But stand farther back and the triumph of democracy looks rather less inevitable. After the fall of Athens, where it was first developed, the political model had lain dormant until the Enlightenment more than 2,000 years later. In the 18th century only the American revolution produced a sustainable democracy.
To use cucumbers as an eye treatment, grab a cold cucumber from the refrigerator and cut two thick slices. Then, find a comfortable place to relax and set the cucumbers over your closed eyes for about 10 to 15 minutes. The cucumbers will then act as a cold compress on your eyes [source: WebMD].
Some people use cold, tea bags as a remedy by placing them on the eye area. The tannin in the tea helps smooth and tighten skin and black eye bags. Then there are the old standbys, potato or cucumber slices. Placing either of these on the eyes helps reduce puffiness in about 15 minutes. Using these home remedies along with a good eye cream can greatly reduce black eye bags.