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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?”
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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;
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.