Constitution of the Athenians

​XXXII. The hundred men chosen by the Five Thousand wrote down this constitution. But when these were ratified by the multitude, with Aristomachus putting the vote, the council of the year of Callias was dissolved before completing its term on the fourteenth of the month Thargelion, and the Four Hundred entered on the ninth of the waning Thargelion. But the council chosen by lot ought to have entered on the fourteenth of Scirophorion. Thus the oligarchy was established in this manner in the archonship of Callias, about one hundred years after the expulsion of the tyrants, with the chief instigators being Peisander, Antiphon, and Theramenes, men both of good birth and reputed to excel in intelligence and judgment. But when this constitution was established, the Five Thousand were chosen in name only, and the Four Hundred, entering the council chamber with the ten generals with full powers, ruled the city, and sending embassies to the Lacedaemonians, they tried to end the war on the terms of what each party actually held. But when the latter did not comply unless they also gave up their empire of the sea, they thus desisted.

​XXXIII. Now the constitution of the Four Hundred lasted perhaps four months, and Mnasilochus from among them ruled as archon for two months in the archonship of Theopompus, who ruled for the remaining ten months. But being defeated in the naval battle of Eretria, and all Euboea having revolted except Oreus, they bore the disaster heavily, most of all those that had occurred before (for they happened to derive more benefit from Euboea than from Attica), and they dissolved the Four Hundred and handed over the government to the Five Thousand from the heavy-armed, having voted that no office should receive pay. And the chief causes of the dissolution were Aristocrates and Theramenes, who were not pleased with the things done by the Four Hundred; for they did everything by themselves, referring nothing to the Five Thousand. And they seem to have governed well during these times, both because a war was on and the constitution was based on those who bore arms.

​XXXIV. But the people took away the constitution from these men quickly; and in the seventh year after the dissolution of the Four Hundred, in the archonship of Callias of Angele, when the naval battle of Arginusae took place, it first happened that the ten generals who won the naval battle were all judged by a single vote, some of them not even having fought in the battle, and others having been saved on other ships, because the people were deceived by those who incited them to anger; and then, when the Lacedaemonians wished to withdraw from Decelea and make peace on the terms of what each party held, some were eager for it, but the multitude did not comply, being deceived by Cleophon, who prevented the peace from being made, coming into the assembly drunk and wearing a breastplate, and saying that he would not permit it unless the Lacedaemonians gave up all the cities. But having not managed affairs well then, they realized their error not long after. For in the following year, in the archonship of Alexias, they suffered misfortune in the naval battle of Aegospotami, as a result of which it happened that Lysander, having become master of the city, established the Thirty in the following manner. When peace was made on the condition that they should live under their ancestral constitution, the popular party tried to preserve the democracy, but of the notables, those who were in the clubs and those of the exiles who returned after the peace desired oligarchy, while those who were not members of any club, but otherwise were reputed second to none of the citizens, sought the ancestral constitution. Among these were Archinus, Anytus, Cleitophon, Phormisius, and many others, but Theramenes was their chief leader. But Lysander having sided with the oligarchs, the people, being intimidated, were forced to vote for the oligarchy. And Dracontides of Aphidna wrote the decree.