Page:History of Greece Vol III.djvu/137

 KOURTH OR POOREST CLASS. 121 one on horseback, the other as heavy-armed soldiers ou foot. Moreover, the liturgies of the state, as they were called, un- paid functions, such as the trierarchy, choregy, gymnasiarchy, etc., which entailed expense and trouble on the holder of them, were distributed in some way or other between the members of the three classes, though we do not know how the distribution was made in these early times. On the other hand, the mem- bers of the fourth or lowest class were disqualified from holding any individual office of dignity, performed no liturgies, served in case of war only as light-armed, or with a panoply provided by the state, and paid nothing to the direct property-tax, or eisphora. It would be incorrect to say that they paid no taxes ; for indirect taxes, such as duties on imports, fell upon them in common with the rest ; and we must recollect that these latter were, throughout a long period of Athenian history, in steady operation, while the direct taxes were only levied on rare oc- casions. But though this fourth class, constituting the great numerical majority of the free people, were shut out from individual office, their collective importance was in another way greatly increased They were invested with the right of choosing the annual arch- ons, out of the class of pentakosiomedimni ; and what was of more importance still, the archons and the magistrates generally, after their year of office, instead of being accountable to the senate of areopagus, were made formally accountable to the public assembly sitting in judgment upon their past conduct. They might be impeached and called upon to defend themselves, punished in case of misbehavior, and debarred from the usual honor of a seat in the senate of areopagus. Had the public assembly been called upon to act alone, without aid or guidance, this accountability would have proved only nom- inal. But Solon converted it into a reality by another new insti- tution, which will hereafter be found of great moment in the working out of the Athenian democracy. He created the pro- bouleutic or preconsidering senate, with intimate and especial reference to the public assembly, to prepare matters for its discussion, to convoke and superintend its meetings, and to insure the execution of its decrees. This senate, as first constituted by VOL. 111.