Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
80. When the tumult had subsided and more than five days had elapsed, 68
those who had risen against the Magians began to take counsel about the
general state, and there were spoken speeches which some of the Hellenes
do not believe were really uttered, but spoken they were nevertheless.
69 On the one hand Otanes urged that they should resign the government
into the hands of the whole body of the Persians, and his words were as
follows: "To me it seems best that no single one of us should henceforth
be ruler, for that is neither pleasant nor profitable. Ye saw the
insolent temper of Cambyses, to what lengths it went, and ye have had
experience also of the insolence of the Magian: and how should the rule
of one alone be a well-ordered thing, seeing that the monarch may do
what he desires without rendering any account of his acts? Even the best
of all men, if he were placed in this disposition, would be caused by
it to change from his wonted disposition: for insolence is engendered in
him by the good things which he possesses, and envy is implanted in man
from the beginning; and having these two things, he has all vice: for he
does many deeds of reckless wrong, partly moved by insolence proceeding
from satiety, and partly by envy. And yet a despot at least ought to
have been free from envy, seeing that he has all manner of good
things. He is however naturally in just the opposite temper towards
his subjects; for he grudges to the nobles that they should survive and
live, but delights in the basest of citizens, and he is more ready than
any other man to receive calumnies. Then of all things he is the most
inconsistent; for if you express admiration of him moderately, he is
offended that no very great court is paid to him, whereas if you
pay court to him extravagantly, he is offended with you for being a
flatterer. And the most important matter of all is that which I am about
to say:—he disturbs the customs handed down from our fathers, he is a
ravisher of women, and he puts men to death without trial. On the other
hand the rule of many has first a name attaching to it which is the
fairest of all names, that is to say 'Equality'; 70 next, the multitude
does none of those things which the monarch does: offices of state are
exercised by lot, and the magistrates are compelled to render account
of their action: and finally all matters of deliberation are referred to
the public assembly. I therefore give as my opinion that we let monarchy
go and increase the power of the multitude; for in the many is contained
everything."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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