46 THALIA.

exists till somo individual, assuming authority, sup­
presses the sedition; he of course obtains popular ad­
miration, which ends in his becoming the sovereign;
and this again tends to prove, that a monarchy is of
all governments the most excellent. To comprehend
all Siat can be said at once, to what are we indebted
for our liberty ? did we derive it from the people, an
oligarchy, or an individual ? For my own part, as we
were certainly indebted to one man for freedom, I
think that to one alone the government should be in­
trusted. Neither can we without danger change the
customs of our country."

LXXXIII. Such were the three different opinioni
delivered, the latter of which was approved by four
out of the seven. When Otanes saw his desire to
establish an equality in Persia rejected, he spoke thus:
" As it seems determined that Persia shall be governed
by one person, whether chosen among ourselves by
lot, or by the suffrages of the people, or by some other
method, you shall have no opposition from me: I am
equally averse to govern or obey. I therefore yield,
on condition that no one of you shall ever reign over
me, or any of my posterity." The rest of the con­
spirators assenting to this, ho made no farther oppo­
sition, but retired from the assembly. At the present
period this is the only family in Persia which retains
its liberty, for all that is required of them is not to
transgress the laws of their country.

LXXXIV. The remaining six noblemen continued
to consult about the most equitable mode of electing
a king; and they severally determined, that if the
choice should fall upon any of themselves, Otanes
himself and all his posterity should be annually pre­
sented with a Median habit as well as with every other
distinction magnificent in itself, and deemed honour­
able in Persia. They decreed him this tribute of re­
spect, as he had first agitated the matter, and called
them together. These were their determinations re­
specting Otanes; as to themselves, they mutually
agreed that access to the royal palace should be per­
mitted to each of thom, without the ceremony of a
previous messengor, except when the king should hap-