Stephanus 119

119a lot furnish a commander. The measure of a lot was ten stades each way, ten times ten, and of all the lots together there were six myriads; of the men from the mountains and the rest of the country the number was said to be past counting, and all of them, by districts and villages, were apportioned to these lots and to their leaders. Each leader was then required to furnish for the war a sixth portion of a war-chariot's unit, to the amount of ten thousand chariots; two horses 119b and their riders; and further a light two-horse car without a box, carrying a small-shielded fighter who could dismount, and the driver of the pair of horses with a man mounted behind them; two hoplites; archers and slingers, two of each; light-armed stone-throwers and javelin men, three of each; and four sailors, toward the manning of twelve hundred ships. Such, then, was the war equipment appointed for the royal city; for the other nine it was appointed otherwise, and it would take a long time to tell. 119c

Such was the ordering of command and honor as it was arranged from the beginning. Each one of the ten kings, in his own district and in his own city, ruled over the men and over most of the laws, chastising and putting to death whom he pleased; but their rule over one another and their common intercourse were governed by the injunctions of Poseidon, as the law handed them down, and by the record inscribed by their first kings on a pillar of orichalcum, 119d which stood in the middle of the island in the temple of Poseidon. To that place they assembled every fifth year, and in alternate years every sixth, giving equal honor to the even and to the odd; and when they were gathered they took counsel about their common affairs, and made inquiry whether anyone had transgressed in anything, and gave judgment. When they were about to judge, they first gave one another pledges after this manner: there were bulls at large in the temple of Poseidon, and the ten kings, being left alone, ten and no more, prayed to the god that they might capture a sacrifice pleasing 119e to him, and hunted the bulls without iron, with staves and nooses; and whichever bull they caught they led up to the pillar and slaughtered it over the top of the pillar, over the writing. On the pillar, besides the laws, there was an oath invoking mighty curses upon the disobedient.

Critias: So then, when according to their

119a lot provide one man as leader. The size of a lot was ten times ten stades, and the lots in all came to six myriads. The people from the mountains and the rest of the country were said to be endless in number. But all of them were sorted, by place and by village, into these lots, under these leaders. Each leader was ordered to supply for the war a sixth part of a war chariot, so that the whole came to ten thousand chariots; two horses and 119b riders for them; and besides, a light two-horse team without a chariot, carrying a small-shielded fighter who could leap down to fight, and the driver of the two horses, with a fighting man mounted behind; two hoplites, and two archers and two slingers; three each of light-armed stone throwers and javelin men; and four sailors, to fill out the crews of twelve hundred ships. Such were the war arrangements of the royal city. The other nine were arranged differently, and it would take a long time to tell. 119c

The offices and the honors were arranged from the beginning as follows. Each one of the ten kings ruled in his own part, in his own city, over the men, by most of the laws; he could punish and put to death anyone he wished. But their rule over one another and their partnership were governed by the instructions of Poseidon, as the law handed them down, and by the writings the first kings had cut on a pillar 119d of orichalc, which stood in the middle of the island in the temple of Poseidon. They gathered there every fifth year, and in turn every sixth year, giving an equal share of honor to the even number and the odd. When they had gathered, they took counsel about their common affairs, examined whether anyone had broken any law, and gave judgment. When they were about to judge, they first gave each other pledges of this kind. Bulls roamed free in the temple of Poseidon. The ten, being alone, prayed to the god that they might take the sacrifice pleasing 119e to him. Then they hunted the bulls without iron, with wooden staves and nooses. Whichever bull they caught, they led it up to the pillar and killed it at the top of the pillar, over the writing. On the pillar, along with the laws, there was an oath that called down great curses on whoever disobeyed.

Critias: So when, by their

119a and the size of the allotment was about ten times ten stades, and the total number of all the allotments was 60,000; and the number of the men in the mountains and in the rest of the country was countless, according to the report, and according to their districts and villages they were all assigned to these allotments under their leaders. So it was ordained that each such leader should provide for war the sixth part of a war-chariots equipment, so as to make up 10,000 chariots in all, together with two horses and mounted men;

119b also a pair of horses without a car, and attached thereto a combatant with a small shield and for charioteer the rider who springs from horse to horse; and two hoplites; and archers and slingers, two of each; and light-armed slingers and javelin-men, three of each; and four sailors towards the manning of twelve hundred ships. Such then were the military dispositions of the royal City; and those of the other nine varied in various ways, which it would take a long time to tell.

119c Of the magistracies and posts of honor the disposition, ever since the beginning, was this. Each of the ten kings ruled over the men and most of the laws in his own particular portion and throughout his own city, punishing and putting to death whomsoever he willed. But their authority over one another and their mutual relations were governed by the precepts of Poseidon, as handed down to them by the law and by the records inscribed by the first princes on a pillar of orichalcum, which was placed within the temple of Poseidon in the center of the island;

119d and thither they assembled every fifth year, and then alternately every sixth year—giving equal honor to both the even and the odd—and when thus assembled they took counsel about public affairs and inquired if any had in any way transgressed and gave judgement. And when they were about to give judgement they first gave pledges one to another of the following description. In the sacred precincts of Poseidon there were bulls at large; and the ten princes, being alone by themselves, after praying to the God that they might capture a victim well-pleasing unto him, 119e hunted after the bulls with staves and nooses but with no weapon of iron; and whatsoever bull they captured they led up to the pillar and cut its throat over the top of the pillar, raining down blood on the inscription. And inscribed upon the pillar, besides the laws, was an oath which invoked mighty curses upon them that disobeyed.

Critias: When, then, they had done sacrifice according to their laws and were consecrating