They accordingly conducted him to Mars' Hill. This was one of the most sacred spots in all Athens, and its recollections and associations were such as to cause it to be regarded with a superstitious reverence that in the minds of some amounted to dread. It was in this place that matters connected with religion were often carefully considered by men who acted as final judges on all the more important moral as well as civil questions.

Af denne grund førte de ham op på Areopagos. Dette var et af Athens mest hellige steder og havde sådanne fortidsminder og traditioner, at de fik folk til at betragte det med en overtroisk ærbødighed, der hos nogle grænsede til frygt. Det var på dette sted, at ting, der stod i forbindelse med religionen, ofte blev omhyggeligt diskuteret af mænd, der så afsagde en afgørende dom angående alle de mere vigtige moralske såvel som borgerlige spørgsmål.