9
Or again, if any other magistrate, the Archon, the King-Archon, the Stewards of the Games, makes an appointment for some public service, what sign will there be to indicate which one of us they are appointing? Are they in heaven’s name to add the designation son of Plangon, if they are entering your name, or add the name of my mother if they are entering mine? But who ever heard of such a thing? or by what law could this special designation be appended, or anything else, except the name of the father and the deme? And seeing that both of these are the same great confusion must result.
10
Again, suppose Mantitheus, son of Mantias, of Thoricus should be summoned as judge,The word κριτής does not signify a judge in a court of law, but apparently a judge in some festival contest. what should we do? Should we go, both of us? For how is it to be clear whether he has summoned you or me? Or, by Zeus, suppose the state is appointing to any office by lot, for example that of Senator,In Athens the members of the senate (βουλή) of five hundred— fifty from each of the ten tribes—were chosen by lot. that of Thesmothet,The six minor archons bore this name; see note on Dem. 33.1 or any of the rest; how will it be clear which one of us has been appointed?—unless some mark shall be attached to the tablet,Every candidate had an identification tablet inscribed with his full name (that is, his given name, the name of his father, and the name of his deme), and this was placed in the urn for drawing. as there might be to anything else; and even then people will not know to which of us two it belongs. Well then, he will say that he has been appointed, and I shall say that I have.
