Aristotle on the Constitutions of Athens. Translated by E. Poste,
MA. (Macmillan.)—Mr. Poste has had no little practice in trans- lating Aristotle. A scholar who has successfully grappled with the Sophistici Eletwhi would not have much difficulty in grappling with the comparatively simple narrative of the newly found trea- tise. The somewhat chaotic condition of the text presents the chief hindrance. Mr. Poste has chosen such emendations as seemed likely to him, and has so got what we may call a working text. To postpone a translation till a final settlement has been reached, would be to postpone it almost for ever. Mr. Poste writes in an easy and idiomatic style. Of this we may give a specimen, a description of the state of parties before the usurpation of Peisistratos :—" The State was still out of joint in all its members ; some were aggrieved at the abolition of debts, which had reduced them to poverty ; others were unreconciled to the constitutional changes which had diminished their power ; others were inflame d by rival
ambitions. They formed three parties : the Shore, led by Megacles and the Alcmaionids, were considered to advocate a tempered constitution ; the Plain, led by Lulourgos, were oligarchical; the Mountain were led by Peisistratos, supposed to be a strong par- tisan of democracy. The last party found allies in those who were ruined by the abolition of debts, and joined them under the promptings of poverty ; and all those whose citizenship was ques- tionable and who joined them from fear."
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