en the members of the three
classes, though we do not know how the distribution was made in these
early times. On the other hand, the members of the fourth or lowest
class were disqualified from holding any individual office of dignity.
They performed no liturgies, served in case of war only as light-armed
or with a panoply provided by the state, and paid nothing to the direct
property-tax or Eisphora. It would be incorrect to say that they paid
_no_ taxes, for indirect taxes, such as duties on imports, fell upon
them in common with the rest; and we must recollect that these latter
were, throughout a long period of Athenian history, in steady operation,
while the direct taxes were only levied on rare occasions.

But though this fourth class, constituting the great numerical majority
of the free people, were shut out from individual office, their
collective importance was in another way greatly increased. They were
invested with the right of choosing the annual archons, out of the class
of Pentacosiomedimni; and what was of more importance still, the archons
and the magistrates generally, after their year of office, instead of
being accountable to the senate of Areopagus, were made formally
accountable to the public assembly sitting in judgment upon their past
conduct. They might be impeached and called upon to defend themselves,
punished in case of misbehavior, and debarred from the usual honor of a
seat in the senate of Areopagus.

Had the public assembly been called upon to act alone without aid or
guidance, this accountability would have proved only nominal. But Solon
converted it into a reality by another new institution, which will
hereafter be found of great moment in the working out of the Athenian
democracy. He created the pro-bouleutic, or pre-considering senate, with
intimate and especial reference to the public assembly--to prepare
matters for its discussion, to convoke and superintend its meetings, and
to insure the execution of its decrees. The senate, as first constituted
by Solon, comprised four hundred members, taken in equal proportions
from the four tribes; not chosen by lot, as they will be found to be in
the more advanced stage of the democracy, but elected by the people, in
the same way as the archons then were--persons of the fourth, or poorest
class of the census, though contributing to elect, not being themselves
eligible.

But while Solon thus created the new pre-considering senate, identified