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144 ANCIENT GREECE. [CHAP. x.rectly, or by consent of its deputies.In most of the ancientrepublics, the same custom probably prevailed ; yetit isremarkable that no particularvalue was ever set upon thisprivilege and much less was it considered a criterion of;political liberty.The whole system of taxation, we havealready remarked, was not viewed from the same elevatedpoint which now is taken nor can; this^ principle be fullydeveloped, except where the representative system is introduced. But properly speaking, the whole subject was considered by the Greeks from a very different side. Theirmagistrates were bound to acknowledge the obligation oflaying their accounts before the people. This was the characteristic of freedom. 1 Where this right is preserved by thepeople, it is of much less importance by whom the taxesare imposed.But this question hardly admits of a general answer inthe Grecian cities. It cannot be doubted that the differenceof constitutions produced differences in this matter; butif from the want of documents this isonly a conjecture,it is on the other hand certain, that the difference of thetaxes must have producedsuch a variety.The regularand abiding taxes were fixed by laws ;whichin part were expresslycalled ancient laws. 2The sum whichwas allotted in Athens for the annual expense of the publicsacrifices, was fixed 3by the laws of Solon at six talents.For this purpose, no other appropriations were needed.The tariffs of the duties and taxes on consumption were inlike manner permanent laws, which, as their very names indicate, 4 were doubtless granted by the people; who ofcourse had the right of makingalterations in them. Thosepublic charges, which were borne in turn, the trierarchiesand the providingof the chorus, were also established byancient laws; 5 although these offices, especially the first,were, from their very nature, much influenced by the circumstances of the times ;and hence they underwent greaterand more frequent changes than any other imposts. Thatthese regulations and their changes could not be made without the consent of the people,will not be doubted by any1See above, p.115.2Demosth. Op. i. p. 462.8 See Lysias in Nicomach. Or. Gr. v. p, 856.4Ndftot TtXwviKol Bemosth. i p. 732,6Demosth. i. p. 462.