The Complete Aristotle (eng.)

own debts separately. This
they did because they thought it was a necessary first step in the
direction of restoring harmony; but in other states, so far from
the democratic parties making advances from their own possessions,
they are rather in the habit of making a general redistribution of
the land. A final reconciliation was made with the secessionists at
Eleusis two years after the secession, in the archonship of
Xenaenetus.
41
    This, however, took place at a later date; at the time of which
we are speaking the people, having secured the control of the
state, established the constitution which exists at the present
day. Pythodorus was Archon at the time, but the democracy seems to
have assumed the supreme power with perfect justice, since it had
effected its own return by its own exertions. This was the eleventh
change which had taken place in the constitution of Athens. The
first modification of the primaeval condition of things was when
Ion and his companions brought the people together into a
community, for then the people was first divided into the four
tribes, and the tribe-kings were created. Next, and first after
this, having now some semblance of a constitution, was that which
took place in the reign of Theseus, consisting in a slight
deviation from absolute monarchy. After this came the constitution
formed under Draco, when the first code of laws was drawn up. The
third was that which followed the civil war, in the time of Solon;
from this the democracy took its rise. The fourth was the tyranny
of Pisistratus; the fifth the constitution of Cleisthenes, after
the overthrow of the tyrants, of a more democratic character than
that of Solon. The sixth was that which followed on the Persian
wars, when the Council of Areopagus had the direction of the state.
The seventh, succeeding this, was the constitution which Aristides
sketched out, and which Ephialtes brought to completion by
overthrowing the Areopagite Council; under this the nation, misled
by the demagogues, made the most serious mistakes in the interest
of its maritime empire. The eighth was the establishment of the
Four Hundred, followed by the ninth, the restored democracy. The
tenth was the tyranny of the Thirty and the Ten. The eleventh was
that which followed the return from Phyle and Piraeus; and this has
continued from that day to this, with continual accretions of power
to the masses. The democracy has made itself master of everything
and administers everything by its votes in the Assembly and by the
law-courts, in which it holds the supreme power. Even the
jurisdiction of the Council has passed into the hands of the people
at large; and this appears to be a judicious change, since small
bodies are more open to corruption, whether by actual money or
influence, than large ones. At first they refused to allow payment
for attendance at the Assembly; but the result was that people did
not attend. Consequently, after the Prytanes had tried many devices
in vain in order to induce the populace to come and ratify the
votes, Agyrrhius, in the first instance, made a provision of one
obol a day, which Heracleides of Clazomenae, nicknamed ‘the king’,
increased to two obols, and Agyrrhius again to three.
42
    The present state of the constitution is as follows. The
franchise is open to all who are of citizen birth by both parents.
They are enrolled among the demesmen at the age of eighteen. On the
occasion of their enrollment the demesmen give their votes on oath,
first whether the candidates appear to be of the age prescribed by
the law (if not, they are dismissed back into the ranks of the
boys), and secondly whether the candidate is free born and of such
parentage as the laws require. Then if they decide that he is not a
free man, he appeals to the law-courts, and the demesmen appoint
five of their own number to act as accusers; if the court decides
that he has no right to be enrolled, he is sold by the state as a
slave, but if he wins his case he has a right to be enrolled among
the demesmen without further question. After this the Council
examines those who have been enrolled, and if it comes to the
conclusion that any of them is less than eighteen years of age, it
fines the demesmen who enrolled him. When the youths (Ephebi) have
passed this examination, their fathers meet by their tribes, and
appoint on oath three of their fellow tribesmen, over forty years
of age, who, in their opinion, are the best and most suitable
persons to have charge of