Notwithstanding the signal and loyal services of this patriotic citizen in the war with the Persians and his long service as a magistrate, when Themistocles finally erected his temple of Diana of Best Counsel, with himself represented by a figure in the temple, the Athenians also became envious of him and made use of the law providing for the recall and ostracism in order to humble his eminence and authority, as they usually did with all those whom they believed to have grown too powerful, for the equality deemed requisite in a popular government, for, as said by Plutarch: “The ostracism was instituted not so much to punish the offender, as to mitigate and pacify the violence of the envious, who delighted to humble eminent men, and who, by fixing this disgrace upon them, might vent some part of their rancor.”[25] According to Aristotle, the law providing for the recall or ostracism of public officials, by popular vote, in Athens, soon became mischievous, for: “Men did not look to the interests of the community, but used ostracism for party purposes.”[26] The last person against whom this old law was enforced at Athens, was Hyperbolus, a demagogue of low birth and mean habits; the Athenians considered that in applying this law to such a person, their own dignity had been compromised, so the law providing for ostracism or recall, by popular vote, in Athens, was discontinued.[27] The law providing for the recall or ostracism of public officers, by popular vote, known as “Petalism” among the Syracusans, was borrowed from the Athenian law of ostracism. This species of recall, took its name from the petals or leaves of the olive, on which was written the name of the person whom the citizens voted to recall.[28] Under the law of the Syracusans, known as “petalism,” the removed officer or judge was banished for a period of five years only, as this was considered a sufficient length of time to humble the pride and destroy the hope of the degraded one. Historians tell us, however, that this law of recall known as “petalism,” by which the Syracusans voted to recall their distinguished men, by writing their names upon the corolla, or leaf-part of the olive, did not long continue in effect, since the fear of this “degradation or humbling,” deterred the best qualified among the citizens from taking any part in public affairs, and the degeneracy and bad government which resulted from the selection of only the lowest types of demagogues for public officers, led to the repeal of the law, B. C. 452.[29]