The Second Olynthiac   

dismiss them. The result is that, while you are quarreling and divided,
some holding one opinion, some another, the commonwealth goes wrong.
Formerly, Athenians, you had boards [Footnote: This refers to the
institution of the [Greek: _summoriai_], or boards for management
of the property-tax at Athens, as to which see Appendix IV. The argument
of Demosthenes is as follows--The three hundred wealthier citizens, who
were associated by law for purposes of taxation, had become a clique for
political purposes, with an orator at their head, (he intentionally uses
the term [Greek: _haegemon_], _chairman of the board_,) to
conduct the business of the assembly, while they stood to shout and
applaud his speeches. The general, who held a judicial court to decide
disputes about the property-tax, and who in matters of state ought to be
independent, was subservient to the orator, who defended him in the
popular assembly.] for taxes; now you have boards for politics. There is
an orator presiding on either side, a general under him, and three
hundred men to shout; the rest of you are attached to the one party or
the other. This you must leave off; be yourselves again; establish a
general liberty of speech, deliberation, and action. If some are
appointed to command as with royal authority, some to be ship-captains,
tax-payers, soldiers by compulsion, others only to vote against them,
and help in nothing besides, no duty will be seasonably performed; the
aggrieved parties will still fail you, and you will have to punish them
instead of your enemies. I say, in short; you must all fairly
contribute, according to each man's ability; take your turns of service
till you have all been afield; give every speaker a hearing, and adopt
the best counsel, not what this or that person advises. If ye act thus,
not only will ye praise the speaker at the moment, but yourselves
afterward, when the condition of the country is improved.