyranny. Not
only was he in every respect humane and mild and ready to forgive