Most of the ancient tyrants were originally
demagogues. They are not so now, but they were then; and the reason is
that they were generals and not orators, for oratory had not yet
come into fashion. Whereas in our day, when the art of rhetoric has
made such progress, the orators lead the people, but their ignorance
of military matters prevents them from usurping power; at any rate
instances to the contrary are few and slight. Tyrannies were more
common formerly than now, for this reason also, that great power was
placed in the hands of individuals; thus a tyranny arose at Miletus
out of the office of the Prytanis, who had supreme authority in many
important matters. Moreover, in those days, when cities were not
large, the people dwelt in the fields, busy at their work; and their
chiefs, if they possessed any military talent, seized the opportunity,
and winning the confidence of the masses by professing their hatred of
the wealthy, they succeeded in obtaining the tyranny. Thus at Athens
Peisistratus led a faction against the men of the plain, and Theagenes
at Megara slaughtered the cattle of the wealthy, which he found by the
river side, where they had put them to graze in land not their own.
Dionysius, again, was thought worthy of the tyranny because he
denounced Daphnaeus and the rich; his enmity to the notables won for
him the confidence of the people.
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