DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0031
of the civil government of athens,
9
with him, a clew of thread, and being instructed by her in the use of it,
which was to conduct him through all the windings of the labyrinth,escaped
out of it, having first slain the Minotaur, and so returned with his fellow
captives in triumph to Athens.
In his return, through an excess of joy for the happy success of his
voyage, he forgot to hang out the white sail, which should have been the
token of their safety to jEgeus, who sat expecting them upon the top of
a rock ; and as soon as their ship came in view with a black, and, as it
were, mourning sail, knowing nothing of their success, he threw himself
headlong into the sea, and so made way to Theseus's more early succes-
sion to the crown, than could otherwise have been expected. And to
this time, from the reign of Cecrops the First, the government and state
of Athens continued with little alteration.
CHAP III.
OF the state of athens, from theseus to the decennial archons.
Theseus, being by the fore-mentioned accident advanced to the regal
sceptre, soon found the inconvenience of having his people dispersed in
villages, and :antoned up and down the country. ' Therefore, for the
remedy of this evil, he framed in his mind (saith Plutarch) a vast and
wonderful design, of gathering together all the inhabitants of Attica into
one town, and making them one people of one city, that were before dis-
persed, and very difficult to be assembled upon any affair, though relat-
ing to the common benefit of them an. Nay, often such differences and
quarrels happened among them, as occasioned bloodshed and war ; these
he, by his persuasions, appeased, and going from people to people, and
from tribe to tribe, proposed his design of a common agreement between
them. Those of a more private and mean condition readily embracing
so good advice ; to those of greater power and interest, he promised a
commonwealth, wherein monarchy being laid aside, the power should be
in the people ; and that, reserving to himself only to be continued the
commander of their arms, and the preserver of their laws, there
should be an equal distribution of all things else among them ; and by this
means he brought most of them over to his proposal. The rest fearing
his power, which was already grown very formidable, and knowing his
courage and resolution, chose rather to be persuaded, than forced into a
compliance.
' He then dissolved all the distinct courts of justice, and council-halls,
and corporations, and built one common prytaneum, and council-hall,
where it stands to this day. And out of the old and new city, he made
one, which he named Athens, ordaining a common feast and sacrifice to
be for ever observed, which he called panathena;a, or the sacrifice of all
the united Athenians. He instituted also another sacrifice, for the sake
of strangers that would come to fix at Athens, called Ms-roUct, which is
yet celebrated on the 16th day of Hecatombason. Then, as he had pro-
mised, he laid down his kingly power, and settled a commonwealth, hav-
ing entered upon this great change, not without advice from the gods
2
9
with him, a clew of thread, and being instructed by her in the use of it,
which was to conduct him through all the windings of the labyrinth,escaped
out of it, having first slain the Minotaur, and so returned with his fellow
captives in triumph to Athens.
In his return, through an excess of joy for the happy success of his
voyage, he forgot to hang out the white sail, which should have been the
token of their safety to jEgeus, who sat expecting them upon the top of
a rock ; and as soon as their ship came in view with a black, and, as it
were, mourning sail, knowing nothing of their success, he threw himself
headlong into the sea, and so made way to Theseus's more early succes-
sion to the crown, than could otherwise have been expected. And to
this time, from the reign of Cecrops the First, the government and state
of Athens continued with little alteration.
CHAP III.
OF the state of athens, from theseus to the decennial archons.
Theseus, being by the fore-mentioned accident advanced to the regal
sceptre, soon found the inconvenience of having his people dispersed in
villages, and :antoned up and down the country. ' Therefore, for the
remedy of this evil, he framed in his mind (saith Plutarch) a vast and
wonderful design, of gathering together all the inhabitants of Attica into
one town, and making them one people of one city, that were before dis-
persed, and very difficult to be assembled upon any affair, though relat-
ing to the common benefit of them an. Nay, often such differences and
quarrels happened among them, as occasioned bloodshed and war ; these
he, by his persuasions, appeased, and going from people to people, and
from tribe to tribe, proposed his design of a common agreement between
them. Those of a more private and mean condition readily embracing
so good advice ; to those of greater power and interest, he promised a
commonwealth, wherein monarchy being laid aside, the power should be
in the people ; and that, reserving to himself only to be continued the
commander of their arms, and the preserver of their laws, there
should be an equal distribution of all things else among them ; and by this
means he brought most of them over to his proposal. The rest fearing
his power, which was already grown very formidable, and knowing his
courage and resolution, chose rather to be persuaded, than forced into a
compliance.
' He then dissolved all the distinct courts of justice, and council-halls,
and corporations, and built one common prytaneum, and council-hall,
where it stands to this day. And out of the old and new city, he made
one, which he named Athens, ordaining a common feast and sacrifice to
be for ever observed, which he called panathena;a, or the sacrifice of all
the united Athenians. He instituted also another sacrifice, for the sake
of strangers that would come to fix at Athens, called Ms-roUct, which is
yet celebrated on the 16th day of Hecatombason. Then, as he had pro-
mised, he laid down his kingly power, and settled a commonwealth, hav-
ing entered upon this great change, not without advice from the gods
2