Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

BOULE. BIOULE. 211
to this effect was proposed to the people, but they formnula ae6dXOat m-yi jovA. ical tr 1qyj. Tile
decided that the cavairy were not wanted, and the reader is referred to Demosthenes, De Corona, for
expedition was not undertaken. Other instances examples. After B. c. 325, another form was used,
of this kind occur in Xenophon. (Hell. i. 7. ~ 9, which continued unaltered till the latest times.
vii. 1 ~ 2.) (Schbimann, p. 136, transl.)
In addition to the bills which it was the duty of Mention has just been made of the?ypaotJaTEbus,
the senate to propose of their own accord, there were whose name was affixed to the qjln'ogta'a, as in
others of a different character, viz., such as any the example given above. He was a clerk chosen
private individual might wish to have submitted to by lot by the senate, in every prytany, for the purthe people. To accomplish this it was first neces- pose of keeping the records, and resolutions passed
sary for the party to obtain, by petition, the privi- during that period; he was called the clerk aclege of access to the senate (7rpdoo-ov ypaia40aa), cording to the prytany ( scaoar 7rpvTavem'av), and
and leave to propose his motion; and if the mea- the name of the clerk of the first prytany was
sure met with their approbation, he could then sometimes used to designate the year. (Pollux,
submit it to the assembly. (Dem. c. Timocr. p. viii. 98; BMckh, Peubl. Ecosn. of Atlenes, p. 186,
715.) Proposals of this kind, which had the 2nd ed.)
sanction of the senate, were also called 7rpoGovAXe- With respect to the power of the senate, it nuist
puaoa, and frequently related to the conferring of be clearly understood that, except in cases of small
some particular honour or privilege upon an indi- importance, they had only the right of originating,
vidual. Thus the proposal of Ctesiphon for crown- not of finally deciding on public questions. Since,
ing Demosthenes is so styled, as also that of Aris- however, the senators were convened by the prytocrates for conferring extraordinary privileges on. tanes every day, except on festivals or &peTros
Charidemus, an Athenian commander in Thrace.?'j/e'pam (Pollux, viii. 95), it is obvious that there
Any umeasure of this sort, which was thus approved would be fit recipients of any intelligence affectof by the senate, was then submitted to the people, ing the interests of the state, and it is admitted
and by them simply adopted or rejected; and " it that they had the right of proposing any measure
is in these and similar cases, that the statement of to meet the emnergency; for example, we find that
the grammarians is true, that no law or measure Demosthenes gives them an account of the conduct
could be presented for ratification by the people of Aeschines and himself, when sent out as ambaswithout the previous approbation of the senate, by sadors to Philip, in consequence of which they prowhich it assumed the form of a decree passed by pose a bill to the people. Again, when Philip seized
that body." (Schbmann, De Comnitiis, p. 103, on Elateia (B. C. 338), the senate was immediately
trans!.) called together by the prytanes to determine what
In the assembly the bill of the senate was first was best to be done. (Dem. De Fal. Leg. p.
read, perhaps by the crier, after the introductory 346, De Cor. p. 284.) But, besides possessing the
ceremonies were over; and then the proedri put initiatory power of which we have spoken, the
the question to the people, whether they approved senate was sometimes delegated by the people to
of it, or wished to give the subject further delibera- determine absolutely about particular matters, withtion. (Aristoph.T/hes.290.) The people declared their out reference to the assembly. Thus we are told
will by a show of hands (erpoxeLpovorva). Some- (Dem. De cFal. Leg. p. 389) that the people gave
times, however, the bill was not proposed and ex- the senate power to decide about sending ambasplained by one of the proedri, but by a private in- sadors to Philip; and Andocides (lepl Mvo-re7dividual —either the original applicant for leave pLowv) informs us that the senate was invested
to bring forward the measure, or a senator distin- with absolute authority (i yhap avnToCpaci-np), to
guished for oratorical power. Examples of this investigate the outrages committed upon the statues
are given by Schimann (De Coes. p. 106, transl.). of Hermes, previously to the sailing of the Sicilian
If the 7rpo0ovXeuvLa of the senate were rejected by expedition.
the people, it was of course null and void. If it hap- Sometimes also the senate was empowered to
pened that it was neither confirmed nor rejected, act in conjunction with the nomothetae (o'vssoit was E&rE-trEov, that is, only remained in force -oOeT'es), as on the revision of the laws after
during the year the senate was in office. (Dem. the expulsion of the Thirty by Thrasybulus and
c. Aris. p. 651.) If it was confirmed it became a his party, B. c. 403. (Andoc. De Myst. p. 12;
y ~mzOua, or decree of the people, binding upon all Dem. c. Tinzocr. p. 708.) Moreover, it was the
classes. The form for drawing up such decrees province of the senate to receive et'ayeAiEt, or
varied in different ages. Before the archonship of informations of extraordinary crimes committed
Eucleides (B. c. 403), they were generally headed against the state, and for which there was no speby the formula — E6oSe T?-7 fovuxl Kal Trt 68EtW/: cial law provided. The senate in such cases either
then the tribe was mentioned in whose prytany decided themselves, or referred the case to one of
the decree was passed; then the names of the the courts of the heliaea, especially if they thought
7ypaeguarevs or scribe, and chairman; and lastly that it required a higher penalty than it was competent
of the author of the resolution. Examples of this for them to impose, viz., 500 drachmae. It was
form occur in Andocides (Deo Mlyst. p. 13): thus- also their duty to decide on the qualification of
%Ebose s0. foovl ecal 7', 4 C1ep,o AlasrTs rprcm'evs, maagistrates, and the character of members of their
KAeo'ye'rms iEypae iraC TevE BoyOhms ereTrciErTe, -dre own body. But besides the duties we have enuA/Optaos o'vvmE'ypaeV. (Comp. Thuc. iv. 118.) mIerated, the senate discharged important functions
From the archonship of Eucleides till about B. c. in cases of finance. All legislative authority, in325, the decrees commence with the name of the deed, in such matters rested with the people, the
archon; then come the day of the month, the tribe amount of expenditure and the sources of revenue
in office, and lastly the name of the proposer. The being determined by the decrees which they
motive for passing the decree is next stated; and passed; but the admninistration was entrusted to
then follows the decree itself, prefaced with the the senate, as the executive p:ower of the state,