The Athenian Constitution — Aristotle — John Shaqi
The Athenian Constitution
Aristotle · en
These, then, are the festivals which he superintends. The suits and
indictments which come before him, and which he, after a preliminary
inquiry, brings up before the lawcourts, are as follows. Injury to
parents (for bringing these actions the prosecutor cannot suffer any
penalty); injury to orphans (these actions lie against their
guardians); injury to a ward of state (these lie against their
guardians or their husbands), injury to an orphan's estate (these too
lie against the guardians); mental derangement, where a party charges
another with destroying his own property through unsoundness of mind;
for appointment of liquidators, where a party refuses to divide
property in which others have a share; for constituting a wardship; for
determining between rival claims to a wardship; for granting inspection
of property to which another party lays claim; for appointing oneself
as guardian; and for determining disputes as to inheritances and wards
of state. The Archon also has the care of orphans and wards of state,
and of women who, on the death of their husbands, declare themselves to
be with child; and he has power to inflict a fine on those who offend
against the persons under his charge, or to bring the case before the
law-courts. He also leases the houses of orphans and wards of state
until they reach the age of fourteen, and takes mortgages on them; and
if the guardians fail to provide the necessary food for the children
under their charge, he exacts it from them. Such are the duties of the
Archon.
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