Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/450

 444 THB EEVOLUTIONS. BOOK IV They did even better; they listened to them. For we are not to i)icturc to ourselves a noisy and luibnlent multitude ; the attitude of the people was quite the contrary. The comic poet represents them motionless upon their stone seats, listening open-mouthod.' His- torians and orators frequently describe these popular assemblies. We rarely see an orator interrupted j whether it was Pericles or Cleon, ^^schines or Demos- thenes, the people were attentive ; whether the orators flattered them or upbraided them, they listened. They allowed the most opposite opinions to be expressed, with a patience that was sometimes admirable. There were never cries or shouts. The orator, whatever he might say, could always reach the end of his discourse. At Sparta eloquence was little known. The princi- ples of government were not the same. The aristoc- racy still governed and had fixed traditions, which saved the trouble of a long discussion upon every question. At At^iens the people desired to be in- formed. They could decide only after a contradictory debate; they acted only alter they had been convinced, or thought they had been. To put universal suffrage in operation, discussion is necessary ; eloquence is the spring of democratic government. The orators, there- fore, soon received the title of demagogues, — that is to say, of conductors of the city; and indeed they did direct its action, and determined all its resolutions. The case where an orator should make a proposition contrary to existing laws had been anticipated. Athens had special magistrates called guardians of the laws. Seven in number, they watched over the assembly, oc- cupying high seats, and seemed to represent the lav^, Aristoplianes, Knights, 1119.