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And after this when a certain moderate length of time had passed, in the archonship of Aristaechmus, Draco enacted his ordinances1; and this system was on the following lines. [2] Citizenship had already been bestowed on those who provided themselves with arms; and these elected as the Nine Archons and the Treasurers,2 who were owners of an unencumbered estate worth not less than 10 minae,3 and the other minor offices from those who provided themselves with arms, and as Generals and Masters of the Horse persons proving their possession of unencumbered estate worth not less than 100 minae and sons legitimately born in wedlock over ten years of age. The new officials had to bail the outgoing Presidents4 and Generals and Masters of the Horse till the audit, accepting four sureties from the same rating as that to which the Generals and Masters of the Horse belonged. [3] And the Council was to be formed of four hundred and one members chosen by lot from the citizen body, and lots were to be cast both for this and for the other offices by the citizens over thirty years of age; and the same person was not to hold office twice until the whole number had been gone through, and then lots were to be cast among them again from the beginning. And if any Councillor, whenever there was a sitting of the Council or Assembly, failed to attend the meeting, he paid a fine of 3 drachmae if of Five-hundred-measure rank, 2 drachmae if a Knight, and 1 if a Teamster.5 [4] The Council of Areopagus was guardian of the laws, and kept a watch on the magistrates to make them govern in accordance with the laws. A person unjustly treated might lay a complaint before the Council of the Areopagites, stating the law in contravention of which he was treated unjustly. Loans were secured on the person, as has been said, and the land was divided among few owners.

1 Draco was presumably one of the Thesmothetae, Aristaechmus being Archon Eponymus. For Draco's work see Aristot. Pol. 1274b 15ff.; it is there said that he 'adapted his laws to a constitution that already existed.'

2 For the Treasurers of Athena see Aristot. Ath. Pol. 47.1.

3 Say 40 pounds.

4 Probably before Solon's time this denotes the Archons.

5 See Aristot. Ath. Pol. 7.3. A drachma (say 9 1/2d. or 1 franc) was a hundredth part of a mina (say 4 pounds.)

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