a celebrated lawgiver of Athens. When he exercised the office of archon, he framed a code of laws for the use of his fellow-citizens, which, on account of their severity, were said to be written in letters of blood. By them idleness was punished with as much severity as murder, and death was denounced against the one as well as the other. The rigour of this code of laws induced a certain Athenian to ask of the legislator why he had been so severe in his punishments; upon which Draco answered, that as the smallest transgression had appeared to him deserving of death, he could not find any punishment more rigorous for atrocious crimes. These laws were at first enforced, but they were often neglected on account of their excessive severity; and Solon totally abolished them, excepting that one which punished a murderer with death. The popularity of Draco was uncommon; but the gratitude of his admirers proved fatal to him. When he appeared at the theatre, he was received with repeated applause; and the people, according to the custom of the Athenians, showed their respect to their lawgiver by throwing garments upon him. But this was done in such profusion, that Draco was soon hid under them, and smothered to death by the kindness of his fellow-citizens. He lived about 624 years before the Christian era. See the article **Attica**.

**Draco**, in **Astronomy**, a constellation of the northern hemisphere.