Sarpedon stands up, for once with a smile on his face.

"Thank you, Aratos. It is very refreshing for my ears to hear that someone besides my father can appreciate me. It seems that despite all the hard work I've done, working my ass off with all bits of tedious issues that comes along when you have a satrapy to run, I'm never thanked for this, nor am my efforts even recognized by anyone, with the exception of you just now, and an occasional hint at a "bravo" from my father. Can you blame me for being a little bit edgy sometimes? Then on top of it all, Timarchos would add insult to injury by actually claiming that I'm only getting a free ride by my father! He even has the audacity to look down on me for my lack of combat experience, when the very reason why I have none is because he himself has enjoyed my army far off in the east! For the love of the gods, I haven't even been allowed to see my troops with my own eyes yet! How can anyone expect me to have battlefield experience then?

I see the point why you wanted all to vote for who should be the heir, but I disagree with it. To make decisions like this in a democratic fashion is dangerous and unreliable. People would not vote for who would be the best for the nation, they will vote for who are best for them, even if that means screwing the rest of the population. Then we have things like corruption, bribery, voting by personality rather than actual politics and merits and only the gods know all the possibilities. To rely on the mass of people make the choice that benefits us all the most is naieve at best.

If we are to let something or someone decide besides the basileus, I think it should be merits alone. If you want my support for any change in this, it must rely on that central point. Otherwise I'd prefer that the Basileus should keep the right to choose and switch heir at any moment as he deems fit. That would at least limit it to just one person who has to stay away from corruption, instead of all of us."