Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 25: Public Trial and the New Bill

Tritodemos slammed the bronze bell. “Defendant, this is your final warning! If you continue with baseless speculation and accusations, this court will forbid you from speaking!”

Polyxides quickly swallowed his words, glancing back at the jury, wondering if his deliberate statements had influenced them. By now, he felt his chances of acquittal growing slimmer by the moment.

Aristocrates produced a sheet of papyrus and addressed the jury: “This document records the property quantity that the patrol confiscated from Polyxides’ residence. Fortunately, Polyxides did not deposit this money in the bank—at the time, Cheiristoya’s Bank had already earned deep trust among the people. To prevent loss of valuables, citizens deposited their wealth there, paying only a very low custodial fee each year, and could withdraw it at any time. Moreover, using bank-issued receipts, they could withdraw money at any Cheiristoya Bank within Daonia and conduct large-scale transactions, which was extremely convenient and thus highly popular. Polyxides refused to deposit his money in the bank simply because the bank was owned by Davos’s family—so the patrol members, the household servants, and a few bystanders who accidentally entered the residence can all serve as witnesses. The total amount of these assets is—”

Aristocrates paused deliberately, facing the thousands of focused gazes below the platform, and announced loudly and clearly: “Twenty-two talents and forty-five minas!”

Gasps of shock rose from the crowd.

Aristocrates added, “As far as I know, Polyxides, besides the income from your fifteen acres of land, you have no other properties.”

Polyxides argued forcefully, “A large part of that was left by my... my grandfather and father...”

Aristocrates sneered. “Then why are most of the coins in your home Hades silver coins?” (This referred to the silver coins issued after the Daonia Alliance was founded, famous for bearing Hades’ head on the obverse.) “I asked your family—you never exchange money at the bank.”

Aristocrates’ words blocked the lie Polyxides had tried to concoct. Enraged and panicked, he shouted, “The wealth of Davos’s family far exceeds mine! Why don’t you investigate whether he has any problems?!”

The audience jeered.

Aristocrates smiled again. “You see, I don’t even need to speak—the people’s eyes are sharp. Everyone is well aware of Lord Davos’s household properties. How many Daonian citizens has Cheiristoya’s Bank helped with its extremely low interest rates! How many nearly bankrupt businesses has it saved!”

“That’s right, that’s true!”

“Kind Cheiristoya!”

...

The citizens vied to shout, the anger that had seemed ready to burst moments ago vanishing without a trace. Tritodemos, pleased with this turn, did not interrupt Aristocrates’ speech.

“The restaurants and bathhouses not only made the citizens’ lives better but also earned Thurii the reputation of ‘the most attractive city in Magna Graecia’...”

“Young man, you’re absolutely right!”

“Lord Davos has brought pride to Thurii!”

“Furthermore, Lord Davos does not hoard his money at home like you do. He donates funds to build temples, and the library and stone bridge now under construction...”

“Lord Davos also paid for the stone bridge? I didn’t know that.”

“I’ve heard that once the library is built, Lord Davos will donate a large number of precious books to it.”

“You Thurii people are so lucky! If I want to read, I have to come all the way from Crimissa...”

“Perhaps one day Lord Davos will also donate a library to Crimissa.”

As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Tritodemos asked, “Defendant, do you have anything more to say in your defense?”

Like a drowning man making a final struggle, Polyxides spoke rapidly, “Yes! Yes! My family once owned three hundred and fifty acres of land in Thurii—that’s true! I still have the land deeds at home to verify! But ever since Davos came, I... I voluntarily gave up all that land and kept only these fifteen acres. I made such a huge concession for Thurii, for Daonia—shouldn’t everyone... everyone consider my family’s losses?!”

“Even if those so-called land deeds really exist—” Aristocrates watched Polyxides, now speaking recklessly, knowing he had lost his composure, and felt even more confident. “I hope the defendant understands this: after Croton destroyed the city of Thurii, the old Thurii no longer existed, nor did its former government. Naturally, the contracts signed by the old Thurii city hall became void. Let me ask you: if Lord Davos had not led the army to repel the Crotonians, would the former citizens of Thurii have dared to live in Thurii again? Obviously not. They would have been forced to wander to other city-states, struggling even to survive, let alone own land...”

At this point, Aristocrates’ tone grew slightly heavier, then he raised his voice. “So today’s Thurii, though still called Thurii, is no longer the old Thurii. It is part of the Daonia Alliance—its heart!”

“Well said! The current Thurii has nothing to do with the old one. Wanting to keep over three hundred acres of farmland? What a dream!”

“A greedy man like you will surely be sent to Hades by Lord Davos, and Lord Rhadamanthus will lash you with his whip of punishment!”

Amid the people’s jeers, Polyxides, as if all his strength had been drained, slumped back onto his wooden chair.

Tritodemos glanced at him and said, “Citizens in the audience, please remain quiet! Now the jury will vote to decide whether the defendant is guilty!”

With that, the orderly immediately placed an hourglass on the judge’s table. The jurors had to make their decision before the sand ran out.

Each of them held two bronze tokens—one inscribed “Guilty,” the other “Not Guilty.” Without hesitation, the jurors quickly dropped one token into the bronze urn on the table.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!...” The crisp sounds struck like hammer blows against Polyxides’ heart.

After the voting ended, the orderly walked over and began to count the votes. He lifted a token from the urn, showed it to the jury members, and announced, “Guilty!... Guilty!... Guilty!...”

Each proclamation brought a cheer from the crowd and drained another shade of color from Polyxides’ face.

The result came: fifty votes for guilty, none abstaining. (If it had been exactly twenty-five guilty and twenty-five not guilty, the presiding judge would have had the final say.)

The crowd erupted in cheers; Polyxides’ face turned ashen.

The subsequent trials of Oryphus, Massisacus, Eanilus, Euricpus, and other senators, as well as some nobles and public officials, went even more smoothly. Faced with irrefutable evidence, each was found guilty.

But the collective crime of so many senators and public officials filled the citizens present with fear and anger. By the end, shouts of “Thoroughly investigate the Senate and the public officials! Root out those who embezzle the alliance’s public property!” resounded throughout Thurii.

The roar reached the ears of the senators in the Senate, making their hearts tremble. And Davos, who was presenting a proposal to the Senate, smiled.

The public trial lasted until dusk. After it ended, many citizens spontaneously went to the front gate of the Great Council Chamber of the Senate, which stood in front of the square, to protest against the senators.

When the meeting concluded, the senators had to quickly retreat through the back door. As they came out, each wore a grave expression.

“Once the new law is enacted, our Senate’s power will be severely restricted! How could Lord Davos bear to propose such a law? What good does it do him?” Strombopoli said with some displeasure.

“Lord Davos is right to do this! Listen to the shouts of the people in the square—” Cornelius pointed behind him and said with a sigh. “It’s time to give the citizens some right to participate in governance. Back when we were in Amendolara, wasn’t that always the way? You’ve experienced it before—why do you feel uncomfortable with it now?!”

Strombopoli paused, thought for a moment, and said, “I rather like the current system. At least you don’t have to worry about suddenly being accused by the citizens, or fear that after doing half the work, your one-year term ends and you’re not re-elected, so your project gets cut off. In the Daonia Alliance, I can thoroughly investigate the matters I need to handle, plan them out, and then focus on implementing them step by step... But now? A bunch of ignorant citizens who only care about their own interests can meddle in our affairs!”

Similar words were exchanged among the senators hurrying back to the city.

Mariji and Pleisinas walked behind.

“Lord Mariji, why did the magistrate propose such a law? Be aware, the citizens’ anger is certainly not directed at him! From what I know in the temple, most of them hold great respect for Lord Davos.” Pleisinas couldn’t help voicing his doubt.

Mariji laughed heartily and said in a low voice, “Your question just now has already answered itself.”

Pleisinas was even more confused.

Mariji lifted his head, gazing at the sun that had nearly disappeared behind the mountains, his eyes growing distant as if lost in thought. Finally he murmured, “...You Greeks have been far too long without a monarchy. You clearly don’t know what the most important thing for a ruler is.”

Such an overt metaphor for “ruler” did not shock Pleisinas; he thought hard but still couldn’t grasp it.

Mariji softly uttered a single word: “Balance.”

It was already evening; darkness shrouded Thurii, yet inside the city’s Cheiristoya’s Restaurant, candlelight blazed, tables were full, and the place buzzed with lively chatter.