21 'Ayoeg, or the Market-place; and there, not the Athenians only, but moft other Cities, had their publick Meetings, because it was usually very capacious. Hence the Affemblies themselves came to be call'd 'Ayoga, and to make a Speech, dogsúew, as Harpocration obferves. Πνύξ, was a Place near the Citadel, fo calla, διὰ τὸ πεπυκνῶῶς τοῖς λίθοις, ἢ ταῖς καθέδραις, ἢ διὰ τὸ πεπυκνῶς ἐν αὐτῇ τὲς βολαλάς, because it was fill'd with Stones, or Seats fet close together, or from the Crowds of Men in the Affemblies, and therefore vuxins is by the Comedians taken for the thronging and preffing of a Multitude (a). It was remarkable for nothing more, than the Meannefs of its Buildings and Furniture, whereby in Ages that most affected Gaiety and Splendor, it remain'd a Monument of the ancient Simplicity (b). The Theatre of Bacchus, in later Times, was the ufual Place, in which the Assemblies were held (c), but even then Pnyx was not wholly forfaken, it being against Law to decree any Man a Crown, or elect any of the Magiftrates in any other Place, as Pollux; or at leaft, the Zrealnyol, as Hefychius reports. The ftated Affemblies were held in the foremention'd Places, but fuch, as were call'd upon extraordinary Occafions, were not confined to any certain Place, being fometimes held in the Pyraus, where there was a Forum call'd 'Iwwosauca a'yoçà, in the Munychia, or any other Place capacious enough to contain the People. The Magiftrates, that had the Care and Management of these Assem blies, were the Prytanes, Epiftatai, and Proedri. The Prytanes fometimes call'd the People together, and always, before their Meeting, fet up a levega in fame Place of general Concourse,in which were contained the Matters to be confulted upon in the following Affembly, to the End that every Man might have Time to confider of them, before he gave his Judgment (d). Пide, were fo call'd from the first Places, which they had in the Affemblies. Whilst the Tribes of Athens were no more than ten, the Proedri were nine in Number, being appointed by Lots out of the nine Tribes, which at that Time were exempted from being Prytanes. Their Bufinefs was to propofe to the People the Things they were to deliberate upon, and determine in that Meeting (e), at the End of which their Offices expired. For the greater Security of the Laws and Commonwealth from the Attempts of ambitious and defigning Men, it was cuftomary for the Νομοφύλακες in all Afemblies συγκαθίζειν τοῖς προέδροις, ένια διακωλύοντας ἐπιχειροτονεῖν ὅσα μὴ συμφέρει, to fit with the Proedri, and to hinder the People from decreeing any thing contrary to the public Intereft (f). By another Law it was likewife provided, that, in every Affembly, one of the Tribes fhould be appointed by Lots, wegɛd givew, to prefide at the Suggeftum, to defend the Commonwealth (g), viz by preventing the Orators, and others, from propounding any thing inconfiftent with the receiv'd Laws, or destructive of the Peace and Welfare of the City. (a) Ariftoph. Schol. Acharn. Equit. &c. (b) Pollux lib VIII. c. S. (c) Demofthen. Mediana. (d) Pollux lib. VIII. c. 8. (e) Ulpianus in Timocrat. (f) Pollux lib. VIII, c. 9. (g) fchines in Timarchum, Esans, the Prefident of the Assembly, was chofen by Lots out of the Proedri; the chief Part of his Office feems to have confifted, in granting the People Liberty to give their Voices, which they were not permit ted to do, till he had given the Signal (b). If the People were remifs in coming to the Affemblies, the Magiftrates ufed their utmoft Endeavours to compel them; they fhut up all the Gates, that only excepted, thro' which they were to pass to the Affembly; they took Care that all Vendibles fhould be carried out of the Market, that there might be nothing to divert them from appearing; and if this was not fufficient, the Logifta (whofe Bufinefs this was) took a Cord dy'd with Vermilion, with which they detach'd two of the Tokora into the Market, where one of them ftanding on one Side, and another on that which was oppofite, pursued all they found there, and mark'd with the Cord as many as they caught; all which had a certain Fine fet upon them, as the Scholiaft upon Aristophanes observes at this Verfe, Οι δ' ἐν ἀγορᾷ λαλέσι, κάνω και κάτω Τὸ σχοινίον φεύξεσι τὸ μεμιλλωμλύον (1). They in the Forum chat, and up and down J. A. Laftly, For an Encouragement to the Commonalty to frequent the Affemblies, it was decreed, at the Inftance of Calliftratus, that an Obolus fhould be given out of the Exchequer to all fuch as came early to the Place appointed for the Affembly. This was afterwards increas'd to three Oboli, at the Inftance of Agyrrhius. The Expectation of this Reward drew many of the poorer Sort, who would otherwife have abfented themselves. Whence that Saying of Ariftophanes (k), where he speaks of Plutus, the God of Money; Εκκλησία δ' ἐχὶ διὰ τὸτον γίγνεται; Is not the Affembly frequented for his Sake? They who came late to the Affembly received nothing; which is evident from the following Verses of the fame Author (/): ΒΛΕ. Αγὰρ πόθεν ἥκεις ἐτεόν; XP. Εξ ἐκκλησίας. ΒΛΕ. Τριώβολον δῆτ ̓ ἔλαβες; ΧΡ. Εἰ γὰ ὠφελον (b) Harpocration, Demofibenes Androtiana, Æschines in Ctefiphont. (i) Acharn. (k) Plut. A&t. E. Scen. II. (1) Concionatricibus. p. 704. Edit. Amfteled, If boisterous and tempeftuous Weather, or a fudden Storm, which they call'd Aroonμeia (m), or Earthquake happen'd, or any inaufpicious Omen appear'd, the Affembly was immediately adjourned. But, if all Things continu'd in their ufual Course, they proceeded in this Manner. First, the Place, where they were appointed to meet, was purified by killing young Pigs, which, as was ufual in fuch Luftrations, they carried round about the utmost Bounds of it; on the Outside of which no Man was permitted to ftand, because those Places were accounted prophane and unfanctified, and therefore unfit for the tranfacting of Bufinefs of fo great Confequence, as that in which the Welfare and Safety of the State was nearly concern'd; this we learn from Ariftophanes, in whom the publick Crier warns the People to ftand on the Infide of the nadapua, for fo they call'd the Sacrifices offer'd at Expiations, Παριθ ̓, ὡς ἂν ἐντὸς ἦτε το καθάρματΘ. The Perfon, that officiated in the Luftration, was call'd Kaagris, and Пegsiap, from IIegisia, another Name for Kaapuara (n), and Eslag, according to Pollux. The Expiatory Rites being ended, the publick Crier made a folemn Prayer for the Profperity of the Commonwealth, and the good Succefs of their Counfels and Undertakings (9). For, amongst the primitive Greeks, all Things were carried on with a great Shew of Piety and Devotion; and fo great a Share they thought their Gods had in the Management of human Affairs, that they never undertook any Thing of Weight or Moment, especially of publick Business, without having firft invoked their Direction and Affiftance. Then he pronounced a bitter Execration againft fuch as fhould endeavour any thing in that Affembly to the Prejudice of the Commonwealth, praying, that he and his whole Family might be made remarkable Examples of the Divine Vengeance (p). Then the Crier, the Proedri giving the Command, repeated the ПegCindua, or Decree of the Senate, upon which the Affembly was then to deliberate. That being done, the Crier proclaimed with a loud Voice, τίς ἀγορεύειν βέλεταὶ 7 ὑπὲρ πεντήκοντα έτη γεγονότων ; which of the Men above 50 Years old will make an Oration? Then the old Men propounded whatever they thought convenient. After which, the Crier by a second Proclamation gave them to underland, λέγει η Αθηναίων τὸν βυλό or of sesi, That every Athenian might then speak, whom the Laws allow'd fo to dolg). For as they judg'd it unreasonable, that any Man'sQua lity or Age (fo he were not under 30) should debar him from uttering what he had conceiv'd for the Good of the Commonwealth; fo, on the other Hand, it was thought very indecent and unbecoming for young Men to give their Opinions, before they had heard the Sentiments of fuch, as Years and Experience had render'd more fit and able to judge. (m) Aristophan, Schol. ibid. (n) Ariftoph. Schol. ibid. & Concionatr. &c. Suidas, Harpocration, præcipue Hefychius v. nálaşuz. (0) Demofthen. Timocrat. (p) DemoAthen. Tapi apaπesßrias. (9) Ariftophan, Acharn, Demosthenes & Æfchines in Grefiphont But But the Wisdom of the Law-giver thought it not expedient to pêrmit every Man, without Diftinction, to deliver his Opinion; for fuch as were convicted of any heinous Crime, of Impiety, Prophaneness, or Debauchery, had fled from their Colours, or were deeply indebted to the Commonwealth, he excluded from having any thing to do in fuch Confultations (r); it being fcarce probable that Perfons of wicked Lives, or defperate Fortunes, fhould endeavour any thing conducive to the Peace and Profperity of the State, but rather that they should defign the Confufion and Ruin of it, that themselves might be enrich'd with the Spoils of honest Men, and be at Liberty to take their full Career in their unlawful Pleasures, without the Restraint of Laws, and Fear of Punishments. Wherefore, if any Man was thought by the Prytanes to be unfit to make an Oration to the People, they enjoin'd him Silence. Thus in the Affembly of Women in Aristophanes (f),Praxagora,who is there one of the Prytanes, commands an impertinent Woman to hold her Peace: ལ Σὺ μὲν βάδιζε, και κάθης, ἐδὲν γ Go you, and fit down, for you are no Body. They who refus'd Obedience to the Prytanes, were pull'd down from the Suggeftum by the Lictors (70%), as appears from another Place of the fame Author (t). When the Debates were ended, the Crier, by the Command of the Epiftatai, or Proedri, as others report, afk'd the People, whether they would confent to the Decree? Permitting them to give Voices, and thereby either establish or reject it, the doing which they call'd Ewingiζειν το ψήφισμα, οι Διδόναι διαχειροτονίαν των δήμῳ. The Manner of giving their Suffrages, was by holding up their Hands, and therefore they call'd it xegolovía, and xegolover fignifies to ordain, or establifh any thing; doxepoloveiv, to difannul by Suffrage. This was the common Method of voting, but in fome Cafes, as particularly when they depriv'd Magiftrates of their Offices for Male-adminiftration, they gave their Votes in private, left the Power and Greatness of the Perfons accus'd should lay a Reftraint upon them, and cause them to act contrary to their Judgments and Inclinations. The Manner of voting privately was by cafting Pebbles (ps) into Veffels (xás), which the Prytanes were obliged to place in the Assembly for this Purpofe. Before the Ufe of Pebbles, they voted with (xuaμor) Beans (u). As foon as the People had done voting, the Proedri, having carefully examin'd the Number of the Suffrages, pronounc'd the Decree ratified, or thrown out, according as the major Part had approv'd, or rejected it. It is obfervable in the laft Place, that it was unlawful for the Prytanes to propofe any thing twice in the fame Affembly (w). The Bufinefs being over, the Prytanes difmifs'd the Affembly, as we read in AriStophanes (x). (r) Demofthen. in Ariftogit. Efcbines in Ctesiphont. (f) Concionatr. p. 692, Edit. Amftelod. () Acharnenfibus Act. I. Sc. II. ibique Vetus Scholiaftes, (u) Suidas. (2) Nicia Orat. apud Thucyd, lib. VI. (x) Acharnens. of Οἱ γ Πρυτάνεις λύεσι τὴν Εκκλησίαν. Whoever defires to have a more full Account of the popular Assemblies at Athens, may confult the Concionatrices of Ariftophanes (y), where their whole Management is accurately defcribed." B CHAP. XVIII. Of the Senate of the five hundred. Y Solon's Conftitution, the whole Power and Management of Af fairs were placed in the People; it was their Prerogative to receive Appeals from the Courts of Juftice, to abrogate old Laws, and enact new, to make what Alterations in the State they judged convenient ; and, in short, all Matters, whether publick or private, foreign or domeftick, civil, military, or religious, were determin'd by them. But because it was dangerous, that Things of fuch vaft Moment and Concern fhould be, without any farther Care, committed to the Difpofal and Management of a giddy and unthinking Multitude, who, by eloquent Men, would be perfuaded to enact Things contrary to their own Interefts, and deftructive to the Commonwealth; the wife Law-giver, to prevent fuch pernicious Confequences, judged it abfolutely neceffary for the Prefervation of the State, to inftitute a great Council, confifting only of Men of the best Credit and Reputation in the City, whofe Bufinefs it fhould be to infpect all Matters before they were propounded to the People; and to take Care that nothing, but what had been diligently examined, fhould be brought before the general Assembly (x). At the fame Time he instituted, at least regulated another Council, I mean that of the Areopagites, which, tho' inferior to the former in Order and Power, yet was fuperior to it in Dignity and Esteem, and therefore was call'd nave Bean, or, the upper Council; to this he gave the Inspection and Custody of the Laws, fuppofing that the Commonwealth being held by these two, as it were by firm Anchors, would be lefs liable to be toft by Tumults, and made a Prey to such as had Knavery enough to defign, and Cunning and Eloquence to entice the People to their own Destruction (a). At the first Inftitution of the former Council, it confifted only of four hundred Senators, one hundred of which were appointed out of each Tribe, for the Tribes in Solon's Time were only four in Number (b). They were elected by Lots, in drawing of which they made Ufe of Beans, and therefore Thucydides calls them Badras do xuáμs, and the Senate, Buλny do xudur. The Manner of their Election was thus on a certain Day, before the Beginning of the Month Hecatombeon, the Prefident of every Tribe gave in the Names of all the Persons within his District, that were capable of this Dignity, and had a Mind to appear for it; these were engraven upon Tables of Brafs, call'd IIvánia (c), (y) P. 783. Edit, Aurel. Allobrog, (z) Plutarch, Solone, (a) Idem. (b) Idem. (c) Harpocrat. H and |