In the republics of ancient Greece, particularly in Athens, the ordinary courts of justice consisted of numerous, and therefore disorderly, bodies of people, who frequently decided almost at random, or as clamour, faction, and party-spirit, happened to determine.

在古希腊共和国，尤其是在雅典，普通法院由众多因此混乱的人民团体组成，他们经常几乎是随机决定，或者是喧嚣、派系和党派精神碰巧决定的。