Archon

Here those about Basilides, expounding this saying, say that the Archon himself, hearing the utterance of the ministering Spirit, was struck with astonishment both at the hearing and at the sight, having beyond hope received good tidings;

For unless ignorance had pre-existed, the minister would not have come down, nor would astonishment have taken the Archon, as they themselves say, nor would he have received a beginning of wisdom from the fear, for the distinguishing of the election and of the worldly things.

But it is for heiresses, and orphans, and parents that the Archon is appointed to care.

Before the Archon?

Nay more, he even deceived the archon, when he made his deposit for costs to thwart us, and in his counter-statement declared that he was an Otrynian, when he was in fact a demesman among the Eleusinians.

It is the fault of Leochares, the defendant, men of the jury, that he is himself being brought to trial, and that I, despite my youth, am addressing you, for he claims the right to inherit what does not belong to him, and has made a false affidavit of objections before the archon in support of his claim.

Well, after our ejectment had taken place (to omit most of the details) we brought suit for the inheritance before the archon, inasmuch as the deceased had no son, as I stated, and had not adopted any according to the laws.

And when the archon brought the case into court, and the trial was to be held, they had everything cleverly arranged for the trial, and in particular the water which was to measure their speeches was four times as much as that allowed to us.

If any person shall claim the inheritance or the heiress after adjudication has been made, let him cite before the archon the person who has obtained the adjudication just as in other suits, and a deposit to cover costs shall be made by the claimant.

And if the nearest of kin does not marry her or give her in marriage, the archon shall compel him either to marry her himself or give her in marriage.

It directs, as you have heard, that a meeting of the Assembly shall be held in the temple of Dionysus after the Pandia, and that at this meeting, when the chairmen for the day have dealt with the official acts of the chief Archon, they shall also deal with any offences or illegal acts in connection with the festival—a sound and expedient law, Athenians, as the facts of the present case attest.

Two years ago the tribe of Pandionis had failed to appoint a chorus-master, and when the Assembly met at which the law directs the Archons to assign the flute-players by lot to the choruses, there was a heated discussion and mutual recrimination between the Archon and the overseers of the tribe.

In the same way again, if you strike or abuse the Archon when wearing his crown, you are disfranchised;

And yet up to this day he has never had the case examined before the Archon, whom the law appoints to have charge of such matters, and before whom the wrongdoer runs the risk of having punishment or fine adjudged against him, while by the prosecutor redress is sought without risk;

and all crimes against heiresses before the Archon.

Now in addition to this read the law which appoints that there shall be an adjudication of all heiresses, whether alien or citizen, and that in the case of those who are citizens the archon shall have jurisdiction and shall take charge of the matter, and in the case of those who are resident aliens, the polemarch;

The archon shall assign by lot days for the trial of claims to inheritances or heiresses in every month except Scirophorion;

Well then, if he had wished to proceed regularly, he ought to have entered his claim for the heiress, whether the claim was based upon a gift or upon nearness of kin, before the archon, if he claimed her as a citizen, and before the polemarch, if as an alien;