---
title: "On the Mysteries · Περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων"
author: "Andocides"
translator: "Kenneth John Maidment"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/
cite: "Andocides, tr. Kenneth John Maidment, On the Mysteries · Περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/"
---

# On the Mysteries · Περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων

*Andocides, tr. Kenneth John Maidment*

Andocides defends himself against the charge of impiety, telling his own part in the scandal of the mutilated Herms in 415 BC.

> Greek: ed. Kenneth John Maidment, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0027.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Kenneth John Maidment, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0027.tlg001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–47](https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/1.md)
2. [Sections 48–99](https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/2.md)
3. [Sections 100–150](https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/3.md)

## 1. Sections 1–47

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. The systematic and untiring efforts of my enemies, gentlemen, to do me every possible injury, by fair means or by foul, from the very moment of my arrival in this city, are known to almost all of you, and it is unnecessary for me to pursue the subject. Instead, I shall make a request of you, gentlemen, a fair request, which it is as easy for you to grant as it is valuable for me to gain.

> Greek: 1. τὴν μὲν παρασκευήν, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ τὴν προθυμίαν τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν ἐμῶν, ὥστʼ ἐμὲ κακῶς ποιεῖν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου, καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀδίκως, ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπειδὴ τάχιστα ἀφικόμην εἰς τὴν πόλιν ταυτηνί, σχεδόν τι πάντες ἐπίστασθε, καὶ οὐδὲν δεῖ περὶ τούτων πολλοὺς λόγους ποιεῖσθαι· ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, δεήσομαι ὑμῶν δίκαια καὶ ὑμῖν τε ῥᾴδια χαρίζεσθαι καὶ ἐμοὶ ἄξια πολλοῦ τυχεῖν παρʼ ὑμῶν.

[¶1] 2. First, I ask you to bear in mind that it is not because I have been forced to face my trial that I am here today—I have not been on bail, nor have I been kept in confinement. I am here, first and foremost because I rely upon justice and secondly because I rely upon you; I believe that you will decide my case impartially and, far sooner than allow my enemies to defy justice by taking my life, will uphold justice by protecting me, as your laws and your oaths as jurors require you to do.

> Greek: 2. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἐνθυμηθῆναι ὅτι νῦν ἐγὼ ἥκω οὐδεμιᾶς μοι ἀνάγκης οὔσης παραμεῖναι, οὔτʼ ἐγγυητὰς καταστήσας οὔθʼ ὑπὸ δεσμῶν ἀναγκασθείς, πιστεύσας δὲ μάλιστα μὲν τῷ δικαίῳ, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ὑμῖν, γνώσεσθαι τὰ δίκαια καὶ μὴ περιόψεσθαί με ἀδίκως ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν ἐμῶν διαφθαρέντα, ἀλλὰ πολὺ μᾶλλον σώσειν δικαίως κατά τε τοὺς νόμους τοὺς ὑμετέρους καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους οὓς ὑμεῖς ὀμόσαντες μέλλετε τὴν ψῆφον οἴσειν.

[¶2] 3. With defendants who face a trial of their own free will, gentlemen, it stands to reason that you should feel as convinced of their innocence as they do themselves. When a defendant admits himself guilty by refusing to await trial, you naturally endorse the verdict which he has passed upon himself; so it follows that if a man is prepared to face his trial because his conscience is clear, you should let his verdict upon himself determine your own in the same way, instead of presuming him guilty.

> Greek: 3. εἰκότως δʼ ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες, τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχοιτε περὶ τῶν ἐθελοντῶν εἰς τοὺς κινδύνους καθισταμένων, ἥνπερ αὐτοὶ περὶ αὑτῶν ἔχουσιν. ὁπόσοι μὲν γὰρ μὴ ἠθέλησαν ὑπομεῖναι καταγνόντες αὑτῶν ἀδικίαν, εἰκότως τοι καὶ ὑμεῖς τοιαῦτα περὶ αὐτῶν γιγνώσκετε οἷά περ καὶ αὐτοὶ περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν ἔγνωσαν· ὁπόσοι δὲ πιστεύσαντες μηδὲν ἀδικεῖν ὑπέμειναν, δίκαιοί ἐστε καὶ ὑμεῖς περὶ τούτων τοιαύτην ἔχειν τὴν γνώμην οἵαν περ καὶ αὐτοὶ περὶ αὑτῶν ἔσχον, καὶ μὴ προκαταγιγνώσκειν ἀδικεῖν.

[¶3] 4. Mine is a case in point. My enemies have been saying, or so I keep hearing, that I would take to my heels instead of standing my ground. “What motive could Andocides possibly have for braving so hazardous a trial?” they argue. “He can count upon a livelihood sufficient for all his needs, if he does no more than withdraw from Attica; while if he returns to Cyprus whence he has come, an abundance of good land has been offered him and is his for the asking. Will a man in his position want to risk his life? What object could he have in doing so? Cannot he see the state of things in Athens?”

> Greek: 4. αὐτίκα ἐγὼ πολλῶν μοι ἀπαγγελλόντων ὅτι λέγοιεν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ὡς ἄρα ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἂν ὑπομείναιμι οἰχήσομαί τε φεύγων, — τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ βουλόμενος Ἀνδοκίδης ἀγῶνα τοσοῦτον ὑπομείνειεν, ᾧ ἔξεστι μὲν ἀπελθόντι ἐντεῦθεν ἔχειν πάντα τὰ ἐπιτήδεια, ἔστι δὲ πλεύσαντι εἰς Κύπρον, ὅθεν περ ἥκει, γῆ πολλὴ καὶ ἀγαθὴ διδομένη καὶ δωρεὰν ὑπάρχουσα; οὗτος ἄρα βουλήσεται περὶ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ κινδυνεῦσαι; εἰς τί ἀποβλέψας; οὐχ ὁρᾷ τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ὡς διάκειται;

[¶4] 5. That entirely misrepresents my feelings, gentlemen. I would never consent to a life abroad which cut me off from my country, whatever the advantages attached to it; and although conditions in Athens may be what my enemies allege, I would sooner be a citizen of her than of any other state which may appear to me to be just now at the height of prosperity. Those are the feelings which have led me to place my life in your hands.

> Greek: 5. ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, πολὺ τὴν ἐναντίαν τούτοις γνώμην ἔχω. ἄλλοθί τε γὰρ ὢν πάντα τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἔχειν στερόμενος τῆς πατρίδος οὐκ ἂν δεξαίμην· τῆς ⟨τε⟩ πόλεως οὕτω διακειμένης ὥσπερ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ λέγουσι, πολύ γʼ ἂν αὐτῆς μᾶλλον ἐγὼ πολίτης δεξαίμην εἶναι ἢ ἑτέρων πόλεων, αἳ ἴσως πάνυ μοι δοκοῦσιν ἐν τῷ παρόντι εὐτυχεῖν, ἅπερ γιγνώσκων ἐπέτρεψα διαγνῶναι ὑμῖν περὶ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἐμαυτοῦ.

[¶5] 6. I ask you, then, to show more sympathy to me, the defendant, gentlemen, than to my accusers, in the knowledge that even if you give us an impartial hearing, the defence is inevitably at a disadvantage. The prosecution have brought their charge in perfect safety, after elaborating their plans at leisure; whereas I who am answering that charge am filled with fear; my life is at stake, and I have been grossly misrepresented. You have good reason for showing more sympathy to me than you do to my accusers.

> Greek: 6. αἰτοῦμαι οὖν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες, εὔνοιαν πλείω παρασχέσθαι ἐμοὶ τῷ ἀπολογουμένῳ ἢ τοῖς κατηγόροις, εἰδότας ὅτι κἂν ἐξ ἴσου ἀκροᾶσθε, ἀνάγκη τὸν ἀπολογούμενον ἔλαττον ἔχειν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐπιβουλεύσαντες καὶ συνθέντες, αὐτοὶ ἄνευ κινδύνων ὄντες, τὴν κατηγορίαν ἐποιήσαντο· ἐγὼ δὲ μετὰ δέους καὶ κινδύνου καὶ διαβολῆς τῆς μεγίστης τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιοῦμαι. εἰκὸς οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐστιν εὔνοιαν πλείω παρασχέσθαι ἐμοὶ ἢ τοῖς κατηγόροις.

[¶6] 7. And there is another thing to be borne in mind. Serious charges have often before now been disproved at once, and so decisively that you would much rather have punished the accusers than the accused. Again, witnesses have caused the death of innocent men by giving false evidence, and have only been convicted of perjury when it was too late to be of help to the victims. When this kind of thing has been so common, you can hardly do less than refuse for the Present to consider the prosecution’s statement of the case trustworthy. You may use it to judge whether the charge is serious or not but you cannot tell whether the charge is true or false until you have heard my reply as well.

> Greek: 7. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τόδε ἐνθυμητέον, ὅτι πολλοὶ ἤδη πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ κατηγορήσαντες παραχρῆμα ἐξηλέγχθησαν ψευδόμενοι οὕτω φανερῶς, ὥστε ὑμᾶς πολὺ ἂν ἥδιον δίκην λαβεῖν παρὰ τῶν κατηγόρων ἢ παρὰ τῶν κατηγορουμένων· οἱ δὲ αὖ, μαρτυρήσαντες τὰ ψευδῆ ἀδίκως ἀνθρώπους ἀπολέσαντες, ἑάλωσαν παρʼ ὑμῖν ψευδομαρτυρίων, ἡνίκʼ οὐδὲν ἦν ἔτι πλέον τοῖς πεπονθόσιν. ὁπότʼ οὖν ἤδη πολλὰ τοιαῦτα γεγένηται, εἰκὸς ὑμᾶς ἐστι μήπω τοὺς τῶν κατηγόρων λόγους πιστοὺς ἡγεῖσθαι. εἰ μὲν γὰρ δεινὰ κατηγόρηται ἢ μή, οἷόν τε γνῶναι ἐκ τῶν τοῦ κατηγόρου λόγων· εἰ δὲ ἀληθῆ ταῦτά ἐστιν ἢ ψευδῆ, οὐχ οἷόν τε ὑμᾶς πρότερον εἰδέναι πρὶν ἂν καὶ ἐμοῦ ἀκούσητε ἀπολογουμένου.

[¶7] 8. Now I am wondering at what point to begin my defence, gentlemen. Shall I start with what ought to be discussed last and prove that the prosecution disobeyed the law in lodging their information against me? Shall I take the decree of Isotimides and show that it has been annulled? Shall I start with the laws which have been passed and the oaths which have been taken? Or shall I tell you the story right from the beginning? I will explain the chief reason for my hesitation. Doubtless the different charges made have not moved you all to the same degree, and each of you has some one of them to which he would like me to reply first; yet to answer them all simultaneously is impossible. On the whole, I think it best to tell you the entire story from the beginning, omitting nothing; once you are properly acquainted with the facts, you will see immediately how unfounded are the charges which my accusers have brought against me.

> Greek: 8. σκοπῶ μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε, ὦ ἄνδρες, πόθεν χρὴ ἄρξασθαι τῆς ἀπολογίας, πότερον ἐκ τῶν τελευταίων λόγων, ὡς παρανόμως με ἐνέδειξαν, ἢ περὶ τοῦ ψηφίσματος τοῦ Ἰσοτιμίδου, ὡς ἄκυρόν ἐστιν, ἢ περὶ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῶν ὅρκων τῶν γεγενημένων, εἴτε καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑμᾶς διδάξω τὰ γεγενημένα. ὃ δέ με ποιεῖ μάλιστʼ ἀπορεῖν, ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐρῶ, ὅτι οὐ πάντες ἴσως ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς κατηγορουμένοις ὁμοίως ὀργίζεσθε, ἀλλʼ ἕκαστός τι ὑμῶν ἔχει πρὸς ὃ βούλοιτο ἄν με πρῶτον ἀπολογεῖσθαι· ἅμα δὲ περὶ πάντων εἰπεῖν ἀδύνατον. κράτιστον οὖν μοι εἶναι δοκεῖ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑμᾶς διδάσκειν πάντα τὰ γενόμενα καὶ παραλείπειν μηδέν. ἂν γὰρ ὀρθῶς μάθητε τὰ πραχθέντα, ῥᾳδίως γνώσεσθʼ ἅ μου κατεψεύσαντο οἱ κατήγοροι.

[¶8] 9. Now to return a just verdict is already, I feel sure, your intention; indeed, it was because I relied upon you that I stood my ground. I have observed that in suits public and private the one thing to which you attach supreme importance is that your decision should accord with your oath; and it is that, and that alone, which keeps our city unshaken, in spite of those who would have things otherwise. I do, however, ask you to listen to my defence with sympathy; do not range yourselves with my opponents; do not view my story with suspicion; do not watch for faults of expression. Hear my defence to the end: and only then return the verdict which you think best befits yourselves and best satisfies your oath.

> Greek: 9. τὰ μὲν οὖν δίκαια γιγνώσκειν ὑμᾶς ἡγοῦμαι καὶ αὐτοὺς παρεσκευάσθαι, οἷσπερ ἐγὼ πιστεύσας ὑπέμεινα, ὁρῶν ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς δημοσίοις περὶ πλείστου τοῦτο ποιουμένους, ψηφίζεσθαι κατὰ τοὺς ὅρκους· ὅπερ καὶ συνέχει μόνον τὴν πόλιν, ἀκόντων τῶν οὐ βουλομένων ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχειν. τάδε δὲ ὑμῶν δέομαι, μετʼ εὐνοίας μου τὴν ἀκρόασιν τῆς ἀπολογίας ποιήσασθαι, καὶ μήτʼ ἐμοὶ ἀντιδίκους καταστῆναι μήτε ὑπονοεῖν τὰ λεγόμενα μήτε ῥήματα θηρεύειν, ἀκροασαμένους δὲ διὰ τέλους τῆς ἀπολογίας τότε ἤδη ψηφίζεσθαι τοῦτο ὅ τι ἂν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἄριστον καὶ εὐορκότατον νομίζητε εἶναι.

[¶9] 10. As I have already told you, gentlemen, my defence will begin at the beginning and omit nothing. I shall deal first with the actual charge which furnished grounds for the lodging of the information that has brought me into court today, profanation of the Mysteries. I shall show that I have committed no act of impiety, that I have never turned informer, that I have never admitted guilt, and that I do not know whether the statements made to you by those who did turn informers were true or false. Of all this you shall have proof.

> Greek: 10. ὥσπερ δὲ καὶ προεῖπον ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἐξ ἀρχῆς περὶ πάντων ποιήσομαι τὴν ἀπολογίαν, πρῶτον μὲν περὶ αὐτῆς τῆς αἰτίας ὅθεν περ ἡ ἔνδειξις ἐγένετο, διόπερ εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τόνδε κατέστην, περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων ὡς οὔτʼ ἐμοὶ ἠσέβηται οὐδὲν οὔτε μεμήνυται οὔθʼ ὡμολόγηται, οὐδʼ οἶδα τοὺς μηνύσαντας ὑμῖν περὶ αὐτῶν οὔτʼ εἰ ψευδῆ οὔτʼ εἰ ἀληθῆ ἐμήνυσαν· ταῦθʼ ὑμᾶς διδάξω.

[¶10] 11. The Assembly had met to give audience to Nicias, Lamachus, and Alcibiades, the generals about to leave with the Sicilian expedition—in fact, Lamachus’ flag-ship was already lying offshore—when suddenly Pythonicus rose before the people and cried: “Countrymen, you are sending forth this mighty host in all its array upon a perilous enterprise. Yet your commander, Alcibiades, has been holding celebrations of the Mysteries in a private house, and others with him; I will prove it. Grant immunity to him whom I indicate, and a non-initiate, a slave belonging to someone here present, shall describe the Mysteries to you. You can punish me as you will, if that is not the truth.”

> Greek: 11. ἦν μὲν γὰρ ἐκκλησία τοῖς στρατηγοῖς τοῖς εἰς Σικελίαν, Νικίᾳ καὶ Λαμάχῳ καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδῃ, καὶ τριήρης ἡ στρατηγὶς ἤδη ἐξώρμει ἡ Λαμάχου· ἀναστὰς δὲ Πυθόνικος ἐν τῷ δήμῳ εἶπεν ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὑμεῖς μὲν στρατιὰν ἐκπέμπετε καὶ παρασκευὴν τοσαύτην, καὶ κίνδυνον ἀρεῖσθαι μέλλετε· Ἀλκιβιάδην δὲ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἀποδείξω ὑμῖν τὰ μυστήρια ποιοῦντα ἐν οἰκίᾳ μεθʼ ἑτέρων, καὶ ἐὰν ψηφίσησθε ἄδειαν ⟨ᾧ⟩ ἐγὼ κελεύω, θεράπων ὑμῖν ἑνὸς τῶν ἐνθάδε ἀνδρῶν ἀμύητος ὢν ἐρεῖ τὰ μυστήρια· εἰ δὲ μή, χρῆσθέ μοι ὅ τι ἂν ὑμῖν δοκῇ, ἐὰν μὴ τἀληθῆ λέγω.

[¶11] 12. Alcibiades denied the charge at great length; so the Prytanes decided to clear the meeting of non-initiates and themselves fetch the lad indicated by Pythonicus. They went off, and returned with a slave belonging to Archebiades, son of Polemarchus. His name was Andromachus. As soon as immunity had been voted him, he stated that Mysteries had been celebrated in Pulytion’s house. Alcibiades, Niciades and Meletus —those were the actual celebrants; but others had been present and had witnessed what took place. The audience had also included slaves, namely, himself, his brother, the fluteplayer Hicesius, and Meletus’ slave.

> Greek: 12. ἀντιλέγοντος δὲ Ἀλκιβιάδου πολλὰ καὶ ἐξάρνου ὄντος ἔδοξε τοῖς πρυτάνεσι τοὺς μὲν ἀμυήτους μεταστήσασθαι, αὐτοὺς δʼ ἰέναι ἐπὶ τὸ μειράκιον ὃ ὁ Πυθόνικος ἐκέλευε. καὶ ᾤχοντο, καὶ ἤγαγον θεράποντα Ἀρχεβιάδου ⟨τοῦ⟩ Πολεμάρχου· Ἀνδρόμαχος αὐτῷ ὄνομα ἦν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐψηφίσαντο αὐτῷ τὴν ἄδειαν, ἔλεγεν ὅτι ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ Πουλυτίωνος γίγνοιτο μυστήρια· Ἀλκιβιάδην μὲν οὖν καὶ Νικιάδην καὶ Μέλητον, τούτους μὲν αὐτοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ποιοῦντας, συμπαρεῖναι δὲ καὶ ὁρᾶν τὰ γιγνόμενα καὶ ἄλλους, παρεῖναι δὲ καὶ δούλους, ἑαυτόν τε καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ Ἱκέσιον τὸν αὐλητὴν καὶ τὸν Μελήτου δοῦλον.

[¶12] 13. Such was the statement of Andromachus, the first of the informers. He gave the following list of persons concerned, all of whom, save Polystratus, fled the country and were sentenced to death by you in their absence; Polystratus was arrested and executed. Take the list, please, and read out their names. “
Names.—The following were denounced by Andromachus: Alcibiades, Niciades, Meletus, Archebiades, Archippus, Diogenes, Polystratus, Aristomenes, Oeonias, Panaetius.”

> Greek: 13. πρῶτος μὲν οὗτος ταῦτα ἐμήνυσε, καὶ ἀπέγραψε τούτους· ὧν Πολύστρατος μὲν συνελήφθη καὶ ἀπέθανεν, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι φεύγοντες ᾤχοντο, καὶ αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς θάνατον κατέγνωτε. καί μοι λαβὲ καὶ ἀνάγνωθι αὐτῶν τὰ ὀνόματα.
Ὀνόματα.—τούσδε Ἀνδρόμαχος ἐμήνυσεν· Ἀλκιβιάδην, Νικιάδην, Μέλητον, Ἀρχεβιάδην, Ἄρχιππον, Διογένη, Πολύστρατον, Ἀριστομένη, Οἰωνίαν, Παναίτιον.

[¶13] 14. This was the first information, gentlemen; it was due to Andromachus, and implicated the persons mentioned. Now call Diognetus, please. “
WitnessYou were on the commission of inquiry, Diognetus when Pythonicus impeached Alcibiades before the Assembly? Yes. You recollect that Andromachus laid an information as to what was going on in Pulytion’s house? Yes. And these are the names of those implicated by that information? Yes.”

> Greek: 14. πρώτη μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες, μήνυσις ἐγένετο αὕτη ὑπὸ Ἀνδρομάχου κατὰ τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν. καὶ μοι κάλει Διόγνητον.
⟨Μάρτυς⟩ ἦσθα ζητητής, ὦ Διόγνητε, ὅτε Πυθόνικος εἰσήγγειλεν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου; ἦ. οἶσθα οὖν μηνύσαντα Ἀνδρόμαχον τὰ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ Πουλυτίωνος γιγνόμενα; οἶδα. τὰ ὀνόματα οὖν τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐστι ταῦτα, καθʼ ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐμήνυσεν; ἔστι ταῦτα.

[¶14] 15. A second information followed. An alien named Teucrus, resident in Athens, quietly withdrew to Megara. From Megara he informed the Council that if immunity were granted him, he was prepared not only to lodge an information with regard to the Mysteries—as one of the participants, he would reveal the names of his companions—but he would also tell what he knew of the mutilation of the Hermae. The Council, which had supreme powers at the time, voted acceptance; and messengers were sent to Megara to fetch him. He was brought to Athens, and on being granted immunity, furnished a list of his associates. No sooner had Teucrus denounced them than they fled the country. Take the list, please, and read out their names. “
Names.—The following were denounced by Teucrus: Phaedrus, Gniphonides, Isonomus, Hephaestodorus, Cephisodorus, himself, Diognetus, Smindyrides, Philocrates, Antiphon, Teisarchus, Pantacles.” Let me remind you, gentlemen, that you are receiving confirmation of these further facts in every detail.

> Greek: 15. δευτέρα τοίνυν μήνυσις ἐγένετο. Τεῦκρος ἦν ἐνθάδε μέτοικος, ὃς ᾤχετο Μέγαράδε ὑπεξελθών, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἐπαγγέλλεται τῇ βουλῇ, εἴ οἱ ἄδειαν δοῖεν, μηνύσειν περί ⟨τε⟩ τῶν μυστηρίων, συνεργὸς ὤν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς ποιοῦντας μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ περὶ τῶν Ἑρμῶν τῆς περικοπῆς ἃ ᾔδει. ψηφισαμένης δὲ τῆς βουλῆς — ἦν γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ — ᾤχοντο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν Μέγαράδε· καὶ κομισθείς, ἄδειαν εὑρόμενος, ἀπογράφει τοὺς μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ. καὶ οὗτοι κατὰ τὴν Τεύκρου μήνυσιν ᾤχοντο φεύγοντες. καί μοι λαβὲ καὶ ἀνάγνωθι τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν.
Ὀνόματα.—τούσδε Τεῦκρος ἐμήνυσε· Φαῖδρον, Γνιφωνίδην, Ἰσόνομον, Ἡφαιστόδωρον, Κηφισόδωρον, ἑαυτόν, Διόγνητον, Σμινδυρίδην, Φιλοκράτη, Ἀντιφῶντα, Τείσαρχον, Παντακλέα. μέμνησθε δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὅτι καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑμῖν προσομολογεῖται ἅπαντα.

[¶15] 16. A third information followed. According to the wife of Alcmaeonides—she had previously been married to Damon and was named Agariste—according, as I say, to Alcmaeonides’ wife, Alcibiades, Axiochus, and Adeimantus celebrated Mysteries in Charmides’ house, next to the Olympieum. No sooner had the information been lodged than those concerned left the country to a man.

> Greek: 16. τρίτη μήνυσις ἐγένετο. ἡ γυνὴ Ἀλκμεωνίδου, γενομένη δὲ καὶ Δάμωνος — Ἀγαρίστη ὄνομα αὐτῇ — αὕτη ἐμήνυσεν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ Χαρμίδου τῇ παρὰ τὸ Ὀλύμπιεῖον μυστήρια ποιεῖν Ἀλκιβιάδην καὶ Ἀξίοχον καὶ Ἀδείμαντον· καὶ ἔφυγον οὗτοι πάντες ἐπὶ ταύτῇ τῇ μηνύσει.

[¶16] 17. There was still one more information. According to Lydus, a slave of Pherecles of Themacus, Mysteries were celebrated at the house of his master, Pherecles, at Themacus. He gave a list of those concerned, including my father among them; my father had been present, so Lydus said, but asleep with his head under his cloak. Speusippus, one of the members of the Council, was for handing them all over to the proper court; whereupon my father furnished surieties and brought an action against Speusippus for making an illegal proposal. The case was tried before six thousand citizens. There were six thousand jurors, I repeat; yet Speusippus failed to gall the votes of two hundred. I may add that my father was induced to stay in the country partly by the entreaties of his relatives in general, but principally by my own.

> Greek: 17. ἔτι μήνυσις ἐγένετο μία. Λυδὸς ὁ Φερεκλέους τοῦ Θημακέως ἐμήνυσε μυστήρια γίγνεσθαι ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ Φερεκλέους τοῦ δεσπότου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ, ἐν Θημακῷ· καὶ ἀπογράφει τούς τε ἄλλους, καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔφη τὸν ἐμὸν παρεῖναι μέν, καθεύδειν δὲ ἐγκεκαλυμμένον. Σπεύσιππος δὲ βουλεύων παραδίδωσιν αὐτοὺς τῷ δικαστηρίῳ. κἄπειτα ὁ πατὴρ καταστήσας ἐγγυητὰς ἐγράψατο τὸν Σπεύσιππον παρανόμων, καὶ ἠγωνίσατο ἐν ἑξακισχιλίοις Ἀθηναίων, καὶ μετέλαβε δικαστῶν τοσούτων οὐδὲ διακοσίας ψήφους ὁ Σπεύσιππος. ὁ δὲ πείσας καὶ δεόμενος μεῖναι τὸν πατέρα ἐγὼ ἦν μάλιστα, εἶτα δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι συγγενεῖς.

[¶17] 18. Kindly call Callias and Stephanus—yes, and call Philippus and Alexippus. Philippus and Alexippus are related to Acumenus and Autocrator, who fled in consequence of the information lodged by Lydus; Autocrator is a nephew of the one, and Acumenus is the other’s uncle. They have little reason to love the man who drove the them from this country, and they should also know better than anyone who it was who caused their exile in the first instance. Face the court, gentlemen, and state whether I have been telling the truth.

> Greek: 18. καί μοι κάλει Καλλίαν καὶ Στέφανον —κάλει δὲ καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Ἀλέξιππον· οὗτοι γάρ εἰσιν Ἀκουμενοῦ καὶ Αὐτοκράτορος συγγενεῖς, οἳ ἔφυγον ἐπὶ τῇ Λυδοῦ μηνύσει· τοῦ μὲν ἀδελφιδοῦς ἐστιν Αὐτοκράτωρ, τοῦ δὲ θεῖος Ἀκουμενός· οἷς προσήκει μισεῖν μὲν τὸν ἐξελάσαντα ἐκείνους, εἰδέναι δὲ μάλιστα διʼ ὅντινα ἔφυγον. βλέπετε εἰς τούτους, καὶ μαρτυρεῖτε εἰ ἀληθῆ λέγω.

[¶18] 19. Witnesses Now that you have heard the facts, gentlemen, and the witnesses have confirmed them for you, let me remind you of the version of those facts which the prosecution had the effrontery to give—for after all, the right way to conduct a defence is to recall the statements of the prosecution and disprove them. According to the prosecution, I myself gave information in the matter of the Mysteries and included my own father in my list of those present: yes, turned informer against my own father. I cannot imagine a more outrageous, a more abominable suggestion. My father was denounced by Pherecles’ slave, Lydus: it was I who persuaded him to remain in Athens instead of escaping into exile—and it was only after numberless entreaties and by clinging to his knees that I did so.

> Greek: 19. Μάρτυρες τὰ μὲν γενόμενα ἠκούσατε, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ ὑμῖν οἱ μάρτυρες μεμαρτυρήκασιν· ἃ δὲ οἱ κατήγοροι ἐτόλμησαν εἰπεῖν, ἀναμνήσθητε. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ δίκαιον ἀπολογεῖσθαι, ἀναμιμνῄσκοντα τοὺς τῶν κατηγόρων λόγους ἐξελέγχειν. ἔλεξαν γὰρ ὡς ἐγὼ μηνύσαιμι περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων, ἀπογράψαιμί τε τὸν πατέρα τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ παρόντα, καὶ γενοίμην μηνυτὴς κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐμαυτοῦ, λόγον οἶμαι πάντων δεινότατόν τε καὶ ἀνοσιώτατον λέγοντες. ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀπογράψας αὐτὸν Λυδὸς ἦν ὁ Φερεκλέους, ὁ δὲ πείσας ὑπομεῖναι καὶ μὴ οἴχεσθαι φεύγοντα ἐγώ, πολλὰ ἱκετεύσας καὶ λαμβανόμενος τῶν γονάτων.

[¶19] 20. What, pray, was I about in informing against my father, as we are asked to believe that I did, when at the same time I was begging him to remain in Athens—begging him, that is, to let me be guilty of the consequences to himself? Again, we are to suppose that my father himself consented to face a trial which was bound to have one or other of two terrible results for him; if my information against him was deemed true, his blood would be upon my hands: if he himself was acquitted, mine would be upon his; because the law ran that whereas an informer’s claim to immunity should be allowed if his information were true, he should be put to death, if it were not. Yet if there is one thing of which you are all certain, it is the fact that my father and I both escaped with our lives. That could not have happened, if I had informed against my father: either he or I would have had to die.

> Greek: 20. καίτοι τί ἐβουλόμην, εἰ ἐμήνυσα μὲν κατὰ τοῦ πατρός, ὡς οὗτοί φασιν, ἱκέτευον δὲ τὸν πατέρα μείναντά τι παθεῖν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ; καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐπείσθη ἀγῶνα τοιοῦτον ἀγωνίσασθαι, ἐν ᾧ δυοῖν τοῖν μεγίστοιν κακοῖν οὐκ ἦν αὐτῷ ἁμαρτεῖν· ἢ γὰρ ἐμοῦ δόξαντος τὰ ὄντα μηνῦσαι κατʼ ἐκείνου ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ ἀποθανεῖν, ἢ αὐτῷ σωθέντι ἐμὲ ἀποκτεῖναι. ὁ γὰρ νόμος οὕτως εἶχεν· εἰ μὲν τἀληθῆ μηνύσειέ τις, εἶναι τὴν ἄδειαν, εἰ δὲ τὰ ψευδῆ, τεθνάναι. καὶ μὲν δὴ τοῦτό γε ἐπίστασθε πάντες, ὅτι ἐσώθην καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ ἐμὸς πατήρ· οἷόν τε δʼ οὐκ ἦν, εἴπερ ἐγὼ μηνυτὴς ἐγενόμην περὶ τοῦ πατρός, ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐμὲ ἢ ἐκεῖνον ἔδει ἀποθανεῖν.

[¶20] 21. Then again, assume that he actually desired to stay. Do you imagine that his friends would have let him do so? Would they have gone bail for him? Would they not have urged him to change his mind? Would they not have begged him to find some place of refuge abroad, where he would be out of harm’s way himself and would avoid causing my death also?

> Greek: 21. φέρε δὴ τοίνυν, εἰ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐβούλετο ὑπομένειν, τοὺς φίλους ἂν οἴεσθε ἢ ἐπιτρέπειν αὐτῷ μένειν ἢ ἐγγυήσασθαι, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν παραιτεῖσθαι καὶ δεῖσθαι ἀπιέναι ὅπου [ἂν] ἔμελλεν αὐτὸς σωθήσεσθαι ἐμέ τε οὐκ ἀπολεῖν;

[¶21] 22. But to return to facts: when prosecuting Speusippus for making an illegal proposal, one thing upon which my father insisted repeatedly was that he had never visited Pherecles at Themacus in his life; and he offered the defence the opportunity of examining his slaves under torture; those who were ready to hand over their slaves, he said, ought not to meet with a refusal of the test which they were proposing, when those who were not ready to hand them over were forced to do so. You all know my father’s challenge to be a fact. Now if there is any truth in the prosecution’s assertion, what had Speusippus to reply but: “Why talk of slaves, Leogoras? Has not your son here informed against you? Does not he say that you were at Themacus? Andocides, prove your father guilty, or your chance of a pardon is gone.” Was that Speusippus’ natural retort or not, gentlemen?

> Greek: 22. ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ὅτε Σπεύσιππον ἐδίωκεν ὁ πατὴρ τῶν παρανόμων, αὐτὰ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ὡς οὐδεπώποτε ἔλθοι εἰς Θημακὸν ὡς Φερεκλέα· ἐκέλευε δὲ βασανίσαι τὰ ἀνδράποδα, καὶ μὴ τοὺς μὲν παραδιδόντας μὴ ἐθέλειν ἐλέγχειν, τοὺς δὲ μὴ θέλοντας ἀναγκάζειν. ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντος τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐμοῦ, ὡς ἅπαντες ἴστε, τί ὑπελείπετο τῷ Σπευσίππῳ λέγειν, εἰ ἀληθῆ οἵδε λέγουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἢ ὦ Λεωγόρα, τί βούλῃ περὶ θεραπόντων λέγειν; οὐχ ὁ υἱὸς οὑτοσὶ μεμήνυκε κατὰ σοῦ, καί φησί σε παρεῖναι ἐν Θημακῷ; ἔλεγχε σὺ τὸν πατέρα, ἢ οὐκ ἔστι σοι ἄδεια. ταυτὶ ἔλεγεν ἂν ὁ Σπεύσιππος, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἢ οὔ; ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι.

[¶22] 23. I for one think so. In fact, if I ever entered a court, if I was ever mentioned in connexion with the affair, or if there is any recorded information or list containing my name, let alone any for which I was myself responsible, anyone who wishes is welcome to step up here and prove it against me. For my own part, I have never known anyone tell so outrageous or so unconvincing a story. All that was necessary, they imagined, was sufficient effrontery to bring a charge; the possibility of their being refuted did not disturb them in the least. Be consistent, then. Had this accusation of theirs been true, your anger would have fallen upon me, and you would have considered the severest penalty justified. So now that you see them to be lying, I demand that you look upon them instead as scoundrels—and with good reason too: for if the worst of their charges are shown to be conspicuously false, I shall hardly find it difficult to prove the same of those which are less serious.

> Greek: 23. εἰ τοίνυν ἀνέβην ἐπὶ δικαστήριον, ἢ λόγος τις περὶ ἐμοῦ ἐγένετο, ἢ μήνυσίς τις ἐμὴ ἔστιν ἢ ἀπογραφή, μὴ ὅτι ἐμὴ καθʼ ἑτέρου, ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ ἄλλου τινὸς κατʼ ἐμοῦ, ἐλεγχέτω με ὁ βουλόμενος ἐνταῦθα ἀναβάς. ἀλλὰ γὰρ λόγον ἀνοσιώτερον καὶ ἀπιστότερον οὐδένας πώποτʼ ἐγὼ εἰπόντας οἶδα, οἳ τοῦτο μόνον ἡγήσαντο δεῖν, τολμῆσαι κατηγορῆσαι· εἰ δʼ ἐλεγχθήσονται ψευδόμενοι, οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἐμέλησεν. ὥσπερ οὖν, εἰ ἀληθῆ ἦν ταῦτα ἅ μου κατηγόρησαν, ἐμοὶ ἂν ὠργίζεσθε καὶ ἠξιοῦτε δίκην τὴν μεγίστην ἐπιτιθέναι, οὕτως ἀξιῶ ὑμᾶς, γιγνώσκοντας ὅτι ψεύδονται, πονηρούς τε αὐτοὺς νομίζειν, χρῆσθαί τε τεκμηρίῳ ὅτι εἰ τὰ δεινότατα τῶν κατηγορηθέντων περιφανῶς ἐλέγχονται ψευδόμενοι, ἦ που τά γε πολλῷ φαυλότερα ῥᾳδίως ὑμῖν ἀποδείξω ψευδομένους αὐτούς.

[¶23] 25. Such, then, were the informations lodged in connexion with the Mysteries; they were, as I say, four in number. I have read you the names of those who went into exile after each, and the witnesses have given their evidence. I shall now do something more to convince you, gentlemen. Of those who went into exile as a result of the profanation of the Mysteries, some died abroad; but others have returned and are living in Athens. These last are present in court at my request.

> Greek: 25. αἱ μὲν μηνύσεις ὧδε περὶ τῶν μυστηρίων αὗται ἐγένοντο τέτταρες· οἳ δὲ ἔφυγον καθʼ ἑκάστην μήνυσιν, ἀνέγνων ὑμῖν τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν, καὶ οἱ μάρτυρες μεμαρτυρήκασιν. ἔτι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ἐγὼ πιστότητος ὑμῶν ἕνεκα, ὦ ἄνδρες, τάδε ποιήσω. τῶν γὰρ φυγόντων ἐπὶ τοῖς μυστηρίοις οἱ μέν τινες ἀπέθανον φεύγοντες, οἱ δʼ ἥκουσι καὶ εἰσὶν ἐνθάδε καὶ πάρεισιν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ κεκλημένοι.

[¶24] 26. Any of them who wishes is welcome to prove, in the time now allotted to me, that I was responsible for the exile of any of their number, that I informed against any of them, or that the various groups did not go into exile in consequence of the particular informations which I have described to you. If I am shown not to be speaking the truth, you may punish me as you will. I shall now interrupt my defence and give place to anyone who wishes to step up here.

> Greek: 26. ἐγὼ οὖν ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ λόγῳ δίδωμι τῷ βουλομένῳ ἐμὲ ἐλέγξαι ὅτι ἔφυγέ τις αὐτῶν διʼ ἐμὲ ἢ ἐμήνυσα κατά του, ἢ οὐχ ἕκαστοι ἔφυγον κατὰ τὰς μηνύσεις ταύτας ἃς ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἀπέδειξα. καὶ ἐάν τις ἐλέγξῃ με ὅτι ψεύδομαι, χρήσασθέ μοι ὅ τι βούλεσθε. καὶ σιωπῶ, καὶ παραχωρῶ, εἴ τις ἀναβαίνειν βούλεται.

[¶25] 27. And now, gentlemen, what followed? After the various informations had been laid, the question of rewards arose: for Cleonymus’ decree had offered one thousand drachmae, and Peisander’s ten. Conflicting claims were made by the informers I have mentioned, by Pythonicus, on the ground that he had first brought the matter before the Assembly, and by Androcles, who urged the part played by the Council.

> Greek: 27. φέρε δή, ὦ ἄνδρες, μετὰ ταῦτα τί ἐγένετο; ἐπειδὴ αἱ μηνύσεις ἐγένοντο, περὶ τῶν μηνύτρων — ἦσαν γὰρ κατὰ τὸ Κλεωνύμου ψήφισμα χίλιαι δραχμαί, κατὰ δὲ τὸ Πεισάνδρου μύριαι — περὶ δὲ τούτων ἠμφεσβήτουν οὗτοί τε οἱ μηνύσαντες καὶ Πυθόνικος, φάσκων πρῶτος εἰσαγγεῖλαι, καὶ Ἀνδροκλῆς ὑπὲρ τῆς βουλῆς.

[¶26] 28. It was therefore publicly resolved that such members of the court of the Thesmothetae as were initiates should be presented with the informations of the several claimants and decide between them. As a result the principal reward was voted to Andromachus, the second to Teucrus; and at the festival of the Panathenaea Andromachus received ten thousand drachmae and Teucrus one thousand. Kindly call witnesses to confirm this.

> Greek: 28. ἔδοξεν οὖν τῷ δήμῳ ἐν τῷ τῶν θεσμοθετῶν δικαστηρίω τοὺς μεμυημένους, ἀκούσαντας τὰς μηνύσεις ἅς ἕκαστος ἐμήνυσε, διαδικάσαι. καὶ ἐψηφίσαντο πρώτῳ μὲν Ἀνδρομάχῳ, δευτέρῳ δὲ Τεύκρῳ, καὶ ἔλαβον Παναθηναίων τῷ ἀγῶνι Ἀνδρόμαχος μὲν μυρίας δραχμάς, Τεῦκρος δὲ χιλίας. καὶ μοι κάλει τούτων τοὺς μάρτυρας.

[¶27] 29. Witnesses So much for the profanation of the Mysteries, gentlemen, on which the information lodged against me is based and which you are here as initiates to investigate. I have shown that I have committed no act of impiety, that I have never turned informer, that I have never admitted guilt, and that I have not a single offence against the Two Goddesses upon my conscience, whether serious or otherwise. And it is vitally important for me to convince you of this; for the stories told you by the prosecution, who treated you to so shrill a recital of bloodcurdling horrors, with their descriptions of past offenders who have made mock of the Two Goddesses and of the fearful end to which they have been brought as a punishment—what, I ask you, have such tales and such crimes to do with me?

> Greek: 29. Μάρτυρες περὶ μὲν τῶν μυστηρίων, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὧν ἕνεκα ἡ ἔνδειξις ἐγένετο καὶ περὶ ὧν ὑμεῖς οἱ μεμυημένοι εἰσεληλύθατε, ἀποδέδεικταί μοι ὡς οὔτε ἠσέβηκα οὔτε μεμήνυκα περὶ οὐδενὸς οὔτε ὡμολόγηκα περὶ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ἔστι μοι ἁμάρτημα περὶ τὼ θεὼ οὔτε μεῖζον οὔτʼ ἔλαττον οὐδὲ ἕν. ὅπερ ἐμοὶ περὶ πλείστου ἐστὶν ὑμᾶς πεῖσαι. καὶ γὰρ οἱ λόγοι τῶν κατηγόρων, ⟨οἳ⟩ ταῦτα τὰ δεινὰ καὶ φρικώδη ἀνωρθίαζον, καὶ λόγους εἶπον ὡς πρότερον ἑτέρων ἁμαρτόντων καὶ ἀσεβησάντων περὶ τὼ θεώ, οἷα ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἔπαθε καὶ ἐτιμωρήθη — τούτων οὖν ἐμοὶ τῶν λόγων ἢ τῶν ἔργων τί προσήκει;

[¶28] 30. It is I, in fact, who am much more truly the accuser, and they the accused. They have been guilty of impiety; and therefore, I maintain, they deserve death. I, on the other hand, have done no wrong, and therefore I deserve to go unharmed. It would be nothing less than monstrous to vent upon me the wrath which the misdeeds of others have aroused in you, or to let the malicious attack to which I have been subjected weigh more with you than the truth, when you know that it is my enemies who are responsible for it. Obviously anyone who was guilty of an offence such as that with which we are concerned could not clear himself by denying that he had committed it: for the scrutiny to which a defendant’s statements are subjected is formidable indeed when the court already knows the truth. But to me the inquiry into the facts is the very opposite of embarrassing; I have no need to resort to entreaties or appeals for mercy to gain an acquittal upon a charge such as this: I have merely to show the absurdity of the statements of my accusers by reminding you of what actually occurred. And you yourselves have taken solemn oaths as the jurors who are to decide my fate: as jurors you have sworn to see that that decision is a fair one, under pain of causing the most terrible of curses to fall upon yourselves and your children; and at the same time you are here as initiates who have witnessed the rites of the Two Goddesses, in order that you may punish those who are guilty of impiety and protect those who are innocent.

> Greek: 30. ἐγὼ γὰρ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἐκείνων κατηγορῶ, καὶ διʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτό φημι δεῖν ἐκείνους μὲν ἀπολέσθαι, ὅτι ἠσέβησαν, ἐμὲ δὲ σῴζεσθαι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἡμάρτηκα. ἤ δεινόν γʼ ἂν εἴη, εἰ ἐμοὶ ὀργίζοισθε ἐπὶ τοῖς ἑτέρων ἁμαρτήμασι, καὶ τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ διαβολὴν εἰδότες ὅτι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν ἐμῶν λέγεται, κρείττω τῆς ἀληθείας ἡγήσαισθε. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι τοῖς μὲν ἡμαρτηκόσι τὰ τοιαῦτα ἁμαρτήματα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπολογία ὡς οὐκ ἐποίησαν· ἡ γὰρ βάσανος δεινὴ παρὰ τοῖς εἰδόσιν· ἐμοὶ δὲ ὁ ἔλεγχος ἥδιστος, ἐν οἷς ὑμῶν οὐδέν με δεῖ δεόμενον οὐδὲ παραιτούμενον σωθῆναι ἐπὶ τῇ τοιαύτῃ αἰτίᾳ, ἀλλʼ ἐλέγχοντα τοὺς τῶν κατηγόρων λόγους καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀναμιμνῄσκοντα τὰ γεγενημένα, οἵ τινες ὅρκους μεγάλους ὀμόσαντες οἴσετε τὴν ψῆφον περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀρασάμενοι τὰς μεγίστας ἀρὰς ὑμῖν τε αὐτοῖς καὶ παισὶ τοῖς ὑμετέροις αὐτῶν, ἦ μὴν ψηφιεῖσθαι περὶ ἐμοῦ τὰ δίκαια, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις μεμύησθε καὶ ἑοράκατε τοῖν θεοῖν τὰ ἱερά, ἵνα τιμωρήσητε μὲν τοὺς ἀσεβοῦντας, σῴζητε δὲ τοὺς μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντας.

[¶29] 32. Understand, then, that to condemn the innocent for impiety is no less an act of impiety than to acquit the guilty. Indeed, in the name of the Two Goddesses I repeat yet more sternly the charge laid upon you by my accusers, for the sake both of the rites which you have witnessed and of the Greeks who are coming to this city for the festival. If I have committed any act of impiety, if I have admitted guilt, if I have informed against another, or if another has informed against me, then put me to death; I ask no mercy.

> Greek: 32. νομίσατε τοίνυν ἀσέβημα οὐδὲν ἔλαττον εἶναι τῶν μηδὲν ἠδικηκότων ἀσεβεῖν καταγνῶναι ἢ τοὺς ἠσεβηκότας μὴ τιμωρεῖσθαι. ὥστʼ ἐγὼ ὑμῖν πολὺ μᾶλλον τῶν κατηγόρων πρὸς τοῖν θεοῖν ἐπισκήπτω, ὑπέρ τε τῶν ἱερῶν ἃ εἴδετε, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἑλλήνων οἳ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἕνεκα ἔρχονται δεῦρο· εἰ μέν τι ἠσέβηκα ἢ ὡμολόγηκα ἢ ἐμήνυσα κατά τινος ἀνθρώπων, ἢ ἄλλος τις περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἀποκτείνατέ με· οὐ παραιτοῦμαι· εἰ δὲ οὐδὲν ἡμάρτηταί μοι, καὶ τοῦτο ὑμῖν ἀποδείκνυμι σαφῶς, δέομαι ὑμῶν αὐτὸ φανερὸν τοῖς Ἕλλησι πᾶσι ποιῆσαι, ὡς ἀδίκως εἰς τόνδε τὸν ἀγῶνα κατέστην.

[¶30] 33. But if on the other hand, I have committed no offence, and completely satisfy you of the fact, then I ask you to let the whole nation see that I have been brought to trial wrongfully. Should Cephisius here, who was responsible for the information laid against me, fail to gain one-fifth of your votes and so lose his rights as a citizen, he is forbidden to set foot within the sanctuary of the Two Goddesses under pain of death. And now, if you think my defence satisfactory up to the present, show your approval, so that I may present what remains with increased confidence.

> Greek: 33. ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ μεταλάβῃ τὸ πεμπτὸν μέρος τῶν ψήφων καὶ ἀτιμωθῇ ὁ ἐνδείξας ἐμὲ Κηφίσιος οὑτοσί, οὐκ ἔξεστιν αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῖν θεοῖν εἰσιέναι, ἢ ἀποθανεῖται. εἰ οὖν ὑμῖν δοκῶ ἱκανῶς περὶ τούτων ἀπολελογῆσθαι, δηλώσατέ μοι, ἵνα προθυμότερον περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπολογῶμαι.

[¶31] 34. Next comes the mutilation of the images and the denunciation of those responsible. I will do as I promised and tell you the whole story from the beginning. On his return from Megara Teucrus was guaranteed his immunity. Hereupon, besides communicating what he knew about the Mysteries, he gave a list of eighteen of those responsible for the mutilation of the images. Of these eighteen, a number fled the country upon being denounced; the remainder were arrested and executed upon the information lodged by Teucrus. Kindly read their names.

> Greek: 34. περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀναθημάτων τῆς περικοπῆς καὶ τῆς μηνύσεως, ὥσπερ καὶ ὑπεσχόμην ὑμῖν, οὕτω καὶ ποιήσω· ἐξ ἀρχῆς γὰρ ὑμᾶς διδάξω ἅπαντα τὰ γεγενημένα. ἐπειδὴ Τεῦκρος ἦλθε Μεγαρόθεν, ἄδειαν εὑρόμενος μηνύει περί τε τῶν μυστηρίων ἃ ᾔδει καὶ ἐκ τῶν περικοψάντων τὰ ἀναθήματα ἀπογράφει δυοῖν δέοντας εἴκοσιν ἄνδρας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὗτοι ἀπεγράφησαν, οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν φεύγοντες ὤχοντο, οἱ δὲ συλληφθέντες ἀπέθανον κατὰ τὴν Τεύκρου μήνυσιν. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι αὐτῶν τὰ ὀνόματα.

[¶32] 35. “
Names.—In the matter of the Hermae Teucrus denounced: Euctemon, Glaucippus, Eurymachus, Polyeuctus, Plato, Antidorus, Charippus, Theodorus, Alcisthenes, Menestratus, Eryximachus, Euphiletus, Eurydamas, Pherecles, Meletus, Timanthes, Archidamus, Telenicus.” A number of these men have returned to Athens and are present in court, as are several of the relatives of those who have died. Any of them is welcome to step up here, during the time now allotted me, and prove against me that I caused either the exile or the death of a single one.

> Greek: 35. Ὀνόματα.—Τεῦκρος ἐπὶ τοῖς Ἑρμαῖς ἐμήνυσεν Εὐκτήμονα, Γλαύκιππον, Εὐρύμαχον, Πολύευκτον, Πλάτωνα, Ἀντίδωρον, Χάριππον, Θεόδωρον, Ἀλκισθένη, Μενέστρατον, Ἐρυξίμαχον, Εὐφίλητον, Εὐρυδάμαντα, Φερεκλέα, Μέλητον, Τιμάνθη, Ἀρχίδαμον, Τελένικον. τούτων τοίνυν τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἱ μὲν ἥκουσι καὶ εἰσὶν ἐνθάδε, τῶν δὲ ἀποθανόντων εἰσὶ πολλοὶ προσήκοντες· ὧν ὅστις βούλεται, ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ λόγῳ ἀναβάς με ἐλεγξάτω ἢ ὡς ἔφυγέ τις διʼ ἐμὲ τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἢ ὡς ἀπέθανεν.

[¶33] 36. And now for what followed. Peisander and Charicles, who were regarded in those days as the most fervent of democrats, were members of the commission of inquiry. These two maintained that the outrage was not the work of a small group of criminals, but an organized attempt to overthrow the popular government: and that therefore inquiries ought still to be pursued as vigorously as ever. As a result, Athens reached such a state that the lowering of the flag, by the Herald, when summonig a meeting of the Council, was quite as much a signal for the citizens to hurry from the Agora, each in terror of arrest, as it was for the Council to proceed to the Council-chamber.

> Greek: 36. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταῦτα ἐγένετο, Πείσανδρος καὶ Χαρικλῆς, ὄντες μὲν τῶν ζητητῶν, δοκοῦντες δʼ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ εὐνούστατοι εἶναι τῷ δήμῳ, ἔλεγον ὡς εἴη τὰ ἔργα τὰ γεγενημένα οὐκ ὀλίγων ἀνδρῶν ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ δήμου καταλύσει, καὶ χρῆναι ἐπιζητεῖν καὶ μὴ παύσασθαι. καὶ ἡ πόλις οὕτω διέκειτο, ὥστʼ ἐπειδὴ τὴν βουλὴν εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον ὁ κῆρυξ ἀνείποι ἰέναι καὶ τὸ σημεῖον καθέλοι, τῷ αὐτῷ σημείῳ ἡ μὲν βουλὴ εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον ᾔει, οἱ δʼ ἐκ τῆς ἀγορᾶς ἔφευγον, δεδιότες εἷς ἕκαστος μὴ συλληφθείη.

[¶34] 37. The general distress encouraged Diocleides to bring an impeachment before the Council. He claimed that he knew who had mutilated the Hermae, and gave their number as roughly three hundred. He then went on to explain how he had come to witness the outrage. Now I want you to think carefully here, gentlemen; try to remember whether I am telling the truth, and inform your companions; for it was before you that Diocleides stated his case, and you are my witnesses of what occurred.

> Greek: 37. ἐπαρθεὶς οὖν τοῖς τῆς πόλεως κακοῖς εἰσαγγέλλει Διοκλείδης εἰς τὴν βουλήν, φάσκων εἰδέναι τοὺς περικόψαντας τοὺς Ἑρμᾶς, καὶ εἶναι αὐτοὺς εἰς τριακοσίους· ὡς δʼ ἴδοι καὶ περιτύχοι τῷ πράγματι, ἔλεγε. καὶ τούτοις, ὦ ἄνδρες, δέομαι ὑμῶν προσέχοντας τὸν νοῦν ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθαι, ἐὰν ἀληθῆ λέγω, καὶ διδάσκειν ἀλλήλους· ἐν ὑμῖν γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ λόγοι, καί μοι ὑμεῖς τούτων μάρτυρές ἐστε.

[¶35] 38. Diocleides’ tale was that he had had to fetch the earnings of a slave of his at Laurium. He arose at an early hour, mistaking the time, and started off on his walk by the light of a fuIl moon. As he was passing the gateway of the theatre of Dionysus, he noticed a large body of men coming down into the orchestra from the Odeum. In alarm, he withdrew into the shadow and crouched down between the column and the pedestal with the bronze statue of the general upon it. He then saw some three hundred men standing about in groups of five and ten and, in some cases, twenty. He recognized the faces of the majority, as he could see them in the moonlight.

> Greek: 38. ἔφη γὰρ εἶναι μὲν ἀνδράποδόν οἱ ἐπὶ Λαυρείῳ, δεῖν δὲ κομίσασθαι ἀποφοράν. ἀναστὰς δὲ πρῲ ψευσθεὶς τῆς ὥρας βαδίζειν· εἶναι δὲ πανσέληνον. ἐπεὶ δὲ παρὰ τὸ προπύλαιον τοῦ Διονύσου ἦν, ὁρᾶν ἀνθρώπους πολλοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾠδείου καταβαίνοντας εἰς τὴν ὀρχήστραν· δείσας δὲ αὐτούς, εἰσελθὼν ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν καθέζεσθαι μεταξὺ τοῦ κίονος καὶ τῆς στήλης ἐφʼ ᾗ ὁ στρατηγός ἐστιν ὁ χαλκοῦς. ὁρᾶν δὲ ἀνθρώπους τὸν μὲν ἀριθμὸν μάλιστα τριακοσίους, ἑστάναι δὲ κύκλῳ ἀνὰ πέντε καὶ δέκα ἄνδρας, τοὺς δὲ ἀνὰ εἴκοσιν· ὁρῶν δὲ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὴν σελήνην τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν πλείστων γιγνώσκειν.

[¶36] 39. Now to begin with, gentlemen, Diocleides gave his story this particular form simply to be in a position to say of any citizen, according as he chose, that he was or was not one of the offenders—a monstrous proceeding. However, to continue his tale: after seeing what he had, he went on to Laurium; and when he learned next day of the mutilation of the Hermae, he knew at once that it was the work of the men he had noticed.

> Greek: 39. καὶ πρῶτον μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες, τοῦθʼ ὑπέθετο, δεινότατον πρᾶγμα, οἶμαι, ὅπως ἐν ἐκείνῳ εἴη ὅντινα βούλοιτο Ἀθηναίων φάναι τῶν ἀνδρῶν τούτων εἶναι, ὅντινα δὲ μὴ βούλοιτο, λέγειν ὅτι οὐκ ἦν. ἰδὼν δὲ ταῦτʼ ἔφη ἐπὶ Λαύρειον ἰέναι, καὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἀκούειν ὅτι οἱ Ἑρμαῖ εἶεν περικεκομμένοι· γνῶναι οὖν εὐθὺς ὅτι τούτων εἴη τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὸ ἔργον.

[¶37] 40. On his return to Athens he found a commission already appointed to investigate, and a reward of one hundred minae offered for information; so seeing Euphemus, the brother of Callias, son of Telocles, sitting in his smithy, he took him to the temple of Hephaestus. Then, after describing, as I have described to you, how he had seen us on the night in question, he said that he would rather take our money than the state’s, as he would thereby avoid making enemies of us. Euphemus thanked Diocleides for confiding in him. “And now,” he added, “be good enough to come to Leogoras’ house, so that you and I can see Andocides and the others who must be consulted.”

> Greek: 40. ἥκων δὲ εἰς ἄστυ ζητητάς τε ἤδη ᾑρημένους καταλαμβάνειν καὶ μήνυτρα κεκηρυγμένα ἑκατὸν μνᾶς. ἰδὼν δὲ Εὔφημον τὸν Καλλίου τοῦ Τηλοκλέους ἀδελφὸν ἐν τῷ χαλκείῳ καθήμενον, ἀναγαγὼν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ Ἡφαιστεῖον λέγειν ἅπερ ὑμῖν ἐγὼ εἴρηκα, ὡς ἴδοι ἡμᾶς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ νυκτί· οὔκουν δέοιτο παρὰ τῆς πόλεως χρήματα λαβεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ παρʼ ἡμῶν, ὥσθʼ ἡμᾶς ἔχειν φίλους. εἰπεῖν οὖν τὸν Εὔφημον ὅτι καλῶς ποιήσειεν εἰπών, καὶ νῦν ἥκειν κελεῦσαί οἱ εἰς τὴν Λεωγόρου οἰκίαν, ἵνʼ ἐκεῖ συγγένῃ μέτʼ ἐμοῦ Ἀνδοκίδῃ καὶ ἑτέροις οἷς δεῖ.

[¶38] 41. According to his story, Diocleides called next day. My father happened to be coming out just as he was knocking at the door. “Are you the man they are expecting in there?” he asked. “Well, well, we must not turn friends like you away.” And with these words he went off. This was an attempt to bring about my father’s death by showing that he was in the secret. We informed Diocleides, or so he alleged, that we had decided to offer him two talents of silver, as against the hundred minae from the Treasury, and promised that he should become one of ourselves, if we achieved our end. Both sides were to give a guarantee of good faith. Diocleides replied that he would think it over;

> Greek: 41. ἥκειν ἔφη τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ, καὶ δὴ κόπτειν τὴν θύραν· τὸν δὲ πατέρα τὸν ἐμὸν τυχεῖν ἐξιόντα, καὶ εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ· ἆρά γε σὲ οἵδε περιμένουσι; χρὴ μέντοι μὴ ἀπωθεῖσθαι τοιούτους φίλους. εἰπόντα δὲ αὐτὸν ταῦτα οἴχεσθαι. καὶ τούτῳ μὲν τῷ τρόπῳ τὸν πατέρα μου ἀπώλλυε, συνειδότα ἀποφαίνων. εἰπεῖν δὲ ἡμᾶς ὅτι δεδογμένον ἡμῖν εἴη δύο μὲν τάλαντα ἀργυρίου διδόναι οἱ ἀντὶ τῶν ἑκατὸν μνῶν τῶν ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου, ἐὰν δὲ κατάσχωμεν ἡμεῖς ἃ βουλόμεθα, ἕνα αὐτὸν ἡμῶν εἶναι, πίστιν δὲ τούτων δοῦναί τε καὶ δέξασθαι.

[¶39] 42. and we told him to meet us at Callias’ house, so that Callias, son of Telocles, might be present as well. This was a similar attempt to bring about the death of my brother-in-law. Diocleides said that he went to Callias’ house, and after terms had been arranged, pledged his word on the Acropolis. we on our side agreed to give him the money the following month; but we broke our promise and did not do so. He had therefore come to reveal the truth.

> Greek: 42. ἀποκρίνασθαι δὲ αὐτὸς πρὸς ταῦτα ὅτι βουλεύσοιτο· ἡμᾶς δὲ κελεύειν αὐτὸν ἥκειν εἰς Καλλίου τοῦ Τηλοκλέους, ἵνα κἀκεῖνος παρείη. τὸν δʼ αὖ κηδεστήν μου οὕτως ἀπώλλυεν. ἥκειν ἔφη εἰς Καλλίου, καὶ καθομολογήσας ἡμῖν πίστιν δοῦναι ἐν ἀκροπόλει, καὶ ἡμᾶς συνθεμένους οἱ τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τὸν ἐπιόντα μῆνα δώσειν διαψεύδεσθαι καὶ οὐ διδόναι· ἥκειν οὖν μηνύσων τὰ γενόμενα.

[¶40] 43. Such was the impeachment brought by Diocleides, gentlemen. He gave a list of forty-two persons whom he claimed to have recognized, and at the head of the forty-two appeared Mantitheus and Apsephion who were members of the Council and present at that very meeting. Peisander hereupon rose and moved that the decree passed in the archonship of Scamandrius be suspended and all whose names were on the list sent to the wheel, to ensure the discovery of everyone concerned before nightfall. The Council broke into shouts of approval.

> Greek: 43. ἡ μὲν εἰσαγγελία αὐτῷ, ὦ ἄνδρες, τοιαύτη· ἀπογράφει δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὧν ἔφη γνῶναι, δύο καὶ τετταράκοντα, πρώτους μὲν Μαντίθεον καὶ Ἀψεφίωνα, βουλευτὰς ὄντας καὶ καθημένους ἔνδον, εἶτα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους. ἀναστὰς δὲ Πείσανδρος ἔφη χρῆναι λύειν τὸ ἐπὶ Σκαμανδρίου ψήφισμα καὶ ἀναβιβάζειν ἐπὶ τὸν τροχὸν τοὺς ἀπογραφέντας, ὅπως μὴ πρότερον νὺξ ἔσται πρὶν πυθέσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας ἅπαντας. ἀνέκραγεν ἡ βουλὴ ὡς εὖ λέγει.

[¶41] 44. At that Mantitheus and Apsephion took sanctuary on the hearth, and appealed to be allowed to furnish sureties and stand trial, instead of being racked. They finally managed to gain their request; but no sooner had they provided their sureties than they leapt on horseback and deserted to the enemy, leaving the sureties to their fate, as they were now liable to the same penalties as the prisoners for whom they had gone bail.

> Greek: 44. ἀκούσαντες δὲ ταῦτα Μαντίθεος καὶ Ἀψεφίων ἐπὶ τὴν ἑστίαν ἐκαθέζοντο, ἱκετεύοντες μὴ στρεβλωθῆναι ἀλλʼ ἐξεγγυηθέντες κριθῆναι. μόλις δὲ τούτων τυχόντες, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἐγγυητὰς κατέστησαν, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀναβάντες ᾤχοντο εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους αὐτομολήσαντες, καταλιπόντες τοὺς ἐγγυητάς, οὓς ἔδει ⟨ἐν⟩ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐνέχεσθαι ἐν οἷσπερ οὓς ἠγγυήσαντο.

[¶42] 45. The Council adjourned for a private consultation and in the course of it gave orders for our arrest and close confinement. Then they summoned the Generals and bade them proclaim that citizens resident in Athens proper were to proceed under arms to the Agora; those between the Long Walls to the Theseum; and those in Peiraeus to the Agora of Hippodamus. The Knights were to be mustered at the Anaceum by trumpet before nightfall, while the Council would take up its quarters on the Acropolis for the night, and the Prytanes in the Tholus.

> Greek: 45. ἡ δὲ βουλὴ ἐξελθοῦσα ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ συνέλαβεν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἔδησεν ἐν τοῖς ξύλοις. ἀνακαλέσαντες δὲ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ἀνειπεῖν ἐκέλευσαν Ἀθηναίων τοὺς μὲν ἐν ἄστει οἰκοῦντας ἰέναι εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν τὰ ὅπλα λαβόντας, τοὺς δʼ ἐν μακρῷ τείχει εἰς τὸ Θησεῖον, τοὺς δʼ ἐν Πειραιεῖ εἰς τὴν Ἱπποδαμείαν ἀγοράν, τοὺς δʼ ἱππέας ἔτι ⟨πρὸ⟩ νυκτὸς σημῆναι τῇ σάλπιγγι ἥκειν εἰς τὸ Ἀνάκειον, τὴν δὲ βουλὴν εἰς ἀκρόπολιν ἰέναι κἀκεῖ καθεύδειν, τοὺς δὲ πρυτάνεις ἐν τῇ θόλῳ. Βοιωτοὶ δὲ πεπυσμένοι τὰ πράγματα ἐπὶ τοῖς ὁρίοις ἦσαν ἐξεστρατευμένοι. τὸν δὲ τῶν κακῶν τούτων αἴτιον Διοκλείδην ὡς σωτῆρα ὄντα τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ ζεύγους ἦγον εἰς τὸ πρυτανεῖον στεφανώσαντες, καὶ ἐδείπνει ἐκεῖ.

[¶43] 46. Now first of all I want those of you who witnessed all this to picture it once more and describe it to those who did not. Next I will ask the clerk to call the Prytanes in office at the time, Philocrates and his colleagues.

> Greek: 46. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ταῦτα, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὁπόσοι ὑμῶν παρῆσαν, ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διδάσκετε· εἶτα δέ μοι τοὺς πρυτάνεις κάλει τοὺς τότε πρυτανεύσαντας, Φιλοκράτη καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους.

[¶44] 47. Witnesses And now I am also going to read you the names of those denounced by Diocleides, so that you may see how many relatives of mine he tried to ruin. First there was my father, and then my brother-in-law; my father he had represented as in the secret, while he had alleged that my brother-in-law’s house was the scene of the meeting. The names of the rest you shall hear. Read them out to the court. “Charmides, son of Aristoteles.” That is a cousin of mine; his mother and my father were brother and sister. “Taureas.” That is a cousin of my father’s. “Nisaeus.” A son of Taureas. “Callias, son of Alcmaeon.” A cousin of my father’s. “Euphemus.” A brother of Callias, son of Telocles. “Phrynichus, son of Orchesamenus.” A cousin. “Eucrates.” The brother of Nicias. He is Callias’ brother-in-law. “Critias.” Another cousin of my father’s; their mothers were sisters. All of these appeared among the last forty on Diocleides’ list.

> Greek: 47. Μάρτυρες φέρε δή, καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσομαι τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὧν ἀπέγραψεν, ἵνʼ εἰδῆτε ὅσους μοι τῶν συγγενῶν ἀπώλλυεν, πρῶτον μὲν τὸν πατέρα, εἶτα δὲ τὸν κηδεστήν, τὸν μὲν συνειδότα ἀποδεικνύς, τοῦ δʼ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ φάσκων τὴν σύνοδον γενέσθαι. τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ἀκούσεσθε τὰ ὀνόματα. καὶ αὐτοῖς ἀναγίγνωσκε. Χαρμίδης Ἀριστοτέλους. οὗτος ἀνεψιὸς ἐμός· ἡ μήτηρ ⟨ἡ⟩ ἐκείνου καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὁ ἐμὸς ἀδελφοί. Ταυρέας. οὑτοσὶ ἀνεψιὸς τοῦ πατρός. Νισαῖος. υἱὸς Ταυρέου. Καλλίας ὁ Ἀλκμέωνος. ἀνεψιὸς τοῦ πατρός. Εὔφημος. Καλλίου τοῦ Τηλοκλέους ἀδελφός. Φρύνιχος ὁ Ὀρχησαμενοῦ. ἀνεψιός. Εὐκράτης. ὁ Νικίου ἀδελφός. κηδεστὴς οὗτος Καλλίου. Κριτίας. ἀνεψιὸς καὶ οὗτος τοῦ πατρός· αἱ μητέρες ἀδελφαί. τούτους πάντας ἐν τοῖς τετταράκοντα ἀνδράσιν ἀπέγραψεν.

## 2. Sections 48–99

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/2/#p-N

[¶0] 48. We were all thrown into one prison. Darkness fell, and the gates were shut. Mothers, sisters, wives, and children had gathered. Nothing was to be heard save the cries and moans of grief-stricken wretches bewailing the calamity which had overtaken them. In the midst of it all, Charmides, a cousin of my own age who had been brought up with me in my own home since boyhood, said to me:

> Greek: 48. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐδεδέμεθα πάντες ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ καὶ νύξ τε ἦν καὶ τὸ δεσμωτήριον συνεκέκλῃτο, ἧκον δὲ τῷ μὲν μήτηρ τῷ δὲ ἀδελφὴ τῷ δὲ γυνὴ καὶ παῖδες, ἦν δὲ βοὴ καὶ οἶκτος κλαόντων καὶ ὀδυρομένων τὰ παρόντα κακά, λέγει πρός με Χαρμίδης, ὢν μὲν ἀνεψιός, ἡλικιώτης δὲ καὶ συνεκτραφεὶς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ἐκ παιδός, ὅτι Ἀνδοκίδη, τῶν μὲν παρόντων κακῶν ὁρᾷς τὸ μέγεθος, ἐγὼ δʼ ἐν μὲν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ οὐδὲν ἐδεόμην λέγειν οὐδέ σε λυπεῖν, νῦν δὲ ἀναγκάζομαι διὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμῖν συμφοράν.

[¶1] 49. “You see the utter hopelessness of our position, Andocides. I have never yet wished to say anything which might distress you: but now our plight leaves me no choice. Your friends and associates outside the family have all been subjected to the charges which are now to prove our own undoing: and half of them have been put to death,—while the other half have admitted their guilt by going into exile.”

> Greek: 49. οἷς γὰρ ἐχρῶ καὶ οἷς συνῆσθα ἄνευ ἡμῶν τῶν συγγενῶν, οὗτοι ἐπὶ ταῖς αἰτίαις διʼ ἃς ἡμεῖς ἀπολλύμεθα οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν τεθνᾶσιν, οἱ δὲ οἴχονται φεύγοντες, σφῶν αὐτῶν καταγνόντες ἀδικεῖν...

[¶2] 50. “I beg of you: if you have heard anything concerning this affair, disclose it. Save yourself: save your father, who must be dearer to you than anyone in the world: save your brother-in-law, the husband of your only sister: save all those others who are bound to you by ties of blood and family: and lastly, save me, who have never vexed you in my life and who am ever ready to do anything for you and your good.”

> Greek: 50. εἰ ἤκουσάς τι τούτου τοῦ πράγματος τοῦ γενομένου, εἰπέ, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν σεαυτὸν σῷσον, εἶτα δὲ τὸν πατέρα, ὃν εἰκός ἐστί σε μάλιστα φιλεῖν, εἶτα δὲ τὸν κηδεστὴν ὃς ἔχει σου τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἥπερ σοι μόνη ἐστίν, ἔπειτα δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους συγγενεῖς καὶ ἀναγκαίους τοσούτους ὄντας, ἔτι δὲ ἐμέ, ὃς ἐν ἅπαντι τῷ βίῳ ἠνίασα μέν σε οὐδὲν πώποτε, προθυμότατος δὲ εἰς σὲ καὶ τὰ σὰ πράγματά εἰμι, ὅ τι ἂν δέῃ ποιεῖν.

[¶3] 51. At this appeal from Charmides, gentlemen, which was echoed by the rest, who each addressed their entreaties to me in turn, I thought to myself: “Never, oh, never has a man found himself in a more terrible strait than I. Am I to look on while my own kindred perish for a crime which they have not committed: while they themselves are put to death and their goods are confiscated: nay more, while the names of persons entirely innocent of the deed which has been done are inscribed upon stones of record as the names of men accursed in the sight of heaven? Am I to pay no heed to three hundred Athenians who are to be wrongfully put to death, to the desperate plight of Athens, to the suspicions of citizen for citizen? Or am I to reveal to my countrymen the story told me by the true criminal, Euphiletus?”

> Greek: 51. λέγοντος δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, Χαρμίδου ταῦτα, ἀντιβολούντων δὲ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ἱκετεύοντος ἑνὸς ἑκάστου, ἐνεθυμήθην πρὸς ἐμαυτόν, ὢ πάντων ἐγὼ δεινοτάτῃ συμφορᾷ περιπεσών, πότερα περιίδω τοὺς ἐμαυτοῦ συγγενεῖς ἀπολλυμένους ἀδίκως, καὶ αὐτούς τε ἀποθανόντας καὶ τὰ χρήματα αὐτῶν δημευθέντα, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἀναγραφέντας ἐν στήλαις ὡς ὄντας ἀλιτηρίους τῶν θεῶν τοὺς οὐδενὸς αἰτίους τῶν γεγενημένων, ἔτι δὲ τριακοσίους Ἀθηναίων μέλλοντας ἀδίκως ἀπολεῖσθαι, τὴν δὲ πόλιν ἐν κακοῖς οὖσαν τοῖς μεγίστοις καὶ ὑποψίαν εἰς ἀλλήλους ἔχοντας, ἢ εἴπω Ἀθηναίοις ἅπερ ἤκουσα Εὐφιλήτου αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιήσαντος;

[¶4] 52. Then a further thought struck me, gentlemen. I reminded myself that a number of the offenders responsible for the mutilation had already been executed upon the information lodged by Teucrus, while yet others had escaped into exile and been sentenced to death in their absence. In fact, there remained only four of the criminals whose names had not been divulged by Teucrus: Panaetius, Chaeredemus, Diacritus, and Lysistratus;

> Greek: 52. ἔτι δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ τόδε ἐνεθυμήθην, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ ἐλογιζόμην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν τοὺς ἐξημαρτηκότας καὶ τὸ ἔργον εἰργασμένους, ὅτι οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἤδη ἐτέθνασαν ὑπὸ Τεύκρου μηνυθέντες, οἱ δὲ φεύγοντες ᾤχοντο καὶ αὐτῶν θάνατος κατέγνωστο, τέτταρες δὲ ἦσαν ὑπόλοιποι οἳ οὐκ ἐμηνύθησαν ὑπὸ Τεύκρου τῶν πεποιηκότων, Παναίτιος, Χαιρέδημος, διάκριτος, Λυσίστρατος·

[¶5] 53. and it was only natural to assume that they had been among the first to be denounced by Diocleides, as they were friends of those who had already been put to death. It was thus still doubtful whether they would escape: but it was certain that my own kindred would perish, unless Athens learned the truth. So I decided that it was better to cut off from their country four men who richly deserved it—men alive today and restored to home and property—than to let those others go to a death which they had done nothing whatever to deserve.

> Greek: 53. οὓς εἰκὸς ἦν ἁπάντων μάλιστα δοκεῖν εἶναι τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὓς ἐμήνυσε Διοκλείδης, φίλους ὄντας τῶν ἀπολωλότων ἤδη. καὶ τοῖς μὲν οὐδέπω βέβαιος ἦν ἡ σωτηρία, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς οἰκείοις φανερὸς ⟨ὁ⟩ ὄλεθρος, εἰ μή τις ἐρεῖ Ἀθηναίοις τὰ γενόμενα. ἐδόκει οὖν μοι κρεῖττον εἶναι τέτταρας ἄνδρας ἀποστερῆσαι τῆς πατρίδος δικαίως, οἳ νῦν ζῶσι καὶ κατεληλύθασι καὶ ἔχουσι τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν, ἢ ἐκείνους ἀποθανόντας ἀδίκως περιιδεῖν.

[¶6] 54. If, then, any of you yourselves, gentlemen, or any of the public at large has ever been possessed with the notion that I informed against my associates with the object of purchasing my own life at the price of theirs—a tale invented by my enemies, who wished to present me in the blackest colours—use the facts themselves as evidence;

> Greek: 54. εἰ οὖν τινι ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ⟨ἢ⟩ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν γνώμη τοιαύτη παρειστήκει πρότερον περὶ ἐμοῦ, ὡς ἄρα ἐγὼ ἐμήνυσα κατὰ τῶν ἑταίρων τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, ὅπως ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἀπόλοιντο, ἐγὼ δὲ σωθείην — ἃ ἐλογοποίουν οἱ ἐχθροὶ περὶ ἐμοῦ, βουλόμενοι διαβάλλειν με — σκοπεῖσθε ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν γεγενημένων.

[¶7] 55. for today not only is it incumbent upon me to give a faithful account of myself—I am in the presence, remember, of the actual offenders who went into exile after committing the crime which we are discussing; they know better than anyone whether I am lying or not, and they have my permission to interrupt me and prove that what I am saying is untrue—but it is no less incumbent upon you to discover what truly happened.

> Greek: 55. νῦν γὰρ ἐμὲ μὲν λόγον δεῖ δοῦναι τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπραγμένων μετὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, αὐτῶν παρόντων οἵπερ ἥμαρτον καὶ ἔφυγον ταῦτα ποιήσαντες, ἴσασι δὲ ἄριστα εἴτε ψεύδομαι εἴτε ἀληθῆ λέγω, ἔξεστι δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐλέγχειν με ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ λόγῳ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐφίημι· ὑμᾶς δὲ δεῖ μαθεῖν τὰ γενόμενα.

[¶8] 56. I say this, gentlemen, because the chief task confronting me in this trial is to prevent anyone thinking the worse of me on account of my escape: to make first you and then the whole world understand that the explanation of my behaviour from start to finish lay in the desperate plight of Athens and, to a lesser degree, in that of my own family, not in any lack of principles or courage: to make you understand that, in disclosing that Euphiletus had told me, I was actuated solely by my concern for my relatives and friends and by my concern for the state as a whole, motives which I for one consider not a disgrace but a credit. If this proves to be the truth of the matter, I think it only my due that I should be acquitted with my good name unimpaired.

> Greek: 56. ἐμοὶ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, τοῦδε τοῦ ἀγῶνος τοῦτʼ ἔστι μέγιστον, σωθέντι μὴ δοκεῖν κακῷ εἶναι, ⟨ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν ὑμᾶς, ⟩ εἶτα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας μαθεῖν ὅτι οὔτε μετὰ κακίας οὔτε μετʼ ἀνανδρίας οὐδεμιᾶς τῶν γεγενημένων πέπρακται ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ οὐδέν, ἀλλὰ διὰ συμφορὰν γεγενημένην μάλιστα μὲν τῇ πόλει, εἶτα ⟨δὲ⟩ καὶ ἡμῖν, εἶπον δὲ ἃ ἤκουσα Εὐφιλήτου προνοίᾳ μὲν τῶν συγγενῶν καὶ τῶν φίλων, προνοίᾳ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἁπάσης, μετʼ ἀρετῆς ἀλλʼ οὐ μετὰ κακίας, ὡς ἐγὼ νομίζω. εἰ οὖν οὕτως ἔχει ταῦτα, σῴζεσθαί τε ἀξιῶ καὶ δοκεῖν ὑμῖν εἶναι μὴ κακός.

[¶9] 57. Come now, in considering a case, a judge should make allowances for human shortcomings, gentlemen, as he would do, were he in the same plight himself. What would each of you have done? Had the choice lain between dying a noble death and preserving my life at the cost of my honour, my behaviour might well be described as base—though many would have made exactly the same choice; they would rather have remained alive than have died like heroes.

> Greek: 57. φέρε δή — χρὴ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἀνθρωπίνως περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκλογίξεσθαι, ὥσπερ ἂν αὐτὸν ὄντα ἐν τῇ συμφορᾷ — τί ἂν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος ἐποίησεν; εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν δυοῖν τὸ ἕτερον ἑλέσθαι, ἢ καλῶς ἀπολέσθαι ἢ αἰσχρῶς σωθῆναι, ἔχοι ἄν τις εἰπεῖν κακίαν εἶναι τὰ γενόμενα· καίτοι πολλοὶ ἂν καὶ τοῦτο εἵλοντο, τὸ ζῆν περὶ πλείονος ποιησάμενοι τοῦ καλῶς ἀποθανεῖν·

[¶10] 58. But the alternatives before me were precisely the opposite. On the other hand, if I remained silent, I myself died in disgrace for an act of impiety which I had not comitted, and I allowed my father, my brother-in-law, and a host of my relatives and cousins to perish in addition. Yes, I, and I alone, was sending them to their death, if I refused to say that others were to blame; for Diocleides had thrown them into prison by his lies, and they could only be rescued if their countrymen were put in full possession of the facts; therefore I became their murderer if I refused to tell what I had heard. Besides this, I was causing three hundred citizens to perish; while the plight of Athens was growing desperate.

> Greek: 58. ὅπου δὲ τούτων τὸ ἐναντιώτατον ἦν, σιωπήσαντι μὲν αὐτῷ τε αἴσχιστα ἀπολέσθαι μηδὲν ἀσεβήσαντι, ἔτι δὲ τὸν πατέρα περιιδεῖν ἀπολόμενον καὶ τὸν κηδεστὴν καὶ τοὺς συγγενεῖς καὶ ἀνεψιοὺς τοσούτους, οὓς οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἀπώλλυεν ἢ ἐγὼ μὴ εἰπὼν ὡς ἕτεροι ἥμαρτον. Διοκλείδης μὲν γὰρ ψευσάμενος ἔδησεν αὐτούς, σωτηρία δὲ αὐτῶν ἄλλη οὐδεμία ἦν ἢ πυθέσθαι Ἀθηναίους πάντα τὰ πραχθέντα· φονεὺς οὖν αὐτῶν ἐγιγνόμην ἐγὼ μὴ εἰπὼν ὑμῖν ἃ ἤκουσα. ἔτι δὲ τριακοσίους Ἀθηναίων ἀπώλλυον, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐν κακοῖς τοῖς μεγίστοις ἐγίγνετο.

[¶11] 59. That is what silence meant. On the other hand, by revealing the truth I saved my own life, I saved my father, I saved the rest of my family, and I freed Athens from the panic which was working such havoc. True, I was sending four men into exile; but all four were guilty. And for the others, who had already been denounced by Teucrus, I am sure that none of them, whether dead or in exile, was one whit the worse off for any disclosures of mine.

> Greek: 59. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἦν ἐμοῦ μὴ εἰπόντος· εἰπὼν δὲ τὰ ὄντα αὐτός τε ἐσῳζόμην καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔσῳζον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους συγγενεῖς, καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐκ φόβου καὶ κακῶν τῶν μεγίστων ἀπήλλαττον. φυγάδες δὲ διʼ ἐμὲ τέτταρες ἄνδρες ἐγίγνοντο, οἵπερ καὶ ἥμαρτον· τῶν δʼ ἄλλων, οἳ πρότερον ὑπὸ Τεύκρου ἐμηνύθησαν, οὔτε δήπου οἱ τεθνεῶτες διʼ ἐμὲ μᾶλλον ἐτέθνασαν, οὔτε οἱ φεύγοντες μᾶλλον ἔφευγον.

[¶12] 60. Taking all this into consideration, gentlemen, I found that the least objectionable of the courses open to me was to tell the truth as quickly as possible, to prove that Diocleides had lied, and so to punish the scoundrel who was causing us to be put to death wrongfully and imposing upon the public, while in return he was being hailed as a supreme benefactor and rewarded for his services.

> Greek: 60. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα σκοπῶν ηὕρισκον, ὦ ἄνδρες, τῶν παρόντων κακῶν ταῦτα ἐλάχιστα εἶναι, εἰπεῖν τὰ γενόμενα ὡς τάχιστα καὶ ἐλέγξαι Διοκλείδην ψευσάμενον, καὶ τιμωρήσασθαι ἐκεῖνον, ὃς ἡμᾶς μὲν ἀπώλλυεν ἀδίκως, τὴν δὲ πόλιν ἐξηπάτα, ταῦτα δὲ ποιῶν μέγιστος εὐεργέτης ἐδόκει εἶναι καὶ χρήματα ἐλάμβανε.

[¶13] 61. I therefore informed the Council that I knew the offenders, and showed exactly what had occurred. The idea, I said, had been suggested by Euphiletus at a drinking-party; but I opposed it, and succeeded in preventing its execution for the time being. Later, however, I was thrown from a colt of mine in Cynosarges; I broke my collar-bone and fractured my skull, and had to be taken home on a litter.

> Greek: 61. διὰ ταῦτα εἶπον τῇ βουλῇ ὅτι εἰδείην τοὺς ποιήσαντας, καὶ ἐξήλεγξα τὰ γενόμενα, ὅτι εἰσηγήσατο μὲν πινόντων ἡμῶν ταύτην τὴν βουλὴν [γενέσθαι] Εὐφίλητος, ἀντεῖπον δὲ ἐγώ, καὶ τότε μὲν οὐ γένοιτο διʼ ἐμέ, ὕστερον δʼ ἐγὼ μὲν Κυνοσάργει ἐπὶ πωλίον ὅ μοι ἦν ἀναβὰς ἔπεσον καὶ τὴν κλεῖν συνετρίβην καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν κατεάγην, φερόμενός τε ἐπὶ κλίνης ἀπεκομίσθην οἴκαδε·

[¶14] 62. When Euphiletus saw my condition, he informed the others that I had consented to join them and had promised him to mutilate the Hermes next to the shrine of Phorbas as my share in the escapade. He told them this to hoodwink them; and that is why the Hermes which you can all see standing close to the home of our family, the Hermes dedicated by the Aegeid tribe, was the only one in Athens unmutilated, it being understood that I would attend to it as Euphiletus had promised.

> Greek: 62. αἰσθόμενος δʼ Εὐφίλητος ὡς ἔχοιμι, λέγει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι πέπεισμαι ταῦτα συμποιεῖν καὶ ὡμολόγηκα αὐτῷ μεθέξειν τοῦ ἔργου καὶ περικόψειν περικόψεῖν τὸν Ἑρμῆν τὸν παρὰ τὸ Φορβαντεῖον. ταῦτα δʼ ἔλεγεν ἐξαπατῶν ἐκείνους· καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ὁ Ἑρμῆς ὃν ὁρᾶτε πάντες, ὁ παρὰ τὴν πατρῴαν οἰκίαν τὴν ἡμετέραν, ὃν ἡ Αἰγῂς ἀνέθηκεν, οὐ περιεκόπη μόνος τῶν Ἑρμῶν τῶν Ἀθήνησιν, ὡς ἐμοῦ τοῦτο ποιήσοντος, ὡς ἔφη πρὸς αὐτοὺς Εὐφίλητος.

[¶15] 63. When the others learned the truth, they were furious to think that I was in the secret without having taken any active part; and the next day I received a visit from Meletus and Euphiletus. “We have managed it all right, Andocides,” they told me. “Now if you will consent to keep quiet and say nothing, you will find us just as good friends as before. If you do not, you will find that you have been much more successful at making enemies of us than at making fresh friends by turning traitor to us.”

> Greek: 63. οἱ δʼ αἰσθόμενοι δεινὰ ἐποίουν, ὅτι εἰδείην μὲν τὸ πρᾶγμα, πεποιηκὼς δὲ οὐκ εἴην. προσελθόντες δέ μοι τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ Μέλητος καὶ Εὐφίλητος ἔλεγον ὅτι γεγένηται, ὦ Ἀνδοκίδη, καὶ πέπρακται ἡμῖν ταῦτα. σὺ μέντοι εἰ μὲν ἀξιοῖς ἡσυχίαν ἔχειν καὶ σιωπᾶν, ἕξεις ἡμᾶς ἐπιτηδείους ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον· εἰ δὲ μή, χαλεπώτεροί σοι ἡμεῖς ἐχθροὶ ἐσόμεθα ἢ ἄλλοι τινὲς διʼ ἡμᾶς φίλοι.

[¶16] 64. I replied that I certainly thought Euphiletus a scoundrel for acting as he had; although he and his companions had far less to fear from my being in the secret than from the mere fact that the deed was done. I supported this account by handing over my slave for torture, to prove that I was ill at the time in question and had not even left my bed; and the Prytanes arrested the women-servants in the house which the criminals had used as their base.

> Greek: 64. εἶπον αὐτοῖς ὅτι νομίζοιμι μὲν διὰ τὸ πρᾶγμα Εὐφίλητον πονηρὸν εἶναι, ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐκ ἐμὲ δεινὸν εἶναι, ὅτι οἶδα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτὸ τὸ ἔργον πολλῷ, ὅτι πεποίηται. ὡς οὖν ἦν ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ, τόν τε παῖδα τὸν ἐμὸν παρέδωκα βασανίσαι, ὅτι ἔκαμνον καὶ οὐδʼ ἀνιστάμην ἐκ τῆς κλίνης, καὶ τὰς θεραπαίνας ἔλαβον οἱ πρυτάνεις, ὅθεν ὁρμώμενοι ταῦτʼ ἐποίουν ἐκεῖνοι.

[¶17] 65. The Council and the commission of inquiry went into the matter closely, and when at length they found that it was as I said and that the witnesses corroborated me without exception, they summoned Diocleides. He, however, made a long cross-examination unnecessary by admitting at once that he had been lying, and begged that he might be pardoned if he disclosed who had induced him to tell his story; the culprits, he said, were Alcibiades of Phegus and Amiantus of Aegina.

> Greek: 65. ἐξελέγχοντες δὲ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἥ τε βουλὴ καὶ οἱ ζητηταί, ἐπειδὴ ἦν ᾗ ἐγὼ ἔλεγον καὶ ὡμολογεῖτο πανταχόθεν, τότε δὴ καλοῦσι τὸν Διοκλείδην· καὶ οὐ πολλῶν λόγων ἐδέησεν, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ὡμολόγει ψεύδεσθαι, καὶ ἐδεῖτο σῴζεσθαι φράσας τοὺς πείσαντας αὐτὸν λέγειν ταῦτα· εἶναι δὲ Ἀλκιβιάδην τὸν Φηγούσιον καὶ Ἀμίαντον τὸν ἐξ Αἰγίνης.

[¶18] 66. Alcibiades and Amiantus fled from the country in terror; and when you heard the facts yourselves, you handed Diocleides over to the court and put him to death. You released the prisoners awaiting execution—my relatives, who owed their escape to me alone—you welcomed back the exiles, and yourselves shouldered arms and dispersed, freed from grave danger and distress.

> Greek: 66. καὶ οὗτοι μὲν δείσαντες ᾤχοντο φεύγοντες· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα Διοκλείδην μὲν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ παραδόντες ἀπεκτείνατε, τοὺς δὲ δεδεμένους καὶ μέλλοντας ἀπολεῖσθαι ἐλύσατε, τοὺς ἐμοὺς συγγενεῖς, διʼ ἐμέ, καὶ τοὺς φεύγοντας κατεδέξασθε, αὐτοὶ δὲ λαβόντες τὰ ὅπλα ἀπῇτε, πολλῶν κακῶν καὶ κινδύνων ἀπαλλαγέντες.

[¶19] 67. Not only do the circumstances in which I here found myself entitle me to the sympathy of all, gentlemen, but my conduct can leave you in no doubt about my integrity. When Euphiletus suggested that we pledge ourselves to what was the worst possible treachery, I opposed him, I attacked him, I heaped on him the scorn which he deserved. Yet once his companions had committed the crime, I kept their secret; it was Teucrus who lodged the information which led to their death or exile, before we had been thrown into prison by Diocleides or were threatened with death. After our imprisonment I denounced four persons: Panaetius, Diacritus, Lysistratus, and Chaeredemus.

> Greek: 67. ἐν οἷς ἐγώ, ὦ ἄνδρες, τῆς μὲν τύχης ᾗ ἐχρησάμην δικαίως ἂν ὑπὸ πάντων ἐλεηθείην, τῶν δὲ γενομένων ἕνεκα εἰκότως ⟨ἂν⟩ ἀνὴρ ἄριστος δοκοίην εἶναι, ὅστις εἰσηγησαμένῳ μὲν Εὐφιλήτῳ πίστιν τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀπιστοτάτην ἠναντιώθην καὶ ἀντεῖπον καὶ ἐλοιδόρησα ἐκεῖνον ὧν ἦν ἄξιος, ἁμαρτόντων δʼ ἐκείνων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτοῖς συνέκρυψα, καὶ μηνύσαντος κατʼ αὐτῶν Τεύκρου οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἀπέθανον οἱ δʼ ἔφυγον, πρὶν ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ Διοκλείδου δεθῆναι καὶ μέλλειν ἀπολεῖσθαι. τότε δὲ ἀπέγραψα τέτταρας ἄνδρας, Παναίτιον, Διάκριτον, Λυσίστρατον, Χαιρέδημον·

[¶20] 68. I was responsible for the exile of these four, I admit; but I saved my father, my brother-in-law, three cousins, and seven other relatives, all of whom were about to be put to death wrongfully; they owe it to me that they are still looking on the light of day, and they are the first to acknowledge it. In addition, the scoundrel who had thrown the whole of Athens into chaos and endangered her very existence was exposed; and your own suspense and suspicions of one another were at an end.

> Greek: 68. οὗτοι μὲν ἔφυγον διʼ ἐμέ, ὁμολογῶ· ἐσώθη δέ γε ὁ πατήρ, ὁ κηδεστής, ἀνεψιοὶ τρεῖς, τῶν ἄλλων συγγενῶν ἑπτά, μέλλοντες ἀποθανεῖσθαι ἀδίκως· οἳ νῦν ὁρῶσι τοῦ ἡλίου τὸ φῶς διʼ ἐμέ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμολογοῦσιν· ὁ δὲ τὴν πόλιν ὅλην συνταράξας καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἐσχάτους κινδύνους καταστήσας ἐξηλέγχθη, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀπηλλάγητε μεγάλων φόβων καὶ τῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους ὑποψιῶν.

[¶21] 69. Now recollect whether what I have been saying is true, gentlemen; and if you know the facts, make them clear to those who do not. Next I will ask the clerk to call the persons who owed their release to me; no one knows what happened better than they, and no one can give the court a better account of it. The position, then, is this, gentlemen: they will address you from the platform for as long as you care to listen to them; then, when you are satisfied, I will proceed to the remainder of my defence.

> Greek: 69. καὶ ταῦτʼ εἰ ἀληθῆ λέγω, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθε, καὶ οἱ εἰδότες διδάσκετε τοὺς ἄλλους. σὺ δέ μοι αὐτοὺς κάλει τοὺς λυθέντας διʼ ἐμέ· ἄριστα γὰρ ἂν εἰδότες τὰ γενόμενα λέγοιεν εἰς τούτους. οὑτωσὶ δὲ ἔχει, ὦ ἄνδρες· μέχρι τούτου ἀναβήσονται καὶ λέξουσιν ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν ἀκροᾶσθαι βούλησθε, ἔπειτα δʼ ἐγὼ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπολογήσομαι.

[¶22] 70. Witnesses You now know exactly what took place at the time, I for one think that I have given all the explanations necessary. However, should any of you wish to hear more or think that any point has not been dealt with satisfactorily, or should I have omitted anything, has only to rise and mention it, and I will reply to his inquiry as well. Otherwise, I will proceed to explain the legal position to you.

> Greek: 70. ⟨Μάρτυρες⟩ περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν τότε γενομένων ἀκηκόατε πάντα καὶ ἀπολελόγηταί μοι ἱκανῶς, ὥς γʼ ἐμαυτὸν πείθω· εἰ δέ τίς τι ὑμῶν ποθεῖ ἢ νομίζει τι μὴ ἱκανῶς εἰρῆσθαι ἢ παραλέλοιπά τι, ἀναστὰς ὑπομνησάτω, καὶ ἀπολογήσομαι καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο· περὶ δὲ τῶν νόμων ἤδη ὑμᾶς διδάξω.

[¶23] 71. Admittedly, Cephisius here conformed with the law as it stands in lodging his information against me; but he is resting his case upon an old decree, moved by Isotimides, which does not concern me at all. Isotimides proposed to exclude from temples all who had committed an act of impiety and admitted their guilt. I have done neither: I have not committed any act of impiety, nor have I admitted guilt.

> Greek: 71. Κηφίσιος γὰρ οὑτοσὶ ἐνέδειξε μέν με κατὰ τὸν νόμον τὸν κείμενον, τὴν δὲ κατηγορίαν ποιεῖται κατὰ ψήφισμα πρότερον γενόμενον, ὃ εἶπεν Ἰσοτιμίδης, οὗ ἐμοὶ προσήκει οὐδέν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ εἶπεν εἴργεσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν τοὺς ἀσεβήσαντας καὶ ὁμολογήσαντας, ἐμοὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδέτερα πεποίηται· οὔτε ἠσέβηται οὔτε ὡμολόγηται.

[¶24] 72. Further, I will prove to you that the decree in question has been repealed and is void. I shall be adopting a dangerous line of defence here, I know; if I fail to convince you, I shall myself be the sufferer, and if I succeed in convincing you, I shall have cleared my opponents. However, the truth shall be told.

> Greek: 72. ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ψήφισμα λέλυται καὶ ἄκυρόν ἐστιν, ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς διδάξω. καίτοιγε τοιαύτην ἀπολογίαν περὶ αὐτοῦ ποιήσομαι, ὅπου μὴ πείθων μὲν ὑμᾶς αὐτὸς ζημιώσομαι, πείσας δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀπολελογημένος ἔσομαι. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τἀληθῆ εἰρήσεται.

[¶25] 73. After the loss of your fleet and the investment of Athens you discussed ways and means of re-uniting the city. As a result you decided to reinstate those who had lost their civic rights, a resolution moved by Patrocleides. Now who were the disfranchised, and what were their different disabilities? I will explain. First, state-debtors. All who had been condemned on their accounts when vacating a public office, all who had been condemned as judgement-debtors, all those fined in a public action or under the summary jurisdiction of a magistrate, all who farmed taxes and then defaulted or were liable to the state as sureties for a defaulter, had to pay within eight Prytanies; otherwise, the sum due was doubled and the delinquent’s property distrained upon.

> Greek: 73. ἐπεὶ γὰρ αἱ νῆες διεφθάρησαν καὶ ἡ πολιορκία ἐγένετο, ἐβουλεύσασθε περὶ ὁμονοίας, καὶ ἔδοξεν ὑμῖν τοὺς ἀτίμους ἐπιτίμους ποιῆσαι, καὶ εἶπε τὴν γνώμην Πατροκλείδης. οἱ δὲ ἄτιμοι τίνες ἦσαν, καὶ τίνα τρόπον ἕκαστοι; ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς διδάξω. οἱ μὲν ἀργύριον ὀφείλοντες τῷ δημοσίῳ, ὁπόσοι εὐθύνας ὦφλον ἄρξαντες ἀρχάς, ἢ ἐξούλας ἢ γραφὰς ἢ ἐπιβολὰς ὦφλον, ἢ ὠνὰς πριάμενοι ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου μὴ κατέβαλον τὰ χρήματα, ἢ ἐγγύας ἠγγυήσαντο πρὸς τὸ δημόσιον, τούτοις ἡ μὲν ἔκτεισις ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐνάτης πρυτανείας, εἰ δὲ μή, διπλάσιον ὀφείλειν καὶ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῶν πεπρᾶσθαι.

[¶26] 74. Such was one form of disfranchisement. According to a second, delinquents lost all personal rights, but retained possession of their property. This class included all persons convicted of theft or of accepting bribes—it was laid down that both they and their descendants should lose their personal rights. Similarly, all who deserted on the field of battle, who were found guilty of evasion of military service, of cowardice, or of withholding a ship from action, all who threw away their shields, or were thrice convicted of giving perjured evidence or of falsely endorsing a summons, or who were found guilty of maltreating their parents, were deprived of their personal rights, while retaining possession of their property.

> Greek: 74. εἷς μὲν τρόπος οὗτος ἀτιμίας ἦν, ἕτερος δὲ ὧν τὰ μὲν σώματα ἄτιμα ἦν, τὴν δʼ οὐσίαν εἶχον καὶ ἐκέκτηντο· οὗτοι δʼ αὖ ἦσαν ὁπόσοι κλοπῆς ἢ δώρων ὄφλοιεν· τούτους ἔδει καὶ αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τούτων ἀτίμους εἶναι· καὶ ὁπόσοι λίποιεν τὴν τάξιν, ἢ ἀστρατείας ἢ δειλίας ἢ ἀναυμαχίου ὄφλοιεν, ἢ τὴν ἀσπίδα ἀποβάλοιεν, ἢ τρὶς ψευδομαρτυρίων ἢ τρὶς ψευδοκλητείας ὄφλοιεν, ἢ τοὺς γονέας κακῶς ποιοῖεν, οὗτοι πάντες ἄτιμοι ἦσαν τὰ σώματα, τὰ δὲ χρήματα εἶχον.

[¶27] 75. Others again had their rights curtailed in specified directions; they were only partially, not wholly, disfranchised. The soldiers who remained in Athens under the Four Hundred are a case in point. They enjoyed all the rights of ordinary citizens, except that they were forbidden to speak in the Assembly or become members of the Council. They lost their rights in these two respects, because in their case the limited disability took this particular form.

> Greek: 75. ἄλλοι αὖ κατὰ προστάξεις, οἵτινες οὐ παντάπασιν ἄτιμοι ἦσαν, ἀλλὰ μέρος τι αὐτῶν, οἷον οἱ στρατιῶται, οἷς, ὅτι ἐπέμειναν ἐπὶ τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐν τῇ πόλει, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἦν ἅπερ τοῖς ἄλλοις πολίταις, εἰπεῖν δʼ ἐν τῷ δήμῳ οὐκ ἐξῆν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ βουλεῦσαι. τούτων ἦσαν οὗτοι ἄτιμοι αὕτη γὰρ ἦν τούτοις πρόσταξις.

[¶28] 76. Others were deprived of the right of bringing an indictment, or of lodging an information: others of sailing up the Hellespont, or of crossing to Ionia: while yet others were specifically debarred from entering the Agora. You enacted, then, that both the originals and all extant copies of these several decrees should be cancelled, and your differences ended by an exchange of pledges on the Acropolis. Kindly read the decree of Patrocleides whereby this was effected.

> Greek: 76. ἑτέροις οὐκ ἦν γράψασθαι, τοῖς δὲ ἐνδεῖξαι, τοῖς δὲ μὴ ἀναπλεῦσαι εἰς Ἑλλήσποντον, ἄλλοις δʼ εἰς Ἰωνίαν· τοῖς δʼ εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν μὴ εἰσιέναι πρόσταξις ἦν. ταῦτʼ οὖν ἐψηφίσασθε ἐξαλεῖψαι πάντα τὰ ψηφίσματα, καὶ αὐτὰ καὶ εἴ πού τι ἀντίγραφον ἦν, καὶ πίστιν ἀλλήλοις περὶ ὁμονοίας δοῦναι ἐν ἀκροπόλει. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ Πατροκλείδου, καθʼ ὃ ταῦτα ἐγένετο.

[¶29] 77. “
Decree.—On the motion of Patrocleides: whereas the Athenians have enacted that persons disfranchised and public debtors may speak and propose measures in the Assembly with impunity, the People shall pass the decree which was passed at the time of the Persian Wars and which proved of benefit to Athens. As touching such of those registered with the Superintendents of Revenue, the Treasurers of Athena and the other Deities, or the Basileus, as had not been removed from the register before the last sitting of the Council in the archonship of Callias,:”

> Greek: 77. Ψήφισμα.—Πατροκλείδης εἶπεν· ἐπειδὴ ἐψηφίσαντο Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν ἄδειαν περὶ ⟨τῶν ἀτίμων καὶ⟩ τῶν ὀφειλόντων, ὥστε λέγειν ἐξεῖναι καὶ ἐπιψηφίζειν, ψηφίσασθαι τὸν δῆμον ταὐτὰ ἅπερ ὅτε ἦν τὰ Μηδικά, καὶ συνήνεγκεν Ἀθηναίοις ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον. περὶ δὲ τῶν ἐγγεγραμμένων εἰς τοὺς πράκτορας ἢ τοὺς ταμίας τῆς θεοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων θεῶν ἢ τὸν βασιλέα [ἢ] εἰ τις μὴ ἐξεγράφη μέχρι τῆς ἐξελθούσης βουλῆς ἐφʼ ἧς Καλλίας ἦρχεν, ὅσοι ἄτιμοι ἦσαν [ἢ] ὀφείλοντες, καὶ ὅσων εὔθυναί τινές εἰσι κατεγνωσμέναι ἐν τοῖς λογιστηρίοις ὑπὸ τῶν εὐθύνων καὶ τῶν παρέδρων, ἢ μήπω εἰσηγμέναι εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον γραφαί τινές εἰσι περὶ τῶν εὐθυνῶν, ἢ προστάξεις..., ἢ ἐγγύαι τινές εἰσι κατεγνωσμέναι εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον χρόνον·

[¶30] 78. “all who before that date had been disfranchised as debtors: or had been found guilty of maladministration by the Auditors and their assessors at the Auditors’ offices: or had been indicted for maladministration, but had not as yet been publicly tried: or 〈had been condemned to suffer〉 specific disabilities: or had been condemned as sureties for a defaulter; and all who were recorded as members of the Four Hundred: or who had recorded against them any act performed under the oligarchy—alway excepting those publicly recorded as fugitives: those who have been tried for homicide by the Areopagus, or by the Ephetae, whether sitting at the Pryaneum or the Delphinium, under the Presidency of the Basileus, and are now in exile or under sentence of death: and those guilty of massacre or attempted tyranny—” “shall one and all have their names everywhere cancelled by the Superintendents of Revenue and by the Council in accordance with the foregoing, wherever any public record of their offence be found; and any copies of such records which anywhere exist shall be produced by the Thesmothetae and other magistrates. This shall be done within three days after the consent of the People has been given. And no one shall secretly retain a copy of those records which it has been decided to cancel, nor shall he at any time make malicious reference to the past. He who does so shall be liable to the punishment of fugitives from the court of the Areopagus: to the end that the Athenians may live in all security both now and hereafter.”

> Greek: 78. καὶ ὅσα ὀνόματα τῶν τετρακοσίων τινὸς ἐγγέγραπται, ἢ ἄλλο τι περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ πραχθέντων ἐστί που γεγραμμένον· πλὴν ὁπόσα ἐν στήλαις γέγραπται τῶν μὴ ἐνθάδε μεινάντων, ἢ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου ἢ τῶν ἐφετῶν ἢ ἐκ πρυτανείου ἢ Δελφινίου δικασθεῖσιν [ἢ] ὑπὸ τῶν βασιλέων [ἢ] ἐπὶ φόνῳ τίς ἐστι φυγὴ ἢ θάνατος κατεγνώσθη, ἢ σφαγεῦσιν ἢ τυράννοις· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα πάντα ἐξαλεῖψαι τοὺς πράκτορας καὶ τὴν βουλὴν κατὰ τὰ εἰρημένα πανταχόθεν, ὅπου τι ἔστιν ἐν τῷ δημοσίῳ, καὶ εἴ ⟨τι⟩ ἀντίγραφόν που ἔστι, παρέχειν τοὺς θεσμοθέτας καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀρχάς. ποιεῖν δὲ ταῦτα τριῶν ἡμερῶν, ἐπειδὰν δόξῃ τῷ δήμῳ. ἃ δʼ εἴρηται ἐξαλεῖψαι, μὴ κεκτῆσθαι ἰδίᾳ μηδενὶ ἐξεῖναι μηδὲ μνησικακῆσαι μηδέποτε· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔνοχον εἶναι τὸν παραβαίνοντα ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐν οἷσπερ οἱ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου φεύγοντες, ὅπως ἂν ὡς πιστότατα ἔχῃ Ἀθηναίοις καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον.

[¶31] 80. By this decree you reinstated those who had lost their rights; but neither the proposal of Patrocleides nor your own enactment contained any reference to a restoration of exiles. However, after you had come to terms with Sparta and demolished your walls, you allowed your exiles to return too. Then the Thirty came into power, and there followed the occupation of Phyle and Munychia, and those terrible struggles which I am loath to recall either to myself or to you.

> Greek: 80. κατὰ μὲν τὸ ψήφισμα τουτὶ τοὺς ἀτίμους ἐπιτίμους ἐποιήσατε· τοὺς δὲ φεύγοντας οὔτε Πατροκλείδης εἶπε κατιέναι οὔθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐψηφίσασθε. ἐπεὶ δʼ αἱ σπονδαὶ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐγένοντο, καὶ τὰ τείχη καθείλετε, καὶ τοὺς φεύγοντας κατεδέξασθε, καὶ κατέστησαν οἱ τριάκοντα, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα Φυλή τε κατελήφθη Μουνυχίαν τε κατέλαβον, ἐγένετό ⟨θʼ⟩ ὑμῖν ὧν ἐγὼ οὐδὲν δέομαι μεμνῆσθαι οὐδʼ ἀναμιμνῄσκειν ὑμᾶς τῶν γεγενημένων κακῶν.

[¶32] 81. After your return from Peiraeus you resolved to let bygones be bygones, in spite of the opportunity for revenge. You considered the safety of Athens of more importance than the settlement of private scores; so both sides, you decided, were to forget the past. Accordingly, you elected a commission of twenty to govern Athens until a fresh code of laws had been authorized; during the interval the code of Solon and the statutes of Draco were to be in force.

> Greek: 81. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐπανήλθετε ἐκ Πειραιῶς, γενόμενον ἐφʼ ὑμῖν τιμωρεῖσθαι ἔγνωτε ἐᾶν τὰ γεγενημένα, καὶ περὶ πλείονος ἐποιήσασθε σῴζειν τὴν πόλιν ἢ τὰς ἰδίας τιμωρίας, καὶ ἔδοξε μὴ μνησικακεῖν ἀλλήλοις τῶν γεγενημένων. δόξαντα δὲ ὑμῖν ταῦτα εἵλεσθε ἄνδρας εἴκοσι· τούτους δὲ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῆς πόλεως, ἕως [ἂν] οἱ νόμοι τεθεῖεν· τέως δὲ χρῆσθαι τοῖς Σόλωνος νόμοις καὶ τοῖς Δράκοντος θεσμοῖς.

[¶33] 82. However, after you had chosen a Council by lot and elected Nomothetae, you began to discover that there were not a few of the laws of Solon and Draco under which numbers of citizens were liable, owing to previous events. You therefore called a meeting of the Assembly to discuss the difficulty, and as a result enacted that the whole of the laws should be revised and that such as were approved should be inscribed the Portico. Kindly read the decree.

> Greek: 82. ἐπειδὴ δὲ βουλήν τε ἀπεκληρώσατε νομοθέτας τε εἵλεσθε, εὑρίσκοντες τῶν νόμων τῶν τε Σόλωνος καὶ τῶν Δράκοντος πολλοὺς ὄντας οἷς πολλοὶ τῶν πολιτῶν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν τῶν πρότερον ἕνεκα γενομένων, ἐκκλησίαν ποιήσαντες ἐβουλεύσασθε περὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐψηφίσασθε, δοκιμάσαντες πάντας τοὺς νόμους, εἶτʼ ἀναγράψαι ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τούτους τῶν νόμων οἳ ἂν δοκιμασθῶσι. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τὸ ψήφισμα.

[¶34] 83. “
Decree.—On the motion of Teisamenus the People decreed that Athens be governed as of old, in accordance with the laws of Solon, his weights and his measures, and in accordance with the statutes of Draco, which we used aforetime. Such further laws as may be necessary shall be inscribed upon tables by the Nomothetae elected by the Council and named hereafter, exposed before the Tribal Statutes for all to see, and handed over to the magistrates during the present month.”

> Greek: 83. ⟨Ψήφισμα⟩ ἔδοξε τῷ δήμῳ, Τεισαμενὸς εἶπε· πολιτεύεσθαι Ἀθηναίους κατὰ τὰ πάτρια, νόμοις δὲ χρῆσθαι τοῖς Σόλωνος, καὶ μέτροις καὶ σταθμοῖς, χρῆσθαι δὲ καὶ τοῖς Δράκοντος θεσμοῖς, οἷσπερ ἐχρώμεθα ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν χρόνῳ ὁπόσων δʼ ἂν προσδέῃ, οἵδε ᾑρημένοι νομοθέται ὑπὸ τῆς βουλῆς ἀναγράφοντες ἐν σανίσιν ἐκτιθέντων πρὸς τοὺς ἐπωνύμους, σκοπεῖν τῷ βουλομένῳ, καὶ παραδιδόντων ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἐν τῷδε τῷ μηνί.

[¶35] 84. “The laws thus handed over, however, shall be submitted beforehand to the scrutiny of the Council and the five hundred Nomothetae elected by the Demes, when they have taken their oath. Further, any private citizen who so desires may come before the Council and suggest improvements in the laws. When the laws have been ratified, they shall be placed under the guardianship of the Council of the Areopagus, to the end that only such laws as have been ratified may be applied by magistrates. Those laws which are approved shall be inscribed upon the wall, where they were inscribed aforetime, for all to see.”

> Greek: 84. τοὺς δὲ παραδιδομένους νόμους δοκιμασάτω πρότερον ἡ βουλὴ καὶ οἱ νομοθέται οἱ πεντακόσιοι, οὓς οἱ δημόται εἵλοντο, ἐπειδὰν ὀμωμόκωσιν· ἐξεῖναι δὲ καὶ ἰδιώτῃ τῷ βουλομένῳ, εἰσιόντι εἰς τὴν βουλὴν συμβουλεύειν ὅ τι ἂν ἀγαθὸν ἔχῃ περὶ τῶν νόμων. ἐπειδὰν δὲ τεθῶσιν οἱ νόμοι, ἐπιμελείσθω ἡ βουλὴ ἡ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου τῶν νόμων, ὅπως ἂν αἱ ἀρχαὶ τοῖς κειμένοις νόμοις χρῶνται. τοὺς δὲ κυρουμένους τῶν νόμων ἀναγράφειν εἰς τὸν τοῖχον, ἵνα περ πρότερον ἀνεγράφησαν, σκοπεῖν τῷ βουλομένῳ.

[¶36] 85. There was a revision of the laws, gentlemen, in obedience to this decree, and such as were approved were inscribed in the Portico. When this had been done, we passed a law which is universally enforced. Kindly read it. “
Law.—In no circumstances shall magistrates enforce a law which has not been inscribed.”

> Greek: 85. ἐδοκιμάσθησαν μὲν οὖν οἱ νόμοι, ὦ ἄνδρες, κατὰ τὸ ψήφισμα τουτί, τοὺς δὲ κυρωθέντας ἀνέγραψαν εἰς τὴν στοάν. ἐπειδὴ ⟨δʼ⟩ ἀνεγράφησαν, ἐθέμεθα νόμον, ᾧ πάντες χρῆσθε. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τὸν νόμον.
Νόμος.—ἀγράφῳ δὲ νόμῳ τὰς ἀρχὰς μὴ χρῆσθαι μηδὲ περὶ ἑνός.

[¶37] 86. Is any loophole left here? Can a single suit be brought before a jury by a magistrate or set in motion by one of you, save under the laws inscribed? Then if it is illegal to enforce a law which has not been inscribed, there can surely be no question of enforcing a decree which has not been inscribed. Now when we saw that a great many citizens had been placed in a serious position either by previous laws or by previous decrees, we enacted the laws which follow as a safeguard against the very thing which is now going on; we wished to prevent anything of the kind happening, that is to say, and to make it impossible for anyone to prosecute from malice. Kindly read the laws.

> Greek: 86. ἆρά γε ἔστιν ἐνταυθοῖ τι περιελείπετο περὶ ὅτου οἷόν τε ἢ ἀρχὴν εἰσάγειν ἢ ὑμῶν πρᾶξαί τινι, ἀλλʼ ἢ κατὰ τοὺς ἀναγεγραμμένους νόμους; ὅπου οὖν ἀγράφῳ νόμῳ οὐκ ἔξεστι χρήσασθαι, ἦ που ἀγράφῳ γε ψηφίσματι παντάπασιν οὐ δεῖ [γε] χρήσασθαι. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἑωρῶμεν ὅτι πολλοῖς τῶν πολιτῶν εἶεν συμφοραί, τοῖς μὲν κατὰ νόμους, τοῖς δὲ κατὰ ψηφίσματα [τὰ] πρότερον γενόμενα, τουτουσὶ τοὺς νόμους ἐθέμεθα, αὐτῶν ἕνεκα τῶν νυνὶ ποιουμένων, ἵνα τούτων μηδὲν γίγνηται μηδὲ ἐξῇ συκοφαντεῖν μηδενί. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τοὺς νόμους.

[¶38] 87. “
Laws.—In no circumstances shall magistrates enforce a law which has not been inscribed. No decree, whether of the Council or Assembly, shall override a law. No law shall be directed against an individual without applying to all citizens alike, unless an Assembly of six thousand so resolve by secret ballot.” What was needed to complete the list? Only the following law, which I will ask the clerk to read to you. “
Law.—All decisions given in private suits and by arbitrators under the democracy shall be valid. But of the laws only those passed since the archonship of Eucleides shall be enforced.”

> Greek: 87. Νόμοι.—ἀγράφῳ δὲ νόμῳ τὰς ἀρχὰς μὴ χρῆσθαι μηδὲ περὶ ἑνός. ψήφισμα δὲ μηδὲν μήτε βουλῆς μήτε δήμου νόμου κυριώτερον εἶναι. μηδὲ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ νόμον ἐξεῖναι θεῖναι, ἐὰν μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν Ἀθηναίοις, ἐὰν μὴ ἑξακισχιλίοις δόξῃ κρύβδην ψηφιζομένοις. τί οὖν ἦν ἐπίλοιπον; οὑτοσὶ ὁ νόμος. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τοῦτον.
⟨Νόμος.⟩ —τὰς δὲ δίκας καὶ τὰς διαίτας κυρίας εἶναι, ὁπόσαι ἐν δημοκρατουμένῃ τῇ πόλει ἐγένοντο. τοῖς δὲ νόμοις χρῆσθαι ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος.

[¶39] 88. The validity of decisions given in private suits and by arbitrators under the democracy you upheld, gentlemen; and you did so to avoid the cancelling of debts and the reopening of such suits, and to ensure the enforcement of private contracts. On the other hand, in the matter of public offences dealt with by indictment, denunciation, information, or arrest, you enacted that only such laws should be enforced as had been passed since the archonship of Eucleides.

> Greek: 88. τὰς μὲν δίκας, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ τὰς διαίτας ἐποιήσατε κυρίας εἶναι, ὁπόσαι ἐν δημοκρατουμένῃ τῇ πόλει ἐγένοντο, ὅπως μήτε χρεῶν ἀποκοπαὶ εἶεν μήτε δίκαι ἀνάδικοι γίγνοιντο, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἰδίων συμβολαίων αἱ πράξεις εἶεν· τῶν δὲ δημοσίων ⟨ἐφʼ⟩ ὁπόσοις ἢ γραφαί εἰσιν ἢ φάσεις ἢ ἐνδείξεις ἢ ἀπαγωγαί, τούτων ἕνεκα τοῖς νόμοις ἐψηφίσασθε χρῆσθαι ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος.

[¶40] 89. Now you decided that the laws were to be revised and afterwards inscribed that in no circumstances were magistrates to enforce a law which had not been inscribed: that no decree, whether of the Council or the Assembly, was to override a law: that no law might be directed against an individual without applying to all citizens alike: and that only such laws as had been passed since the archonship of Eucleides were to be enforced. In view of this, can any decree passed before the archonship of Eucleides, whatever its importance or unimportance, still remain in force? I for one think not, gentlemen. Just consider the matter for yourselves.

> Greek: 89. ὅπου οὖν ἔδοξεν ὑμῖν δοκιμάσαι μὲν τοὺς νόμους, δοκιμάσαντας δὲ ἀναγράψαι, ἀγράφῳ δὲ νόμῳ τὰς ἀρχὰς μὴ χρῆσθαι μηδὲ περὶ ἑνός, ψήφισμα δὲ ⟨μηδὲν⟩ μήτε βουλῆς μήτε δήμου ⟨νόμου⟩ κυριώτερον εἶναι, μηδʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ νόμον ⟨ἐξεῖναι⟩ τιθέναι ἐὰν μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν Ἀθηναίοις, τοῖς δὲ νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις χρῆσθαι ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος, ἐνταυθοῖ ἔστιν ὅ τι ὑπολείπεται ἢ μεῖζον ἢ ἔλαττον τῶν γενομένων πρότερον ψηφισμάτων, πρὶν Εὐκλείδην ἄρξαι, ὅπως κύριον ἔσται; οὐκ οἶμαι ἔγωγε, ⟨ὦ⟩ ἄνδρες. σκοπεῖτε δὲ καὶ αὐτοί.

[¶41] 90. And now, what of your oaths? First, the oath in which the whole city joined, the oath which you swore one and all after the reconciliation: “... and I will harbour no grievance against any citizen, save only the Thirty, the Ten, and the Eleven: and even of them against none who shall consent to render account of his office.” After swearing to forgive even the Thirty, whom you had to thank for sufferings untold, provided that they rendered account of themselves, you can have been in very little hurry to harbour grievances against the ordinary citizen. Again, what is the oath sworn by the Council when it takes office?

> Greek: 90. φέρε δὴ τοίνυν, οἱ ὅρκοι ὑμῖν πῶς ἔχουσιν; ὁ μὲν κοινὸς τῇ πόλει ἁπάσῃ, ὃν ὀμωμόκατε πάντες μετὰ τὰς διαλλαγάς, καὶ οὐ μνησικακήσω τῶν πολιτῶν οὐδενὶ πλὴν τῶν τριάκοντα ⟨καὶ τῶν δέκα⟩ καὶ τῶν ἕνδεκα· οὐδὲ τούτων ὃς ἂν ἐθέλῃ εὐθύνας διδόναι τῆς ἀρχῆς ἧς ἦρξεν. ὅπου τοίνυν αὐτοῖς τοῖς τριάκοντα ὤμνυτε μὴ μνησικακήσειν, τοῖς μεγίστων κακῶν αἰτίοις, εἰ διδοῖεν εὐθύνας, ἦ που σχολῇ τῶν γε ἄλλων πολιτῶν τινι ἠξιοῦτε μνησικακεῖν. ἡ δὲ βουλὴ αὖ ἡ ἀεὶ βουλεύουσα τί ὄμνυσι;

[¶42] 91. “... and I will allow no information or arrest arising out of past events, save only in the case of those who fled from Athens.” And what is your own oath as jurors, gentlemen? “... and I will harbour no grievance and submit to no influence, but will give my verdict in accordance with the laws in force at the present time.” Let those oaths help you to decide whether I am right when I say that I am championing yourselves and the laws.

> Greek: 91. καὶ οὐ δέξομαι ἔνδειξιν οὐδὲ ἀπαγωγὴν ἕνεκα τῶν πρότερον γεγενημένων, πλὴν τῶν φυγόντων. ὑμεῖς δʼ αὖ, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, τί ὀμόσαντες δικάζετε; καὶ οὐ μνησικακήσω, οὐδὲ ἄλλῳ πείσομαι, ψηφιοῦμαι δὲ κατὰ τοὺς κειμένους νόμους. ἃ χρὴ σκοπεῖν, εἰ δοκῶ ὀρθῶς ὑμῖν λέγειν ὡς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν λέγω καὶ τῶν νόμων.

[¶43] 92. And now, gentlemen, consider how my accusers stand with regard to the laws. They are prosecuting others; but what is their own position? Cephisius here purchased from the state the right to collect certain public rents, and obtained thereby a return of ninety minae from the farmers occupying the lands concerned. He then defaulted; and since he would have been placed in close confinement had he appeared in Athens —it being laid down by law that any defaulting tax farmer may be so punished by the Council—he retired into exile.

> Greek: 92. σκέψασθε τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ τοὺς νόμους καὶ τοὺς κατηγόρους, τί αὐτοῖς ὑπάρχον ἑτέρων κατηγοροῦσι. Κηφίσιος μὲν οὑτοσὶ πριάμενος ὠνὴν ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου, τὰς ἐκ ταύτης ἐπικαρπίας τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ γεωργούντων ἐνενήκοντα μνᾶς ἐκλέξας, οὐ κατέβαλε τῇ πόλει καὶ ἔφυγεν· εἰ γὰρ ἦλθεν, ἐδέδετʼ ἂν ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ.

[¶44] 93. Owing, however, to the fact that you decided to apply only those laws passed since the archonship of Eucleides, Cephisius considers himself entitled to keep his profits from your lands. He is no longer an exile, but a citizen: no longer an outcast without rights, but an informer—and all because you are applying only the revised laws.

> Greek: 93. ὁ γὰρ νόμος οὕτως εἶχε, κυρίαν εἶναι τὴν [τε] βουλήν, ὃς ἂν πριάμενος τέλος μὴ καταβάλῃ, δεῖν εἰς τὸ ξύλον. οὗτος τοίνυν, ὅτι τοῖς νόμοις ἐψηφίσασθε ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος χρῆσθαι, ἀξιοῖ ἃ ἔχει ὑμῶν ἐκλέξας μὴ ἀποδοῦναι, καὶ νῦν γεγένηται ἀντὶ μὲν φυγάδος πολίτης, ἀντὶ δὲ ἀτίμου συκοφάντης, ὅτι τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς νῦν κειμένοις χρῆσθε.

[¶45] 94. Then there is Meletus here. Meletus arrested Leon under the Thirty, as you all know; and Leon was put to death without a trial. But we find it laid down that there shall be no distinction between the principal who plans a crime and the agent who commits it; the law not only existed in the past, but still exists and is still enforced because of its fairness. Quite so; but Leon’s sons cannot prosecute Meletus for murder, because only laws passed since the archonship of Eucleides can be enforced. The fact of the arrest, of course, is not denied, even by Meletus himself.

> Greek: 94. Μέλητος δʼ αὖ οὑτοσὶ ἀπήγαγεν ἐπὶ τῶν τριάκοντα Λέοντα, ὡς ὑμεῖς ἅπαντες ἴστε, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐκεῖνος ἄκριτος. καί ⟨τοι⟩ οὗτος ὁ νόμος καὶ πρότερον ἦν ⟨καὶ⟩ ὡς καλῶς ἔχων καὶ νῦν ἔστι, καὶ χρῆσθε αὐτῷ, τὸν βουλεύσαντα ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐνέχεσθαι καὶ τὸν τῇ χειρὶ ἐργασάμενον. Μέλητον τοίνυν τοῖς παισὶ τοῖς τοῦ Λέοντος οὐκ ἔστι φόνου διώκειν, ὅτι τοῖς νόμοις δεῖ χρῆσθαι ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος, ἐπεὶ ὥς γε οὐκ ἀπήγαγεν, οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀντιλέγει.

[¶46] 95. Then Epichares here, an utter blackguard, and proud of it, a man who does his best not to let his own bygones be bygones—friend Epichares served on the Council under the Thirty. And yet what does the law upon the stone in front of the Council-chamber say? “Whosoever shall hold a public office after the suppression of the democracy may be slain with impunity. No taint shall rest upon his slayer, and he shall possess the goods of the slain.” Thus as far as Solon’s law is concerned, Epichares, it is clear that anyone can kill you here and now without defiling his hands.

> Greek: 95. Ἐπιχάρης δʼ οὑτοσί, ὁ πάντων πονηρότατος καὶ βουλόμενος εἶναι τοιοῦτος, ὁ μνησικακῶν αὐτὸς αὑτῷ,—οὗτος γὰρ ἐβούλευεν ἐπὶ τῶν τριάκοντα· ὁ δὲ νόμος τί κελεύει, ὃς ἐν τῇ στήλῃ ἔμπροσθέν ἐστι τοῦ βουλευτηρίου; ὃς ἂν ἄρξῃ ἐν τῇ πόλει τῆς δημοκρατίας καταλυθείσης, νηποινεὶ τεθνάναι, καὶ τὸν ἀποκτείναντα ὅσιον εἶναι καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἔχειν τοῦ ἀποθανόντος. ἄλλο τι οὖν, ὦ Ἐπίχαρες, ἢ νῦν ὁ ἀποκτείνας σε καθαρὸς τὰς χεῖρας ἔσται, κατά γε τὸν Σόλωνος νόμον;

[¶47] 96. Kindly read the law from the stone “
Law.— Enacted by the Council and People. Prytany of the tribe Aeantis. Secretary: Cleigenes. President: Boethus. The enactment following was framed by Demophantus and his colleagues. The date of this decree is the first sitting of the Council of Five Hundred, chosen by lot, at which Cleigenes acted as Secretary. If anyone shall suppress the democracy at Athens or hold public office after its suppression, he shall become a public enemy and be slain with impunity; his goods shall be confiscated and a tithe given to the Goddess.”

> Greek: 96. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τὸν νόμον τὸν ἐκ τῆς στήλης.
Νόμος.—ἔδοξε τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ. Αἰαντὶς ἐπρυτάνευε, Κλειγένης ἐγραμμάτευε, Βοηθὸς ἐπεστάτει. τάδε Δημόφαντος συνέγραψεν. ἄρχει χρόνος τοῦδε τοῦ ψηφίσματος ἡ βουλὴ οἱ πεντακόσιοι ⟨οἱ⟩ λαχόντες τῷ κυάμῳ, οἷς Κλειγένης πρῶτος ἐγραμμάτευεν. ἐάν τις δημοκρατίαν καταλύῃ τὴν Ἀθήνησιν, ἢ ἀρχήν τινα ἄρχῃ καταλελυμένης τῆς δημοκρατίας, πολέμιος ἔστω Ἀθηναίων καὶ νηποινεὶ τεθνάτω, καὶ τὰ χρήματα αὐτοῦ δημόσια ἔστω, καὶ τῆς θεοῦ τὸ ἐπιδέκατον·

[¶48] 97. “No sin shall he commit, no defilement shall he suffer who slays such an one or who conspires to slay him. And all the Athenians shall take oath by tribes and by demes over a sacrifice without blemish to slay such an one. And this shall be the oath: “If it be in my power, I will slay by word and by deed, by my vote and by my hand, whosoever shall suppress the democracy at Athens, whosoever shall hold any public office after its suppression, and whosoever shall attempt to become tyrant or shall help to instal a tyrant. And if another shall slay such an one, I will deem him to be without sin in the eyes of the gods and powers above, as having slain a public enemy. And I will sell all the goods of the slain and will give over one half to the slayer, and will withhold nothing from him.””

> Greek: 97. ὁ δὲ ἀποκτείνας τὸν ταῦτα ποιήσαντα καὶ ὁ συμβουλεύσας ὅσιος ἔστω καὶ εὐαγής. ὀμόσαι δʼ Ἀθηναίους ἅπαντας καθʼ ἱερῶν τελείων, κατὰ φυλὰς καὶ κατὰ δήμους, ἀποκτενεῖν τὸν ταῦτα ποιήσαντα. ὁ δὲ ὅρκος ἔστω ὅδε· κτενῶ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ ψήφῳ καὶ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ χειρί, ἂν δυνατὸς ὦ, ὃς ἂν καταλύσῃ τὴν δημοκρατίαν τὴν Ἀθήνησι, καὶ ἐάν τις ἄρξῃ τινʼ ἀρχὴν καταλελυμένης τῆς δημοκρατίας τὸ λοιπόν, καὶ ἐάν τις τυραννεῖν ἐπαναστῇ ἢ τὸν τύραννον συγκαταστήσῃ· καὶ ἐάν τις ἄλλος ἀποκτείνῃ, ὅσιον αὐτὸν νομιῶ εἶναι καὶ πρὸς θεῶν καὶ δαιμόνων, ὡς πολέμιον κτείναντα τὸν Ἀθηναίων, καὶ τὰ κτήματα τοῦ ἀποθανόντος πάντα ἀποδόμενος ἀποδώσω τὰ ἡμίσεα τῷ ἀποκτείναντι, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστερήσω οὐδέν.

[¶49] 98. ““And if anyone shall lose his life in slaying such an one or in attempting to slay him, I will show to him and to his children the kindness which was shown to Harmodius and Aristogeiton and to their children. And all oaths sworn at Athens or in the army or elsewhere for the overthrow of the Athenian democracy I annul and abolish.” All the Athenians shall take this oath over a sarifice without blemish, as the law enjoins, before the Dionysia. And they shall pray that he who observes this oath may be blessed abundantly: but that he who observes it not may perish from the earth, both he and his house.”

> Greek: 98. ἐὰν δέ τις κτείνων τινὰ τούτων ἀποθάνῃ ἢ ἐπιχειρῶν, εὖ ποιήσω αὐτόν τε καὶ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐκείνου καθάπερ Ἁρμόδιόν τε καὶ Ἀριστογείτονα καὶ τοὺς ἀπογόνους αὐτῶν. ὁπόσοι δὲ ὅρκοι ὀμώμονται Ἀθήνησιν ἢ ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ ἢ ἄλλοθί που ἐναντίοι τῷ δήμῳ τῷ Ἀθηναίων, λύω καὶ ἀφίημι. ταῦτα δὲ ὀμοσάντων Ἀθηναῖοι πάντες καθʼ ἱερῶν τελείων, τὸν νόμιμον ὅρκον, πρὸ Διονυσίων· καὶ ἐπεύχεσθαι εὐορκοῦντι μὲν εἶναι πολλὰ καὶ ἀγαθά, ἐπιορκοῦντι δʼ ἐξώλη αὐτὸν εἶναι καὶ γένος.

[¶50] 99. Well, Mr. Informer, is this law in force? Yes or no, you practised villain? No; and the reason for that is of course that only laws passed after the archonship of Eucleides can be applied. That is how you come to be walking about this city alive—hardly the fate which you deserved after making a living as a common informer under the democracy, and becoming the tool of the Thirty under the oligarchy to avoid having to disgorge your profits.

> Greek: 99. πότερον, ὦ συκοφάντα καὶ ἐπίτριπτον κίναδος, κύριος ὁ νόμος ὅδε ἐστὶν ἢ οὐ κύριος; ⟨οὐ κύριος·⟩ διὰ τοῦτο δʼ οἶμαι γεγένηται ἄκυρος, ὅτι τοῖς νόμοις δεῖ χρῆσθαι ἀπʼ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος. καὶ σὺ ζῇς καὶ περιέρχῃ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην, οὐκ ἄξιος ὤν· ὃς ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ μὲν συκοφαντῶν ἔζης, ἐν ὀλιγαρχίᾳ δέ, ὡς μὴ ἀναγκασθείης τὰ χρήματα ἀποδοῦναι ὅσα συκοφαντῶν ἔλαβες, ἐδούλευες τοῖς τριάκοντα.

## 3. Sections 100–150

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/andocides-on-the-mysteries/3/#p-N

[¶0] 100. But that is not enough. You actually talk to me of my intrigues! You actually hold others up to censure— you, who had not the decency to confine your own intrigues to but a single admirer, but welcomed the entire world for next to nothing, as the court knows, and supported yourself by vice, your villainous appearance notwithstanding.

> Greek: 100. εἶτα σὺ περὶ ἑταιρείας ἐμοὶ μνείαν ποιῇ καὶ κακῶς τινας λέγεις; ὃς ἑνὶ μὲν οὐχ ἡταίρησας (καλῶς γὰρ ἄν σοι εἶχε), πραττόμενος δʼ οὐ πολὺ ἀργύριον τὸν βουλόμενον ἀνθρώπων, ὡς οὗτοι ἴσασιν, ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἔργοις ἔζης, καὶ ταῦτα οὕτω μοχθηρὸς ὢν τὴν ἰδέαν.

[¶1] 101. But yet, although your laws deny him even the right of defending himself, the fellow has the impudence to accuse others. Really, gentlemen, as I sat watching him make his speech for the prosecution, I quite thought that I had been arrested and put on trial by the Thirty. Who would have prosecuted, if I had found myself in court in those days? Epichares, none other. There he would have been, ready with a charge, unless I bought him off. And here he is once more. Who, again, but Charicles would have cross-examined me? “Tell me Andocides,” he would have asked, “did you go to Decelea and occupy it as a menace to your country?” “I did not.” “Well, did you lay Attica waste and pillage your fellow Athenians by land or by sea?” “No.” “Then at least you fought Athens at sea, or helped to demolish her walls or put down her democracy, or reinstalled yourself by force?” “No, I have done none of those things either.” “Then do you expect to escape the fate of so many others?”

> Greek: 101. ἀλλʼ ὅμως οὗτος ἑτέρων τολμᾷ κατηγορεῖν, ᾧ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους τοὺς ὑμετέρους οὐδʼ αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ ἔστιν ἀπολογεῖσθαι. ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, καθήμενος ἡνίκα μου κατηγόρει, βλέπων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ ὑπὸ τῶν τριάκοντα συνειλημμένος ἔδοξα κρίνεσθαι. εἰ γὰρ τότε ἠγωνιζόμην, τίς ἄν μου κατηγόρει; οὐχ οὗτος ὑπῆρχεν, εἰ μὴ ἐδίδουν ἀργύριον; καὶ γὰρ νῦν. ἀνέκρινε δʼ ἄν με τίς ἄλλος ἢ Χαρικλῆς, ἐρωτῶν, εἰπέ μοι, ὦ Ἀνδοκίδη, ἦλθες εἰς Δεκέλειαν, καὶ ἐπετείχισας τῇ πατρίδι τῇ σεαυτοῦ; οὐκ ἔγωγε. τί δέ; ἔτεμες τὴν χώραν, καὶ ἐλῄσω ἢ κατὰ γῆν ἢ κατὰ θάλατταν τοὺς πολίτας τοὺς σεαυτοῦ; οὐ δῆτα. οὐδʼ ἐναυμάχησας ἐναντία τῇ πόλει, οὐδὲ συγκατέσκαψας τὰ τείχη, οὐδὲ συγκατέλυσας τὸν δῆμον, οὐδὲ βίᾳ κατῆλθες εἰς τὴν πόλιν; οὐδὲ τούτων πεποίηκα οὐδέν. δοκεῖς οὖν χαιρήσειν καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖσθαι, ὡς ἕτεροι πολλοί;

[¶2] 102. Do you not agree, gentlemen, that that is just how I would have been treated for remaining loyal to you, had I fallen into the clutches of the Thirty? Then will it not be a travesty of justice if a man whom the Thirty would have put to death, as they did others, for failing to commit any act of disloyalty to Athens, is not to be acquitted when tried before you whom he refused to wrong? Such a thing would be an outrage. It would make acquittal next to impossible in any case whatsoever.

> Greek: 102. ἆρʼ ⟨ἂν⟩ οἴεσθε, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἄλλων τινῶν τυχεῖν με διʼ ὑμᾶς, εἰ ἐλήφθην ὑπʼ αὐτῶν; οὐκ οὖν δεινόν, εἰ ὑπὸ μὲν τούτων διὰ τοῦτʼ ἂν ἀπωλόμην, ὅτι εἰς τὴν πόλιν οὐδὲν ἥμαρτον, ὥσπερ καὶ ἑτέρους ἀπέκτειναν, ἐν ὑμῖν δὲ κρινόμενος, οὓς οὐδὲν κακὸν πεποίηκα, οὐ σωθήσομαι; πάντως δήπου· ἢ σχολῇ γέ τις ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων.

[¶3] 103. The truth is, gentlemen, that although the prosecution may have availed themselves of a perfectly valid law in lodging their information against me, they based their charge upon that old decree which is concerned with an entirely different matter. So if you condemn me, beware: you will find that a host of others ought to be answering for their past conduct with far more reason than I. First there are the men who fought you, with whom you swore oaths of reconciliation: then there are the exiles whom you restored: and finally there are the citizens whose rights you gave back to them. For their sakes you removed stones of record, annulled laws, and cancelled decrees; and it is because they trust you that they are still in Athens, gentlemen.

> Greek: 103. ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, τὴν μὲν ἔνδειξιν ἐποιήσαντό μου κατὰ νόμον κείμενον, τὴν δὲ κατηγορίαν κατὰ τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ πρότερον γεγενημένον περὶ ἑτέρων. εἰ οὖν ἐμοῦ καταψηφιεῖσθε, ὁρᾶτε μὴ οὐκ ἐμοὶ μάλιστα τῶν πολιτῶν προσήκει λόγον δοῦναι τῶν γεγενημένων, ἀλλὰ πολλοῖς ἑτέροις μᾶλλον, τοῦτο μὲν οἷς ὑμεῖς ἐναντία μαχεσάμενοι διηλλάγητε καὶ ὅρκους ὠμόσατε, τοῦτο δὲ οὓς φεύγοντας κατηγάγετε, τοῦτο δὲ οὓς ἀτίμους ὄντας ἐπιτίμους ἐποιήσατε· ὧν ἕνεκα καὶ στήλας ἀνείλετε καὶ νόμους ἀκύρους ἐποιήσατε καὶ ψηφίσματα ἐξηλείψατε· οἳ νυνὶ μένουσιν ἐν τῇ πόλει πιστεύοντες ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες.

[¶4] 104. What, do you imagine, will they presume their own position to be, if they find that you are allowing prosecutions for past conduct? Will any of them be ready to stand trial for his past conduct? Yet enemies and informers will spring up right and left, ready to bring every man of them into court. Today both parties have come to listen, but from very different motives. One side wants to know whether they are to rely upon the laws as they now stand and on the oaths which you and they swore to one another; while the others have come to sound our feelings, to find out whether they will be given complete licence to fill their pockets by indictments, or informations, maybe, or arrests. Thus the truth the matter is, gentlemen, that although it is my life alone which is at stake in this trial, your verdict will decide for the public at large whether they are to put faith in your laws, or whether, on the other hand, they must choose between buying off informers and quitting Athens as fast as they can.

> Greek: 104. εἰ οὖν γνώσονται ὑμᾶς ἀποδεχομένους τὰς κατηγορίας τῶν πρότερον γεγενημένων, τίνα αὐτοὺς οἴεσθε γνώμην ἕξειν περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν; ἢ τίνα αὐτῶν ἐθελήσειν εἰς ἀγῶνας καθίστασθαι ἕνεκα τῶν πρότερον γεγενημένων; φανήσονται γὰρ πολλοὶ μὲν ἐχθροὶ πολλοὶ δὲ συκοφάνται, οἳ καταστήσουσιν αὐτῶν ἕκαστον εἰς ἀγῶνα. ἥκουσι δὲ νυνὶ ἀκροασόμενοι ἀμφότεροι, οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχοντες ἀλλήλοις, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν εἰσόμενοι εἰ χρὴ πιστεύειν τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις καὶ τοῖς ὅρκοις οὓς ὠμόσατε ἀλλήλοις, οἱ δὲ ἀποπειρώμενοι τῆς ὑμετέρας γνώμης, εἰ αὐτοῖς ἐξέσται ἀδεῶς συκοφαντεῖν καὶ γράφεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἐνδεικνύναι, τοὺς δὲ ἀπάγειν. οὕτως οὖν ἔχει, ὦ ἄνδρες· ὁ μὲν ἀγὼν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῷ ἐμῷ καθέστηκεν, ἡ δὲ ψῆφος ἡ ὑμετέρα δημοσίᾳ κρινεῖ, πότερον χρὴ τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς ὑμετέροις πιστεύειν, ἢ τοὺς συκοφάντας παρασκευάζεσθαι, ἢ φεύγειν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἀπιέναι ὡς τάχιστα.

[¶5] 106. Your measures for reuniting Athens, gentlemen, have not been wasted; they were appropriate, and they were sound policy. To convince you of this, I wish to say a few words with regard to them. Those were dark days for Athens when the tyrants ruled her and the democrats were in exile. But, led by Leogoras, my own great-grandfather, and Charias, whose daughter bore my grandfather to Leogoras, your ancestors crushed the tyrants near the temple at Pallene, and came back to the land of their birth. Some of their enemies they put to death, some they exiled, and some they allowed to live on in Athens without the rights of citizens.

> Greek: 106. ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὅτι τὰ πεποιημένα ὑμῖν εἰς ὁμόνοιαν οὐ κακῶς ἔχει, ἀλλὰ τὰ προσήκοντα καὶ τὰ συμφέροντα ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐποιήσατε, βραχέα βούλομαι καὶ περὶ τούτων εἰπεῖν. οἱ γὰρ πατέρες οἱ ὑμέτεροι γενομένων τῇ πόλει κακῶν μεγάλων, ὅτε οἱ τύραννοι μὲν εἶχον τὴν πόλιν, ὁ δὲ δῆμος ἔφευγε, νικήσαντες μαχόμενοι τοὺς τυράννους ἐπὶ Παλληνίῳ, στρατηγοῦντος Λεωγόρον τοῦ προπάππου τοῦ ἐμοῦ καὶ Χαρίου οὗ ἐκεῖνος τὴν θυγατέρα εἶχεν, ἐξ ἧς ὁ ἡμέτερος ἦν πάππος, κατελθόντες εἰς τὴν πατρίδα τοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτειναν, τῶν δὲ φυγὴν κατέγνωσαν, τοὺς δὲ μένειν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐάσαντες ἠτίμωσαν.

[¶6] 107. Later the Great King invaded Greece. As soon as our fathers saw what an ordeal faced them and what vast forces the King was assembling, they decreed that exiles should be restored and disfranchised citizens reinstated, that these too should take their part in the perilous struggle for deliverance. After passing this decree, and exchanging solemn pledges and oaths, they fearlessly took up their stand as the protectors of the whole of Greece, and met the Persians at Marathon; for they felt that their own valour was itself a match for the enemy hordes. They fought, and they conquered. They gave back Greece her freedom, and they delivered Attica, the land of their birth.

> Greek: 107. ὕστερον δὲ ἡνίκα βασιλεὺς ἐπεστράτευσεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα, γνόντες τῶν συμφορῶν τῶν ἐπιουσῶν τὸ μέγεθος καὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν τὴν βασιλέως, ἔγνωσαν τούς τε φεύγοντας καταδέξασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἀτίμους ἐπιτίμους ποιῆσαι καὶ κοινὴν τήν τε σωτηρίαν καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους ποιήσασθαι. πράξαντες δὲ ταῦτα, καὶ δόντες ἀλλήλοις πίστεις καὶ ὅρκους μεγάλους, ἠξίουν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς προτάξαντες πρὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἁπάντων ἀπαντῆσαι τοῖς βαρβάροις Μαραθῶνάδε, νομίσαντες τὴν σφετέραν αὐτῶν ἀρετὴν ἱκανὴν εἶναι τῷ πλήθει τῷ ἐκείνων ἀντιτάξασθαι· μαχεσάμενοί τε ἐνίκων, καὶ τήν τε Ἑλλάδα ἠλευθέρωσαν καὶ τὴν πατρίδα ἔσῳσαν.

[¶7] 108. After their triumph, however, they refused to revive old quarrels. And that is how men who found their city a waste, her temples burnt to the ground, and her walls and houses in ruins, men who were utterly without resources, brought Greece under their sway and handed on to you the glorious and mighty Athens of today—by living in unity. Long afterwards you in your turn had to face a crisis just as great;

> Greek: 108. ἔργον δὲ τοιοῦτον ἐργασάμενοι οὐκ ἠξίωσάν τινι τῶν πρότερον γενομένων μνησικακῆσαι. τοιγάρτοι διὰ ταῦτα, τὴν πόλιν ἀνάστατον παραλαβόντες ἱερά τε κατακεκαυμένα τείχη τε καὶ οἰκίας καταπεπτωκυίας, ἀφορμήν τε οὐδεμίαν ἔχοντες, διὰ τὸ ἀλλήλοις ὁμονοεῖν τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων κατηργάσαντο καὶ τὴν πόλιν ὑμῖν τοιαύτην καὶ τοσαύτην παρέδοσαν.

[¶8] 109. and by deciding to restore your exiles and give back their rights to the citizens who had lost them you showed that you still had the noble spirit of your forefathers. What, then, have you still to do to equal them in generosity? You must refuse to cherish grievances, gentlemen, remembering that Athens had far less in the old days upon which to build her greatness and prosperity. The same greatness and prosperity are hers still, were only we, her citizens, ready to control our passions and live in unity.

> Greek: 109. ὑμεῖς οὖν καὶ αὐτοὶ ὕστερον, κακῶν οὐκ ἐλαττόνων ἢ ἐκείνοις γεγενημένων, ἀγαθοὶ ἐξ ἀγαθῶν ὄντες ἀπέδοτε τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν ἀρετήν· ἠξιώσατε γὰρ τούς τε φεύγοντας καταδέξασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἀτίμους ἐπιτίμους ποιῆσαι. τί οὖν ὑμῖν ὑπόλοιπόν ἐστι τῆς ἐκείνων ἀρετῆς; μὴ μνησικακῆσαι, εἰδότας, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκ πολὺ ἐλάττονος ἀφορμῆς ἐν τῷ ἔμπροσθεν χρόνῳ μεγάλη καὶ εὐδαίμων ἐγένετο· ἃ ⟨καὶ⟩ νῦν αὐτῇ ὑπάρχει, εἰ ἐθέλοιμεν οἱ πολῖται σωφρονεῖν τε καὶ ὁμονοεῖν ἀλλήλοις.

[¶9] 110. The prosecution have also accused me in connexion with the suppliant’s bough. They allege that it was I who placed it in the Eleusinium, and that under ancient law the penalty for doing such a thing during the Mysteries is death. The impudence of it! They resort to a ruse for my undoing, but will not leave well alone when their plot proves a failure. They proceed to bring a formal accusation against me in spite of it.

> Greek: 110. κατηγόρησαν δέ μου καὶ περὶ τῆς ἱκετηρίας, ὡς καταθείην ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Ἐλευσινίῳ, νόμος δʼ εἴη πάτριος, ὃς ἂν θῇ ἱκετηρίαν μυστηρίοις, τεθνάναι. καὶ οὕτως εἰσὶ τολμηροὶ ὥσθʼ ἃ αὐτοὶ κατεσκεύασαν, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ αὐτοῖς ὅτι οὐ κατέσχον ἃ ἐπεβούλευσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατηγορίαν ἐμοῦ ποιοῦνται ὡς ἀδικοῦντος.

[¶10] 111. It was on our return from Eleusis, after the information had already been lodged against me. The Basileus appeared before the Prytanes to give the usual report on all that had occurred during the performance of the ceremonies there. The Prytanes said that they would bring him before the Council, and told him to give Cephisius and myself notice to attend at the Eleusinium, as it was there that the Council was to sit in conformity with a law of Solon’s, which lays down that a sitting shall be held in the Eleusinium on the day after the Mysteries. We duly attended;

> Greek: 111. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤλθομεν Ἐλευσινόθεν καὶ ἡ ἔνδειξις ἐγεγένητο, προσῄει ⟨τοῖς πρυτάνεσιν⟩ ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τῶν γεγενημένων Ἐλευσῖνι κατὰ τὴν τελετήν, ὥσπερ ἔθος ἐστίν· οἱ δὲ πρυτάνεις προσάξειν ἔφασαν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν βουλήν, ἐπαγγεῖλαί τʼ ἐκέλευον ἐμοί τε καὶ Κηφισίῳ παρεῖναι εἰς τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον· ἡ γὰρ βουλὴ ἐκεῖ καθεδεῖσθαι ἔμελλε κατὰ τὸν Σόλωνος νόμον, ὃς κελεύει τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ τῶν μυστηρίων ἕδραν ποιεῖν ἐν τῷ Ἐλευσινίῳ. καὶ παρῆμεν κατὰ τὰ προειρημένα.

[¶11] 112. and when the Council had assembled, Callias, son of Hipponicus, who was wearing his ceremonial robes, rose and announced that a suppliant’s bough had been placed on the altar. He displayed this bough to the Council. Thereupon the herald called for the person responsible. There was no reply, although I was standing close by and in full view of Cephisius. When no one replied, and Eucles here, who had come out to inquire, had disappeared inside once more—but call him. Now, Eucles, testify whether these facts are correct to start with.

> Greek: 112. καὶ ἡ βουλὴ ἐπειδὴ ἦν πλήρης, ἀναστὰς Καλλίας ὁ Ἱππονίκου τὴν σκευὴν ἔχων λέγει ὅτι ἱκετηρία κεῖται ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς. κᾆθʼ ὁ κῆρυξ ἐκήρυττε τίς τὴν ἱκετηρίαν καταθείη, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὑπήκουεν. ἡμεῖς δὲ παρέσταμεν, καὶ οὗτος ἡμᾶς ἑώρα. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐδεὶς ὑπήκουεν καὶ ᾤχετο εἰσιὼν ⟨ὁ⟩ ἐπεξελθὼν Εὐκλῆς οὑτοσί, — καί μοι κάλει αὐτόν. πρῶτα μὲν οὖν ταῦτα εἰ ἀληθῆ λέγω, μαρτύρησον, Εὔκλεις.

[¶12] 113. Evidence The truth of my account has been attested and it seems to me to contradict the prosecution’s story flatly. The prosecution, you may remember, alleged that the Two Goddesses themselves infatuated me and made me place the bough on the altar in ignorance of the law, in order that I might be punished. But I maintain, gentlemen, that even if every word of the prosecution’s story is true, it was the Goddesses themselves who saved my life.

> Greek: 113. ⟨Μαρτυρία⟩ ὡς μὲν ἀληθῆ λέγω, μεμαρτύρηται· πολὺ δέ μοι δοκεῖ τὸ ἐναντίον εἶναι ἢ οἱ κατήγοροι εἶπον. ἔλεξαν γάρ, εἰ μέμνησθε, ὅτι αὐτώ με τὼ θεὼ παραγάγοιεν ὥστε θεῖναι τὴν ἱκετηρίαν μὴ εἰδότα τὸν νόμον, ἵνα δῶ δίκην. ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες, εἰ ὡς μάλιστα ἀληθῆ λέγουσιν οἱ κατήγοροι, ὑπʼ αὐτοῖν με φημὶ τοῖν θεοῖν σεσῷσθαι.

[¶13] 114. Suppose that I laid the bough there, and then failed to answer the Herald. Was it not I myself who was bringing about my doom by putting the bough on the altar? And was it not a piece of good fortune, my silence, that saved me, a piece of good fortune for which I clearly had the Two Goddesses to thank? Had the Goddesses desired my death, I ought surely to have confessed that I had laid the bough there, even though I had not done so. As it was, I did not answer, nor had I placed the bough on the altar.

> Greek: 114. εἰ γὰρ ἔθηκα μὲν τὴν ἱκετηρίαν, ὑπήκουσα δὲ μή, ἄλλο τι ἢ αὐτὸς μὲν αὑτὸν ἀπώλλυον τιθεὶς τὴν ἱκετηρίαν, ἐσῳζόμην δὲ τῇ τύχῃ διὰ τὸ μὴ ὑπακοῦσαι, δῆλον ὅτι διὰ τὼ θεώ; εἰ γὰρ ἐβουλέσθην με ἀπολλύναι τὼ θεώ, ἐχρῆν δήπου καὶ μὴ θέντα με τὴν ἱκετηρίαν ὁμολογῆσαι. ἀλλʼ οὔτε ὑπήκουσα οὔτʼ ἔθηκα.

[¶14] 115. When Eucles informed the Council that there had been no response, Callias rose once more and said that under an ancient law, as officially interpreted on a former occasion by his father, Hipponicus, the penalty for placing a bough in the Eleusinium during the Mysteries was instant death. He added that he had heard that it was I who had put it there. Thereupon Cephalus here leapt to his feet and cried:

> Greek: 115. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἔλεγε τῇ βουλῇ Εὐκλῆς ὅτι οὐδεὶς ὑπακούοι, πάλιν ὁ Καλλίας ⟨ἀνα⟩στὰς ἔλεγεν ὅτι εἴη νόμος πάτριος, εἴ τις ἱκετηρίαν θείη ἐν τῷ Ἐλευσινίῳ, ἄκριτον ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ ὁ πατήρ ποτʼ αὐτοῦ Ἱππόνικος ἐξηγήσαιτο ταῦτα Ἀθηναίοις, ἀκούσειε δὲ ὅτι ἐγὼ θείην τὴν ἱκετηρίαν. ἐντεῦθεν ἀναπηδᾷ Κέφαλος οὑτοσὶ καὶ λέγει·

[¶15] 116. “Callias, you impious scoundrel, first you are giving interpretations, when you have no right to do such a thing as a member of the Ceryces. Then you talk of an ‘ancient law,’ when the stone at your side lays down that the penalty for placing a bough in the Eleusinium shall be a fine of a thousand drachmae. And lastly, who told you that Andocides had put the bough there? Summon him before the Council, so that we too may hear what he has to say.” The stone was read, and Callias could not say who his informant was. It was thus clear to the Council that he had put the bough there himself.

> Greek: 116. ὦ Καλλία, πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀνοσιώτατε, πρῶτον μὲν ἐξηγῇ Κηρύκων ὤν, οὐχ ὅσιον ⟨ὄν⟩ σοι ἐξηγεῖσθαι· ἔπειτα δὲ νόμον πάτριον λέγεις, ἡ δὲ στήλη παρʼ ᾗ ἕστηκας χιλίας δραχμὰς κελεύει ὀφείλειν, ἐάν τις ἱκετηρίαν θῇ ἐν τῷ Ἐλευσινίῳ. ἔπειτα δὲ τίνος ἤκουσας ὅτι Ἀνδοκίδης θείη τὴν ἱκετηρίαν; κάλεσον αὐτὸν τῇ βουλῇ, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀκούσωμεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀνεγνώσθη ἡ στήλη κἀκεῖνος οὐκ εἶχεν εἰπεῖν ὅτου ἤκουσε, καταφανὴς ἦν τῇ βουλῇ αὐτὸς θεὶς τὴν ἱκετηρίαν.

[¶16] 117. And now, gentlemen, you would perhaps like to know what motive Callias had in putting the bough on the altar. I will explain why he tried to trap me. Epilycus, son of Teisander, was my uncle, my mother’s brother. He died in Sicily without male issue, but left two daughters who ought now to have passed to Leagrus and myself.

> Greek: 117. φέρε δὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες — τάχα γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸ βούλοισθε πυθέσθαι —, ὁ δὲ Καλλίας τί βουλόμενος ἐτίθη τὴν ἱκετηρίαν; ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῖν διηγήσομαι ὧν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἕνεκα ἐπεβουλεύθην. Ἐπίλυκος ἦν ὁ Τεισάνδρου θεῖός μοι, ἀδελφὸς τῆς μητρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς· ἀπέθανε δὲ ἐν Σικελίᾳ ἄπαις ἀρρένων παίδων, θυγατέρας δὲ δύο καταλιπών, αἳ ἐγίγνοντο εἴς τε ἐμὲ καὶ Λέαγρον.

[¶17] 118. His private affairs were in confusion. The tangible property which he left did not amount to two talents, while his debts came to more than five. However, I arranged a meeting with Leagrus before our friends and told him that this was the time for decent men to show their respect for family ties.

> Greek: 118. τὰ δὲ πράγματα τὰ οἴκοι πονηρῶς εἶχε· τὴν μὲν γὰρ φανερὰν οὐσίαν οὐδὲ δυοῖν ταλάντοιν κατέλιπε, τὰ δὲ ὀφειλόμενα πλέον ἦν ἢ πέντε τάλαντα. ὅμως δʼ ἐγὼ καλέσας Λέαγρον ἐναντίον τῶν φίλων ἔλεγον ὅτι ταῦτʼ εἴη ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις δεικνύναι τὰς οἰκειότητας ἀλλήλοις.

[¶18] 119. “We have no right to prefer a wealthy or successful alliance and look down upon the daughters of Epilycus,” I argued: “for if Epilycus were alive, or had died a rich man, we should be claiming the girls as their next of kin. We should have married them then either because of Epilycus himself or because of his money; we will do the same now because we are men of honour. Do you obtain an order of the court for the one, and I will do the same for the other.”

> Greek: 119. ἡμᾶς γὰρ οὐ δίκαιόν ἐστιν οὔτε χρήματα ἕτερα οὔτʼ εὐτυχίαν ἀνδρὸς ἑλέσθαι, ὥστε καταφρονῆσαι τῶν Ἐπιλύκου θυγατέρων. καὶ γὰρ εἰ ἔζη Ἐπίλυκος ἢ τεθνεὼς πολλὰ κατέλιπε χρήματα, ἠξιοῦμεν ἂν γένει ὄντες ἐγγυτάτω ἔχειν τὰς παῖδας. τοιγάρτοι ἐκεῖνα μὲν διʼ Ἐπίλυκον ἂν ἦν ἢ διὰ τὰ χρήματα· νῦν δὲ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀρετὴν τάδε ἔσται. τῆς μὲν οὖν σὺ ἐπιδικάζου, τῆς δὲ ἐγώ.

[¶19] 120. He assented, gentlemen; so in accordance with our agreement we both applied for an order of the court. The girl claimed by me happened to fall ill, and died; the other is still alive. Now Callias tried to bribe Leagrus into letting him have this second daughter. Directly I heard of it, I deposited a fee, and began by obtaining leave to proceed against Leagrus, to this effect: “If you will claim the girl for yourself, take her and good luck to you. If not, I will claim her myself.”

> Greek: 120. ὡμολόγησέ μοι, ὦ ἄνδρες. ἐπεδικασάμεθα ἄμφω κατὰ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμολογίαν. καὶ ἧς μὲν ἐγὼ ἐπεδικασάμην, ἡ παῖς τύχῃ χρησαμένη καμοῦσα ἀπέθανεν· ἡ δʼ ἑτέρα ἔστιν ἔτι. ταύτην Καλλίας ἔπειθε Λέαγρον, χρήματα ὑπισχνούμενος, ἐᾶν αὑτὸν λαβεῖν· αἰσθόμενος δʼ ἐγὼ εὐθὺς ἔθηκα παράστασιν, καὶ ἔλαχον προτέρῳ μὲν Λεάγρῳ, ὅτι εἰ μὲν σὺ βούλῃ ἐπιδικάζεσθαι, ἔχε τύχῃ ἀγαθῇ, εἰ δὲ μή, ἐγὼ ἐπιδικάσομαι.

[¶20] 121. As soon as Callias learned of this, he entered a claim for the girl in his son’s name, on the tenth of the month, to prevent me from obtaining an order. Soon after the twentieth, during the Mysteries which are just over, he gives Cephisius a thousand drachmae, gets an information lodged against me, and involves me in today’s trial. Then, when he saw that I was standing my ground, he put the bough on the altar, intending to have me either put to death without a trial or banished, and then to marry the daughter of Epilycus himself by bribing Leagrus.

> Greek: 121. γνοὺς ταῦτα Καλλίας λαγχάνει τῷ υἱεῖ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ τῆς ἐπικλήρου, τῇ δεκάτῃ ἱσταμένου, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιδικάσωμαι ἐγώ. ταῖς δʼ εἰκάσι, μυστηρίοις τούτοις, δοὺς Κηφισίῳ χιλίας δραχμὰς ἐνδείκνυσί με καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον καθίστησιν. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἑώρα με ὑπομένοντα, τίθησι τὴν ἱκετηρίαν, ὡς ἐμὲ μὲν ἀποκτενῶν ἄκριτον ἢ ἐξελῶν, αὐτὸς δὲ πείσας Λέαγρον χρήμασι συνοικήσων τῇ Ἐπιλύκου θυγατρί.

[¶21] 122. However, he saw that even thus he would not get his way without coming into court; so he approached Lysistratus, Hegemon, and Epichares, whom he saw to be intimate friends of mine. He had insolence enough, he had contempt enough for the law to inform them that if I was prepared even now to relinquish my claims to the daughter of Epilycus, he was ready to stop persecuting me, to call off Cephisius, and to make amends for his behaviour with our friends as arbitrators.

> Greek: 122. ἐπειδὴ δʼ οὐδʼ ὣς ἄνευ ἀγῶνος ἑώρα ἐσόμενα τὰ πράγματα, τότε δὴ προσιὼν Λυσίστρατον, Ἡγημόνα, Ἐπιχάρη, ὁρῶν φίλους ὄντας ἐμοὶ καὶ χρωμένους, εἰς τοῦτο βδελυρίας ἦλθε καὶ παρανομίας ὥστʼ ἔλεγε πρὸς τούτους ὡς εἰ ἔτι καὶ νῦν βουλοίμην ἀποστῆναι τῆς Ἐπιλύκου θυγατρός, ἕτοιμος εἴη παύσασθαί με κακῶς ποιῶν, ἀπαλλάξαι δὲ Κηφίσιον, δίκην δʼ ἐν τοῖς φίλοις δοῦναί μοι τῶν πεποιημένων.

[¶22] 123. I told him to proceed with his case and hire still more help. “But if the people of Athens return a true verdict and I escape you,” I warned him, “you will find that it is your turn, I think, to fight for your life.” And with your permission, gentlemen, I will not disappoint him. Kindly call witnesses to confirm what I have been saying.

> Greek: 123. εἶπον αὐτῷ καὶ κατηγορεῖν καὶ παρασκευάζειν ἄλλους· εἰ δʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὸν ἀποφεύξομαι καὶ γνώσονται Ἀθηναῖοι περὶ ἐμοῦ τὰ δίκαια, ἐγὼ αὐτὸν οἶμαι περὶ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῷ μέρει κινδυνεύσειν. ἅπερ αὐτὸν οὐ ψεύσομαι, ἐὰν ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, δοκῇ. ὡς δʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, κάλει μοι τοὺς μάρτυρας.

[¶23] 124. Witnesses But you must let me tell you how the son to whom Callias tried to have the daughter of Epilycus awarded was born and acknowledged by his father; it is quite worth hearing, gentlemen. Callias married a daughter of Ischomachus; but he had not been living with her a year before he made her mother his mistress. Was ever man so utterly without shame? He was the priest of the Mother and the Daughter; yet he lived with mother and daughter and kept them both in his house together.

> Greek: 124. Μάρτυρες ἀλλὰ γὰρ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τοῦτον, ᾧ λαχεῖν ἠξίωσε τῆς Ἐπιλύκου θυγατρός, σκέψασθε πῶς γέγονε καὶ πῶς ἐποιήσατʼ αὐτόν· ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ ἄξιον ἀκοῦσαι, ὦ ἄνδρες. γαμεῖ μὲν Ἰσχομάχου θυγατέρα· ταύτῃ δὲ συνοικήσας οὐδʼ ἐνιαυτὸν τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς ἔλαβε, καὶ συνῴκει ὁ πάντων σχετλιώτατος ἀνθρώπων τῇ μητρὶ καὶ τῇ θυγατρί, ἱερεὺς ὢν τῆς μητρὸς καὶ τῆς θυγατρός, καὶ εἶχεν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἀμφοτέρας.

[¶24] 125. The thought of the Two Goddesses may not have awoken any shame or fear in Callias; but the daughter of Ischomachus thought death better than an existence where such things went on before her very eyes. She tried to hang herself: but was stopped in the act. Then, when she recovered, she ran away from home; the mother drove out the daughter. Finally Callias grew tired of the mother as well, and drove her out in her turn. She then said she was pregnant by him; but when she gave birth to a son, Callias denied that the child was his.

> Greek: 125. καὶ οὗτος μὲν οὐκ ᾐσχύνθη οὐδʼ ἔδεισε τὼ θεώ· ἡ δὲ τοῦ Ἰσχομάχου θυγάτηρ τεθνάναι νομίσασα λυσιτελεῖν ἢ ζῆν ὁρῶσα τὰ γιγνόμενα, ἀπαγχομένη μεταξὺ κατεκωλύθη, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀνεβίω, ἀποδρᾶσα ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας ᾤχετο, καὶ ἐξήλασεν ἡ μήτηρ τὴν θυγατέρα. ταύτης δʼ αὖ διαπεπλησμένος ἐξέβαλε καὶ ταύτην. ἡ δʼ ἔφη κυεῖν ἐξ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἔτεκεν υἱόν, ἔξαρνος ἦν μὴ εἶναι ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ παιδίον.

[¶25] 126. At that, the woman’s relatives came to the altar at the Apaturia with the child and a victim for sacrifice, and told Callias to begin the rites. He asked whose child it was. “The child of Callias, son of Hipponicus,” they replied. “But I am he.” “Yes, and the child is yours.” Callias took hold of the altar and swore that the only son he had or had ever had was Hipponicus, and the mother was Glaucon’s daughter. If that was not the truth, he prayed that he and his house might perish from the earth—as they surely will.

> Greek: 126. λαβόντες δὲ οἱ προσήκοντες τῇ γυναικὶ τὸ παιδίον ἧκον ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν Ἀπατουρίοις, ἔχοντες ἱερεῖον, καὶ ἐκέλευον κατάρξασθαι τὸν Καλλίαν. ὁ δʼ ἠρώτα τίνος εἴη τὸ παιδίον· ἔλεγον Καλλίου τοῦ Ἱππονίκου. ἐγώ εἰμι οὗτος. καὶ ἔστι γε σὸν τὸ παιδίον. λαβόμενος τοῦ βωμοῦ ὤμοσεν ἦ μὴν μὴ εἶναί ⟨οἱ⟩ υἱὸν ἄλλον μηδὲ γενέσθαι πώποτε, εἰ μὴ Ἱππόνικον ἐκ τῆς Γλαύκωνος θυγατρός· ἢ ἐξώλη εἶναι καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν, ὥσπερ ἔσται.

[¶26] 127. Now some time afterwards, gentlemen, he fell in love with the abandoned old hag once more and welcomed her back into his house, while he presented the boy, a grown lad by this time, to the Ceryces, asserting that he was his own son. Calliades opposed his admission; but the Ceryces voted in favour of the law which they have, whereby a father can introduce his son, if he swears that it is his own son whom he is introducing. So Callias took hold of the altar and swore that the boy was his legitimate son by Chrysilla. Yet he had disowned that same son. Call witnesses to confirm all this, please.

> Greek: 127. μετὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὑστέρῳ πάλιν χρόνῳ τῆς γραὸς τολμηροτάτης γυναικὸς ἀνηράσθη, καὶ κομίζεται αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ τὸν παῖδα ἤδη μέγαν ὄντα εἰσάγει εἰς Κήρυκας, φάσκων εἶναι υἱὸν αὑτοῦ. ἀντεῖπε μὲν Καλλιάδης μὴ εἰσδέξασθαι, ἐψηφίσαντο δὲ οἱ Κήρυκες κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὅς ἐστιν αὐτοῖς, τὸν πατέρα ὀμόσαντα εἰσάγειν ἦ μὴν υἱὸν ὄντα ἑαυτοῦ εἰσάγειν. λαβόμενος τοῦ βωμοῦ ὤμοσεν ἦ μὴν τὸν παῖδα ἑαυτοῦ εἶναι γνήσιον, ἐκ Χρυσίλλης γεγονότα· ὃν ἀπώμοσε. καὶ μοι τούτων ἁπάντων τοὺς μάρτυρας κάλει.

[¶27] 128. Witnesses Let us just see, gentlemen, whether anything of this kind has ever happened in Greece before. A man marries a wife, and then marries the mother as well as the daughter. The mother turns the daughter out. Then, while living with the mother, he wants to marry the daughter of Epilycus, so that the granddaughter can turn the grandmother out. Why, what ought his child to be called?

> Greek: 128. ⟨Μάρτυρες⟩ φέρε δὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες, σκεψώμεθα εἰ πώποτε ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον ἐγένετο, ὅπου γυναῖκά τις γήμας ἐπέγημε τῇ θυγατρὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ ἐξήλασεν ἡ μήτηρ τὴν θυγατέρα· ταύτῃ δὲ συνοικῶν βούλεται τὴν Ἐπιλύκου θυγατέρα λαβεῖν, ἵνʼ ἐξελάσῃ τὴν τήθην ἡ θυγατριδῆ. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τῷ παιδὶ αὐτοῦ τί χρὴ τοὔνομα θέσθαι;

[¶28] 129. Personally, I do not believe that there is anyone ingenious enough to find the right name for him. There are three women with whom his father will have lived: and he is the alleged son of one of them, the brother of another, and the uncle of the third. What ought a son like that to be called? Oedipus, Aegisthus, or what?

> Greek: 129. οἶμαι γὰρ ἔγωγε οὐδένα οὕτως ἀγαθὸν εἶναι λογίζεσθαι, ὅστις ἐξευρήσει τοὔνομα αὐτοῦ. τριῶν γὰρ οὐσῶν γυναικῶν αἷς συνῳκηκὼς ἔσται ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, τῆς μὲν υἱός ἐστιν, ὥς φησι, τῆς δὲ ἀδελφός, τῆς δὲ θεῖος. τίς ἂν εἴη οὗτος; Οἰδίπους, ἢ Αἴγισθος; ἢ τί χρὴ αὐτὸν ὀνομάσαι;

[¶29] 130. As a matter of fact, I want to remind you briefly, gentlemen, of a certain incident connected with Callias. As you may remember, when Athens was mistress of Greece and at the height of her prosperity, and Hipponicus was the richest man in Greece, a rumour with which you are all familiar was on the lips of little children and silly women throughout the city: “Hipponicus,” they said, “has an evil spirit in his house, and it upsets his books.” You remember it, gentlemen.

> Greek: 130. ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, βραχύ τι ὑμᾶς ἀναμνῆσαι περὶ Καλλίου βούλομαι. εἰ γὰρ μέμνησθε, ὅτε ἡ πόλις ἦρχε τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ ηὐδαιμόνει μάλιστα, Ἱππόνικος δὲ ἦν πλουσιώτατος τῶν Ἑλλήνων, τότε μέντοι πάντες ἴστε ὅτι παρὰ τοῖς παιδαρίοις τοῖς μικροτάτοις καὶ τοῖς γυναίοις κληδὼν ἐν ἁπάσῃ τῇ πόλει κατεῖχεν, ὅτι Ἱππόνικος ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἀλιτήριον τρέφει, ὃς αὐτοῦ τὴν τράπεζαν ἀνατρέπει. μέμνησθε ταῦτα, ὦ ἄνδρες.

[¶30] 131. Now in what sense do you think that the saying current in those days proved true? Why, Hipponicus imagined that he had a son in his house; but that son was really an evil spirit, which has upset his wealth, his morals, and his whole life. So it is as Hipponicus’ evil spirit that you must think of Callias.

> Greek: 131. πῶς οὖν ἡ φήμη ἡ τότε οὖσα δοκεῖ ὑμῖν ἀποβῆναι; οἰόμενος γὰρ Ἱππόνικος υἱὸν τρέφειν ἀλιτήριον αὑτῷ ἔτρεφεν, ὃς ἀνατέτροφεν ἐκείνου τὸν πλοῦτον, τὴν σωφροσύνην, τὸν ἄλλον βίον ἅπαντα. οὕτως οὖν χρὴ περὶ τούτου γιγνώσκειν, ὡς ὄντος Ἱππονίκου ἀλιτηρίου.

[¶31] 132. Now take my other accusers, Callias’ partners, who have helped to institute this trial and have financed the prosecution. Why, I ask, did it never strike them that I was committing sacrilege during the three years which I have spent in Athens since my return from Cyprus? I initiated A— from Delphi and other friends of mine besides from outside Attica, and I frequented the Eleusinium and offered sacrifices, as I consider I have a perfect right to do. Yet so far from prosecuting, they actually proposed me for public services, first as Gymnasiarch at the Hephaestia, then as head of the state deputation to the Isthmus and to Olympia, and finallyas Treasurer of the Sacred Monies on the Acropolis. Today, on the other hand, I commit a sacrilege and a crime by entering a temple.

> Greek: 132. ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, διὰ τί ποτε τοῖς ἐμοὶ νυνὶ ἐπιτιθεμένοις μετὰ Καλλίου καὶ συμπαρασκευάσασι τὸν ἀγῶνα καὶ χρήματα εἰσενεγκοῦσιν ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ τρία μὲν ἔτη ἐπιδημῶν καὶ ἥκων ἐκ Κύπρου οὐκ ἀσεβεῖν ἐδόκουν αὐτοῖς, μυῶν μὲν Ἀ... Δελφόν, ἔτι δὲ ἄλλους ξένους ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ εἰσιὼν εἰς τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον καὶ θύων, ὥσπερ ἐμαυτὸν ἄξιον νομίζω εἶναι· ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον λῃτουργεῖν οὗτοι προὐβάλλοντο, πρῶτον μὲν γυμνασίαρχον Ἡφαιστίοις, ἔπειτα ἀρχεθέωρον εἰς Ἰσθμὸν καὶ Ὀλυμπίαζε, εἶτα δὲ ταμίαν ἐν πόλει τῶν ἱερῶν χρημάτων. νῦν δὲ ἀσεβῶ καὶ ἀδικῶ εἰσιὼν εἰς τὰ ἱερά.

[¶32] 133. I will tell you the reason for this change of front. Last year and the year before our honest Agyrrhius here was chief contractor for the two per cent customs duties. He farmed them for thirty talents, and the friends he meets under the poplar all took shares with him. You know what they are like; it is my belief that they meet there for a double purpose: to be paid for not raising the bidding, and to take shares in taxes which have been knocked down cheap.

> Greek: 133. ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐρῶ διότι οὗτοι ταῦτα νῦν γιγνώσκουσιν. Ἀγύρριος γὰρ οὑτοσί, ὁ καλὸς κἀγαθός, ἀρχώνης ἐγένετο τῆς πεντηκοστῆς τρίτον ἔτος, καὶ ἐπρίατο τριάκοντα ταλάντων, μετέσχον δʼ αὐτῷ οὗτοι πάντες οἱ παρασυλλεγέντες ὑπὸ τὴν λεύκην, οὓς ὑμεῖς ἴστε οἷοί εἰσιν· οἳ διὰ τοῦτο ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσι συλλεγῆναι ἐκεῖσε, ἵνʼ αὐτοῖς ἀμφότερα ᾖ, καὶ μὴ ὑπερβάλλουσι λαβεῖν ἀργύριον καὶ ὀλίγου πραθείσης μετασχεῖν.

[¶33] 134. After making a profit of six talents, they saw what a gold-mine the business was; so they combined, gave rival bidders a percentage, and again offered thirty talents. There was no competition; so I went before the Council and outbid them, until I purchased the rights for thirty-six talents. I had ousted them. I then furnished you with sureties, collected the tax, and settled with the state. I did not lose by it, as my partners and I actually made a small profit. At the same time I stopped Agyrrhius and his friends from sharing six talents which belonged to you.

> Greek: 134. κερδήναντες δὲ ἓξ τάλαντα, γνόντες τὸ πρᾶγμα οἷον εἴη, [ὡς πολλοῦ ἄξιον,] συνέστησαν πάντες, καὶ μεταδόντες τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐωνοῦντο πάλιν τριάκοντα ταλάντων. ἐπεὶ δʼ οὐκ ἀντεωνεῖτο οὐδείς, παρελθὼν ἐγὼ εἰς τὴν βουλὴν ὑπερέβαλλον, ἕως ἐπριάμην ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα ταλάντων. ἀπελάσας δὲ τούτους καὶ καταστήσας ὑμῖν ἐγγυητὰς ἐξέλεξα τὰ χρήματα καὶ κατέβαλον τῇ πόλει καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐζημιώθην, ἀλλὰ καὶ βραχέα ἀπεκερδαίνομεν οἱ μετασχόντες· τούτους δʼ ἐποίησα τῶν ὑμετέρων μὴ διανείμασθαι ἓξ τάλαντα ἀργυρίου.

[¶34] 135. They saw this themselves, and discussed the situation. “This fellow will not take any of the public money himself,” they argued, “and he will not let us take any either. He will be on the watch and stop our sharing what belongs to the state; and furthermore, if he catches any of us acting dishonestly, he will bring him into the public courts and ruin him. He must be got rid of at all costs.”

> Greek: 135. ἃ οὗτοι γνόντες ἔδοσαν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς λόγον, ὅτι ἅνθρωπος οὑτοσὶ οὔτε αὐτὸς λήψεται τῶν κοινῶν χρημάτων οὔθʼ ἡμᾶς ἐάσει, φυλάξει δὲ καὶ ἐμποδὼν ἔσται διανείμασθαι τὰ κοινά· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ὃν ἂν ἡμῶν ἀδικοῦντα λάβῃ, εἰσάξει εἰς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ Ἀθηναίων καὶ ἀπολεῖ. δεῖ οὖν τοῦτον ἐκποδὼν ἡμῖν εἶναι καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀδίκως.

[¶35] 136. The prosecution were bound to behave thus, gentlemen; but you must do the opposite: for I should be happy to see you with as many men as possible like myself and to see my accusers stamped out of existence, or at least confronted by those who will not countenance their activities. Such men should show themselves staunch and impartial champions of your interests, and they will be able to serve you well, if they are willing to do so. I for one promise you either to put a stop to the practices of the prosecution and render them better citizens, or to bring such of them as are guilty of criminal behaviour into court and have them punished.

> Greek: 136. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τούτοις ποιητέα ἦν, ὑμῖν δέ γε ⟨τὸ⟩ ἐναντίον τούτων· ὡς γὰρ πλείστους εἶναι ὑμῖν ἤθελον ἂν τοιούσδε οἷόσπερ ἐγώ, τούτους δὲ μάλιστα ⟨μὲν⟩ ἀπολωλέναι, εἰ δὲ μή, εἶναι τοὺς μὴ ἐπιτρέψοντας αὐτοῖς, οἷς καὶ προσήκει ἀνδράσιν εἶναι καὶ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ δικαίοις περὶ τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ὑμέτερον, καὶ βουλόμενοι δυνήσονται εὖ ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς. ἐγὼ οὖν ὑμῖν ὑπισχνοῦμαι ἢ παύσειν τούτους ταῦτα ποιοῦντας καὶ βελτίους παρέξειν, ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς εἰσαγαγὼν κολάσειν τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας αὐτῶν.

[¶36] 137. The prosecution have also found grounds for attacking me in the fact that I am a merchant who owns ships. We are asked to believe that the only object of the gods in saving me from the dangers of the sea was, apparently, to let Cephisius put an end to me when I reached Athens. No, gentlemen. I for one cannot believe that if the gods considered me guilty of an offence against them, they would have been disposed to spare me when they had me in a situation of the utmost peril—for when is man in greater peril than on a winter sea-passage? Are we to suppose that the gods had my person at their mercy on just such a voyage, that they had my life and my goods in their power, and that in spite of it they kept me safe?

> Greek: 137. κατηγόρησαν δέ μου καὶ περὶ τῶν ναυκληριῶν καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐμπορίας, ὡς ἄρα οἱ θεοὶ διὰ τοῦτό με ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων σῴσαιεν, ἵνα ἐλθὼν δεῦρο, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὑπὸ Κηφισίου ἀπολοίμην. ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, οὐκ ἀξιῶ τοὺς θεοὺς τοιαύτην γνώμην ἔχειν, ὥστʼ εἰ ἐνόμιζον ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ ἀδικεῖσθαι, λαμβάνοντάς με ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις μεγίστοις κινδύνοις μὴ τιμωρεῖσθαι. τίς γὰρ κίνδυνος μείζων ἀνθρώποις ἢ χειμῶνος ὥρᾳ πλεῖν τὴν θάλατταν; ἐν οἷς ἔχοντες μὲν τὸ σῶμα τοὐμόν, κρατοῦντες δὲ τοῦ βίου καὶ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς ἐμῆς, εἶτα ἔσῳζον;

[¶37] 138. Why, could they not have caused even my corpse to be denied due burial? Furthermore, it was war-time; the sea was infested with triremes and pirates, who took many a traveller prisoner, and after robbing him of his all, sent him to end his days in slavery. And there were foreign shores on which many a traveller had been wrecked, to be put to death after meeting with shameful indignities and maltreatment.

> Greek: 138. οὐκ ἐξῆν αὐτοῖς ποιῆσαι μηδὲ ταφῆς τὸ σῶμα ἀξιωθῆναι; ἔτι δὲ πολέμου γενομένου καὶ τριήρων ἀεὶ κατὰ θάλατταν οὐσῶν καὶ λῃστῶν, ὑφʼ ὧν πολλοὶ ληφθέντες, ἀπολέσαντες τὰ ὄντα, δουλεύοντες τὸν βίον διετέλεσαν, οὔσης δὲ χώρας βαρβάρου, εἰς ἣν πολλοὶ ἤδη ἐκπεσόντες αἰκείαις ταῖς μεγίσταις περιέπεσον καὶ τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν σώματα αἰκισθέντες ἀπέθανον, — εἶτα οἱ μὲν θεοὶ ἐκ τοσούτων κινδύνων ἔσῳζόν με, σφῶν δὲ αὐτῶν προὐστήσαντο τιμωρὸν γενέσθαι Κηφίσιον τὸν πονηρότατον Ἀθηναίων, ὧν οὗτός φησι πολίτης εἶναι οὐκ ὤν, ᾧ οὐδʼ ὑμῶν τῶν καθημένων οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐπιτρέψειεν οὐδὲν τῶν ἰδίων, εἰδὼς τοῦτον οἷός ἐστιν;

[¶38] 139. Is it conceivable that the gods saved me from perils of that nature, only to let themselves be championed by Cephisius, the biggest scoundrel in Athens, whose citizen he claims to be when he is nothing of the kind, and whom every one of you sitting in this court knows too well to trust with any thing belonging to him? No, gentlemen; to my mind the dangers of a trial like the present are to be regarded as the work of man, and the dangers of the sea as the work of God. So if we must perforce speculate about the gods, I for one am sure that they would be moved to the deepest wrath and indignation to see those whom they had themselves preserved brought to destruction by mortal men.

> Greek: 139. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἡγοῦμαι χρῆναι νομίζειν τοὺς τοιούτους κινδύνους ἀνθρωπίνους, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ θάλατταν θείους. εἴπερ οὖν δεῖ τὰ τῶν θεῶν ὑπονοεῖν, πάνυ ἂν αὐτοὺς οἶμαι ἐγὼ ὀργίζεσθαι καὶ ἀγανακτεῖν, εἰ τοὺς ὑφʼ ἑαυτῶν σῳζομένους ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀπολλυμένους ὁρῷεν.

[¶39] 140. There is yet another thing worth your consideration, gentlemen. At the moment the whole of Greece thinks that you have shown the greatest generosity and wisdom in devoting yourselves, not to revenge, but to the preservation of your city and the reuniting of its citizens. Many before now have suffered no less than we; but it is very rightly recognized that the peaceable settlement of differences requires generosity and self-control. Now it is acknowledged on all sides, by friend and foe alike, that you possess those gifts. So do not change your ways: do not hasten to rob Athens of the glory which she has gained thereby, or allow it to be supposed that you authorized your decree more by chance than by intention.

> Greek: 140. καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ τάδε ὑμῖν ἄξιον, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἐνθυμηθῆναι, ὅτι νυνὶ πᾶσι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἄνδρες ἄριστοι καὶ εὐβουλότατοι δοκεῖτε γεγενῆσθαι, οὐκ ἐπὶ τιμωρίαν τραπόμενοι τῶν γεγενημένων, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν τῆς πόλεως καὶ ὁμόνοιαν τῶν πολιτῶν. συμφοραὶ μὲν γὰρ ἤδη καὶ ἄλλοις πολλοῖς ἐγένοντο οὐκ ἐλάττους ἢ καὶ ἡμῖν· τὸ δὲ τὰς γενομένας διαφορὰς πρὸς ἀλλήλους θέσθαι καλῶς, τοῦτʼ εἰκότως ἤδη δοκεῖ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ σωφρόνων ἔργον εἶναι. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν παρὰ πάντων ὁμολογουμένως ταῦθʼ ὑμῖν ὑπάρχει, καὶ εἴ τις φίλος ὢν τυγχάνει καὶ εἴ τις ἐχθρός, μὴ μεταγνῶτε, μηδὲ βούλεσθε τὴν πόλιν ἀποστερῆσαι ταύτης τῆς δόξης, μηδὲ αὐτοὶ δοκεῖν τύχῃ ταῦτα μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ ψηφίσασθαι.

[¶40] 141. I beg you one and all, then, to hold towards me the feelings which you hold towards my ancestors, so that I may have the opportunity of imitating them. They rank, remember, among the most tireless and the greatest benefactors of our city; and foremost among the many motives which inspired them came devotion to your welfare and the hope that if they or any of their children were ever in danger or distress, they would find protection in your sympathy. You have good reason, indeed, for remembering them;

> Greek: 141. δέομαι οὖν ἁπάντων ⟨ὑμῶν⟩ περὶ ἐμοῦ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν, ἥνπερ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐμῶν προγόνων, ἵνα κἀμοὶ ἐγγένηται ἐκείνους μιμήσασθαι, ἀναμνησθέντας αὐτῶν ὅτι ὅμοιοι τοῖς πλείστων καὶ μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν αἰτίοις τῇ πόλει γεγένηνται, πολλῶν ἕνεκα σφᾶς αὐτοὺς παρέχοντες τοιούτους, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς εἰς ὑμᾶς εὐνοίας, καὶ ὅπως, εἴ ποτέ τις αὐτοῖς ἢ τῶν ἐξ ἐκείνων τινὶ κίνδυνος γένοιτο ἢ συμφορά, σῴζοιντο συγγνώμης παρʼ ὑμῶν τυγχάνοντες. εἰκότως δʼ ἂν αὐτῶν μεμνῇσθε·

[¶41] 142. for from the heroic deeds of your own forefathers Athens as a whole received inestimable benefit. After the loss of our fleet, when there was a general desire to cripple Athens forever, the Spartans, although our enemies at the time, decided to spare her because of the valiant exploits of those heroes who had led the whole of Greece to freedom.

> Greek: 142. καὶ γὰρ τῇ πόλει ἁπάσῃ αἱ τῶν ὑμετέρων προγόνων ἀρεταὶ πλείστου ἄξιαι ἐγένοντο. ἐπειδὴ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, αἱ νῆες διεφθάρησαν, πολλῶν βουλομένων τὴν πόλιν ἀνηκέστοις συμφοραῖς περιβαλεῖν, Λακεδαιμόνιοι ἔγνωσαν ὅμως τότε ἐχθροὶ ὄντες σῴζειν τὴν πόλιν διὰ τὰς ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀρετάς, οἳ ὑπῆρξαν τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἁπάσῃ τῇ Ἑλλάδι.

[¶42] 143. Now since Athens as a city was spared because of the brave exploits of your forefathers, I likewise claim to be spared because of the brave deeds of mine; for my own forefathers themselves played no small part in those very exploits to which Athens owed her salvation, and I therefore have the right to expect from you the mercy shown to you yourselves by the Greeks.

> Greek: 143. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐσώθη δημοσίᾳ διὰ τὰς τῶν προγόνων τῶν ὑμετέρων ἀρετάς, ἀξιῶ κἀμοὶ διὰ τὰς τῶν προγόνων τῶν ἐμῶν ἀρετὰς σωτηρίαν γενέσθαι. καὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων, διʼ ἅπερ ἡ πόλις ἐσώθη, οὐκ ἐλάχιστον μέρος οἱ ἐμοὶ πρόγονοι συνεβάλοντο· ὧν ἕνεκα καὶ ἐμοὶ δίκαιον ὑμᾶς μεταδοῦναι τῆς σωτηρίας, ἧσπερ καὶ αὐτοὶ παρὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐτύχετε.

[¶43] 144. Think, furthermore, what a citizen you will have in me, if you give me your protection. I was once, as you know, a man of great wealth. Then to begin with, through no fault of my own, but through the disasters which overtook Athens, I was plunged into utter penury and want. I then started life afresh, a life of honest toil, with my brains and my hands to help me. Nay more, I not only know what it is to be the citizen of a city such as this; I know what it is to be an alien sojourning in the lands of neighbouring peoples; I have learnt the meaning of self-control and good sense; I have learnt what it is to suffer for one’s mistakes. I have been on terms of familiarity with many, and I have had dealings with still more. In consequence, I have formed ties and friendships with kings, with states, and with individuals too, in plenty. Acquit me, and you will share in them all, and be able to make use of them whenever occasion may arise.

> Greek: 144. σκέψασθε τοίνυν καὶ τάδε, ἄν με σῴσητε, οἷον ἕξετε πολίτην· ὃς πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ πολλοῦ πλούτου, ὅσον ὑμεῖς ἴστε, οὐ διʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰς τῆς πόλεως συμφορὰς εἰς πενίαν πολλὴν καὶ ἀπορίαν κατέστην, ἔπειτα δὲ καινὸν βίον ἠργασάμην ἐκ τοῦ δικαίου, τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τοῖν χεροῖν τοῖν ἐμαυτοῦ. ἔτι δὲ εἰδότα μὲν οἷόν ἐστι πόλεως τοιαύτης πολίτην εἶναι, εἰδότα δὲ οἷόν ἐστι ξένον εἶναι καὶ μέτοικον ἐν τῇ τῶν πλησίον, ἐπιστάμενον δὲ οἷον τὸ σωφρονεῖν καὶ ὀρθῶς βουλεύεσθαι, ἐπιστάμενον δʼ οἷον τὸ ἁμαρτόντα πρᾶξαι κακῶς, πολλοῖς συγγενόμενος καὶ πλείστων πειραθείς, ἀφʼ ὧν ἐμοὶ ξενίαι καὶ φιλότητες πρὸς πολλοὺς καὶ βασιλέας καὶ πόλεις καὶ ἄλλους ἰδίᾳ ξένους γεγένηνται, ὧν ἐμὲ σῴσαντες μεθέξετε, καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν χρῆσθαι τούτοις, ὅπου ἂν ἐν καιρῷ τι ὑμῖν γίγνηται.

[¶44] 146. The position is in fact this, gentlemen. If you sentence me to death today, you leave not a single member of our family alive; it perishes root and branch. Yet the home of Andocides and Leogoras does not disgrace you by its presence. It was far more truly a disgrace during my exile, when Cleophon the lyre-maker occupied it. Not one of you, in passing our house, was ever reminded of an injury done him by its owners whether privately or publicly.

> Greek: 146. ἔχει δὲ καὶ ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, οὕτως· ἐάν με νυνὶ διαφθείρητε, οὐκ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἔτι λοιπὸς τοῦ γένους τοῦ ἡμετέρου οὐδείς, ἀλλʼ οἴχεται πᾶν πρόρριζον. καίτοι οὐκ ὄνειδος ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἡ Ἀνδοκίδου καὶ Λεωγόρου οἰκία οὖσα, ἀλλὰ πολὺ μᾶλλον τότʼ ἦν ὄνειδος, ὅτʼ ἐμοῦ φεύγοντος Κλεοφῶν αὐτὴν ὁ λυροποιὸς ᾤκει. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ὅστις πώποτε ὑμῶν παριὼν τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀνεμνήσθη ἢ ἰδίᾳ τι ἢ δημοσίᾳ κακὸν παθὼν ὑπʼ ἐκείνων, οἳ πλείστας μὲν στρατηγήσαντες στρατηγίας πολλὰ τρόπαια τῶν πολεμίων καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν ὑμῖν ἀπέδειξαν, πλείστας δὲ ἄλλας ἀρχὰς ἄρξαντες καὶ χρήματα διαχειρίσαντες τὰ ὑμέτερα οὐδένα πώποτε ὦφλον, οὐδʼ ἡμάρτηται οὐδὲν οὔτε ἡμῖν εἰς ὑμᾶς οὔτε ὑμῖν εἰς ἡμᾶς, οἰκία δὲ πασῶν ἀρχαιοτάτη καὶ κοινοτάτη ἀεὶ τῷ δεομένῳ.

[¶45] 147. They have held countless commands, and have won you many a victory over your foes on land and sea. They have held countless other offices and handled public monies; yet not once have they been found guilty of fraud. We have not wronged you, and you have not wronged us. Our house is the oldest in Athens, and has always been the first to open its doors to those in need. Yet never once has any member of my family appeared on trial before you and asked you to show your gratitude for these services. So although they are dead, at least do not forget what they did. Remember their achievements: imagine that you can see them in the flesh, begging you for my life. For after all, whom can I produce here to plead for me? My father? He is dead. My brothers? I have none. My children? They are still unborn.

> Greek: 147. οὐδʼ ἔστιν ὅπου ἐκείνων τις τῶν ἀνδρῶν καταστὰς εἰς ἀγῶνα ἀπῄτησεν ὑμᾶς χάριν τούτων τῶν ἔργων. μὴ τοίνυν, εἰ αὐτοὶ τεθνᾶσι, καὶ περὶ τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτοῖς ἐπιλάθησθε, ἀλλʼ ἀναμνησθέντες τῶν ἔργων νομίσατε τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ὁρᾶν αἰτουμένων ἐμὲ παρʼ ὑμῶν σῷσαι. τίνα γὰρ καὶ ἀναβιβάσωμαι δεησόμενον ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ; τὸν πατέρα; ἀλλὰ τέθνηκεν. ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀδελφούς; ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰσίν.

[¶46] 149. It is you who must act as my father and my brothers and my children. It is with you that I seek refuge. It is to you that I turn with my entreaties and my prayers. You must plead with yourselves for my life, and save it. When you are ready to extend civic rights to Thessalians and Andrians on the ground that men are scarce, you cannot but refuse to put acknowledged citizens to death, men who should serve you well, and who will have the opportunity of doing so, if they are willing. You cannot but refuse, gentlemen. Again, I ask you to show your appreciation of my services to you. Then, if you listen to me, you will not rob yourselves of such further services as I may be able to render. On the other hand, if you listen to my opponents, even repentance later on will avail you nothing.

> Greek: 149. ἀλλὰ τοὺς παῖδας; ἀλλʼ οὔπω γεγένηνται. ὑμεῖς τοίνυν καὶ ἀντὶ πατρὸς ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀντὶ ἀδελφῶν καὶ ἀντὶ παίδων γένεσθε· εἰς ὑμᾶς καταφεύγω καὶ ἀντιβολῶ καὶ ἱκετεύω· ὑμεῖς με παρʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν αἰτησάμενοι σῴσατε, καὶ μὴ βούλεσθε Θετταλοὺς καὶ Ἀνδρίους πολίτας ποιεῖσθαι διʼ ἀπορίαν ἀνδρῶν, τοὺς δὲ ὄντας πολίτας ὁμολογουμένως, οἷς προσήκει ἀνδράσιν ἀγαθοῖς εἶναι καὶ βουλόμενοι δυνήσονται, τούτους δὲ ἀπόλλυτε. μὴ δῆτα. ἔπειτα καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑμῶν δέομαι, εὖ ποιῶν ὑμᾶς ὑφʼ ὑμῶν τιμᾶσθαι. ὥστʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν πειθόμενοι οὐκ ἀποστερεῖσθε εἴ τι ἐγὼ δυνήσομαι ὑμᾶς εὖ ποιεῖν· ἐὰν δὲ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τοῖς ἐμοῖς πεισθῆτε, οὐδʼ ἂν ὑστέρῳ χρόνῳ ὑμῖν μεταμελήσῃ, οὐδὲν ἔτι πλέον ποιήσετε.

[¶47] 150. So do not deprive yourselves of what you can reasonably expect from me, and do not deprive me of what I can reasonably expect from you. And now I will ask men who have given public proof of their outstanding worth to take my place here and give you their opinion of me. Come, Anytus and Cephalus: come, Thrasyllus and you others of my tribe who have been chosen to support me.

> Greek: 150. μὴ τοίνυν μήθʼ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς τῶν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ ἐλπίδων ἀποστερήσητε μήτʼ ἐμὲ τῶν εἰς ὑμᾶς. ἀξιῶ δʼ ἔγωγε τούτους οἵτινες ὑμῖν ἀρετῆς ἤδη τῆς μεγίστης εἰς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ὑμέτερον ἔλεγχον ἔδοσαν, ἀναβάντας ἐνταυθοῖ συμβουλεύειν ὑμῖν ἃ γιγνώσκουσι περὶ ἐμοῦ. δεῦρο Ἄνυτε, Κέφαλε, ἔτι δὲ καὶ οἱ φυλέται οἱ ᾑρημένοι μοι συνδικεῖν, Θράσυλλος καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι.