Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/449

 ■CRAP. XI. RULES or DEMOCKATIC GOVERNMENT. 443 initiative. The senate offered a draught of a decree (the bill) ; the people could reject or adopt it, but could not deliberate on any other question. When the herald had read the proposed law, the discussion was opened. The herald said, " Who wishes to speak?" The orators ascended the speak- 'Cr's stand according to age. Any man could speak, without distinction of fortune or profession, but on the condition that he had proved that he enjoyed political rights, that he was not a debtor to the state, that his habits of life were correct, that he was lawfully mar- ried, that he was a land-owner in Attica, that he had fulfilled nil his duties towards his parents, that he had taken part in all the military expeditions to which he had been assigned, and that he had never thrown his shield away in any battle.* These precautions against eloquence once taken, the people gave themselves entirely up to it. The Athe- nians, as Thucydides says, did not believe that words could damage actions. On the contrary, they felt the need of being enlightened. Politics were no longer, as under the pi-eceding government, an affair of tradi- tion and faith. Men reflected and weighed reasons. Discussion was necessary, for every question was more or less obscure, and discussion alone could bring the truth to light. The Athenian people desired to have ovory question presented in all its different phases, and to have both sides clearly sliown. They made great account of their orators, and, it is said, paid them in money for every discourse delivered to the j^eople.* ' ^schinos, I. 27-33. Deinarchus, I. 71. Wasps, 711 (689). See the Sclioliast.
 * At least tliis is what Aristoplianes gives us to understand.