EXŌMŎSĬA

( ἐξωμοσία ). Any A then i an citizen when called upon to appear as a witne in a court of justice ( κλητεύειν or ἐκκλητεύειν ), was obliged by law to obey the summons, unle he could establish by oath that he was unacquainted with the case in question. This oath was called ἐξωμοσία , and the act of taking it was expre ed by ἐξόμνυσθαι . A person appointed to a public office was at liberty to decline it, if he could take an oath that the state of his health or other circumstances rendered it impo ible for him to fulfil the duties connected with it ( ἐξόμνυσθαι τὴν ἀρχὴν , or τὴν χειροτονίαν ): and this oath was likewise called ἐξωμοσία , or sometimes ἀπωμοσία .