Gary Corby - The Pericles Commission

Democratic Athens was 130 years in the making. It was the work of three men: Solon, Cleisthenes, and Ephialtes.

The Chorus

Assorted innkeepers, city guards, shopkeepers, bankers, nurses, slaves, thugs, travelers, maddened rioters, and ordinary citizens.

A dead man fell from the sky, landing at my feet with a thud. I stopped and stood there like a fool, astonished to see him lying where I was about to step. He lay facedown in the dirt, arms spread wide, with an arrow protruding out his back. Hed been shot through the heart.

It was obvious he was dead, but I knelt down and touched him anyway, perhaps because I needed to assure myself that he was real. The body was warm to my touch. The blood that stained my fingertips, from where I had touched his wound, was slippery and wet but already beginning to dry in the heat, and the small cloud of dust his fall had raised made my nose itch as it settled.

It doesnt normally rain corpses, so where had this one come from? I looked up. There was a ledge above me, and another to the left. The one directly above was the Rock of the Areopagus, home to the council chambers of our elder statesmen. The other to the left, but much farther away, was the Acropolis. There was no doubt about it; this man had fallen from the political heights.

I was about to rise when I heard the footsteps of someone coming down the road, and my immediate thought was the natural one: this might be the murderer coming to make sure of his victim, or perhaps the killer might lean over the ledge and shoot me too. I stepped backward to take cover at the side of the path, at a place deep in shadow, and waited, with no weapon other than the short dagger any citizen might carry. It wasnt much but it would have to do, so I gripped the hilt in my right hand, and was aware of the stickiness of sweat in my palm.

A man came into sight, walking downhill from what could have been either rock above me. The man stopped and exclaimed when he saw the body lying in full view. He stepped forward and leaned over, much as I had done myself. A glance up the path showed me there was no one behind him. The opportunity was too good to miss, so I stepped out of the shadows, took two quick steps, and placed my dagger at his back.

He flinched and started to turn, but I pressed the blade firmly to dissuade him. I was ready to send it home if I had to.

Do not move, I said. Do not stand up.

He remained bowed over the victim, and without turning to look at me he said, So, you are going to murder me too?

Me? I said, surprised. Of course not, I didnt kill him.

Theres no point denying it, why else would you have a dagger at my back? There was no fear in his voice, only contempt.

Because you killed him.

Not I. You saw me come down the path.

Thats where he died. He fell from above.

The man looked up and saw the ledge directly above us. I see. Because I came down the path you think Im here to make sure my victim is dead, but I give you my word I havent murdered this man.

That doesnt count for much.

Youre right, though perhaps the fact I hold no bow helps?

The same objection had occurred to me, and I had already thought of the simple answer. You could have thrown it away before descending. If he had, it would not be far.

The man nodded. Yes, I had a feeling you were going to say that, but it seems to me a murderer is somewhat unlikely to throw away his weapon and then stroll past his victim. Shouldnt I at least have walked in the opposite direction, knowing what I would find if I came this way?

His point was very persuasive, and Im sure he felt my hesitation because I saw the muscles in his shoulders relax a trifle. That irritated me, so without removing my dagger I said, Lets find out more. Turn him over.

He said carefully, To do so I will have to stand.

Go ahead.

The man grabbed the body and heaved. The arrow made it difficult, but the body slowly turned and we saw his face.

I gasped. Lying in the dirt before us was the man who had brought full democracy to Athens.