IX M O N E Y A N D PROPERTY 2J7
into money, and was esteemed according to its value in money.k
A rich family would be called a 'three-talent-house1, but even
a 'one-talent-man' was considered wealthy 2 Fines became the
most usual form of legal punishment.8 A man who found an
adulterer in his house, preferred money to scandal, divorce
and lawsuit* 'income Is better than Infamy'.4 Euphlletos, who
killed the seducer of his wife and refused to accept money,
was probably an exception; we know of no similar case, and
the evidence of comedy mirrors what commonly happened.*
Thus a statesman, when attacked by a comic writer, had
in earlier times threatened him with the loss of his freedom as
citizen and poet; so Kleon after the Babylonians. Xow? how-
ever, *he nibbles off his fees'.6 A man who was charged with
Impiety would rather pay money — probably as a bribe — than
rely on his oath to prove his innocence.7 Debts, such as those
which tormented Strepsiades and Euelpides, might become
the chief motive for any desperate action^ even for civil war.a
For some time past the State had acknowledged the neces-
sity of stabilizing its financial policy by the accumulation of
a reserve fund. This Is perhaps the most significant part of
the measures by which Perlkles prepared Athens for the
threatening ordeal of war The god of Wealth is the guardian
of the 4Opisthodomos'3 the part of the Parthenon containing
*"he treasure of the goddess/ The reason why the occupation
of the Acropolis is so important in Lvsistrate's struggle for
government, is chiefly that the public treasure was kept there.1*
This treasure, together with the money in circulation, upheld
the economic prestige and power of Athens. False money was
rare, and the Athenian coins were famous al! over the world
for their high percentage of silver; only at times of greatest
emergency during the war were bad coins Issued.21 Criticism
of the use made of public funds was a favourite topic of con-
1IG I»,325ff(5y/»96ff,Tod,79f),IsaiosII,35,yiII,35,XI,^i£F
2 Isaios III, r 8, 25. —Krates 32 The meaning of the fragment seems clear
(see LIddell and Scott $&„ TaXocyrialos)* although Pollux (IX, 53) is not
certain EITE Tipf|V HTE porrf|V Aiya
s €758, W.i2$3ff, B 1052, E 6^sff, cf the £ira>pEMoc, Isokr XVIII, 3, 12,
etc,XX, 3.
4 Kallias i, cf PI 168 - Ca^e of Eupkletos Lys*s I, 25!
s F 367!", Plat. 133, Sannynon 9 " ?s -Lysias VI, 12
s C I2ffand elsewhere, 8115 —Time. Ill, 81, 4. * Pl.H9af
10 L.i73ff,42off?493f "Fjioff Seep 222