Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 29: Promulgation of the New Bill

Davos's words left the crowd in the square thoughtful, and they began to murmur among themselves. The shrewd among them realized that the shrewd Magistrate wouldn't raise such a sensitive topic at such a sensitive time without reason. There must be something to announce, and they immediately became excited.

Sure enough, Davos raised his voice and continued, "As the highest authority in Daonia and the leaders of the citizens, the Senate immediately conducted a profound self-examination and reflection after this incident. After repeated discussions and revisions, it passed the 'Daonia Local Council Act' this morning."

As soon as he said this, the entire square stirred.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Davos gestured and said loudly, "Listen carefully to what I have to say before you discuss. Otherwise, if you miss the key points, don't expect me to repeat myself with such a good attitude."

After Davos's humorous remark drew another wave of laughter from the crowd, they all stared intently at Davos on the platform, straining their ears for fear of missing a single word. The square fell into dead silence.

"This act allows each city in the Daonia Alliance to establish its own local council. Citizens from each deme (an administrative unit being established in Daonia, below the city level, formed by merging several villages) vote to elect council members for that deme. The basic requirement is that one council member is elected for every 300 citizens. As for candidate qualifications, first, they must be Daonian citizens who have completed military service, have no record of tax evasion, no major criminal record, and have demonstrated good conduct. Only such citizens can serve as council members. Then, these elected council members form the city's local council, assisting the City Administrator in formulating local regulations, supervising the work of public officials, and proposing suggestions beneficial to the city's development... The term for local council members is two years, with citizen voting elections held during the winter break. Additionally, after the autumn harvest each year, by the end of October, each city's local council will elect a delegation to come to Thurii to attend the Senate assembly. There, they will listen to the Senate's summary of Daonia's development over the past year, can offer their opinions, and participate in revising the 'Daonia Code' and drafting new laws..."

As soon as Davos finished speaking, the entire square burst into uproar: The Daonia Senate had finally granted ordinary citizens the right to participate in and discuss politics!

Theos and Dickpolis exchanged glances, thinking the same thing: The issue they had worried about yesterday had already been solved by Davos. Upon hearing this news, those merchants would probably abandon their decision to leave Daonia...

Like the rest of the crowd, they raised their arms and cheered, extremely excited.

However, they saw Davos still standing on the wooden platform, shouting, "Quiet! Please remain quiet! I haven't finished speaking yet!"

Through the relay of a dozen soldiers, the citizens who heard this immediately reminded each other: "The Magistrate still has something to say!!..."

The citizens immediately suppressed their inner excitement and held their breath, eager to hear what good news Davos would have next.

"The Daonia Alliance is different from other city-states. The Senate directly governs many cities and leads hundreds of thousands of you citizens. Precisely because affairs are too numerous and the territory too vast, the Senate cannot achieve comprehensive and strict oversight, nor can it ensure that all city public officials are fair and incorruptible. That is why criminals like Polyxides and Oryphus appeared, embezzling the alliance's public property. Now, with local councils to assist in governance and supervision, the situation might be much better, but—"

Davos shifted his tone, "All Daonian citizens can be nominated as local council members, including those who have held public office in the alliance and those who, after serving as council members, take up city-state public office. Over time, I'm afraid some problems may arise."

Davos paused, and immediately someone from below the platform asked curiously, "Magistrate, what problems?"

"Aren't you worried that council members and public officials might again collude between money and power, just like today?" Davos's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the crowd's excitement, plunging them into deep thought.

"Lord Davos shouldn't speculate about future local council members in such a manner," Raphias, who still served as the alliance's Registrar, said softly, expressing his opinion.

"No, I think just the opposite," countered Tritodemos, the High Judge who had returned among the senators. "Lord Davos is drafting corresponding laws for the worst possible scenarios. In fact, he is protecting them, preventing anyone from becoming a second Polyxides. This is the best effect that the 'Daonia Law' aims to achieve: to deter the citizens, making them obey the law, not to catch more criminals."

At this point, Davos said in a high-pitched voice, "Therefore, I proposed that the Senate discuss and pass the 'Daonia Tribune Act.'"

Tribune? The citizens were puzzled by this unfamiliar term.

Compared to the slow reaction of the crowd, the expressions of the senators on the steps were much more colorful. Even the usually steady Kynogoratas sighed helplessly, "Today truly is a victory for the common people!"

"This is a good thing!" Cornelius said happily. "I was somewhat mistaken about Lord Davos before. I never expected that once he decided to let citizens participate in politics, he would make such a large concession!"

Mariji listened to the discussions of the surrounding senators, sneering inwardly.

"This act allows citizens from each deme in the cities to vote for tribunes. Each city may have no more than ten tribunes, with a term of two years. Tribune—just by hearing the name, you should know it is a position to protect the common people. To serve as a tribune, one must never have held any public office and must swear not to hold any in the future. Of course, he must also be a good citizen who has served in the military, pays taxes on time, and has no criminal record. His task is to supervise and expose illegal activities by public officials and council members. For local regulations that harm the interests of the common people, he can negotiate with the council for amendments or even veto them. The Senate will also grant tribunes the privilege of 'personal inviolability' during their tenure. Unless they commit a serious crime themselves, no one may harm a tribune; otherwise, the punishment will be increased! During the winter break each year, tribunes from each city will also elect representatives to come to Thurii together with the council delegation. They will report local supervision conditions and make suggestions to the Daonia Magistrate, the Supreme Inspector, and the judges... The full texts of the 'Daonia Local Council Act' and the 'Daonia Tribune Act' will soon be posted on the bulletin wall for your careful reading. (The bulletin wall was built two years ago at Davos's initiative, constructed as several shadow walls under the steps beside the Senate's Great Council Chamber. Whenever the Senate passes a new act or issues a new order, the original text is posted on the wall so that citizens can learn about it in time.)"

After Davos finished speaking, the square suddenly fell into an eerie calm. The citizens seemed unable to believe it was real. Yesterday, they were still angry about the senators' corruption, arguing whether to go to the Senate's Great Council Chamber to protest and demand an Assembly. And today, they suddenly had the right to participate in politics, discuss politics, and supervise, especially the position of tribune. This truly gave ordinary commoners a voice in politics.

The citizens felt as if in a dream. Someone even asked Davos on the platform foolishly, "Magistrate, is this really true?"

Davos answered with a smile, "Don't you all believe in what I, Davos, say?!"

Then the square erupted in jubilation. The ecstasy in the citizens' hearts was far beyond watching a rugby ball game, soaking in a large bathhouse hot spring, or even attending a Festival of Hades. This was humanity's natural craving for power and freedom.

The experienced citizens knew in their hearts: Even in a very democratic city-state like Athens, most citizens only had the right to participate in political affairs and vote for generals. Those in power on the platform were always well-educated, wealthy citizens or even nobles. Ordinary citizens spent their days struggling to make a living—how could they have the money for education? How could they have time to handle city-state affairs? Once the city-state is ruled by nobles and the rich, will they consider the common people more? The answer is obvious. Now, in the Daonia Alliance, the Magistrate had asked the Senate to voluntarily hand over some power to the common people, allowing them to directly intervene in the implementation of regulations and root out lawbreakers among public officials. How could this not make them ecstatic!

"Long live Daonia!!!"

"Long live Lord Davos!!!"

These two heartfelt cheers rolled like ocean waves across the square, booming in the air until they resounded throughout the entire city.

This will be a new era! Davos stood unmoving at the center of the surging waves, his expression solemn: The Senate has legislative power, the council has political participation power, the tribunes have supervisory power. They check each other, forming a balance, initially achieving the political structure he had envisioned. But where was his own position?

Davos looked at the sun that had already begun to descend westward. It was warm but not scorching, bright but not dazzling...

...

In the city of Syracuse, the Daonia delegation led by Antistanos had already been staying for several days.

"Teacher, I've found out clearly," Henipolis rushed into the room and said angrily to Antistanos, "The information we got before coming here is correct. Dionysius has long returned. Yesterday, someone even saw Dionysius go to the harbor to welcome the second wave of Carthaginian envoys. But he has refused to see us for five consecutive days. What does this mean?! You know we are envoys of Daonia. His actions are an insult to our Daonia Alliance! Teacher, let's not wait any longer. Let's return to Thurii immediately and report Dionysius's insult to the Senate!"