The Double Indictment or Trials by Jury

​Dike But as for other things, Pan, have they become better in respect to virtue under the influence of the philosophers? Pan Whom do you mean by the philosophers? Do you mean those downcast ones, those who are always in crowds, those who have beards like mine, those talkative ones? Dike Precisely. Pan I do not know at all what they are saying, nor do I understand their wisdom; for I, at least, am a mountain-dweller, and I have not learned these elegant and urban words, Dike. For from where in Arcadia is there a sophist or a philosopher? I am wise as far as the transverse reed and the syrinx are concerned, but as for other things, I am a goatherd, a dancer, and a warrior, if there is need. However, I always hear them shouting and discussing some virtue, ideas, nature, and incorporeal things, names unknown and strange to me. And at first they begin their words to one another peacefully, but as the company proceeds, they strain their voice to the highest pitch, so that, because they stretch their voices to the limit and want to speak at the same time, their face grows red and their neck swells and their veins stand out, just like flute-players whenever they force themselves to blow into a narrow flute. At any rate, having thrown their arguments into confusion and muddled what was under consideration from the beginning, the majority of them depart having abused one another, scraping the sweat from their forehead with a curved finger, and he is thought to win who among them is louder and bolder and departs last as they disperse. However, the common crowd is amazed by them, and especially those whom none of the more necessary business occupies, and they stand by, charmed by their boldness and shouting. To me, therefore, they seemed to be certain charlatans from these things, and I was annoyed at the similarity of our beards. But whether there was anything of public benefit in their shouting, and whether some good grew in them from those words, I could not say. Nevertheless, if indeed I must tell the truth without concealing anything—for I dwell on a lookout, as you see—I have already many times beheld many of them, in the late evening—

​Dike Stop, Pan. Did it not seem to you that Hermes was making a proclamation? Pan Most certainly. Hermes Hear, ye people! We shall establish a market of lawsuits, with good fortune, today, on the seventh of the beginning of Elaphebolion. All who have brought charges, come to the Areopagus, where Dike will allot the courts and will herself be present with those who judge. The judges shall be from all Athenians; the pay is three obols for each lawsuit; the number of the judges is in proportion to the accusation. And as many as died after filing a charge before it came to court, let Aeacus send them up. And if anyone thinks he has been judged unjustly, he shall fight the lawsuit on appeal; and the appeal is to Zeus. Pan Ah, what a tumult! How loudly they shouted, Dike, and how they run together in haste, dragging one another to the steep hill straight to the Areopagus. And Hermes too is already present. So you go about the lawsuits, and allot and judge as is law for you; but I, having departed to my cave, will pipe some love tune with which I am accustomed to tease Echo; for of hearings and forensic speeches I have had enough, hearing them as they are judged every day in the Areopagus.