The Athenian Constitution — Aristotle — John Shaqi
The Athenian Constitution
Aristotle · en
When the jurors are about to vote, the crier demands first whether the
litigants enter a protest against any of the evidence; for no protest
can be received after the voting has begun. Then he proclaims again,
'The pierced ballot for the plaintiff, the solid for the defendant';
and the juror, taking his two ballot balls from the stand, with his
hand closed over the stem so as not to show either the pierced or the
solid ballot to the litigants, casts the one which is to count into the
brazen urn, and the other into the wooden urn.
Part 69
When all the jurors have voted, the attendants take the urn containing
the effective votes and discharge them on to a reckoning board having
as many cavities as there are ballot balls, so that the effective
votes, whether pierced or solid, may be plainly displayed and easily
counted. Then the officials assigned to the taking of the votes tell
them off on the board, the solid in one place and the pierced in
another, and the crier announces the numbers of the votes, the pierced
ballots being for the prosecutor and the solid for the defendant.
Whichever has the majority is victorious; but if the votes are equal
the verdict is for the defendant. Each juror receives two ballots, and
uses one to record his vote, and throws the other away.
Then, if damages have to be awarded, they vote again in the same way,
first returning their pay-vouchers and receiving back their staves.
Half a gallon of water is allowed to each party for the discussion of
the damages. Finally, when all has been completed in accordance with
the law, the jurors receive their pay in the order assigned by the lot.
THE END