DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0033
OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF ATHENS.
I 1
enemy to demand the body of their king, who were so much disheartened
by this unexpected accident, that they immediately broke up their camp,
and left off their enterprise without striking another blow.
The Athenians, out of reverence to Codrus's memory, would never
more have any governor by the name or title of king, but were governed
by Archontes, whom they allowed iiideed to continue in their dignity as
long as they lived, and when they died, to leave it to their children ; and
therefore most writers reckon them rather amongst the kings, than the ar-
chontes that succeeded them, who were permitted to rule only for a cer-
tain time ; yet they differed from the kings in this, that they were in a
manner subject to the people, being obliged to render an account of their
management when it should be demanded. The first of these was Medon,
the eldest son of Codrus, from whom the thirteen following archontes
were surnamed Medontidae, as being descended from him. During their
government the Athenian state suffered no considerable alteration, but
was carried on with so great ease and quietness, that scarce any mention
is made of any memorable action done by any of them, and the very names
of some of them are almost quite forgotten.
Thus I have endeavoured to give you a short account of the Athenian
State, whilst it was governed by kings, who were in all thirty, and ruled
Athens for the space of seven hundred and ninety-four years, as the
learned Meursius has computed them ; to which, if you add the two and
thirty years of Ogyges, and the interval of an hundred and ninety years,
in which no footsteps of any government are to be found, the number
will amount to one thousand and twelve years.
A CATALOGUE OF THE ATHENIAN KINGS.
Ogyges
Interregnum .
. years, xxxn.
. years, xxx.
Mnestheus. . .
. . . . XXIII.
Amphictyon .
Erichthonios .
Thyrnoetes . .
Pandion 11
XXV.
Archippus . .
.....XIX.
CHAP. IV.
of the state of athens, from the decennial arciions TO philip of
MACEDdV.
The people of Athens continually got ground of their superiors, gain-
ing something by every alteration that was made in the state, till at
length, by little and little, the whola government came into the hands of
the commonalty. Theseus and Medon made considerable abatemenis in
their power, but what remained of it, they kept in their own hands as
long as they lived, and preserved the succession entire to their posterity,
I 1
enemy to demand the body of their king, who were so much disheartened
by this unexpected accident, that they immediately broke up their camp,
and left off their enterprise without striking another blow.
The Athenians, out of reverence to Codrus's memory, would never
more have any governor by the name or title of king, but were governed
by Archontes, whom they allowed iiideed to continue in their dignity as
long as they lived, and when they died, to leave it to their children ; and
therefore most writers reckon them rather amongst the kings, than the ar-
chontes that succeeded them, who were permitted to rule only for a cer-
tain time ; yet they differed from the kings in this, that they were in a
manner subject to the people, being obliged to render an account of their
management when it should be demanded. The first of these was Medon,
the eldest son of Codrus, from whom the thirteen following archontes
were surnamed Medontidae, as being descended from him. During their
government the Athenian state suffered no considerable alteration, but
was carried on with so great ease and quietness, that scarce any mention
is made of any memorable action done by any of them, and the very names
of some of them are almost quite forgotten.
Thus I have endeavoured to give you a short account of the Athenian
State, whilst it was governed by kings, who were in all thirty, and ruled
Athens for the space of seven hundred and ninety-four years, as the
learned Meursius has computed them ; to which, if you add the two and
thirty years of Ogyges, and the interval of an hundred and ninety years,
in which no footsteps of any government are to be found, the number
will amount to one thousand and twelve years.
A CATALOGUE OF THE ATHENIAN KINGS.
Ogyges
Interregnum .
. years, xxxn.
. years, xxx.
Mnestheus. . .
. . . . XXIII.
Amphictyon .
Erichthonios .
Thyrnoetes . .
Pandion 11
XXV.
Archippus . .
.....XIX.
CHAP. IV.
of the state of athens, from the decennial arciions TO philip of
MACEDdV.
The people of Athens continually got ground of their superiors, gain-
ing something by every alteration that was made in the state, till at
length, by little and little, the whola government came into the hands of
the commonalty. Theseus and Medon made considerable abatemenis in
their power, but what remained of it, they kept in their own hands as
long as they lived, and preserved the succession entire to their posterity,