Burrow, Edward John: The Elgin marbles: with an abridged historical and topographical account of Athens (Band 1): Illustrated with forty plates (London, 1817)

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witty iEsop was at that time among the flat-
terers of Croesus. When Solon returned to
Athens, he found it again embroiled in conten-
tions for the government; for Pisistratus had
usurped the magistracy, and exercised de-
spotic power. Having reproached the tyrant
with his perfidy, and his fellow citizens with
their abject submission, he left the country,
and died at the age of eighty.

Pisistratus was a descendant of Codrus, Pisistratus,
and had signalized himself by his courage,
especially in the capture of the island of Sala-
mis. His birth and address favoured his am-
bitious views towards the supreme authority,
and, to render them less suspected, he assumed
the mask of pure and disinterested patriotism.
Solon having detected his insincerity, he made
use of artifice to secure his end* He exposed
himself to the populace marked with self-
inflicted wounds; and feigning that he had
received them from his enemies, he procured
permission to employ a military guard. This
he secretly augmented, and at length, arm-
ing it against the liberties of the state, seized
forcibly upon the citadel. He was however