They accordingly conducted him to Mars’ Hill. This was the most sacred spot in all Athens, and its recollections and associations were such as to cause it to be regarded with superstitious awe and reverence, that with some amounted to dread. Here, the most solemn court of justice had long been held to determine upon criminal cases, and to decide difficult religious questions. The judges sat in the open air, upon seats hewn out in the rock, on a platform which was ascended by a flight of stone steps from the valley below. At a little distance was a temple of the gods; and the sanctuaries, statues, and altars of the city were in full view. {3SP 398.3}

De førte ham derfor til Mars’ Bakke. Dette var den mest hellige plet i hele Athen, og dens minde og association var sådan at den blev betragtet med overtroisk ærbødighed og ærefrygt, at den for nogle var helt frygtindgydende. Her var det højtideligste retsmøde blevet afholdt, til at afgøre kriminelle sager, og til at beslutte vanskelige religiøse spørgsmål. Dommerne sad i den frie luft, på sæder hugget ud i klippen, og på en platform som havde en stentrappe fra dalen derned. Et lille stykke derfra var et tempel for guderne; og der var fuldt udsyn fra byen til helligdommene, statuerne og altrene.