The Logos: The Meletic Testament (Chapter 7 The First Temple)

📜 Chapter 7: The First Temple

1. It began not with mere stone that revealed its design or pillars, but with curious silence that witnessed its unique foundation. A foundation that would endure with a philosophical remembrance.

2. A silence that had settled over Athens like trickling dust—thick, unspoken and waiting. Religious fervour between the Pagans and the Christians could not trace this silence with their tradition or faith.

3. Asterion had returned months earlier from his exile, and the city had begun to stir anew. His return was not about his triumph over the injustice that was committed, but more of continuing his message.

4. This return was not loud, but deep with the talk of his philosophy. The thought of a Meletic temple had begun to occupy our mind as we grew in numbers.

5. Thought was waking again in the minds of the inquisitive Athenians who were intrigued by Asterion's wisdom. The city had once been the haven for the philosophies of Socrates and Plato.

6. We sat beneath the olive tree, the same one that had shaded his exile during his absence. It was the exact moment, when the idea of a Meletic temple was introduced into our discussions with Asterion.

7. A student named Naubolos who had joined us asked—If Meletic thought is important, should it not have a temple of its own to embody its philosophy?

8. Asterion smiled, not with pride, but with a studious look in his face as he listened to the question. He rarely spoke of building a temple that was representative of his teachings, but this time he did.

9. A temple must never become an enclosed tomb for thought—he said then paused before continuing.

10. He told us that it must breathe, question, and remain accessible. It should not merely be a building to be erected. It must also be the body of Meleticism.

11. I asked him afterwards with curiosity of my own—What would such a place look like if it was even built?

12. He replied—It would not look like anything like the Pagan temples—it would be different. It would have a presence like no other.

13. I was not certain what he meant by a presence like no other—Are you referring to To Ena, the One?

14. Yes. What good is a temple, if we do not respect it with the source that gave it its great inspiration?—He responded.

15. That was the foundation to which the temple would be erected and remembered. The building of the temple would be a great task to achieve, considering the difficulty still with the relation with the Pagans and Christians.

16. We walked the city together, searching not for grandeur, but for the ideas we had conceived. We had to find the exact place to be able to build the temple.

17. A certain rise beyond the academy caught his eye—open, wind-swept and forgotten. I could sense that he gravitated to the idyllic place for his temple. I did not ask questions. Instead, I merely followed.

18. This place listens. It has a unique presence that I have not found elsewhere, except the grove—he said with a sudden joy in his expression.

19. It had once held a shrine to Mnemosyne, the ancient goddess of memory and mythology. It was not our attention to provoke the Pagans, even though there were no visible remains of that ancient shrine left.

20. Asterion placed his hand on the soil—Let memory be our foundation, and questioning our altar. It is here, where our temple will stand.

21. The magistrate approved the site without ceremony. He approved and welcomed the Meletic temple. He saw in Asterion, the last vestige of Greek philosophy.

22. He had come to trust Asterion’s silence and humbleness more than most men’s speeches that he was accustomed to listening. Whilst others were intimidated by Asterion's words, he was not. He had embraced them.

23. The builders arrived afterwards—philosophers, painters and carpenters with chisels, once sceptics and loyal students with hammers carried in their hands.

24. They argued over every curve, every stone, every inscription, as if it was of their own creation, but Asterion would make them realise that what mattered most was the presence of the temple.

25. Asterion encouraged the exchange of ideas—Let the building itself provoke thought in all of you, who seek its foundation.

26. The structure grew slowly and deliberately then. It was a testimony of Asterion's determination and desire for us to be its guardians. He knew that he had to rely on people who had his confidence.

27. The walls were uneven, the columns asymmetrical, but the temple was our own to respect, not to own. Unlike the Pagans, our temple was not a place for worship or sacrifice.

28. It did not impress the naysayers—it invited those individuals who sought its purpose with their intent. It was not our intention to please these naysayers, by offering a temple embellished with material splendour.

29. The entrance bore no elegant doors, only open arches that protruded over the doors that were shaped as the doors that open to the philosophy of Meleticism.

30. Above them, carved in stone: ‘Enter not to believe, but to enquire. And then below it were the indelible words, 'This is not a place of faith, but of fate'.

31. Inside, there were no altars for sacrifice, no idols that were built as tokens of worship to the Pagan gods or even the Christian god who was crucified.

32. Only concentric circles of stone benches, facing inwards. In front at the centre was a circle of light that had two other circles surrounding it that were the Logos and the Nous. The circle of light represented the oneness of To Ena, not the appearance of To Ena.

33. Let us face each other like men and women of Meleticism who have gathered together—Asterion said.

34. The ceiling was left wide open to the sky above as was our intention, when it did not rain. We were always aware of the presence of the rain. It was a part of nature.

35. He told us to let the stars be our fresco today and tomorrow. Why should we ignore the beauty of the cosmos? I agreed with him; for the beauty of the cosmos was unmatched.

36. I asked him —Shall this be a temple only? Or is it something much more than that in its essence?

37. He replied—It is a pause in the noise—a place where thought can hear itself, shaped in the form of a temple. A place where we can connect with To Ena.

38. I asked him—Will people even come without us asking them? I am curious to know that answer.

39. He looked at me then said—Only if they are brave enough to defy the gods that they fear. Everyone is welcomed, poor or rich.

40. That became then the motto of the place. At first, few people had come to the temple, but then more did. Even the brave slaves who defied their masters.

41. We proceeded to inscribe questions into the walls—not answers that did not challenge the mind. Even though there was a temple that was present and built, it did not change the manner in which we thought.

42. What is the truth without any doubt to be expressed?

43. Can silence be wise without the need for any action?

44. Is exile a vast place, or only a mere condition of being?

45. Visitors traced them with their fingers, as if trying to feel the shape of thought expressed through the inscriptions. They were told to sense the depth of those questions.

46. Asterion refused to let his name be carved anywhere. As was the case with him, he did not seek nor ask for unnecessary praise. The temple was more about the people than him.

47. He believed that no voice should be louder than the question that birthed it. Who was he to silence the importance of enquiry? What good is knowledge, if it does not reveal wisdom.

48. But beneath the central bench, I carved his words, as a sign of the wisdom passed down unto us. A wisdom that would teach future generations of philosophers.

49. 'Let thought be natural, but never untouchable. If we allow our minds to believe in the supernatural, then we are forsaking our minds'.

50. That inscription remained, weathered but clear to be seen. It was a powerful admission by Asterion. He was convinced that the mind must never falter to irrationality.

51. The temple was completed at dusk, at last. We all then rejoiced, as we stared at the temple with immense satisfaction. Everyone who contributed in the establishment of the temple were remembered.

52. There was no ceremony, no procession that was performed. Only, the appreciation of our effort and our dedication. Together, we had built the foundation of the temple.

53. The gathering of voices, seated in a circle beneath the open sky reminded us of our unity with To Ena. In the beginning, there was utter excitement.

54. Asterion stood in the centre, not above us, but amongst us to speak to us. Not as a master would of his slaves, but of a teacher would of his students.

55. He asked—What is the actual purpose of a temple that does not offer prayer or worship?

56. A young woman replied—To remind us that thought itself belongs to us, not to a god.

57. He nodded with a smile on his face, and the temple breathed its first truth revealed not by scripture nor scroll, but by the revelation of one woman.

58. The wind then passed through the arches like a whisper, as if it too rejoiced with us. The temple indeed was a place to remind us of our place in nature.

59. And Athens, for the first time in years, listened without fear of consequences or actions. The question that lingered in my mind was for how long would the temple last?

60. The temple had begun—not as a building, but as a question that would linger in the minds of its guardians. It was the evident symbol of Meletic presence.

61. In the days that followed, the temple did not stand still—it breathed the souls of people. What was once conceivable thought had become a structure to attend.

62. People would continue not to come in massive crowds, but in pairs, in threes, in quiet curiosity. This did not concern Asterion; for he knew that he could not predict who came or not to the temple.

63. They did not kneel like the Christians would before their god. They sat and then meditated, as they listened to their thoughts. They wanted for Asterion afterwards.

64. They did not chant like the Christians. Instead, they connected with To Ena, the One through their moments of meditation. This was an experience for most of the persons that were present.

65. And in that unique connecting, the temple found truly its inner voice and inner peace as well. It would be a significant place for us the Meletics to gather along with others.

66. A merchant asked me the question that I did not expect—Can profit be truly ethical?

67. A child asked me thereafter—Why do adults lie, if they are supposed to be smarter than us?

68. A widow asked me with a serious look in her eyes—Is grief a kind of exile?

69. Asterion listened to each of them, never answering with pride, only responding with wisdom. He was always receptive to questions that would challenge that wisdom.

70. Let the question be your teacher. For questions are what teach us to search for answers—he said to them.

71. The magistrate returned alone to asked questions to Asterion, knowing that he confided in his knowledge. It was unusual to see a powerful man seek wisdom in a poor sage.

72. He sat at the edge of the circle contemplative and waiting, his robes folded, his eyes open. It was indeed captivating for the other members of the temple, who were mostly ordinary people.

73. The magistrate asked the following question—Is justice merely a structure or a truth to be sought?

74. Asterion replied—It is a structure built that reveals the truth. It is when we forget that truth that it becomes injustice.

75. And the magistrate nodded, not as a ruler, but as a student willing to hear the wisdom of a philosopher. He would return, and each time with a great satisfaction demonstrated in his expression.

76. The temple became a rhythm in the city’s breath, and it was the conversation that many people were discussing. At first, it was a novelty, but then it became something else.

77. Merchants debated ethics before opening their stalls. Their conversations were philosophical in their nature.

78. Poets recited verses that were once lyrical, but had become philosophical in their nature.

79. Children played philosopher, mimicking Asterion’s cadence and his manner of expression.

80. The temple was no longer only a place to gather—it was a genuine place for a practice that had developed into Meleticism. This was a sign that the temple had become relevant.

81. I watched as the questions carved into the walls began to change people's minds and character. It was difficult to not be inspired by the temple's presence.

82. The people did not answer those questions quickly—instead, they gradually carried them in their minds to answer later, at another visit or moments of quietude.

83. The questions were worthy of asking Asterion—Verily, can silence ever be wise?

84. —Is exile a place, or merely a condition we impose unto others as a form of justice?

85. These questions echoed profoundly in the temple, in homes, in the agora, in courtyards, and in the grove itself. What good was a philosophy, if he could not be questioned?

86. Asterion refused all honours bestowed upon him by the people, who had seen his humbleness. After all, he was a man who had given up everything of commodities in life, to embrace his journey towards To Ena.

87. Let my words live in the minds of people, not in the marble that men construct—he said.

88. He thought only of the continuation of the temple, not knowing how long it would endure physically. He often struggled in his thoughts with that contemplation.

89. This was a concern of his, since he knew there were zealots amongst the people of Athens, who were a threat to the temple. This was looming in my mind too.

90. He instructed me afterwards to not antagonise the Pagans or Christians in public as much. I did not question his instruction. Instead, I obeyed and told the others to do the same.

91. One morning, a curious sculptor named Lampos came to the Meletic temple. He told Asterion the reason why he had come. Neither Asterion nor I had even met this sculptor before.

92. He had heard of Asterion’s refusal to be honoured and wanted to understand his reasoning. This was nothing new for Asterion, who was used to being questioned.

93. —Why do you reject the honours given in your behalf? I have met no man in my life, who would reject such gratitude?

94. Asterion stared into his eyes then replied—It is not because I am not grateful for the honour. It is because stone forgets, but thought remembers.

95. The sculptor stayed to listen to him speak, and he never carved again for only profit to be gained. He was swayed by the words of Asterion, who was a modest man like him.

96. The temple’s ceiling remained open for the most part; opened to the breath of nature. We were fortunate that this was the case. It allowed more people to come.

97. Rain sometimes fell through it, but no one complained. The people who had gathered inside the temple understood. They were considered the most resilient.

98. Let the sky interrupt us, with a little fall of rain. Who are we to tell nature what to do?—Asterion said to the people.

99. Let the stars that shine above us, remind us how small our fears and concerns are truly—he ended.

100. And so we sat together, beneath the weather and the wonder that was nature itself, observing the simplicity that it offered man. Asterion was someone who had a close relation with nature. He often drew inspiration from it.

101. A group of students began meeting there at dawn. The temple was a safe place for them to gather, as they exchange their thoughts and their ideas also.

102. They called themselves the Circle of the Unfinished. They were the future generations of Meletics, which I considered them to be highly intellectual and meticulous.

103. Their only rule was to never leave with the same opinion they arrived with in the first place. This was a positive way of understanding the complexities of life.

104. Asterion visited them often, not to lead them, but to listen to their questions and attempt to resolve their dilemmas. He was intrigued by their knowledge.

105. You who are present before me are the temple, not the stone that stands—he told them all.

106. I then began recording the fascinating dialogues held by them there in the temple. These were dialogues that were more common in academies than temples.

107. Not to preserve them only, but to reflect upon them, as a measure of their relevance. After all, what good would they serve, if they did not have meaning to them?

108. They were not teachings to be imposed—they were invitations to all who came and left inspired. This is what made Asterion accomplished in his wisdom. He invited whomsoever would dialogue with him.

109. Invitations to reflect, to wonder and to remain committed to the path of enlightenment. This was precisely what Asterion sought with his invitations.

110. And in that, they were philosophical and welcoming to newcomers and even sceptics who came with difficult questions to ask, would leave with a different perspective.

111. A lone traveller from Antioch arrived, curious and sceptical. He came to speak to Asterion one day, whilst he was addressing a group of slaves who had come to hear Asterion speak.

112. He asked the question—Is this a temple or a theatre of spectacle? I wonder which of the two it is.

113. Asterion replied afterwards—It is a stage for the soul, if the soul dares to speak. The temple does not require performers, it requires humbleness.

114. The traveller stayed for a week, and left with fewer answers than he came with before. His doubts had become knowledge that would amass with wisdom.

115. He called it the most honest place he had ever known or visited in his life. Telling others of his experience with Asterion, as if he had met a genuine man of philosophy.

116. The academies began sending students to the temple, as the temple began to find its grounding in Athens. Asterion welcomed them and allowed them to question him.

117. They were not sent for mere instruction to be passed unto others for learning, but for deep contemplation that would benefit them in their philosophical studies.

118. Let your minds contemplate life. After all, it is life that must be contemplated—Asterion told them.

119. And they returned changed each one of them—not corrected, but wise in their knowledge. They did not see in Asterion a mere teacher, but a man whose practicality was envious.

120. That was the temple’s quiet power and influence over people who believed not in faith, but in fate instead. Asterion did not require elaborate philosophy to convince others of his message.

121. The temple did not grow in size like the Pagan temples built for the ancient gods, but it did in gravity. Asterion was not concerned about the size of the temple, but cared more about the people who came to the temple.

122. Its gravity would pull minds towards it, like the moon pulls tides during a moonlight shiver. I realised this as I witnessed the gravity of the presence of the temple.

123. It was not by any divine decree given by a god, but by the desire and need to be present, which I was found both refreshing and rewarding in my life.

124. It was not by any law of man ordered, but by the longing that grew with the intellect of people, who gradually elevated the nature of the temple.

125. Artists began painting questions instead of scenes that revealed the essence of Meleticism.

126. A mural appeared near the agora that depicted a unique form that represented Meleticism.

127. A man staring into a mirror that reflected a stranger personified the reality of our mortality. A mortality that was equal to all who were human in their physical being.

128. Beneath it all was the one unique question: 'Who are you when no one is watching?'

129. A playwright abandoned his latest tragedy to write about philosophy, as if it was deserving of attention. Asterion was a poet and playwright, before he committed his life full time to being a philosopher.

130. He said to Asterion—I cannot write endings anymore; for I have found a new inspiration.

131. Asterion smiled and told him—Then you are only beginning your path towards To Ena. I too was at your point in life.

132. The play was performed with a reverential awareness, without the loud theatrics that were common. Asterion and his students, including myself were invited.

133. The audience began to weep, not for the story itself, but for the remembrance it touched in their hearts. I could see Asterion's influence in the play itself.

134. Politicians came to the temple, some in secret, not revealing their true identities. I was surprised by their presence, but as Asterion often told me that he did not distinguish between the powerful and powerless who asked him questions.

135. They asked questions they could not ask before the assembly. Questions that lingered in their minds of which had consumed them in uncertainties in their positions.

136. —Is power a kind of living fear that one must suppress or seek to avoid?

137. —Can the law of man be just, if it is unjust in its action or deed committed?

138. Asterion never judged anyone because they asked a question. He only asked—What would you do if no one was watching?

139. One senator resigned, because he understood his mistakes in life and had regretted them.

140. He said—I have built already too many walls in my mind to walk with the guilt they carry.

141. He became a dedicated gardener of the temple, and served as another guardian. Some people would consider this drastic of him, but he would not be dissuaded. Every man find his calling in life.

142. His beautiful garden grew beside the temple. It was a garden that sheltered nature and the beauties of nature, who man at times, ignores or forget that it even exist.

143. He called it 'The Place of Learning'. This name was given because of his acceptance of Meleticism. The garden would be not only tended to, but remembered for its serenity.

144. The temple had no actual priests, no rituals to perform like the Pagans or Christians. Everyone who had a voice to speak was invited to philosophise. Meditation had replaced prayer.

145. It became a place to not only connect with To Ena, but to connect with others of the same belief and practice, where the people who gathered were united. They left their divisions and distinctions with people outside before they entered.

146. It was not because it answered the prayers that many others sought, as the Christians or Pagans, which was clearly what differentiated a Meletic from them.

147. Because it taught people to find inner peace through the act of meditation and the process of enquiry. Prayer was more of an evocation or supplication.

148. A lone woman named Selene came every morning to sit in silence and awaken her body, mind and soul. She was a complete stranger, and one that was not known to us.

149. The odd thing was that she never spoke one word or uttered a hymn, never asked one question to Asterion. All that was known about her was that she was a former Christian.

150. One day, Asterion sat beside her attentively but respectfully. He wondered what had brought the woman to the temple in the first place. I was wondering the same thing.

151. I must ask, what brings you here? It is the search for wisdom?—He asked politely.

152. She whispered to him—I come to remember who I am before the world tells me.

153. Her reply epitomised what the temple meant for those people who entered it. Its influence was not loud and bustling like the agora, but that was the reason many people came.

154. It was like the wind blowing through olive trees—felt, not seen. A wind that was present and soothing in its essence. It was not only a form of life; it was also a form of presence.

155. The temple did not demand any change or submission. It did not care whether one was a slave or a master.

156. It invited all those people who sought to be enlightened and changed in their experience with To Ena.

157. A sculptor named Maron returned, years after his first visit with a wisdom that he had gained from that initial visit.

158. He brought no tools of his own to display, only a question that lingered in his mind and curiosity.

159. He asked—Can beauty exist without physical form? This has troubled me since my last sculpture.

160. Asterion replied with a smile on his face, as he did not hesitate in saying—Only in the Ousia, our true essence.

161. The temple’s walls began to wear with time, but this did not dissuade our gathering there. Asterion would often say that the greatest temple was that of the body. It emphasised the need to honour it.

162. The rain etched lines deeply into the stone, despite the roof being covered then. Asterion would tell us that nature sprinkles its tears from time to time.

163. The moss grew into the apparent cracks that formed from the rain, as a vestige of its colour. Asterion spoke of the moss, as being a connection with nature.

164. The temple would be repaired several times, but there were still areas that had noticeable cracks that were impossible to repair completely. Thus, Asterion told us to not worry about the cracks.

165. Let the temple age. Let it become what time makes of it—Asterion would tell the people who entered.

166. A philosopher from Delphi named Narkissos challenged Asterion with a fiery debate that he sought to win.

167. —You teach people without any known doctrine. You lead without any foundation.

168. Asterion replied—I do not lead. I walk beside. It is you who speak of doctrine. And know that the foundation for which you stand upon now, is a witness to that message.

169. Then what is this Meleticism of which you profess? I am awaiting for you explanation?—Narkissos demanded.

170. —Meleticism is that which has no doctrine. It is the source to all beginnings and ends. It is the source to all life that manifests in our reality. It is being itself.

171. This answer had made an impact on Narkissos—Being itself. I believe, I now understand this philosophy.

172. The philosopher stayed for a season, amazed by the wisdom of Asterion and how he resonated with the common people. He did not discriminate; always humble in his actions.

173. The philosopher left with fewer books to take back with him, but more questions to ponder at length. He promised that he would return, when he was able to.

174. The clever children began carving their new questions into the stones that they had devised.

175. —Why do adults forget so easily how to wonder about life, if they are supposed to have more intelligence?

176. —Verily, is laughter a kind of truth that only children can ever understand?

177. Asterion was amazed by their intelligence, but he read them all with the intent to answer those questions. He knew that he had done his part to spread the message of Meleticism.

178. These are the future’s philosophers that will guide the city, when it is lost in its search—he said to me.

179. The temple became a visible mirror for the city of Athens and for the people who dwelt in it. This was something that I had observed with keen awareness.

180. Not because of its absolute power that others coveted in life, but of the reflecting soul that it called upon to reveal itself before the presence of others.

181. It showed Athens not what it had built, as a towering monument of its glory attested. That was never the original design nor intention of the temple.

182. Instead, what it had forgotten with the passing of empires and rulers who sought only the act of greed to please their egos with such cruel indifference.

183. I watched as the academy that was built for Asterion's teachings changed as well in its appearance, and with its, the students who attended the academy.

184. There was less certainty displayed, and more humility in the students that were present.

185. There were less answers to be explored, and more listening in the students that questioned.

186. Asterion never dared to enter its halls for the reward of mere praise or satisfaction. The time he spent there was related to the practice of Meleticism. He often favoured more being outside in the grove or courtyard than in the academy.

187. Yet his presence was everywhere and felt by everyone there who knew him or was touched by him. It was not the place that truly mattered to him to speak of his message, but the people who listened.

188. One evening, a raging storm came that was stirring in the horizon, as it had announced itself. It was a storm unlike the previous ones.

189. Lightning struck the temple’s edge with a brute force that had frightened some of the people inside.

190. A column cracked, as the lightning split it in half. People had expected the worse, but it did not happen.

191. No one inside the temple mourned the occurrence; for they knew it was nature's tears. This was an indelible revelation.

192. Let it break naturally. Let it remind us that even the temple is vulnerable—Asterion said.

193. The Meletics did not claim Asterion was a divine prophet like the Christians did with others of their faith. He was also himself, a mere mortal man, who chose to speak of To Ena.

194. They remembered him with a fond reverence, but treated him with a great measure of respect and honour that was befitting of his character and name.

195. Not as a holy man to praise as one of their own, but as a simple man with wisdom who founded not only the temple, but the philosophy of Meleticism.

196. Not as a master to parade with pride, but as a genuine mirror that reflected their truth also, considering that he was one of them in soul and presence.

197. The temple stood visibly, even though more weathered and worn in its structure, but it did not crumble. This was truly a remarkable thing to witness.

198. And in its unique silence, it spoke with a resounding voice that all could hear clearly in their minds, as we could sense its connection with Meleticism.

199. Not of the gods of the days of yore, but of pure thought that reminded people of their mortality.

200. Not of supreme power that belonged to a single god or a king, but of immediate presence.

201. Not of impossible answers that could never be answered, but of the courage to ask what men and women yearn.

202. One day Asterion stood outside of the temple's entrance, and spoke to the people who had gathered. His words were directed to them. We were not expected his speech.

203. —Our temple is not eternal; for it one day will crumble, but before that day arrives, let us gather inside of it, as a testament to the influence of To Ena, and to the will of the people.

204. Know that I shall be here as a witness, as you will be here too, but this temple does not bound us. It liberates it instead. When it will no longer be here, know that we shall still be here, as nature, the cosmos will be here with us. The true temple is the one that is the body. Honour it, as you honour the self and soul—he ended.

205. In the quiet heart of the Meletic tradition stood the temple—not a monument to ancient or new gods, but a refuge for the soul and the plight of the many people who sought its guidance.

206. It was there, beneath its open sky and within its unadorned walls, that seekers came not to worship, but to witness the incredible gathering of people.

207. The temple did not demand reverence; it invited awareness. It is the still point in a turning world, where breath slows and thought clears, and the individual begins to dissolve into the rhythm of being itself.

208. In this space, the body is honoured as a vessel of strength, the mind as a mirror of the truth, and the present moment as the only altar worth kneeling before.

209. The Meletic Temple stood not as a sign of grandeur, but in the quiet defiance against divine law and the injustice of man's laws.

210. Its architecture was simple, deliberate—each stone placed not to impress, but to inspire the stillness of belief and the awareness of knowledge.

211. There were no icons, no chants, no incense to cloud the senses. Instead, the air was clear, the silence profound in its nature.

212. It was a space where the noise of the world was gently set aside, and the seeker was left alone with the rhythm of their breath and the weight of their thoughts.

213. In this unique emptiness, clarity emerged—not as a sacred revelation, but as a clear recognition of influence. The temple did not speak; it only listened.

214. And so as Athens changed with the presence of the temple, so did the minds of many people that attended, who were once sceptics but then were Meletics.

215. Not by the divine order of a dogma or a god. Not by the rituals performed. Not by the allurement of faith, but by what the temple represented. The Meletic Temple was a symbol of liberation.

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