ing one, to which there was added a scribe or registrar, to make up the number*. Sometimes these magistrates were called the keepers of the laws, an appellation derived from their office, which, in some respects, bore a resemblance to that of our sheriffs: for they were to see malefactors executed, and had the charge of such as were committed to the public prison. They had also power to apprehend thieves, kidnappers, and highwaymen, on suspicion, and, if they confessed the fact, to put them to death; if not, they were obliged to prosecute them in a judicial way.

Phylarchoi, were magistrates that presided over the Athenian tribes, one of which was allotted to each of them; afterwards, this epithet became peculiar to a military command. It was the duty of these magistrates to take care of the public treasure belonging to each tribe-to manage all their concerns-and to convene them as often as circumstances required the presence of the whole body,

The Philobasiles seem to have had, in most things, the same office, with respect to particular tribes, that the Basileus had, with respect to the commonwealth. They were chosen out of the nobility, had the care of public sacrifices, and religious rites, peculiar to their respective tribe.

Phratryarchoi and the Triptyarchoi, had, in the several: Phratry and Tryptyes, the same power that the Phylarchoi exercised over the whole tribe.

Demarchoi had the same offices in the Demoi; took care of their revenues, out of which they paid all the duties required of them; assembled the people in the boroughs under their jurisdiction, all whose names were entered in their register, and presided at the election of senators and other magistrates chosen by lots; each of them was obliged to furnish on account of his respective borough, one ship, besides two horsemen for the public service.

There is something in the appointment very analogous to the ten tribes of Israel, each of which had its chief and registrar.

Lexiarchoi, were six principals, assisted by thirty inferior officers; it was their duty to levy fines on such as neglected to attend the public assemblies, and to make a scrutiny among those that were present; such also as were busy in the market, they compelled to leave their buying and selling, and attend on the public business. They were assisted in their business by certain inferior officers, much like the Roman lictors, and our sheriff's liverymen, bailiffs, &c. The city of Athens had a thousand of these, that lived in tents, erected in the middle of the forum; they were afterwards removed to the Areopagus. Among various names by which these bailiffs or constables were distinguished, was that of Scythæ, because frequently men from the country of Scythia were preferred, on account of their being strong hardy fellows. But to return to the Lexiarchoi, they had the custody of the public register of the whole city, in which the names of all the citizens were written, as soon as they became of age to enter upon their paternal inheritance.

The Nomophylaches were officers, whose business it was to see that neither the magistrates nor common people made any innovation upon the laws, and to punish the stubborn and disobedient. To this end, in publie assemblies they had seats appointed with the Proedri, that they might be ready to oppose any man that should act contrary to the laws, or revive customs, or promote any thing against the public good. As a token of the honourable station they held, they always wore a white ribband in the solemn games and public shows, and had chairs erected for them over against those of the nine archons.

Nomotheles, were a thousand in number, and were commonly chosen by lot out of such had been judges in the court Heliæa: their office was not, as their name implies, to enact new laws by their own authority, for that could not be done without the approbation of the senate, and the people's ratification, but to inspect the existing laws; and if they found any of them useless, or prejudicial, as the state of affairs then stood, or contrary

to other laws, they caused them to be abrogated by an act of the people. Besides this, they were to take care that no man should plough, or dig deep ditches, within the Peleasgian wall; to apprehend the offenders, and send them to the Archon.

The Treasurers and General Receivers of Athens

Were of several sorts; but before I proceed to give an account of their offices, it will be necessary to make a few observations on the revenues themselves: these are, by the accurate Sigonius, divided into the fourfollowing kinds:

1. Those revenues that arose out of lands, mines, woods, and other public possessions, set apart for the use of the commonwealth; and the tributes paid by the sojourners, and the freed servants; also, the customs required of persons professing certain arts and trades, particularly of merchants, for the exportation and im-. portation of their goods.

2. The annual payments exacted of all their tributary cities, which after the overthrow of Xerxes, wére first levied by the Athenians, as contributions, to enable them to carry on the war, in case, as was feared, the enemy should repeat their invasion. The first collector of this law was Aristides, who assessed every individual, taking the people town by town, according to every man's ability; and the sum thus raised amounted to one thousand three hundred talents.

3. Certain taxes laid upon the citizens, as well as sojourners and freed servants, by order of the assembly and senate, for defraying extraordinary charges occasioned by long and unsuccessful wars, or other unforeseen incidents.

4. Fines and amercements, all of which were carried into the exchequer, except the tenth part, which was given to Minerva, and the fiftieth part, which belonged to the rest of the gods, and the heroes.

Having thus enumerated the different sources of revenue, I now proceed to describe the peculiar duties of those who had the disposal and management of them; and first the person styled,

Episates, was elected by lot out of the Prytanes; he had in his keeping the keys of the public exchequer; which trust was thought to be so great, that no man was permitted to enjoy it above once. Of the honours and office of this magistrate, I shall have to speak again on another occasion.

The Poletes were ten in number, and together with those, that had the care of the money allowed for shows, had the power of letting out the tribute money, and other public revenues, and of selling estates, that were confiscated; all which bargains were ratified by their president. Besides this, it was their office to convict such as had not paid the tribute called Metoikion, and sell them by auction. Under these, were certain inferior officers, whose business it was to collect the public money, for such as had leases of the city's revenues.. These were always persons of good credit themselves, and besides their own bonds, were obliged to give other security, for the payment of the money due, according to their leases, in which, if they failed any longer than till the ninth prytania, they were subjected to the forfeiture of twice the amount of the principal, which was to be paid by themselves or their sureties, upon neglect of which, they were all cast into prison, and their estates confiscated. After the expulsion of the thirty tyrants, certain officers, called Syndics, were created, and invested with power to take cognizance of all complaints about the confiscation of goods, as appears from an oration of Lysias in behalf of Nicias.

The Epygraphi, were officers that rated all those of whom taxes and contributions were required, according to every man's ability; kept the public accounts; and prosecuted such as were behind hand with their contributions.

The Epidectes were ten general receivers, to whom all the public revenues, contribution money, and debts due

to the public were paid, which being done, they registered all their receipts, and crossed out of the public debt book such as had discharged their debts, in the presence of the whole senate. If any dispute happened about the money, or taxes, they had power to decide it, except it was a difficult and knotty point, they then referred it to some of the courts of judicature.

The Athenians had also a public notary, who was at the first institution of the office appointed by election, and afterwards by lot: it was his duty to keep a counter part of the accounts, for the prevention of both frauds and errors. Ten persons were appointed. to receive that part of the fines which was due to Minerva, and the rest of the gods, which was done by the Senate: they were chosen by lot from among the nobles. They had the power of remitting any man's fine, if it was made appear that magistrates had unjustly imposed it. According to some, these ten not only received the money due to the gods from fines, but other incomes designed for civil purposes, and particularly, the tribute distributed among the judges.

Officers were also appointed on extraordinary cases, to inquire after the public debts, when, through the neglect of the receivers, or by other means, they were run up to large sums, and began to be in danger of being lost, if not called in,

The officers thus far enumerated were receivers of the public money, we have now to treat of those whose business it was to attend, to the disbursements,

The public treasure was divided into three classes: 1. Such as were to be expended in civil wars.

2. Those that were required to pay the expences of

war.

3. Such as were consecrated to pious uses, in which they included the expences of plays, public shows and festivals, because most of them were celebrated in honor of some of the gods, or in memory of some deceased