The magistrates counted the shells, and if they amounted to six thousand (a very considerable proportion of the free population, and less than which rendered the ostracism invalid), they were sorted, and the man whose name was found on the greater number of shells was exiled for ten years, with full permission to enjoy his estates.

The sentence was one that honoured while it afflicted, nor did it involve any other accusation than that of being too powerful or too ambitious for the citizen of a free state.

It is a well-known story, that, during the process of voting, an ignorant burgher came to Aristides, whose person he did not know, and requested him to write down the name of Aristides.
"Has he ever injured you ?" asked the great man.
"No," answered the clown, "nor do I know him even by sight; but it vexes me to hear him everywhere called the 'Just.'" Aristides replied not--he wrote his own name on the shell, and returned it to the enlightened voter.

Such is a tale to which more importance than is its due has been attached.

Yet perhaps we can give a new reading to the honest burgher's reply, and believe that it was not so expressive of envy at the virtue, as of fear at the reputation.
Aristides received the sentence of exile (B.C.