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Solon
Plutarch's classic biography of the legendary law giver. Translated by John Dryden.
First published January 1, 75
About the author
Plutarch
3,634 books781 followersPlutarch (later named, upon becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus; AD 46–AD 120) was a Greek historian, biographer, and essayist, known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia. He is classified as a Middle Platonist. Plutarch's surviving works were written in Greek, but intended for both Greek and Roman readers.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 1, 2019
Solon is one of the lawgivers of the Greeks, who did his best to bolster the character of his people, a people who, as early as the seventh century B.C. were said to be in moral decline. I did not find Plutarch’s biography of much interest, except for the story of Solon's meeting with Croesus (too long a tale to reproduce here), and the following story about the rise to power of the tyrant Pisistratus, which I believe has something to say to all Americans, particularly in these days of Donald Trump, when own our democratic republic appears to be in danger.
When a member of the assembly asserts that the tyrant Pisistratus should be given a bodyguard of fifty men with clubs in order to protect him, Solon speaks against the request, but is overruled:
But observing the poor men bent to gratify Pisistratus, and tumultuous, and the rich fearful and getting out of harm’s way, he departed, saying he was wiser than some and stouter than others; wiser than those that did not understand the design, stouter than those that, though they understood it, were afraid to oppose the tyranny. Now, the people, having passed the law, were not nice with Pisistratus about the number of his clubmen, but took no notice of it, though he enlisted and kept as many as he would, until he seized the Acropolis.
When that was done, and the city in an uproar . . . Solon, though he was now very old, and had none to back him, yet came into the marketplace and made a speech to the citizens, partly blaming their inadvertency and meanness of spirit, and in part urging and exhorting them not thus tamely to lose their liberty; and likewise then spoke that memorable saying, that, before, it was an easier task to stop the rising tyranny, but now the greater and more glorious action to destroy it, when it was begun already, and had gathered strength. But all being afraid to side with him, he returned home, and, taking his arms, he brought them out and laid them in the porch before his door, with these words: “I have done my part to maintain my country and my laws,” and then he busied himself no more. His friends advising him to fly, he refused; but wrote poems, and thus reproached the Athenians in them —
If now you suffer, do not blame the Powers,
For they are good, and all the fault was ours.
All the strongholds you put into his hands,
And now his slaves must do what he commands.
February 3, 2018
Athen's Lawgiver
2 Feb 2018 – Phi Phi Island
So, we've met the Spartan and Roman lawgivers and now we get to meet Solon, the Athenian. Once again, Solon wasn't king, but I believe that by the time Solon had come around the Athenians had basically tossed their king out – apparently his name was Draco (or that was what I got from this text, and Draco is certainly a Greek word), and anybody with a name like that certainly sounds like bad news. Then again, he didn't seem to be a particularly nice guy anyway, since pretty much every infraction carried the death penalty, and his reason for that was, at least in his mind, that even the most minor of crimes deserved death, and there basically isn't anything harsher than the death penalty, so basically if you step out of line, you die.
Well, I gathered the Athenian's weren't too particularly keen on that system, so they got rid of him, and established one of history's first democracies. Solon, for a time, held the position of Archon, which is similar to being a president, and it was also an elected position. The thing that makes Solon stand out was that he was able to bring the factions together, and relate to each of them so that they accepted his reforms (for want of a better word). Solon himself is a semi-mytholigical person, though like the people we met beforehand, Plutarch seems to be convinced that he existed, and cites numerous sources in that regard.
At the time there were three factions in Athens – the coastal faction (probably the fishermen), the hill faction (that is the wealthy), and the plains (namely the poor). No doubt that related to where they lived, and I note that throughout history wealthy people have lived in the hills, while the poorer people lived on the plains – no doubt the views you get from living in the hills tend to carry a higher price. In fact, the city I grew up in – Adelaide – could be said to be divided into those who live in the hills, and those who live on the plains.
The problem that Solon faced was appeasing all parties, and that is difficult even at the best of times. There was always, throughout history, at least in advanced societies, a conflict between the rich and the poor. This is never going to change, and Solon no doubt realised that, but Athens not only was growing as a city, it had also moved away from a totalitarian system to a democratic system, and this, no doubt, had the potential to descend into chaos – this is why laws were needed. In fact this is why we have constitutions, so that a state is able to function effectively without collapsing into anarchy.
It is interesting that Solon actually established a class system, and gave members of the various classes certain powers. This was to keep the wealthy happy. In fact the system was based upon their wealth, something that our society has had up until only recent times. In Australia is was only fifty years ago that property qualifications for voting were finally abolished. This is what was the case in Athens – if you had a lot of wealth, there were more avenues open to you for political involvement. However, the poor where also given some powers, such as being able to attend the assembly, and to also sit on juries. Plutarch notes that while at first this didn't seem much, the juries eventually became incredibly powerful as they ended up hearing almost every dispute that ended up in court.
As a final note, Plutarch also mentions how the story of Atlantis originated through Solon when he visited Egypt, and when he had retired (he first of all went on a long journey, and then when he returned to Athens everybody wanted him to return to politics, but he pointed out that he was way too old) he decided to start writing about it, however pretty much gave up halfway through, namely because he felt that he was just a little too old to continue. When you consider that the text we have on Atlantis is actually a text about how this mythical state is run, I'm not at all surprised that the legend is that it did originally come from Solon, though in the end it is Plato's version that we have.
2 Feb 2018 – Phi Phi Island
So, we've met the Spartan and Roman lawgivers and now we get to meet Solon, the Athenian. Once again, Solon wasn't king, but I believe that by the time Solon had come around the Athenians had basically tossed their king out – apparently his name was Draco (or that was what I got from this text, and Draco is certainly a Greek word), and anybody with a name like that certainly sounds like bad news. Then again, he didn't seem to be a particularly nice guy anyway, since pretty much every infraction carried the death penalty, and his reason for that was, at least in his mind, that even the most minor of crimes deserved death, and there basically isn't anything harsher than the death penalty, so basically if you step out of line, you die.
Well, I gathered the Athenian's weren't too particularly keen on that system, so they got rid of him, and established one of history's first democracies. Solon, for a time, held the position of Archon, which is similar to being a president, and it was also an elected position. The thing that makes Solon stand out was that he was able to bring the factions together, and relate to each of them so that they accepted his reforms (for want of a better word). Solon himself is a semi-mytholigical person, though like the people we met beforehand, Plutarch seems to be convinced that he existed, and cites numerous sources in that regard.
At the time there were three factions in Athens – the coastal faction (probably the fishermen), the hill faction (that is the wealthy), and the plains (namely the poor). No doubt that related to where they lived, and I note that throughout history wealthy people have lived in the hills, while the poorer people lived on the plains – no doubt the views you get from living in the hills tend to carry a higher price. In fact, the city I grew up in – Adelaide – could be said to be divided into those who live in the hills, and those who live on the plains.
The problem that Solon faced was appeasing all parties, and that is difficult even at the best of times. There was always, throughout history, at least in advanced societies, a conflict between the rich and the poor. This is never going to change, and Solon no doubt realised that, but Athens not only was growing as a city, it had also moved away from a totalitarian system to a democratic system, and this, no doubt, had the potential to descend into chaos – this is why laws were needed. In fact this is why we have constitutions, so that a state is able to function effectively without collapsing into anarchy.
It is interesting that Solon actually established a class system, and gave members of the various classes certain powers. This was to keep the wealthy happy. In fact the system was based upon their wealth, something that our society has had up until only recent times. In Australia is was only fifty years ago that property qualifications for voting were finally abolished. This is what was the case in Athens – if you had a lot of wealth, there were more avenues open to you for political involvement. However, the poor where also given some powers, such as being able to attend the assembly, and to also sit on juries. Plutarch notes that while at first this didn't seem much, the juries eventually became incredibly powerful as they ended up hearing almost every dispute that ended up in court.
As a final note, Plutarch also mentions how the story of Atlantis originated through Solon when he visited Egypt, and when he had retired (he first of all went on a long journey, and then when he returned to Athens everybody wanted him to return to politics, but he pointed out that he was way too old) he decided to start writing about it, however pretty much gave up halfway through, namely because he felt that he was just a little too old to continue. When you consider that the text we have on Atlantis is actually a text about how this mythical state is run, I'm not at all surprised that the legend is that it did originally come from Solon, though in the end it is Plato's version that we have.
October 8, 2016
Easy to follow, good source material for a comic book.
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February 10, 2021I didn't intentionally read this? I read various parts for a course, and realised within a week I'd read it all. Unless you're specifically looking for the historical development of democracy in Athens, there's really no point.
June 25, 2022
The Life of Solon by Plutarch
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
I read this for the Online Great Books program.
Athens was a divided place. Rich against poor; district against district. After making a hash of intra-community relations, the Athenians decided to give Solon the authority to resolve their disputes. Solon had wisely decided to stay out of the internecine squabbles, which showed that he was the wisest man in Athens, or, at least, that he didn't have an obvious vested interest in any side.
Solon wanted to make the laws more advantageous to follow than to break, but he also decided that Draco's previous "draconian" laws were a bit too heavy-handed, except for the law against murder, but, then, murder is its own case.
Having written his laws, Solon did something remarkable. He left Athens:
"Now when these laws were enacted, and some came to Solon every day, to commend or dispraise them, and to advise, if possible, to leave out, or put in something, and many criticized, and desired him to explain, and tell the meaning of such and such a passage, he, knowing that to do it was useless, and not to do it would get him ill-will, and desirous to bring himself out of all straits, and to escape all displeasure and exceptions, it being a hard thing, as he himself says, “In great affairs to satisfy all sides,” as an excuse for traveling, bought a trading vessel, and, having obtained leave for ten years’ absence, departed, hoping that by that time his laws would have become familiar.
Clough, Arthur Hugh. Plutarch’s Lives (Volumes I and II) (pp. 190-191). Digireads.com. Kindle Edition.
On his journeys, Solon met Croesus in the exchange described in Herodotus where Croesus was cautioned by Solon not to be smug about his present fortune. Croesus came to understand the wisdom of Solon when Croesus's empire was overturned by the Persians.
For those keeping track of obscurities, there is a reference to Atlantis in Plutarch's Life of Solon. Plutarch mentions Plato as having also told a story about Atlantis, but it is not clear if Plutarch's version has an independent source.
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
I read this for the Online Great Books program.
Athens was a divided place. Rich against poor; district against district. After making a hash of intra-community relations, the Athenians decided to give Solon the authority to resolve their disputes. Solon had wisely decided to stay out of the internecine squabbles, which showed that he was the wisest man in Athens, or, at least, that he didn't have an obvious vested interest in any side.
Solon wanted to make the laws more advantageous to follow than to break, but he also decided that Draco's previous "draconian" laws were a bit too heavy-handed, except for the law against murder, but, then, murder is its own case.
Having written his laws, Solon did something remarkable. He left Athens:
"Now when these laws were enacted, and some came to Solon every day, to commend or dispraise them, and to advise, if possible, to leave out, or put in something, and many criticized, and desired him to explain, and tell the meaning of such and such a passage, he, knowing that to do it was useless, and not to do it would get him ill-will, and desirous to bring himself out of all straits, and to escape all displeasure and exceptions, it being a hard thing, as he himself says, “In great affairs to satisfy all sides,” as an excuse for traveling, bought a trading vessel, and, having obtained leave for ten years’ absence, departed, hoping that by that time his laws would have become familiar.
Clough, Arthur Hugh. Plutarch’s Lives (Volumes I and II) (pp. 190-191). Digireads.com. Kindle Edition.
On his journeys, Solon met Croesus in the exchange described in Herodotus where Croesus was cautioned by Solon not to be smug about his present fortune. Croesus came to understand the wisdom of Solon when Croesus's empire was overturned by the Persians.
For those keeping track of obscurities, there is a reference to Atlantis in Plutarch's Life of Solon. Plutarch mentions Plato as having also told a story about Atlantis, but it is not clear if Plutarch's version has an independent source.
October 24, 2022
Letto a letto col covid
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June 28, 2016Amazing political wisdom. I've shed blood and tears though translating a couple of chapters into the Arabic language.
January 21, 2017
An interesting examination of Athenian judiciary and a succinct, detailed look at the development of Western ethics and law code.
July 18, 2020
كان نظام الحكم في أثينا قبل صولون يسيطر عليه الاقلية من الاثرياء واصحاب الاموال والاقطاعيات ( الأرستقراطيين ) ويشكلون حكومة النبلاء والطبقة العليا – وكانوا يتولون مناصبهم طول العمر ويتصرّفون بكل شيء على هواهم ، حتى أنهم كانوا يسنّون القوانين التي تلائم مصالحهم ، فالمدين الذي لا يستطيع تسديد دينه تسلب أرضه ويصبح عبدا رقيقا هو وبنيه ونساؤه لمن هو مدين له ، فصار الفقراء مستعبدين للأثرياء، هم وبنوهم ونساؤهم وقد كانوا يدعون "صنائع" و"أولي السدس". لأنهم كانوا يستثمرون حقول الأغنياء لقاء تلك الأجرة ، لم يتحمل الناس هذا الظلم المتراكم فسادت البلاد نوبات من الشغب والإضطرابات بين الأعيان وجمهور الشعب استمرت حقبةً طويلة من الزمن ، حتى جاء صولون أو سولون وهو أحد حكماء الإغريق السبعة الذين يعود لهم الفضل في سن قوانين اجتماعية متقدمة وذلك بعد حرب أهلية خاضها الفقراء ضد طبقة الملاك، كان لا يزال صغير السن نسبياً - في الرابعة والأربعين أو الخامسة والأربعين شاعرا حكيما عفيفا متواضعا ينشد العدل بين الناس والاستقرار البلاد من الأشراف الكرام المحتد ، ومن أرفعهم بيتاً ، وأنقاهم دماً - أقبل عليه ممثلوا الطبقات الوسطى يدعونه إلى قبول ترشيحهم إياه ليكون أركوناً ( حاكما ) ، على أن يُمنح سلطة مطلقة لإخماد نار حرب الطبقات ، ووضع دستور جديد للبلاد ، وإعادة الاستقرار إلى الدولة ، فبدأ أن ألغى نظام الرق الذي كان يسمح بإسترقاء الفلاحين ومصادرة أرضهم إذا عجزوا عن سداد ديونهم ، وأطلق سراح جميع مَن استرقوا أو التصقوا بالأرض وكل مَن بيعوا رقيقاً في خارج البلاد وطلب إليهم أن يعودوا إلى وطنهم ، وحرم مثل هذا الاسترقاق في المستقبل) وهكذا اعاد الارض لاصحابها وحررهم من قبضة الصفوة الاثرياء ، احتج الأغنياء بأن هذا التشريع هو في حقيقة الأمر مصادرة لأموالهم ، ولكنه أصم أذنيه عن سماع احتجاجهم ، وقد كان وهو الدائن الكبير قد خسر الشئ الكثير بقانونه هذا.
ثانيا - حمى الحرية الشخصية للأجراء والبسطاء وضمهم بالإنتخاب - لمن تجاوز سن الثلاثين - إلى مجلس الأعيان الذي يقوم بتصريف شئون الدولة ، وبذلك كسر شوكة النبلاء وتعامل معهم كما يتعامل مع الفقراء سواء بسواء ، وبذلك وضع صولون في أثينا أول الاسس الديموقراطية التي تتيج للمواطن العادي أن يشارك في السياسة والحكم .ولم تمضِ عشرة أعوام على صدوره حتى أجمع الناس ؛ أو كادوا يجمعون ، على أنه أنجى البلاد من ثورة غاشمة ، وقد نقشت شرائع صولون على لوحات مثلثة تدور على محور وتم وضعها في الرواق الملكي حيث كان يجلس الحاكم والملك للقضاء وأقسموا جميعاً بأن يتقيدوا بها ، وهكذا أصبحت إدارة الدولة منذ ذلك الوقت خاضعة لقوانين مكتوبة ثابتة , بعد أن كانت تسير حسب أوامر وقرارات ارتجالية.
التقط برنارد شو واصدقائه في الجمعية الفابية الخيط وراحوا يبحثون كيف يمكن تطبيق اصلاحات سولون في بلادهم ، فقد كان عدد المواطنين الذين لهم حق المشاركة والانتخاب والحكم بين الناس الذين لا تقل اعمارهم عن ثلاثين عاما في أثينا لايزيد عن أربعين ألف مواطن ، فمن السهل توزيعهم على المجالس النيابية والقضائية والتشريعية والجمعيات الشعبية التي أنشأها صولون ، كيف يمكن تطبيق ذلك في بلاد تعداد سكانه بالملايين ! ، فكان الحل هو أن تكون النقابات العمالية التي تمثل جميع فئات الشعب هي المكون الاساسي للمجالس التشريعية والرقابية على ان يحظى بعضوية البرلمان او مجلس اللوردات اعضاء مجلس النقابة العامة مهندسين او أطباء او فلاحين أو حرفيين معلمين أو صيادين وهكذا يقضي على فرصة اصحاب الاموال ومحترفوا الانتخابات والتحالفات في دخول مؤسسات هم ابعد الناس منها ، ومن ثم كان حزب العمال الذي سرعان ما وصل الى الحكم واسندت اليه ادارة البلاد
ثانيا - حمى الحرية الشخصية للأجراء والبسطاء وضمهم بالإنتخاب - لمن تجاوز سن الثلاثين - إلى مجلس الأعيان الذي يقوم بتصريف شئون الدولة ، وبذلك كسر شوكة النبلاء وتعامل معهم كما يتعامل مع الفقراء سواء بسواء ، وبذلك وضع صولون في أثينا أول الاسس الديموقراطية التي تتيج للمواطن العادي أن يشارك في السياسة والحكم .ولم تمضِ عشرة أعوام على صدوره حتى أجمع الناس ؛ أو كادوا يجمعون ، على أنه أنجى البلاد من ثورة غاشمة ، وقد نقشت شرائع صولون على لوحات مثلثة تدور على محور وتم وضعها في الرواق الملكي حيث كان يجلس الحاكم والملك للقضاء وأقسموا جميعاً بأن يتقيدوا بها ، وهكذا أصبحت إدارة الدولة منذ ذلك الوقت خاضعة لقوانين مكتوبة ثابتة , بعد أن كانت تسير حسب أوامر وقرارات ارتجالية.
التقط برنارد شو واصدقائه في الجمعية الفابية الخيط وراحوا يبحثون كيف يمكن تطبيق اصلاحات سولون في بلادهم ، فقد كان عدد المواطنين الذين لهم حق المشاركة والانتخاب والحكم بين الناس الذين لا تقل اعمارهم عن ثلاثين عاما في أثينا لايزيد عن أربعين ألف مواطن ، فمن السهل توزيعهم على المجالس النيابية والقضائية والتشريعية والجمعيات الشعبية التي أنشأها صولون ، كيف يمكن تطبيق ذلك في بلاد تعداد سكانه بالملايين ! ، فكان الحل هو أن تكون النقابات العمالية التي تمثل جميع فئات الشعب هي المكون الاساسي للمجالس التشريعية والرقابية على ان يحظى بعضوية البرلمان او مجلس اللوردات اعضاء مجلس النقابة العامة مهندسين او أطباء او فلاحين أو حرفيين معلمين أو صيادين وهكذا يقضي على فرصة اصحاب الاموال ومحترفوا الانتخابات والتحالفات في دخول مؤسسات هم ابعد الناس منها ، ومن ثم كان حزب العمال الذي سرعان ما وصل الى الحكم واسندت اليه ادارة البلاد
January 9, 2022
Succinct and covers a lot of reforms and laws promulgated. Some great parables too. The most famous being Solon’s meeting with Croesus where he hit him up with the famous line, “Call no man happy until he be dead…”
August 2, 2017
Cinque stelle anche in omaggio alla bella edizione e al sudore che ho lasciato tra queste pagine ai tempi della mia familiarità con l'Atene arcaica...
February 9, 2024
“Oh nooo, Solon you can’t do that.” “Oh nooo, Solon you can’t do that either.” “Oh nooo Solon.” “Change it Solon, cmonn.” The Athenians are so whiny.
November 21, 2021
C. 600 BC
Athenian statesman and legislator.
Credited with stopping the moral decline in Athens and laying the foundations for the Athenian democracy.
Athenian statesman and legislator.
Credited with stopping the moral decline in Athens and laying the foundations for the Athenian democracy.
June 17, 2015
Not sure if I've read all of this.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews