Full Idea
The 'Eumenides' of Aeschylus tells how the old rule of revenge and blood feud was replaced by a due process of law before a civil jury.
Gist of Idea
The 'Eumenides' of Aeschylus shows blood feuds replaced by law
Source
report of Aeschylus (The Eumenides [c.458 BCE]) by A.C. Grayling - What is Good? Ch.2
Book Reference
Grayling,A.C.: 'What is Good? The Best Way to Live' [Phoenix 2003], p.18
A Reaction
Compare Idea 1659, where this revolution is attributed to Protagoras (a little later than Aeschylus). I take the rule of law and of society to be above all the rule of reason, because the aim is calm objectivity instead of emotion.
Related Ideas
Idea 1659 Protagoras seems to have made the huge move of separating punishment from revenge [Protagoras, by Vlastos]
Idea 7340 Mosaic law was the first to embody the rule of law, and equality before the law [Johnson,P]