A  low  hill,  west  of  the  Acropolis,  slopes  gently
toward  the  north  until  bounded  by  a  low  terrace
wall.  Near  the  summit  runs  a  bluff  containing  sev-
eral caves  devoted  to  public  uses.  From  this  bluff
projects  a  bema — the  very  same  on  which  Pericles
and  Demosthenes  long  ago  showed  how  to  make
monarchies  out  of  democracies.  This  bema  sup-
ports a  small  tripod,  the  tripod  a  wreath  of  myrtle.
On  either  side,  but  a  little  back,  rises  a  flight  of
steps,  on  which  are  seated  the  Proedri  in  their  offi-
cial robes.  On  the  highest  step  of  each  flight  stands
an  elaborate  stone  chair ;  in  one  of  which  sits  the
Peristates  or  president  for  the  day,  and  in  the  other
the  Roman  Proconsul — his  twelve  lictors  standing
just  below  on  his  right.  In  front  of  each  flight  is  a
long,  low  seat  of  stone.  On  one  of  these  sit  Sinon
and  his  friends;  on  the  other,  Dio,  Amphis,  Eu-
menes,  and  two  or  three  other  nobles.  A  line  of
hurdles,  kept  by  Scythian  bowmen,  runs  a  few  yards
in  front  of  the  bema^  parallel  with  the  line  of  the
bluff,  and  keeps  off  the  crowd.
