Demosthenes, Against Boeotus I, Augustus Taber Murray (Translator), 7

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[7] To begin with (assuming that it is best to mention public matters before private), in what way will the state give its command to us, if any duty is to be performed? The members of the tribe will, of course¹, nominate us in the same way as they nominate other people. Well then; they will bring forward the name of Mantitheus, son of Mantias, of Thoricus² if they are nominating one for choregus³ or gymnasiarch⁴ or feaster of the tribe⁵ or for any other office. By what, then, will it be made clear whether they are nominating you or me?

Against Boeotus I. Demosthenes. Augustus Taber Murray (Translator). London. 1936.

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Current edition Perseus

Mantitheus Against Boeotus I (English) (Demosthenes, Vol. IV: Private Orations, Vol 1. Murray, A. T., translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).)

Editions (1)

πρὸς Βοιωτὸν περὶ τοῦ Ὀνόματος Perseus (Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. II, Part 2. Rennie, W., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1921.) — 7 focus

[7] πρῶτον μὲν γάρ, εἰ δεῖ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ἰδίων εἰπεῖν πρότερον, τίνʼ ἡμῖν ἡ πόλις ἐπιτάξει τρόπον, ἄν τι δέῃ ποιεῖν; οἴσουσι νὴ Δίʼ οἱ φυλέται τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὅνπερ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους. οὐκοῦν Μαντίθεον Μαντίου Θορίκιον οἴσουσιν, ἐὰν χορηγὸν ἢ γυμνασίαρχον ἢ ἑστιάτορʼ ἢ ἐάν τι τῶν ἄλλων φέρωσιν. τῷ δῆλον οὖν ἔσται πότερον σὲ φέρουσιν ἢ ἐμέ; σὺ μὲν γὰρ φήσεις ἐμέ, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.

Notes on the current edition

Against Boeotus I

1. The appointment of citizens to undertake the various liturgies (such as, e.g., the trierarchy) was made from the tax-groups chosen by the several tribes.

2. Thoricus was a deme of the tribe Acamantis.

3. The choregus had for his duties the equipment and training of a chorus for the dramatic contests at one of the great festivals. For this purpose the tribe chose one of its richest members.

4. The gymnasiarch was appointed by the tribe to maintain a team to represent it in the torch-races, which formed a feature of certain Athenian festivals.

5. This third form of public service entailed the duty of giving the annual dinner (in the Prytaneum (?)) to the members of the tribe.

Demosthenes Against Boeotus I 7

Augustus Taber Murray (Translator)

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