Draco was a celebrated reformer in Athens. His strict code of laws gave us the word “draconian”. There is a famous anecdote that has a citizen reproaching Draco for the strictness of his laws. “How do you justify the death penalty for stealing a head of cabbage?” Draco: “I couldn’t think of anything worse.” You would think a man noted for his harsh punishments would have been unpopular, but quite the contrary. The Athenians liked his written laws which brought stability to justice. His popularity cost him his life, according to legend. Draco attended a play at an outdoor theater. The citizens did what Athenians did for popular public figures, they threw articles of clothing at him. A lot of articles of clothing. So many that Draco was swamped under them and suffocated to death. If he had survived he might have gotten the idea for a worse punishment for stealing a head of cabbage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draco_(lawgiver)
0 Comments