In  revolutions  the  occasions  may  be  trifling,  but  great  inter
ests  are  at  stake.  Trifles  are  most  important  when  they  concern
the  rulers,  as  was  the  case  of  old  at  Syracuse ;  for  the  Syracusan
constitution  was  once  changed  by  a  love-quarrel  of  two  young
men,  who  were  in  the  government.  The  story  is  that  while  one
of  them-  was  away  from  home  his  beloved  was  gained  over  by
his  companion,  and  he  to  revenge  himself  seduced  the  other's


122  ARISTOTLE

wife.  They  then  drew  all  the  members  of  the  ruling  class  into
their  quarrel  and  made  a  revolution.  We  learn  from  this  story
that  we  should  be  on  our  guard  against  the  beginnings  of  such
evils,  and  should  put  an  end  to  the  quarrels  of  chiefs  and  mighty
men.  The  mistake  lies  in  the  beginning — as  the  proverb  says
— "  Well  begun  is  half  done  " ;  so  an  error  at  the  beginning,
though  quite  small,  has  the  proportion  of  a  half  to  the  whole
matter.  In  general,  when  the  notables  quarrel,  the  whole  city
is  involved,  as  happened  in  Hestiaea  after  the  Persian  War.
The  occasion  was  the  division  of  an  inheritance;  one  of  two
brothers  refused  to  give  an  account  of  their  father's  property
and  the  treasure  which  he  had  found :  so  the  poorer  of  the  two
quarrelled  with  him  and  enlisted  in  his  cause  the  popular  party,
the  other,  who  was  very  rich,  the  wealthy  classes.
