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
Again, (40) it is looked upon as a mistaken policy on the part of the
Athenian democracy to compel her allies to voyage to Athens in order to
have their cases tried. (41) On the other hand, it is easy to reckon up
what a number of advantages the Athenian People derive from the practice
impugned. In the first place, there is the steady receipt of salaries
throughout the year (42) derived from the court fees. (43) Next, it
enables them to manage the affairs of the allied states while seated
at home without the expense of naval expeditions. Thirdly, they thus
preserve the partisans of the democracy, and ruin her opponents in the
law courts. Whereas, supposing the several allied states tried their
cases at home, being inspired by hostility to Athens, they would destroy
those of their own citizens whose friendship to the Athenian People was
most marked. But besides all this the democracy derives the following
advantages from hearing the cases of her allies in Athens. In the first
place, the one per cent (44) levied in Piraeus is increased to the
profit of the state; again, the owner of a lodging-house (45) does
better, and so, too, the owner of a pair of beasts, or of slaves to
be let out on hire; (46) again, heralds and criers (47) are a class of
people who fare better owing to the sojourn of foreigners at Athens.
Further still, supposing the allies had not to resort to Athens for the
hearing of cases, only the official representative of the imperial
state would be held in honour, such as the general, or trierarch, or
ambassador. Whereas now every single individual among the allies is
forced to pay flattery to the People of Athens because he knows that he
must betake himself to Athens and win or lose (48) his case at the bar,
not of any stray set of judges, but of the sovereign People itself,
such being the law and custom at Athens. He is compelled to behave as
a suppliant (49) in the courts of justice, and when some juryman comes
into court, to grasp his hand. For this reason, therefore, the allies
find themselves more and more in the position of slaves to the people of
Athens.
(40) Grote, "H. G." vi. 61.
(41) See Isocr. "Panath." 245 D.
(42) See Arist. "Clouds," 1196; Demosth. "c. Timoc." 730.
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