Athenian People / Assembly

For the people has made itself master of everything, and all things are administered by decrees and by law-courts, in which the people is supreme.

Another Assembly is for supplications, in which any who wishes may, having placed a suppliant-branch, speak to the people about whatever he wishes, both private and public.

In the sixth presidency, in addition to what has been said, they put to the vote the question of the holding of an ostracism, whether it seems good to hold one or not, and accusations of sycophants, both of Athenians and of metics, up to three of each, and any case where a man has promised something to the people and not performed it.

Demosthenes to the Council and the Assembly sends greeting

Demosthenes to the Council and the Assembly sends greeting.

Acquit yourselves, therefore, with magnanimity and statesmanship in the general interest of Greece and bear in mind your own interests as Athenians.

and that he nullifies the right of your people to bestow its own favors, if it chooses to admit anyone to citizenship;

When the people of Athens passed a decree granting the right of citizenship to Pasion and his descendants on account of services to the state, my father favored the granting of the people’s gift, and himself gave in marriage to Apollodorus, son of Pasion, his own daughter, my sister, and she is the mother of the children of Apollodorus.

But I require the whole city’s sanction also, which my mere wish will ensure;

The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich.