fj^l. society of Arcadia. 83; 



But the greatest blow the tranquillity of Arcadia 

 ever had, was on account of the interpretation of the 

 third law, in regard to the election of the colleagues. 

 At the beginning of the institution of the jircadia,. 

 the custos alone regulated all the businefs of the af- 

 sembly ; the number of the Arcadians increasing he 

 called for an afsistant, and the community decreed 

 he might depute two sotto custodi at his pleasure. 

 But even these two not being sufficient to undergo 

 the trouble of giving intimation to the Ihepherds, or 

 of going about to collect their opinions for the regu- 

 lation of such businefs as might daily occur, the ge- 

 neral meetings not being at that time very frequent, 

 the custode was authorised to clioose twelve of the 

 most steady and most experienced Arcadians, to be 

 changed every year, under the name of vice custodi ,*, 

 each of which was to diredl a certain number of Arca- 

 dians, who, divided as it were into centurie, depended 

 on the regulations of their centurion. Pi pro custode 

 was besides added to the custode, who might afsist 

 him in his daily labours, act for him, and represent 

 him in case of illnefs, absence, or any other urgency 

 that might hinder him from attending to his employ- 

 ment. It was afterwards thought fit to subrogate 

 the colleagues to the vice custodi, which latter title 

 was bestowed upon the person who presided over 

 any of the colonies. Alfesibeo, strictly to adhere 

 to the letter of the law, in orhem eligito, &c took six 

 ot the vice custodi of that year to act as old colleagues, 

 and named six new ones. It had been thus practised 

 for four olympiads, when. in the year 1711, on the 

 15th of June, after the publication of the new six col- 



