of some measure, or put it to the vote, and to maintain to the rest of
the world, "I was not present, nor do I approve of the terms of the
agreement." Inquiries are made in a full meeting of the People, and
should any of these things be disapproved of, it can at once discover
ten thousand excuses to avoid doing whatever they do not wish. And if
any mischief should spring out of any resolutions which the People has
passed in council, the People can readily shift the blame from its own
shoulders. "A handful of oligarchs[22] acting against the interests of
the People have ruined us." But if any good result ensue, they, the
People, at once take the credit of that to themselves.

[21] Reading {uph otououn adikeitai onomati upo ton oligon}, which I
suggest as a less violent emendation of this corrupt passage than
any I have seen; or, reading with Sauppe, {uph otou adikei
anomeitai apo ton oligon}, "the illegality lies at the door of."

[22] Or, "a few insignificant fellows."

In the same spirit it is not allowed to caricature on the comic
stage[23] or otherwise libel the People, because[24] they do not care
to hear themselves ill spoken of. But if any one has a desire to
satirise his neighbour he has full leave to do so. And this because
they are well aware that, as a general rule, this person
caricatured[25] does not belong to the People, or the masses. He is
more likely to be some wealthy or well-born person, or man of means
and influence. In fact, but few poor people and of the popular stamp
incur the comic lash, or if they do they have brought it on themselves
by excessive love of meddling or some covetous self-seeking at the
expense of the People, so that no particular annoyance is felt at
seeing such folk satirised.