previous next

They also appoint the Eleven, officers chosen by lot to superintend the persons in the prison, and to punish with death people arrested as thieves and kidnappers and footpads that confess their guilt, but if they deny the charge to bring them before the Jury-court, and if they are acquitted discharge them, but if not then to execute them; and to bring before the Jury-court lists of farms and houses declared to be public property and to hand over to the Vendors1 those that it is decided to confiscate; and to bring in informations—for these too are brought in by the Eleven, though the Legislators also bring in some informations. [2]

They also elect by lot five men as Introducers, who introduce the cases to be tried within a month, each official those of two tribes. These cases include prosecutions for non-payment of dowry due, actions for the recovery of loans borrowed at a drachma interest,2 and of capital borrowed from one party by another wishing to do business in the market; and also actions about outrage, friendly-society business, partnerships, slaves, draft animals, naval command,3 and bank cases. [3] These officials, therefore, bring into court and decide these suits within a month; but the Receivers4 decide suits brought by tax-farmers or against them, having power to deal summarily with suits up to ten francs but bringing the others into the Jury-court within a month.

1 See Aristot. Ath. Pol. 47.2.

2 A drachma a mina a month = 12 per cent per annum.

3 i.e., particularly an action to recover expenses, brought by the captain of a trireme against his successor who had failed to relieve him when his year of office was over.

4 See Aristot. Ath. Pol. 48.1.

load focus Greek (Kenyon)
hide Places (automatically extracted)

View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document.

Download Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text.

hide References (2 total)
  • Cross-references in notes from this page (2):
    • Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians, 47.2
    • Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians, 48.1
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: