History of the Peloponnesian War

Now there was one Pithias, a [*]( i. e. an individual who of his own accord took upon himself to look after the interests of any particular foreign nation, without being recognised by that people, and having his appointment entered in the public records. Or as Böckh thinks, without being publicly appointed by his own country See note on II. 29. 1.) volunteer proxenus of the Athenians, and the leader of the popular party;

him these men brought to trial, on a charge of enslaving Corcyra to the Athenians. Having been acquitted, he brought to trial in return the five richest individuals of their party, charging them with cutting stakes in the ground sacred to Jupiter and to [the hero] Alcinous;

the penalty affixed being a stater for every stake. When they had been convicted, and, owing to the amount of the penalty, were sitting as suppliants in the temples, that they might be allowed to pay it by instalments, Pithias, who was a member of the council also, persuades that body to enforce the law.