Apateseos tou demou

Apateseos tou demou GRAPHÉ (ἀπατήσεως τοῦ δήμου γραφή), a public prosecution at Athens against any one who had misled the people by false statements of fact, quoting imaginary laws, &c. The senate and the law-courts, as well as the sovereign Demos, were included in its operation (Dem. c. Aristocr. p. 653.97). It would seem that it might also be directed against generals who, like Miltiades at Paros, failed in an expedition which they had themselves suggested (ἐάν τις τὸν δῆμον ὑποσχόμενος ἐξαπατήσῃ, Dem. c. Timoth. p. 1204.67). With the usual elasticity of Athenian procedure, it might be made to include anything, from procuring a capital conviction, as of the six generals after Arginusae (Xen. Hell. 1.7.35), to inserting a false name on the register (Dem. c. Boeot. do Nom. p. 998.12). It belonged to the jurisdiction of the Thesmothetae, and the penalty was death (Dem. c. Lept. p. 487.100; p. 498.135). The usual mode of proceeding was by Probolé (Xen. l.c.) or Eisangelia (Dem. c. Timoth. l.c.).

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