(M66) In the fourth century B.C. this compact group limited to second cousins still survived at Athens, responsible to each other for succession, by inheritance or by marriage of a daughter; for vengeance and purification after injury received by any member, and for all duties shared by kindred blood. This close relation was called ἀγχιστεία, and all its members were called ἀγχιστεῖς _i.e._ any one upon whom the claim upon the next-of-kin might at any time fall. The speech of Demosthenes against Makartatos affords considerable information as to the constitution of the family-group or οἶκος. The five sons of Bouselos,(141) we are told, on his death divided his substance amongst them, and each started a new οἶκος and begat children and children’s children.(142) The action, which was the occasion of the speech, lay between the great-grandsons of two of these five founders of οἶκοι, Stratios and Hagnias, and had reference to the disposal of the estate of the grandson of the latter, which had come into the hands of the great-grandson of Stratios. One might have supposed that the descendants of Bouselos, with their common burial ground(143) and so forth, would have ranked as all in the same οἶκος under their title of Bouselidai. But it is clear from this speech of Demosthenes, that too many generations had already passed to admit of Bouselos being considered as still head of an unbroken οἶκος, and that his _great_-great-grandsons were subdivided into separate οἶκοι under the names of their respective great-grandfathers, Stratios, Hagnias, &c. (οἵ εἰσιν ἐκ τοῦ Στρατίου οἴκου, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Ἁγνίου οὐδεπώποτ᾽ ἐγένοντο).(144) § 2. Limitations In Respect Of Succession Outside The Direct Line Of Descent. (M67) The Gortyn law quoted above in the previous section goes on:— v. “If (a man or woman die and) they have no children, the deceased’s brothers and brother’s children or _grandchildren_ shall have the property. If there are none of these, the deceased’s sisters, their children or _grandchildren_. If there are none of these, to whom it descends of whatever grade they be, they shall inherit the property.” This clause takes the evidence one step further, and it is noticeable how the right of inheritance is determined by the great-grandchild of the common ancestor. In the direct line, a man’s descendants down to his great-grandchildren inherited his estate. In dealing with inheritance through a brother of the deceased the heirship terminates with the _grandchild_ of the brother, who would be great-grandchild of the nearest common ancestor with the previous owner of the estate. If there is no brother, the child of the cousin limits the next branch, as will be seen. (M68) Isaeus(145) describes the working of the then-existing (c. 350 B.C.) law of inheritance at Athens as follows:— The law gives “brothers’ property” (i.e. property without lineal succession) to