the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第4章

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ce　of　business　with　the　senate　or　the　People；　even　if　he　sit　waiting　a　whole　year。　Now　this　does　happen　at　Athens；　and　for　no　other　reason　save　that；　owing　to　the　immense　mass　of　affairs　they　are　unable　to　work　off　all　the　business　on　hand；　and　dismiss　the　applicants。　And　how　in　the　world　should　they　be　able；　considering　in　the　first　place；　that　they；　the　Athenians；　have　more　festivals＇3＇　to　celebrate　than　any　other　state　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　Hellas？　＇During　these　festivals；　of　course；　the　transaction　of　any　sort　of　affairs　of　state　is　still　more　out　of　the　question。＇＇4＇　In　the　next　place；　only　consider　the　number　of　cases　they　have　to　decidewhat　with　private　suits　and　public　causes　and　scrutinies　of　accounts；　etc。；　more　than　the　whole　of　the　rest　of　mankind　put　together；　while　the　senate　has　multifarious　points　to　advise　upon　concerning　peace　and　war；＇5＇　concerning　ways　and　means；　concerning　the　framing　and　passing　of　laws；＇6＇　and　concerning　the　thousand　and　one　matters　affecting　the　state　perpetually　occurring；　and　endless　questions　touching　the　allies；　besides　the　receipt　of　the　tribute；　the　superintendence　of　dockyards　and　temples；　etc。　Can；　I　ask　again；　any　one　find　it　at　all　surprising　that；　with　all　these　affairs　on　their　hands；　they　are　unequal　to　doing　business　with　all　the　world？

＇3＇　See　Arist。　〃Wasps；〃　661。

＇4＇　This　sentence　is　perhaps　a　gloss。

＇5＇　Or；　〃about　the　war；〃　｛peri　tou　polemou｝。

＇6＇　See　Thirlwall；　ch。　xxxii。　vol。　iv。　p。　221；　note　3。

But　some　people　tell　us　that　if　the　applicant　will　only　address　himself　to　the　senate　or　the　People　with　a　fee　in　his　hand　he　will　do　a　good　stroke　of　business。　And　for　my　part　I　am　free　to　confess　to　these　gainsayers　that　a　good　many　things　may　be　done　at　Athens　by　dint　of　money；　and　I　will　add；　that　a　good　many　more　still　might　be　done；　if　the　money　flowed　still　more　freely　and　from　more　pockets。　One　thing；　however；　I　know　full　well；　that　as　to　transacting　with　every　one　of　these　applicants　all　he　wants；　the　state　could　not　do　it；　not　even　if　all　the　gold　and　silver　in　the　world　were　the　inducement　offered。

Here　are　some　of　the　cases　which　have　to　be　decided　on。　Some　one　fails　to　fit　out　a　ship：　judgement　must　be　given。　Another　puts　up　a　building　on　a　piece　of　public　land：　again　judgement　must　be　given。　Or；　to　take　another　class　of　cases：　adjudication　has　to　be　made　between　the　choragi　for　the　Dionysia；　the　Thargelia；　the　Panathenaea；　year　after　year。　＇＇7＇　And　again　in　behalf　of　the　gymnasiarchs　a　similar　adjudication　for　the　Panathenaea；　the　Prometheia；　and　the　Hephaestia；　also　year　after　year。＇　Also　as　between　the　trierarchs；　four　hundred　of　whom　are　appointed　each　year；　of　these；　too；　any　who　choose　must　have　their　cases　adjudicated　on；　year　after　year。　But　that　is　not　all。　There　are　various　magistrates　to　examine　and　approve＇8＇　and　decide　between；　there　are　orphans＇9＇　whose　status　must　be　examined；　and　guardians　of　prisoners　to　appoint。　These；　be　it　borne　in　mind；　are　all　matters　of　yearly　occurrence；　while　at　intervals　there　are　exemptions　and　abstentions　from　military　service＇10＇　which　call　for　adjudication；　or　in　connection　with　some　other　extraordinary　misdemeanour；　some　case　of　outrage　and　violence　of　an　exceptional　character；　or　some　charge　of　impiety。　A　whole　string　of　others　I　simply　omit；　I　am　content　to　have　named　the　most　important　part　with　the　exception　of　the　assessments　of　tribute　which　occur；　as　a　rule；　at　intervals　of　five　years。＇11＇

＇7＇　Adopting　the　emendation　of　Kirchhoff；　who　inserts　the　sentence　in　　　　　brackets。　For　the　festivals　in　question；　see　〃Dict。　of　Antiq。〃　　　　　〃Lampadephoria〃；　C。　R。　Kenney；　〃Demosth。　against　Leptines；〃　etc。；　　　　　App。　vi。

＇8＇　For　the　institution　called　the　｛dokimasia｝；　see　Aristot。　　　　　〃Constitution　of　Athens；〃　ch。　lv。

＇9＇　See　Dem。　〃against　Midias；〃　565；　17；　〃against　Apholus〃　（1）；　814；　　　　　20。

＇10＇　See　Lys。　〃Or。〃　xiv。　and　xv。

＇11＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　vi。　p。　48；　Thuc。　vii。　78；　i。　96；　Arist。　　　　　〃Wasps；〃　707；　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　v。　8。

I　put　it　to　you；　then：　can　any　one　suppose　that　all；　or　any；　of　these　may　dispense　with　adjudication？＇12＇　If　so；　will　any　one　say　which　ought；　and　which　ought　not；　to　be　adjudicated　on；　there　and　then？　If；　on　the　other　hand；　we　are　forced　to　admit　that　these　are　all　fair　cases　for　adjudication；　it　follows　of　necessity　that　they　should　be　decided　during　the　twelve…month；　since　even　now　the　boards　of　judges　sitting　right　through　the　year　are　powerless　to　stay　the　tide　of　evildoing　by　reason　of　the　multitude　of　the　people。

＇12＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff。　Cf。　for　｛oiesthai　khre｝；　〃Hell。〃　VI。　iv。　　　　　23；　〃Cyr。〃　IV。　ii。　28。

So　far　so　good。＇13＇　〃But；〃　some　one　will　say；　〃try　the　cases　you　certainly　must；　but　lessen　the　number　of　the　judges。〃　But　if　so；　it　follows　of　necessity　that　unless　the　number　of　courts　themselves　are　diminished　in　number　there　will　only　be　a　few　judges　sitting　in　each　court；＇14＇　with　the　further　consequence　that　in　dealing　with　so　small　a　body　of　judges　it　will　be　easier　for　a　litigant　to　present　an　invulnerable　front＇15＇　to　the　court；　and　to　bribe＇16＇　the　whole　body；　to　the　great　detriment　of　justice。＇17＇

＇13＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　v。　514；　520；　Machiavelli；　〃Disc。　s。　Livio；〃　i。　　　　　7。

＇14＇　Reading　with　Sauppe；　｛anagke　toinun；　ean　me｝　＇for　the　vulgate　　　　　｛ean　men　oliga　k。t。l。｝＇　｛oliga　poiontai　dikasteria；　oligoi　en　　　　　ekasto　esontai　to　dikasterio｝。　Or；　adopting　Weiske's　emendation；　　　　　｛ean　men　polla　poiontai　dikasteria　k。t。l。｝　Translate；　〃Then；　if　by　　　　　so　doing　they　manage　to　multiply　the　law　courts；　there　will　be　　　　　only　a　few　judges　sitting；〃　etc。

＇15＇　Or；　as　Liddell　and　Scott；　〃to　prepare　all　his　tricks。〃

＇16＇　｛sundekasoi｝；　〃to　bribe　in　the　lump。〃　This　is　Schneider's　happy　　　　　emendation　of　the　MS。　｛sundikasai｝；　see　Demosthenes；　1137；　1。

＇17＇　Reading　｛oste｝；　lit。　〃so　as　to　get　a　far　less　just　judgment。〃

But　besides　this　we　cannot　escape　the　conclusion　that　the　Athenians　have　their　festivals　to　keep；　during　which　the　courts　cannot　sit。＇18＇　As　a　matter　of　fact　these　festivals　are　twice　as　numerous　as　those　of　any　other　people。　But　I　will　reckon　them　as　merely　equal　to　those　of　the　state　which　has　the　fewest。

＇18＇　Lit。　〃it　is　not　possible　to　give　judgment〃；　or；　〃for　juries　to　　　　　sit。〃

This　being　so；　I　maintain　that　it　is　not　possible　for　business　affairs　at　Athens　to　stand　on　any　very　different　footing　from　the　present；　except　to　some　slight　extent；　by　adding　here　and　deducting　there。　Any　large　modification　is　out　of　the　question；　short　of　damaging　the　democracy　itself。　No　doubt　many　expedients　might　be　discovered　for　improving　the　constitution；　but　if　the　problem　be　to　discover　some　adequate　means　of　improving　the　constitution；　while　at　the　same　time　the　democracy　is　to　remain　intact；　I　say　it　is　not　easy　to　do　this；　except；　as　I　have　just　stated；　to　the　extent　of　some　trifling　addition　here　or　deduction　there。

There　is　another　point　in　which　it　is　sometimes　felt　that　the　Athenians　are　ill　advised；　in　their　adoption；　namely；　of　the　less　respectable　party；　in　a　state　divided　by　faction。　But　if　so；　they　do　it　advisedly。　If　they　chose　the　more　respectable；　they　would　be　adopting　those　whose　views　and　interests　differ　from　their　own；　for　there　is　no　state　in　which　the　best　element　is　friendly　to　the　people。　It　is　the　worst　element　which　in　every　state　favours　the　democracyon　the　principle　that　like　favours　like。＇19＇　It　is　simple　enough　then。　The　Athenians　choose　what　is　most　akin　to　themselves。　Also　on　every　occasion　on　which　they　have　attempted　to　side　with　the　better　classes；　it　has　not　fared　well　with　them；　but　within　a　short　interval　the　democratic　party　has　been　enslaved；　as　for　instance　in　Boeotia；＇20＇　or；　as　when　they　chose　the　aristocrats　of　the　Milesians；　and　within　a　short　time　these　revolted　and　cut　the　people　to　pieces；　or；　as　when　they　chose　the　Lacedaemonians　as　against　the　Messenians；　and　within　a　short　time　the　Lacedaemonians　subjugated　the　Messenians　and　went　to　war　against　Athens。

＇19＇　I。e。　〃birds　of　a　feather。〃

＇20＇　The　references　are　perhaps　（1）　to　the　events　of　the　year　447　　　　　B。C。；　see　Thuc。　i。　113；　cf。　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　v。　3；　5；　（2）　to　440　　　　　B。C。；　Thuc。　i。　115；　Diod。　xii。　27；　28；　Plut。　〃Pericl。〃　c。　24；　（3）　　　　　to　those　of　464　B。C。；　followed　by　457　B。C。；　Thuc。　i。　102；　Plut。　　　　　〃Cimon；〃　c。　16；　and　Thuc。　i。　108。

I　seem　to　overhear　a　retort；　〃No　one；　of　course；　is　deprived　of　his　civil　rights　at　Athens　unjustly。〃　My　answer　is；　that　there　are　some　who　are　unjustly　deprived　of　their　civil　rights；　though　the　cases　are　certainly　rare。　But　it　will　take　more　than　a　few　to　attack　the　democracy　at　Athens；　since　you　may　take　it　as　an　established　fact；　it　is　not　the　man　who　has　lost　his　civil　rights　justly　that　takes　the　matter　to　heart；　but　the　victims；　if　any；　of　injustice。　But　how　in　the　world　can　any　one　imagine　that　many　are　in　a　state　of　civil　disability　at　Athens；　where　the　People　and　the　holders　of　office　are　one　and　the　same？　It　is　from　iniquitous　exercise　of　office；　from　iniquity　exhibited　either　in　speech　or　action；　and　the　like　circumstances；　that　citizens　are　punished　with　deprivation　of　civil　rights　in　Athens。　Due　reflection　on　these　matters　will　serve　to　dispel　the　notion　that　there　is　any　danger　at　Athens　from　persons　visited　with　disenfranchisement。





THE　POLITY　OF　THE　LACEDAEMONIANS



I

I　recall　the　astonishment　with　which　I＇1＇　first　noted　the　unique　position＇2＇　of　Sparta　amongst　the　states　of　Hellas；　the　relatively　sparse　population；＇3＇　and　at　the　same　time　the　extraordinary　power　and　prestige　of　the　community。　I　was　puzzled　to　account　for　the　fact。　It　was　only　when　I　came　to　consider　the　peculiar　institutions　of　the　Spartans　that　my　wonderment　ceased。　Or　rather；　it　is　transferred　to　the　legislator　who　gave　them　those　laws；　obedience　to　which　has　been　the　secret　of　their　prosperity。　This　legislator；　Lycurgus；　I　must　needs　admire；　and　hold　him　to　have　been　one　of　the　wisest　of　mankind。　Certainly　he　was　no　servile　imitator　of　other　states。　It　was　by　a　stroke　of　invention　rather；　and　on　a　pattern　much　in　opposition　to　the　commonly…accepted　one；　that　he　brought　his　fatherland　to　this　pinnacle　of　prosperity。

＇1＇　See　the　opening　words　of　the　〃Cyrop。〃　and　of　the　〃Symp。〃

＇2＇　Or；　〃the　phenomenal　character。〃　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　ix。　320　foll。；　　　　　Newman；　〃Pol。　Arist。〃　i。　202。

＇3＇　See　Herod。　vii。　234；　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　9；　14　foll。；　Muller；　　　　　〃Dorians；〃　iii。　10　（vol。　i。　p。　203；　Eng。　tr。）

Take　for　exampleand　it　is　well　to　begin　at　the　beginning＇4＇the　whole　topic　of　the　begetting　and　rearing　of　children。　Throughout　the　rest　of　the　world　the　young　girl；　who　will　one　day　become　a　mother　（and　I　speak　of　those　who　may　be　held　to　be　well　brought　up）；　is　nurtured　on　the　plainest　food　attainable；　with　the　scantiest　addition　of　meat　or　other　condiments；　whilst　as　to　wine　they　train　them　either　to　total　abstinence　or　to　take　it　highly　diluted　with　water。　And　in　imitation；　as　it　were；　of　the　handicraft　type；　since　the　majority　of　artificers　are　sedentary；＇5＇　we；　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes；　are　content　that　our　girls　should　sit　quietly　and　work　wools。　That　is　all　we　demand　of　them。　But　how　are　we　to　expect　that　women　nurtured　in　this　fashion　should　produce　a　splendid　offspring？

＇4