PSĒPHUS (ψῆφος), a ball of stone, used by the Athenian dicasts in
giving their verdict. [CADISCUS.] Hence ψηφίζεσθαι and its various
derivatives are used so often to signify _voting_, _determining_, &c.
PSEUDENGRĂPHĒS GRĂPHĒ (ψευδεγγραφῆς γραφή). The name of every state
debtor at Athens was entered in a register by the praetores, whose
duty it was to collect the debts, and erase the name of the party
when he had paid it. If they made a false entry, either wilfully,
or upon the suggestion of another person, the aggrieved party might
institute a prosecution against them, or against the person upon
whose suggestion it was made. Such prosecution was called γραφὴ
ψευδεγγραφῆς. It would lie also, where a man was registered as debtor
for more than was really due from him.
PSEUDŎCLĒTEIAS GRĂPHĒ (ψευδοκλητείας γραφή), a prosecution against
one, who had appeared as a witness (κλητήρ or κλήτωρ) to prove that a
defendant had been duly summoned, and thereby enabled the plaintiff
to get a judgment by default. The false witness (κλητήρ) was liable
to be criminally prosecuted, and punished at the discretion of the
court. The γραφὴ ψευδοκλητείας came before the Thesmothetae, and the
question at the trial simply was, whether the defendant in the former
cause had been summoned or not.