[45]
Ordinarily, anyone who has not time enough under one archon <registers his charge as soon as he can under the next>. But the prosecution, who were perfectly familiar with the laws concerned and could see that I was a member of the Council and used the Council-chamber —why, in that very chamber itself stands a shrine of Zeus the Councillor and Athena the Councillor, where members offer prayers as they enter; and I was one of those members: I did as they did: in their company I entered all our other sanctuaries: I offered sacrifices and prayers on behalf of this city: nay more, I acted as a Prytanis for the whole of the first Prytany save two days1: I was to be seen sacrificing and making offerings on behalf of our sovereign people: I was to be seen putting motions to the vote: I was to be seen voicing my opinion on the most momentous, the most vital public questions.
1 The βουλή was divided into ten sections, each representing a tribe. Each section took it in turn to act as presidents （πρυτάνεις） for a period known as a πρυτανεία（one tenth of the year） at meetings of both the βουλή and the ἐκκλησία. The πρυτάνεις themselves were under the presidency of one of their number known as an ἐπιστάτης who was selected by lot. It was he who put motions to the vote in the Assembly. The Choregus was clearly ἐπιστάτης during his Prytany.
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