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The Athenian Constitution, by Aristotle
The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Athenian Constitution, by Aristotle This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Athenian Constitution
Author: Aristotle
Translator: Frederic G. Kenyon
Release Date: July 21, 2008 [EBook #26095]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ATHENIAN CONSTITUTION ***
Produced by Al Haines
THE ATHENIAN CONSTITUTION
by
Aristotle
Translated by Sir Frederic G. Kenyon
Part 1
...[They were tried] by a court empanelled from among the noble families, and sworn upon the sacrifices. The part of accuser was taken by Myron. They were found guilty of the sacrilege, and their bodies were cast out of their graves and their race banished for evermore. In view of this expiation, Epimenides the Cretan performed a purification of the city.
Part 2
After this event there was contention for a long time between the upper classes and the populace. Not only was the constitution at this time oligarchical in every respect, but the poorer classes, men, women, and children, were the serfs of the rich. They were known as Pelatae and also as Hectemori, because they cultivated the lands of the rich at the rent thus indicated. The whole country was in the hands of a few persons, and if the tenants failed to pay their rent they were liable to be haled into slavery, and th