The Athenian Constitution — Aristotle — John Shaqi
The Athenian Constitution
Aristotle · en
This reconciliation was effected in the archonship of Eucleides, on the
following terms. All persons who, having remained in the city during
the troubles, were now anxious to leave it, were to be free to settle
at Eleusis, retaining their civil rights and possessing full and
independent powers of self-government, and with the free enjoyment of
their own personal property. The temple at Eleusis should be common
ground for both parties, and should be under the superintendence of the
Ceryces, and the Eumolpidae, according to primitive custom. The
settlers at Eleusis should not be allowed to enter Athens, nor the
people of Athens to enter Eleusis, except at the season of the
mysteries, when both parties should be free from these restrictions.
The secessionists should pay their share to the fund for the common
defence out of their revenues, just like all the other Athenians. If
any of the seceding party wished to take a house in Eleusis, the people
would help them to obtain the consent of the owner; but if they could
not come to terms, they should appoint three valuers on either side,
and the owner should receive whatever price they should appoint. Of
the inhabitants of Eleusis, those whom the secessionists wished to
remain should be allowed to do so. The list of those who desired to
secede should be made up within ten days after the taking of the oaths
in the case of persons already in the country, and their actual
departure should take place within twenty days; persons at present out
of the country should have the same terms allowed to them after their
return. No one who settled at Eleusis should be capable of holding any
office in Athens until he should again register himself on the roll as
a resident in the city. Trials for homicide, including all cases in
which one party had either killed or wounded another, should be
conducted according to ancestral practice. There should be a general
amnesty concerning past events towards all persons except the Thirty,
the Ten, the Eleven, and the magistrates in Piraeus; and these too
should be included if they should submit their accounts in the usual
way. Such accounts should be given by the magistrates in Piraeus before
a court of citizens rated in Piraeus, and by the magistrates in the
city before a court of those rated in the city. On these terms those
who wished to do so might secede. Each party was to repay separately
the money which it had borrowed for the war.
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