Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/432

 426 THE EKV0LUTI0N8. BOOK IV. fio clear, so manifest, as are those of religion. We may always discuss them ; they are not perceived at once. The way that appeared the simplest and surest to know what the public interest demanded was to assemble the citizens, and consult them. This course was thought to be necessary, and was almost daily employed. In the preceding period the auspices had borne the chief weight of the deliberations; the opinion of the priest, of the king, of the sacred magistrate was all-powerful. Men voted little, and then rather as a Ibnnality than to express an opinion. After that time they voted on every question ; the opinion of all was needed in order to know what was for the interest of all. The suffrage became the great means of government. It was the source of institutions and the rule of right; it decided what was useful and even what was just. It was above the magistrates and above the laws; it W'as sov- ereign in the city. The nature of government was also changed. Its essential function was no longer the regular perform- ance of religious ceremonies. It was especially consti- tuted to maintain order and peace within and dignity and power without. What had before been of secon- dary importance was now of the first. Politics took precedence of religion, and the government of men be- came a human affair. It consequently happened either that new offices were created, oi', at any rate, that old ones assumed a new character. We can see this by the example of Athens, and by that of Rome. At Athens, during the domination of the aristocracy, the iirchons had been especially priests. The care of de- ciding causes, of administering the law, and of making war was of minor importance, and might, without in- convenience, be joined to the priesthood. When the