1. Had some other matter been at issue, gentlemen, I should have felt no surprise at finding a difference of opinion among the speakers who addressed you. But when the question is whether or not I, or anyone less worthy who so desires, should do this state a service, nothing seems to me more extraordinary than that contrary views should be held, instead of there being complete unanimity; for if the state is common to all who enjoy civic rights, the benefits which the state receives are likewise, I presume, common benefits.
1. εἰ μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἐν ἑτέρῳ τῳ πράγματι οἱ παριόντες μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχοντες πάντες ἐφαίνοντο, οὐδὲν ἂν θαυμαστὸν ἐνόμιζον· ὅπου μέντοι δεῖ τὴν πόλιν ἐμέ τι ποιῆσαι ἀγαθόν, ἢ εἴ τις ἕτερος βούλοιτο ἐμοῦ κακίων, δεινότατον ἁπάντων χρημάτων ἡγοῦμαι, εἰ τῷ μὲν δοκεῖ ταῦτα τῷ δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ μὴ πᾶσιν ὁμοίως. εἴπερ γὰρ ἡ πόλις ἁπάντων τῶν πολιτευομένων κοινή ἐστι, καὶ τὰ γιγνόμενα δήπου ἀγαθὰ τῇ πόλει κοινά ἐστι.
2. Such disagreement is a matter for alarm and astonishment; yet, as you can see, it has already been expressed by some, and will shortly be expressed by others. Indeed, I am completely at a loss to understand why the question of your receiving a benefit from me should cause such excitement among our friends here. They must either be the most stupid of mankind or the worst of public enemies. If they hold that when the state is prospering they are better off individually, they are showing extreme stupidity in advocating today a policy which directly conflicts with their own interests;
2. τουτὶ τοίνυν τὸ μέγα καὶ δεινὸν πάρεστιν ὑμῖν ὁρᾶν τοὺς μὲν ἤδη πράττοντας, τοὺς δὲ τάχα μέλλοντας· καί μοι μέγιστον θαῦμα παρέστηκε, τί ποτε οὗτοι οἱ ἄνδρες δεινῶς οὕτω περικάονται, εἴ τι ὑμᾶς χρὴ ἀγαθὸν ἐμοῦ ἐπαυρέσθαι. δεῖ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἤτοι ἀμαθεστάτους εἶναι πάντων ἀνθρώπων, ἢ τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ δυσμενεστάτους. εἰ μέν γε νομίζουσι τῆς πόλεως εὖ πραττούσης καὶ τὰ ἴδια σφῶν αὐτῶν ἄμεινον ἂν φέρεσθαι, ἀμαθέστατοί εἰσι τὰ ἐναντία νῦν τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὠφελείᾳ σπεύδοντες·
3. while if they do not identify their interests as individuals with yours as a community, they can only be public enemies. Indeed when I secretly communicated to the Council a proposal which would be of the very greatest service to this city if carried into effect, and proved as much clearly and conclusively to the members present, such of my present critics as were among my audience found it as impossible as anyone else to show by argument that any of my statements was incorrect; yet they are now trying to impugn those statements.
3. εἰ δὲ μὴ ταὐτὰ ἡγοῦνται σφίσι τε αὐτοῖς συμφέρειν καὶ τῷ ὑμετέρῳ κοινῷ, δυσμενεῖς ἂν τῇ πόλει εἶεν· οἵτινες εἰσαγγείλαντός μου ἀπόρρητα εἰς τὴν βουλὴν περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων, ὧν ἀποτελεσθέντων οὐκ εἰσὶ τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ μείζονες ὠφέλειαι, καὶ τούτων ἀποδεικνύντος μου τοῖς βουλευταῖς σαφεῖς τε καὶ βεβαίους τὰς ἀποδείξεις, ἐκεῖ μὲν οὔτε τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἱ παραγενόμενοι ἐλέγχοντες οἷοί τʼ ἦσαν ἀποδεῖξαι εἴ τι μὴ ὀρθῶς ἐλέγετο, οὔτʼ ἄλλος οὐδείς, ἐνθάδε δὲ νῦν πειρῶνται διαβάλλειν.
4. This proves, then, that they are acting not on their own initiative—or they would have had no hesitation in opposing me originally—but on the instigation of others, of men such as are to be found in this city, who would not allow you to receive a benefit from me for all the money in the world. These others have not the courage to come into the open and make good their assertions in person, as they are afraid of letting their own possible shortcomings as patriots be examined too closely. Instead, they send substitutes to address you, men to whom effrontery is second nature, men who will utter or face the bitterest abuse with complete indifference.
4. σημεῖον οὖν τοῦτο ὅτι οὗτοι οὐκ ἀφʼ αὑτῶν ταῦτα πράττουσιν — εὐθὺς γὰρ ἂν τότε ἠναντιοῦντο — ἀλλʼ ἀπʼ ἀνδρῶν ἑτέρων, οἷοί εἰσιν ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, οὐδενὸς ἂν χρήματος δεξάμενοι ὑμᾶς τι ἀγαθὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ πρᾶξαι. καὶ αὐτοὶ μὲν οὗτοι οἱ ἄνδρες οὐ τολμῶσι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ μέσον καταστήσαντες διισχυρίζεσθαι περὶ τούτων, φοβούμενοι ἔλεγχον διδόναι εἴ τι εἰς ὑμᾶς τυγχάνουσι μὴ εὖ φρονοῦντες· ἑτέρους δὲ εἰσπέμπουσι, τοιούτους ἀνθρώπους οἷς εἰθισμένοις ἤδη ἀναισχυντεῖν οὐδὲν διαφέρει εἰπεῖν τε καὶ ἀκοῦσαι τὰ μέγιστα τῶν κακῶν.
5. The entire strength of their case against me, one finds, lies in their taunting me at every turn with my misfortunes; and that too when their listeners know better than they, so that not a word which they have uttered can bring them any true credit. To my mind, gentlemen, he was a wise man who first said that every human being is born to meet with good fortune and with bad; that to make a mistake is to meet with great ill fortune:
5. τὸ δʼ ἰσχυρὸν τοῦτο μόνον εὕροι τις ἂν αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις, τὰς ἐμὰς συμφορὰς ἐπὶ παντὶ ὀνειδίζειν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν εἰδόσι δήπου κάλλιον ὑμῖν, ὥστε μηδὲν ἂν τούτων δικαίως τιμὴν αὐτοῖς τινα φέρειν. ἐμοὶ δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ τῷ πρώτῳ τοῦτο εἰπόντι ὀρθῶς δοκεῖ εἰρῆσθαι, ὅτι πάντες ἄνθρωποι γίγνονται ἐπὶ τῷ εὖ καὶ κακῶς πράττειν, μεγάλη δὲ δήπου καὶ τὸ ἐξαμαρτεῖν δυσπραξία ἐστί, καὶ εἰσὶν εὐτυχέστατοι μὲν οἱ ἐλάχιστα ἐξαμαρτάνοντες, σωφρονέστατοι δὲ οἳ ἂν τάχιστα μεταγιγνώσκωσι.
6. and that while those who make the fewest mistakes are the luckiest, those who repent of them soonest show most good sense. Nor is this the peculiar lot of some men only; it is the common fate of humanity to make mistakes and suffer misfortune. So do but remember the frailty of man in passing judgement upon me, gentlemen, and your feelings for me will be more kindly. Indeed I do not deserve ill-will so much as sympathy for the past.
6. καὶ ταῦτα οὐ διακέκριται τοῖς μὲν γίγνεσθαι τοῖς δὲ μή, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ κοινῷ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἐξαμαρτεῖν τι καὶ κακῶς πρᾶξαι. ὧν ἕνεκα, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ ἀνθρωπίνως περὶ ἐμοῦ γιγνώσκοιτε, εἴητε ἂν ἄνδρες εὐγνωμονέστεροι. οὐ γὰρ φθόνου μᾶλλον ἢ οἴκτου ἄξιά μοί ἐστι τὰ γεγενημένα·
7. Owing to—shall I say my own youthful folly, or the influence of others who persuaded me into such a piece of madness? —I was luckless enough to be forced to choose between two of the most painful alternatives imaginable. On the one hand, I could refuse to disclose the authors of the outrage. In that case I not only trembled for my own fate, but caused the death of my father, who was entirely innocent, as well as my own—he was inevitably doomed, if I refused to speak. On the other hand, I could purchase my own life and liberty and avoid becoming my father’s murderer—and what would a man not bring himself to do to escape that?—but only by turning informer.
7. ὃς εἰς τοσοῦτον ἦλθον δυσδαιμονίας, εἴτε χρὴ εἰπεῖν νεότητί τε καὶ ἀνοίᾳ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ, εἴτε καὶ δυνάμει τῶν πεισάντων με ἐλθεῖν εἰς τοιαύτην συμφορὰν τῶν φρενῶν, ὥστʼ ἀνάγκην μοι γενέσθαι δυοῖν κακοῖν τοῖν μεγίστοιν θάτερον ἑλέσθαι, ἢ μὴ βουληθέντι κατειπεῖν τοὺς ταῦτα ποιήσαντας οὐ περὶ ἐμοῦ μόνου ὀρρωδεῖν, εἴ τι ἔδει παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν πατέρα οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦντα σὺν ἐμαυτῷ ἀποκτεῖναι — ὅπερ ἀνάγκη παθεῖν ἦν αὐτῷ, εἰ ἐγὼ μὴ ἐβουλόμην ταῦτα ποιῆσαι — ἢ κατειπόντι τὰ γεγενημένα αὐτὸν μὲν ἀφεθέντα μὴ τεθνάναι, τοῦ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ πατρὸς μὴ φονέα γενέσθαι. τί δʼ ἂν οὐ πρό γε τούτου τολμήσειεν ἄνθρωπος ποιῆσαι;
8. Of the alternatives before me, then, I chose that which meant years of sorrow for myself, but immediate release for you from the distress of the moment. Remember your peril: remember your helplessness: remember how you stood in such fear of one another that you ceased going abroad even into the Agora, because you each expected arrest. That such a state of things should have occurred at all proved to be due only in small part to me; that it ended, on the other hand, proved to be due to me alone.
8. ἐγὼ τοίνυν ἐκ τῶν παρόντων εἱλόμην ταῦτα, ἃ ἐμοὶ μὲν λύπας ἐπὶ χρόνον πλεῖστον οἴσειν ἔμελλεν, ὑμῖν δὲ ταχίστην τοῦ παρόντος τότε κακοῦ μετάστασιν. ἀναμνήσθητε δὲ ἐν οἵῳ κινδύνῳ τε καὶ ἀμηχανίᾳ καθέστατε, καὶ ὅτι οὕτω σφόδρα σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπεφόβησθε, ὥστʼ οὐδʼ εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ἔτι ἐξῇτε, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν οἰόμενος συλληφθήσεσθαι. ταῦτα τοίνυν ὥστε μὲν γενέσθαι τοιαῦτα, πολλοστὸν δή τι ἐγὼ μέρος τῆς αἰτίας ηὑρέθην ἔχων, ὥστε μέντοι παυθῆναι, ἐγὼ εἷς ὢν μόνος αἴτιος.
9. Notwithstanding, I have never succeeded in being anything save the unluckiest man alive; for when Athens was heading for this disaster, no one came near suffering the sorrows which I suffered: and when she was once more regaining her security, I was of all men the most to be pitied. The desperate distress of Athens could be remedied only at the cost of my good name: so that your deliverance meant my own ruin. It is your gratitude, therefore, not your scorn that I deserve for my sufferings.
9. καὶ ὅμως τό γε δυστυχέστατος εἶναι ἀνθρώπων οὐδαμῇ ἐκφεύγω, ὅτε δὴ προαγομένης μὲν τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ ταύτας τὰς συμφορὰς οὐδεὶς ἐμοῦ ἤρχετο γίγνεσθαι δυσδαιμονέστερος, μεθισταμένης δὲ πάλιν εἰς τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἁπάντων ἐγὼ ἀθλιώτατος. ὄντων γὰρ κακῶν τοσούτων τῇ πόλει ἀδύνατον ἦν ταῦτα ἰαθῆναι ἄλλως ἢ τῷ ἐμῷ αἰσχρῷ, ὥστʼ ἐν αὐτῷ ᾧ ἐγὼ κακῶς ἔπραττον, ἐν τούτῳ ὑμᾶς σῴζεσθαι. χάριν οὖν εἰκός με, οὐ μῖσος τῷ δυστυχήματι τούτῳ φέρεσθαι παρʼ ὑμῶν.
10. At the time I needed none to remind me of my plight—partly through my own folly, partly through the force of circumstances, nothing was wanting to complete my misery and my disgrace—and I saw that you would be best pleased were I to adopt that mode of life and that place of residence which would enable me to remain furthest from your sight. Eventually, however, as was only natural, I was seized with a longing for the old life as a citizen among you which I had abandoned for my present place of exile; and I decided that I should be best advised either to have done with life or to render this city such a service as would dispose you to let me at last resume my rights as your fellow.
10. καίτοι ἐγὼ τότʼ αὐτὸς γνοὺς τὰς ἐμαυτοῦ συμφοράς, ᾧ τινι κακῶν τε καὶ αἰσχρῶν οὐκ οἶδʼ εἴ τι ἀπεγένετο, τὰ μὲν παρανοίᾳ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ, τὰ δʼ ἀνάγκῃ τῶν παρόντων πραγμάτων, ἔγνων ἥδιστον εἶναι πράττειν τε τοιαῦτα καὶ διαιτᾶσθαι ἐκεῖ, ὅπου ἥκιστα μέλλοιμι ὀφθήσεσθαι ὑφʼ ὑμῶν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ χρόνῳ ὕστερον εἰσῆλθέ μοι, ὥσπερ εἰκός, ἐπιθυμία τῆς τε μεθʼ ὑμῶν πολιτείας ἐκείνης καὶ διαίτης, ἐξ ἧς δευρὶ μετέστην, ἔγνων λυσιτελεῖν μοι ἢ τοῦ βίου ἀπηλλάχθαι, ἢ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην ἀγαθόν τι τοσοῦτον ἐργάσασθαι, ὥστε ὑμῶν ἑκόντων εἶναί ποτέ μοι πολιτεύσασθαι μεθʼ ὑμῶν.
11. From that moment I have been reckless of both life and goods when called upon for a perilous venture. In fact, I at once proceeded to supply your forces in Samos with oar-spars—this was after the Four Hundred had seized power at Athens —since Archelaus had hereditary connexions with my family and offered me the right of cutting and exporting as many as I wished. And not only did I supply the spars; I refused to charge more for them than they had cost me, although I might have obtained a price of five drachmae apiece. In addition, I supplied corn and bronze.
11. ἐκ δὲ τούτου οὐ πώποτε οὔτε τοῦ σώματος οὔτε τῶν ὄντων ἐμοὶ ἐφεισάμην, ὅπου ἔδει παρακινδυνεύειν· ἀλλʼ αὐτίκα μὲν τότε εἰσήγαγον εἰς στρατιὰν ὑμῶν οὖσαν ἐν Σάμῳ κωπέας, τῶν τετρακοσίων ἤδη τὰ πράγματα ἐνθάδε κατειληφότων, ὄντος μοι Ἀρχελάου ξένου πατρικοῦ καὶ διδόντος τέμνεσθαί τε καὶ ἐξάγεσθαι ὁπόσους ἐβουλόμην. τούτους τε εἰσήγαγον τοὺς κωπέας, καὶ παρόν μοι πέντε δραχμῶν τὴν τιμὴν αὐτῶν δέξασθαι οὐκ ἠθέλησα πράξασθαι πλέον ἢ ὅσου ἐμοὶ κατέστησαν· εἰσήγαγον δὲ σῖτόν τε καὶ χαλκόν.
12. Thus equipped, the forces in Samos went on to defeat the Peloponnesians at sea; and it was they, and they alone who saved Athens at the time. Now if those heroes rendered you true service by their deed, I may fairly claim that that service was in no small degree due to me. Had that army not been furnished with supplies just then, they would have been fighting not so much to save Athens as to save their own lives.
12. καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκεῖνοι ἐκ τούτων παρεσκευασμένοι ἐνίκησαν μετὰ ταῦτα Πελοποννησίους ναυμαχοῦντες, καὶ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην μόνοι ἀνθρώπων ἔσῳσαν ἐν τῷ τότε χρόνῳ. εἰ τοίνυν μεγάλων ἀγαθῶν αἴτια ὑμᾶς ἠργάσαντο ἐκεῖνοι, μέρος ἐγὼ οὐκ ἂν ἐλάχιστον δικαίως ταύτης τῆς αἰτίας ἔχοιμι. εἰ γὰρ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐκείνοις τότε τὰ ἐπιτήδεια μὴ εἰσήχθη, οὐ περὶ τοῦ σῷσαι τὰς Ἀθήνας ὁ κίνδυνος ἦν αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον ἢ περὶ τοῦ μηδʼ αὐτοὺς σωθῆναι.
13. In these circumstances, I was not a little surprised at the situation which I found at Athens. I returned thither fully expecting the congratulations of the city on the active way in which I had displayed my devotion to your interests. Instead, directly they learned of my arrival, certain of the Four Hundred sought me out, arrested me, and brought me before the Council.
13. τούτων τοίνυν οὕτως ἐχόντων οὐκ ὀλίγῳ μοι παρὰ γνώμην ηὑρέθη τὰ ἐνταῦθα πράγματα ἔχοντα. κατέπλευσα μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἐπαινεθησόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνθάδε προθυμίας τε ἕνεκα καὶ ἐπιμελείας τῶν ὑμετέρων πραγμάτων· πυθόμενοι δέ τινές με ἥκοντα τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐζήτουν τε παραχρῆμα, καὶ λαβόντες ἤγαγον εἰς τὴν βουλήν.
14. Whereupon Peisander at once came up, took his stand beside me, and cried: “Gentlemen, I hereby denounce this man as having supplied corn and oar-spars to the enemy.” Then he went on to tell the whole story. By this time, of course, it was clear that there had been a complete estrangement between the men on service and the Four Hundred.
14. εὐθὺς δὲ παραστάς μοι Πείσανδρος ἄνδρες ἔφη βουλευταί, ἐγὼ τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἐνδεικνύω ὑμῖν σῖτόν τε εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους εἰσαγαγόντα καὶ κωπέας. καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἤδη πᾶν διηγεῖτο ὡς ἐπέπρακτο. ἐν δὲ τῶ τότε τὰ ἐναντία φρονοῦντες δῆλοι ἦσαν ἤδη οἱ ἐπὶ στρατιᾶς ὄντες τοῖς τετρακοσίοις.
15. I saw the uproar into which the meeting was breaking, and knew that I was lost; so I sprang at once to the hearth and laid hold of the sacred emblems. That act, and that alone, was my salvation at the time; for although I stood disgraced in the eyes of the gods, they, it seems, had more pity on me than did men; when men were desirous of putting to death, it was the gods who saved my life. My subsequent imprisonment and the extent and nature of the bodily suffering to which I was subjected would take too long to describe.
15. κἀγώ — θόρυβος γὰρ δὴ τοιοῦτος ἐγίγνετο τῶν βουλευτῶν — [καὶ] ἐπειδὴ ἐγίγνωσκον ἀπολούμενος, εὐθὺς προσπηδῶ πρὸς τὴν ἑστίαν καὶ λαμβάνομαι τῶν ἱερῶν. ὅπερ μοι καὶ πλείστου ἄξιον ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ τότε· εἰς γὰρ τοὺς θεοὺς ἔχοντα ὀνείδη οὗτοί με μᾶλλον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐοίκασι κατελεῆσαι, βουληθέντων τε αὐτῶν ἀποκτεῖναί με οὗτοι ἦσαν οἱ διασῴσαντες. δεσμά τε ὕστερον καὶ κακὰ ὅσα τε καὶ οἷα τῷ σώματι ἠνεσχόμην, μακρὸν ἂν εἴη μοι λέγειν.
16. It was then that I bewailed my lucklessness more bitterly than ever. When the people appeared to be hardly used, it was I who suffered in their stead; on the other hand, when they had been manifestly benefited by me, that act of service likewise threatened me with ruin. Indeed I no longer had either ways or means of sustaining my hopes; everywhere I turned I saw woe in store for me. However, disheartening though my reception had been, I was no sooner a free man than my every thought was again directed to the service of this city.
16. οὗ δὴ καὶ μάλιστʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἀπωλοφυράμην· ὅστις τοῦτο μὲν ἐν ᾧ ἐδόκει ὁ δῆμος κακοῦσθαι, ἐγὼ ἀντὶ τούτου κακὰ εἶχον, τοῦτο δὲ ἐπειδὴ ἐφαίνετο ⟨εὖ⟩ ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ πεπονθώς, πάλιν αὖ καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ ἀπωλλύμην. ὥστε ὁδόν τε καὶ πόρον μηδαμῇ ἔτι εἶναί μοι εὐθαρσεῖν· ὅποι γὰρ τραποίμην, πάντοθεν κακόν τί μοι ἐφαίνετο ἑτοιμαζόμενον. ἀλλʼ ὅμως καὶ ἐκ τούτων τοιούτων ὄντων ἀπαλλαγεὶς οὐκ ἔστιν ὅ τι ἕτερον ἔργον περὶ πλείονος ἐποιούμην ἢ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην ἀγαθόν τι ἐργάσασθαι.
17. You must understand, gentlemen, how far such services as mine surpass ordinary services. When citizens who hold public office add to your revenues, are they not in fact giving you what is yours already? And when those who hold military command benefit their country by some fine exploit, is it not by exposing your persons to fatigue and danger and by spending public money in addition that they render you such service as they do? Again, if they make a mistake at some point, it is not they themselves who pay for their mistake; it is you who pay for the error which was due to them.
17. ὁρᾶν δὲ χρή, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅσῳ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ὑπουργημάτων διαφέρει. τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ ὅσοι τῶν πολιτῶν τὰ ὑμέτερα πράγματα διαχειρίζοντες ἀργύριον ὑμῖν ἐκπορίζουσιν, ἄλλο τι ἢ τὰ ὑμέτερα ὑμῖν διδόασι; τοῦτο δὲ ὅσοι στρατηγοὶ γενόμενοι καλόν τι τὴν πόλιν κατεργάζονται, τί ἄλλο ἢ μετὰ τῆς τῶν ὑμετέρων σωμάτων ταλαιπωρίας τε καὶ κινδύνων, καὶ ἔτι τῶν κοινῶν χρημάτων δαπάνης, ποιοῦσιν ὑμᾶς εἴ τι τυγχάνουσιν ἀγαθόν; ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἄν τι ἐξαμάρτωσιν, οὐκ αὐτοὶ τῆς σφετέρας αὐτῶν ἁμαρτίας δίκην διδόασιν, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκείνοις ἡμαρτημένων.
18. Yet you bestow crowns on such persons and publicly proclaim them as heroes. And I will not deny that they deserve it; it is proof of signal merit to be able to render one’s country a service in any way whatsoever. But you must see that that man is far the worthiest who has the courage to expose his own life and his own goods to danger in order to confer a benefit on his fellow-countrymen.
18. ἀλλʼ ὅμως οὗτοι στεφανοῦνταί γε ὑφʼ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνακηρύττονται ὡς ὄντες ἄνδρες ἀγαθοί. καὶ οὐκ ἐρῶ ὡς οὐ δικαίως· μεγάλη γὰρ ἐστιν ἀρετή, ὅστις τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν ὁτῳοῦν δύναται τρόπῳ ἀγαθόν τι ἐργάζεσθαι. ἀλλʼ οὖν γιγνώσκειν γε χρὴ ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἂν εἴη πολὺ πλείστου ἄξιος ἀνήρ, ὅστις τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ παρακινδυνεύων χρήμασί τε καὶ σώματι τολμῴη ἀγαθόν τι ποιεῖν τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ πολίτας.
19. My past services must be known to almost all of you. But the services which I am about to render, which I have, in fact, already begun to render, have been revealed in secret to only five hundred of you [, to the Council, that is to say ]; they, I think, are likely to make far fewer mistakes than you would be, had you to debate the matter here and now immediately after listening to my explanations. Those five hundred are considering at leisure the proposal placed before them, and they are liable to be called to account and censured by the rest of you for any mistake which they may make;
19. ἐμοὶ τοίνυν τὰ μὲν ἤδη εἰς ὑμᾶς πεπραγμένα σχεδόν τι ἅπαντες ἂν εἰδεῖτε, τὰ δὲ μέλλοντά τε καὶ ἤδη πραττόμενα ἄνδρες ὑμῶν πεντακόσιοι ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ ἴσασιν [ἡ βουλή]. οὓς πολλῷ δήπου εἰκὸς ἧττον ἄν τι ἐξαμαρτεῖν, ἢ εἰ ὑμᾶς δέοι ἀκούσαντάς τι ἐν τῷ παραχρῆμα νῦν διαβουλεύσασθαι. οἱ μέν γε σχολῇ περὶ τῶν εἰσαγγελλομένων σκοποῦνται, ὑπάρχει τε αὐτοῖς, ἐάν τι ἐξαμαρτάνωσιν, αἰτίαν ἔχειν καὶ λόγον αἰσχρὸν ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν· ὑμῖν δὲ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἕτεροι ὑφʼ ὧν αἰτίαν ⟨ἂν⟩ ἔχοιτε·
20. whereas you have none to hold you to blame, as you very rightly have the power of ordering your affairs wisely or foolishly at will. However, I will disclose to you such services as I can, such services as are not a secret, because they have already been performed. I need not remind you, I imagine, how you received news that no grain was to be exported to Athens from Cyprus. Now I was able to handle the situation with such effect that the persons who had formed the plot and put it into execution were frustrated.
20. τὰ γὰρ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν ἐφʼ ὑμῖν δικαίως ἐστὶ καὶ εὖ καὶ κακῶς, ἐὰν βούλησθε, διαθέσθαι. ἅ γε μέντοι ἔξω τῶν ἀπορρήτων οἷόν τέ μοί ἐστιν εἰπεῖν εἰς ὑμᾶς ἤδη πεπραγμένα, ἀκούσεσθε. ἐπίστασθε γὰρ που ὡς ἠγγέλθη ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μέλλει ἐκ Κύπρου σῖτος ἥξειν ἐνταῦθα· ἐγὼ τοίνυν τοιοῦτός τε καὶ τοσοῦτος ἐγενόμην, ὥστε τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ταῦτα βουλεύσαντας ἐφʼ ὑμῖν καὶ πράξαντας ψευσθῆναι τῆς αὑτῶν γνώμης.
21. It is of no importance that you should know how this was done; what I do wish you to know is that the ships on the point of putting in to the Peiraeus at this moment with a cargo of grain number no less than fourteen; while the remainder of the convoy which sailed from Cyprus will arrive in a body shortly after them. I would have given all the money in the world to be able to reveal to you with safety the secret proposal which I have placed before the Council, so that you might know at once what to expect.
21. καὶ ὡς μὲν ταῦτα διεπράχθη, οὐδὲν προὔργου ἀκοῦσαι ὑμῖν· τάδε ⟨δὲ⟩ νυνὶ βούλομαι ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι, ὅτι αἱ μέλλουσαι νῆες ἤδη σιταγωγοὶ καταπλεῖν εἰς τὸν Πειραιᾶ εἰσιν ὑμῖν τέτταρες καὶ δέκα, αἱ δὲ λοιπαὶ τῶν ἐκ Κύπρου ἀναχθεισῶν ἥξουσιν ἁθρόαι οὐ πολὺ ὕστερον. ἐδεξάμην δʼ ⟨ἂν⟩ ἀντὶ πάντων χρημάτων εἶναι ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ φράσαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἃ καὶ τῇ βουλῇ ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ εἰσήγγειλα, ὅπως αὐτόθεν προῄδετε.
22. Instead, you will only learn what it is when you begin to benefit by it, and that will not be until it is put into effect. However, if you would consent even as it is, gentlemen, to bestow on me what is only a small token of gratitude, and one which is both easily granted and just, nothing would give me more delight. That I am entitled to it you will see at once. I am asking of you only what you yourselves gave me in fulfilment of a solemn promise, but were afterwards persuaded to withdraw. If you are prepared to restore it, I ask it as a favour; if you are not, I claim it as my due.
22. νῦν δὲ ἐκεῖνα μὲν τότε ὅταν ἀποτελεσθῇ γνώσεσθε ἅμα καὶ ὠφελήσεσθε· νῦν δέ, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, εἴ μοι βουληθεῖτε δοῦναι χάριν μικράν τε καὶ ἄπονον ὑμῖν καὶ ἅμα δικαίαν, πάνυ ἄν μοι τοῦτο ἐν μεγάλῃ ἡδονῇ γένοιτο. ὡς δὲ καὶ δικαία ἐστίν, εἴσεσθε. ἃ γάρ μοι αὐτοὶ γνόντες τε καὶ ὑποσχόμενοι ἔδοτε, ὕστερον δὲ ἑτέροις πειθόμενοι ἀφείλεσθε, ταῦθʼ ὑμᾶς, εἰ μὲν βούλεσθε, αἰτῶ, εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλεσθε, ἀπαιτῶ.
23. I often see you bestowing civic rights and substantial grants of money upon both slaves and foreigners from every part of the world, if they prove to have done you some service. And you are acting wisely in making such gifts; they engender the greatest possible willingness to serve you. Now my own request is merely this. You decreed on the motion of Menippus that I should be granted immunity; restore me my rights under that decree. The herald shall read it to you, as it is lying even now among the records in the Council-chamber.
23. ὁρῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς πολλάκις καὶ δούλοις ἀνθρώποις καὶ ξένοις παντοδαποῖς πολιτείαν τε διδόντας καὶ εἰς χρήματα μεγάλας δωρείας, οἳ ἂν ὑμᾶς φαίνωνται ποιοῦντές τι ἀγαθόν. καὶ ταῦτα μέντοι ὀρθῶς ὑμεῖς φρονοῦντες δίδοτε· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ὑπὸ πλείστων ἀνθρώπων εὖ πάσχοιτε. ἐγὼ τοίνυν τοσοῦτον ὑμῶν μόνον δέομαι· τὸ ψήφισμα ὃ Μενίππου εἰπόντος ἐψηφίσασθε, εἶναί μοι ἄδειαν, πάλιν ἀπόδοτε. ἀναγνώσεται δὲ ὑμῖν αὐτό· ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νῦν ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τῷ βουλευτηρίῳ.
24. Decree This decree to which you have been listening, gentlemen, was passed by you in my favour, but afterwards revoked to oblige another. Be advised by me, then. If any of you feels prejudiced against me, let him rid himself of that prejudice. You will admit that men’s persons are not to blame for the mistakes which spring from their opinions. Now my own person is still unchanged, and is free from guilt; whereas different opinions have replaced the old. Thus you are left without any just ground for prejudice.
24. Ψήφισμα τουτὶ τὸ ψήφισμα ὃ ἠκούσατε ψηφισάμενοί μοι, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὕστερον ἀφείλεσθε χάριν ἑτέρῳ φέροντες. πείθεσθε οὖν μοι, καὶ ἤδη παύσασθε εἴ τῳ ὑμῶν διάβολόν τι ἐν τῇ γνώμῃ περὶ ἐμοῦ παρέστηκεν. εἰ γὰρ ὅσα οἱ ἄνθρωποι γνώμῃ ἁμαρτάνουσι, τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μὴ αἴτιόν ἐστιν, ἐμοῦ τὸ μὲν σῶμα τυγχάνει ταὐτὸν ἔτι ὄν, ὅπερ τῆς αἰτίας ἀπήλλακται, ἡ δὲ γνώμη ἀντὶ τῆς προτέρας ἑτέρα νυνὶ παρέστηκεν. οὐδὲν οὖν ἔτι ὑπολείπεται ὅτῳ ἄν μοι δικαίως διαβεβλῇσθε.
25. In the case of my old blunder you maintained that you had to treat the indications furnished by conduct as decisive, and that therefore you were obliged to regard me as a criminal. Be consistent, then; use only the indications furnished by my present conduct to prove the genuineness of my present desire to serve you.
25. ὥσπερ δὲ τῆς τότε ἁμαρτίας τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων σημεῖα ἔφατε χρῆναι πιστότατα ποιούμενοι κακόν με ἄνδρα ἡγεῖσθαι, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ νῦν εὐνοίᾳ μὴ ζητεῖτε ἑτέραν βάσανον ἢ τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν νυνὶ ἔργων σημεῖα ὑμῖν γιγνόμενα.
26. Furthermore, my behaviour today is much more in keeping with my character than my behaviour then, just as it accords far more with the traditions of my family. I am not lying — no lie of this sort could deceive my older listeners — when I say that my father’s grandfather, Leogoras, led a revolt of the people against the tyrants, and in spite of the opportunity of coming to terms with them, marrying into their house, and ruling the people of Athens at their side, chose to share the exile of the democrats and suffer the hardships of banishment rather than turn traitor to them. Thus the behaviour of my forefathers should be an additional inspiration to me to show affection for the people, if I have indeed regained my senses at last; and it also gives you a natural reason for accepting my services the more readily, if you see me to have your interests at heart.
26. πολὺ δέ μοι προσήκει ταῦτα μᾶλλον ἐκείνων καὶ τῷ γένει συνηθέστερά ἐστι. τάδε γὰρ οὐ ψευσαμένῳ μοι λαθεῖν οἷόν τʼ ἐστι τούς γε πρεσβυτέρους ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὁ τοῦ ἐμοῦ πατρὸς πάππος Λεωγόρας στασιάσας πρὸς τοὺς τυράννους ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου, ἐξὸν αὐτῷ διαλλαχθέντι τῆς ἔχθρας καὶ γενομένῳ κηδεστῇ ἄρξαι μετʼ ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῆς πόλεως, εἵλετο μᾶλλον ἐκπεσεῖν μετὰ τοῦ δήμου καὶ φεύγων κακοπαθεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ προδότης αὐτῶν καταστῆναι. ὥστʼ ἔμοιγε καὶ διὰ τὰ τῶν προγόνων ἔργα εἰκότως ὑπάρχει δημοτικῷ εἶναι, εἴπερ τι ἀλλὰ νῦν γε φρονῶν τυγχάνω. ὧν καὶ ἕνεκα εἰκὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν χρηστὸς ὢν ἀνὴρ εἰς ὑμᾶς φαίνωμαι, προθυμότερόν μου ἀποδέχεσθαι τὰ πραττόμενα.
27. The fact that you deprived me of the pardon which you had given me has never, I assure you, caused me to feel aggrieved. After those scoundrels had induced you to wrong your own selves so grossly as to change empire for slavery, and to replace democracy by despotism, why should it surprise any of you that you were induced to wrong me likewise?
27. τὸ δὲ δόντας ἐμοὶ τὴν ἄδειαν ἀφελέσθαι ὑμᾶς, εὖ ἴστε ὅτι οὐδεπώποτε ἠγανάκτησα· ὅπου γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τούτων αὐτοὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπείσθητε τὰ μέγιστα ἐξαμαρτεῖν, ὥστε ἀντὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς δουλείαν ἀλλάξασθαι, ἐκ δημοκρατίας δυναστείαν καταστήσαντες, τί ἄν τις ὑμῶν θαυμάζοι καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ εἴ τι ἐπείσθητε ἐξαμαρτεῖν;
28. However, I could wish that after reversing the policy of those who duped you in those matters which concern yourselves—as you did as soon as you were able—you would similarly render their purposes ineffective in the matter of that unfortunate measure which you were persuaded to pass with regard to me. Refuse, in fact, to side, on this or any other question, with those who are your worst enemies.
28. βουλοίμην μέντʼ ἄν, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ὑμετέροις αὐτῶν πράγμασιν, ἐπειδὴ ἐξουσίαν ἐλάβετε, τὰς τῶν ἐξαπατησάντων ὑμᾶς ἀκύρους ἔθετε βουλάς, οὕτω καὶ ἐν ᾧ περὶ ἐμοῦ ἐπείσθητε γνῶναί τι ἀνεπιτήδειον, ἀτελῆ τὴν γνώμην αὐτῶν ποιῆσαι, καὶ μήτε ἐν τούτῳ μήτε ἐν ἑτέρῳ τῳ τοῖς ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἐχθίστοις ὁμόψηφοί ποτε γένησθε.