Note 218 — Chapter V · PERSONAL RANK. THE FREEMAN. THE NOBLE.
Reading edition
“De minoribus rebus principes consultant; de majoribus omnes. Ita tamen ut ea quoque quorum penes plebem arbitrium est, apud principes pertractentur.” Tac. Germ. xi. Something similar to this probably prevailed in the Dorian constitution, and in the old Ionian before the establishment of the great democracy. The mass of the people might accept or reject, but hardly, I think, debate the propositions of the nobles. After all the πρόβουλοι seem necessary in all states. See Arist. Polit. iv. § 15.