Athenian Democracy: Wednesday to Monday—Aristotle’s Constitution of the Athenians and supplements.

For Thursday: read Intro. and sections I-XXIV of the Constitution (which itself is online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0046:chapter=1 and following) plus Plutarch’s Life of Solon (http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/solon.html or at Perseus) and Herodotus’s account of Solon and Croesus, Peisistratus and Cleisthenes: 1.29-34 and 59-64; and 5.55-78 and 6.123-131(best online at Perseus, where you can try chunking by books instead of chapters) . Pay particular attention to Solon’s own language: Dryden’s translation of one poem in Plutarch’s quotation reads

"Solon surely was a dreamer, and a man of simple mind;
When the gods would give him fortune, he of his own will declined;
When the net was full of fishes, over-heavy thinking it,
He declined to haul it up, through want of heart and want of wit.
Had but I that chance of riches and of kingship, for one day,
I would give my skin for flaying, and my house to die away."

Compare that to the “individual voice” discussed by Peter Green. Etc.

 

On Tuesday there's a political event:

Panel will discuss election
The Colorado Springs Republican MeetUp will host a panel tonight to discuss and evaluate the recent election.
Gary Dameron will moderate a session titled: Where are we Today and Where do we Want to be Tomorrow? The meeting is informal and is open to the public.
The event begins with dinner and social time at 6:30 p.m., and the official meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. at the Valley Hi Golf Course Clubhouse, 610 S. Chelton Road. Dinner and drinks may be ordered at attendees expense.

 

On Wednesday note also the following local government activity:

Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera will host a town hall meeting with several councilmen and city staffers Wednesday night at the Falcon Division Police Substation.
The latest edition of the Takin it to the Streets public meeting series will allow city residents to voice concerns and ask questions about neighborhood and citywide issues. It is scheduled for 7 p.m. at 7850 Goddard St.
Councilmen Scott Hente, Bernie Herpin and Randy Purvis are among those scheduled to attend.

 

On Thursday note also the following:

El Paso County Commissioners meet at 9:00 am—27 E. Vermijo, third floor.  

 

On Saturday, this event:

Bruce will talk development
    El Paso County Commissioner Douglas Bruce will host a town-hall meeting Saturday to discuss development and other county government issues.
    The event is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. at the Falcon Fire Station at the corner of Highway 24 and Meridian Road. Bruce, who represents eastern Colorado Springs and eastern El Paso County, will serve refreshments and answer questions.

 

 

For Friday: sections XXV-XLI of the Constitution plus Plutarch’s lives of Cimon and Pericles (http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/cimon.html or http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/plutarch/plutcimo.html and http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/plutarch/plutperi.html)

 

You now should collect from postings or other thinking you’ve done an idea for a paper: short (2-3 pp.) and interpretive, related to the history we’ve discussed, perhaps to the development of the direct democracy in Athens in particular. I’ll try to alert you to possibilities in your postings if there are some, and you should consult me as well. THIS PAPER IS DUE ON MONDAY.

 

Also for Monday, finish the Constitution: the actual operations of Athenian Democracy in Aristotle’s time—enrollment and training of citizens, the Boulé (why not more about the Ecclesia?), the allotted and elected boards (10s, the 11, the 40, the Archons), the courts: allotment, voting.