The like happened at Cume,
during the time of the democracy, which Thrasymachus destroyed; and
whoever considers what has happened in other states may perceive the
same revolutions to have arisen from the same causes. The demagogues,
to curry favour with the people, drive the nobles to conspire
together, either by dividing their estates, or obliging them to spend
them on public services, or by banishing them, that they may
confiscate the fortunes of the wealthy. In former times, when the same
person was both demagogue and general, the democracies were changed
into tyrannies; and indeed most of the ancient tyrannies arose from
those states: a reason for which then subsisted, but not now; for at
that time the demagogues were of the soldiery; for they were not then
powerful by their eloquence; but, now the art of oratory is
cultivated, the able speakers are at present the demagogues; but, as
they are unqualified to act in a military capacity, they cannot impose
themselves on the people as tyrants, if we except in one or two
trifling instances. Formerly, too, tyrannies were more common than
now, on account of the very extensive powers with which some
magistrates were entrusted: as the prytanes at Miletus; for they were
supreme in many things of the last consequence; and also because at
that time the cities were not of that very great extent, the people in
general living in the country, and being employed in husbandry, which
gave them, who took the lead in public affairs, an opportunity, if
they had a turn for war, to make themselves tyrants; which they all
did when they had gained the confidence of the people; and this
confidence was their hatred to the rich.
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