The Polity of the Athenians and the LacedaemoniansXenophon
History
The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians
Xenophon
Classical literature; Greece -- Politics and government -- Early works to 1800
(24) See Boeckh, "P. E. A." I. xiii. (Eng. trans. p. 72). "The rights
of property with regard to slaves in no way differed from any
other chattel; they could be given or taken as pledges. They
laboured either on their master's account or their own, in
consideration of a certain sum to be paid to the master, or they
were let out on hire either for the mines or any other kind of
labour, and even for other persons' workshops, or as hired
servants for wages ({apophora}): a similar payment was also
exacted by the masters for their slaves serving in the fleet." Ib.
"Dissertation on the Silver Mines of Laurion," p. 659 (Eng.
trans.)
(25) See "Pol. Lac." vi. 3.
(26) Or, "we have given to our slaves the right to talk like equals
with free men, just as to resident aliens the right of so talking
with citizens." See Jebb, "Theophr. Char." xiv. 4, note, p. 221.
See Demosth. "against Midias," 529, where the law is cited. "If
any one commit a personal outrage upon man, woman, or child,
whether free-born or slave, or commit any illegal act against any
such person, let any Athenian that chooses" (not being under
disability) "indict him before the judges," etc; and the orator
exclaims: "You know, O Athenians, the humanity of the law, which
allows not even slaves to be insulted in their persons."--C. R.
Kennedy.
Citizens devoting their time to gymnastics and to the cultivation of
music are not to be found in Athens; (27) the sovereign People has
disestablished them, (28) not from any disbelief in the beauty and
honour of such training, but recognising the fact that these are things
the cultivation of which is beyond its power. On the same principle, in
the case of the coregia, (29) the gymnasiarchy, and the trierarchy, the
fact is recognised that it is the rich man who trains the chorus, and
the People for whom the chorus is trained; it is the rich man who is
trierarch or gymnasiarch, and the People that profits by their labours.
(30) In fact, what the People looks upon as its right is to pocket
the money. (31) To sing and run and dance and man the vessels is well
enough, but only in order that the People may be the gainer, while the
rich are made poorer. And so in the courts of justice, (32) justice is
not more an object of concern to the jurymen than what touches personal
advantage.
(27) For {mousike} and {gumnastike}, see Becker's "Charicles," Exc.
"Education."
(28) See "Revenues," iv. 52; Arist. "Frogs," 1069, {e xekenosen tas te
palaistras}, "and the places of exercise vacant and bare."--Frere.
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