Exordia

For on the one hand, these men, the kind who hold office year after year, when earnest and upright men from a different class were given them as yokemates, used to show themselves more circumspect; and on the other hand, the kind of men among you who are honest and upright in office, but not at all of the sort to push their way and appeal for support, were not shut out of the posts of trust. But now, men of Athens, you appoint your magistrates in exactly the same manner as you appoint your priests.[*](While some priesthoods were subject to choice by lot, Dem. 59.106, the majority of them were perhaps hereditary, Dem. 59.104, and the reference is to these. For a similar complaint see Dem. Ex. 13.) Then you are amazed when this one is prosperous and that one, to your dismay, is year after year taking a rich spoil, while the rest of you go around envying these men their blessings!