but they had sufficient discernment soon to abolish this new form of tyranny, as all distinguished and well educated men(717) were deterred by it from taking a part in public affairs. Syracuse suffered at that time, as well as Athens, by the intrigues of demagogues and cabals of sycophants.(718) In this city, at an early period, a talent for the subtleties of oratory had begun to develope itself; which owed its origin to Corax, a man employed by Hieron as a secret spy and confidant, and celebrated among the people as a powerful orator and sagacious councillor.(719) The naturally refined, acute, and lively temperament of the Sicilian Greeks(720) had already turned towards cunning and deceit; and in particular the young, eager after all novelty, ran counter to the temperance and severity of the ancient customs and mode of life.(721) As to the constitution at the time of the Sicilian war, we know that all public affairs of importance were decided in the popular assembly,(722) and the management of them was in great part confided to the leaders of the people (δήμου προστάται), who seem to have been regular public officers.(723) In what manner the people was led, is shown by the instance of Athenagoras, who represents the expedition of the Athenians, when already approaching the shores of Sicily, as a story invented by the oligarchs to terrify the people. To what extent a complete freedom of speaking before the people existed, is not altogether clear.(724) That persons of an aristocratic disposition still continued to possess political power, is evident from the speech of Athenagoras;(725) and it is probable from Aristotle, that they had an exclusive right to certain offices. The _third_ period begins with the victory over the Athenian armament. As this was decided by the fleet of the Syracusans, the men of inferior rank, who served as sailors, obtained a large increase of importance in their own sight, and were loud in their demands for admission to the highest offices; in the very same manner as at Athens, after the battle of Salamis. In 412 B.C., upon the proposal of Diocles the demagogue,(726) a commission was appointed for the arrangement of a new constitution, in which the original contriver of the plan had himself the first place. The government was thus converted into a complete democracy, of which the first principle was, that the public offices should be filled not by election, but by lot.(727) There was formed at the same time a collection of written laws, which were very precise and explicit in the determination of punishments, and were doubtless intended, by their severity, to keep off those troubles, which the new constitution could not fail to produce. This code, which was also adopted by other Sicilian states, was written in an ancient native dialect, which seventy years afterwards (in the time of Timoleon) required an interpreter.(728) Notwithstanding these precautions, we find the democracy an Olympiad and a