135. Moreover, I cannot discover on reflection that Cersobleptes, though both barbarous and faithless, is likely to take any pains not to injure Charidemus so seriously; for when I look backwards and observe the advantages of which Cotys was going to deprive Iphicrates without the slightest consideration for him, I really cannot think that Cersobleptes would trouble himself about the losses that will fall on Charidemus.
135. οὐ τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνο λογιζόμενος δύναμαι κατιδεῖν, ὡς, εἰ καὶ βάρβαρος καὶ ἄπιστος ὁ Κερσοβλέπτης, ὅμως προνοηθείη γʼ ἂν μὴ τὰ τηλικαῦτʼ ἀδικῆσαι Χαρίδημον. ὅταν γὰρ πάλιν ἐξετάσω ἡλίκων Κότυς Ἰφικράτην ἀποστερήσειν μέλλων οὐδὲν ἐφρόντισεν, παντελῶς τούτῳ γʼ οὐδὲν ἂν ἡγοῦμαι μελῆσαι τῶν ἀπολουμένων Χαριδήμῳ.
136. Cotys expected to rob Iphicrates of honors, of maintenance, of statues, of the country that made him a man to be envied, I may almost say of everything that made life worth living; yet he had no scruple. But, really, what is there of which this man should be anxious not to deprive Charidemus? He has no possessions whatsoever in your city,—neither children, nor a statue, nor kindred, nor anything else.
136. ὁ μέν γʼ ἐκεῖνον τιμάς, σίτησιν, εἰκόνας, πατρίδʼ ἣ ζηλωτὸν αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν, ὀλίγου δέω λέγειν πάνθʼ ὧν ἄνευ ζῆν οὐκ ἄξιον ἦν Ἰφικράτει, νομίζων ἀποστερήσειν οὐκ ἐπεστράφη· οὗτος δʼ ὡς ἀληθῶς τίνος ἂν καὶ λόγον σχοίη μὴ [τίνος] Χαρίδημον ἀποστερήσῃ; οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐστι γὰρ παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτῷ, οὐ παῖδες, οὐκ εἰκών, οὐ συγγενεῖς, οὐκ ἄλλʼ οὐδέν.
137. If Cersobleptes is by nature not a man of his word, if he is justly distrusted because of his past behavior, and if there is nothing in the political situation that should induce him, even against his judgement and his character, to promote the welfare of Charidemus, for what reason should we, in sheer absolute stupidity, help him to accomplish his desires, even to our own detriment? I see no reason.
137. καὶ μὴν εἰ μήτε φύσει πιστὸς ὁ Κερσοβλέπτης, ἔκ τε τῶν γεγενημένων πρότερον δικαίως ἄπιστος, μηδέν τε τοιοῦτον ὑπάρχει τοῖς πράγμασιν διʼ ὃ κἂν παρὰ γνώμην καὶ φύσιν προνοηθείη τι τοῦ Χαριδήμου, τίνος εἵνεχʼ ἁπλῶς καὶ κομιδῇ τετυφωμένως οὕτως, ἃ βούλεται διαπράξασθαι, συλλάβωμεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ὄντα; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶ.
138. Apart then from the fact that this decree does not further our policy, you must be warned that, as regards reputation also, it does not further the interest of our city to be known to have enacted anything of the sort. If, men of Athens, the decree had been made for the benefit of a man dwelling in a free state, and living under its laws as a free citizen, it would have been less discreditable, though still unwarranted; but in fact it has been made for Charidemus, a man not domiciled in any free state at all, but commanding an army for a Thracian and an autocrat, and maltreating people by royal authority.
138. ὅτι τοίνυν ἄνευ τοῦ τοῖς πράγμασι μὴ συμφέρειν τὸ ψήφισμα, οὐδὲ πρὸς δόξαν συμφέρει τῇ πόλει τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ἐψηφισμένῃ φαίνεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο δεῖ μαθεῖν ὑμᾶς. εἰ μὲν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πόλιν οἰκοῦντί τῳ καὶ νόμοις πολιτευομένῳ τὸ ψήφισμʼ ἐγέγραπτο, δεινὸν ὂν ἧττον ἂν ἦν αἰσχρόν· νῦν δὲ γέγραπται Χαριδήμῳ τῷ πόλιν μὲν οὐδʼ ἡντινοῦν οἰκοῦντι, Θρᾳκὶ δʼ ἀνθρώπῳ [βασιλεῖ] στρατηγοῦντι καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐκείνου βασιλείας πολλοὺς ἀδικοῦντι.
139. You cannot but know how all these mercenary officers seize upon free Hellenic cities, and try to dominate them. They march about through country after country as the common enemies, if the truth must be told, of every man whose wish is to reside constitutionally and as a free man in his own fatherland. Men of Athens, is it creditable to you, is it dignified, that you should be known to have carried a measure for the protection of a fellow who, to satisfy his greed, is ready to fall foul of anybody who comes his way, and to have given notice of expulsion from your alliance to the defenders of their own independence?
139. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ ὅτι πάντες οἱ ξεναγοῦντες οὗτοι πόλεις καταλαμβάνοντες Ἑλληνίδας ἄρχειν ζητοῦσιν, καὶ πάντων, ὅσοι περ νόμοις οἰκεῖν βούλονται τὴν αὑτῶν ὄντες ἐλεύθεροι, κοινοὶ περιέρχονται κατὰ πᾶσαν χώραν, εἰ δεῖ τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἐχθροί. ἆρʼ οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καλὸν ἢ πρέπον ὑμῖν τοῦ μὲν εἵνεκα τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πλεονεξίας ἐπιβουλεύσοντος οἷς ἂν τύχῃ τοιαύτην φυλακὴν ἐψηφισμένους φαίνεσθαι, τοῖς δʼ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἐλευθερίας ἀμυνουμένοις εἴργεσθαι τῆς ὑμετέρας συμμαχίας προειρηκέναι;
140. For my part, I cannot regard such action as consistent with your honor or your good fame. It must be discreditable, first to denounce the Lacedaemonians for giving written licence to the King of Persia to do what he likes to the Hellenic inhabitants of Asia, and then to put European Hellenes, and everybody whom Charidemus thinks he can overpower, at the mercy of Cersobleptes. And that is precisely the effect of this decree, when no distinction is drawn as to what his general may or may not do, but when all who resist his attacks are menaced with such terrors.
140. ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὑπολαμβάνω τοῦτʼ οὔτε καλῶς ἔχειν οὔθʼ ὑμῶν ἀξίως. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρὸν Λακεδαιμονίοις μὲν ἐγκαλεῖν ὅτι τοὺς τὴν Ἀσίαν οἰκοῦντας Ἕλληνας ἔγραψαν ἐξεῖναι δρᾶσαι πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν θέλῃ βασιλεύς, αὐτοὺς δʼ ἐκδοῦναι καὶ τοὺς τὴν Εὐρώπην οἰκοῦντας Κερσοβλέπτῃ καὶ πάντας ὅσων περ ἂν οἴηται κρείττων Χαρίδημος ἔσεσθαι; οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο τι ποιεῖ τὸ ψήφισμα τουτί, ὅτε τῷ μὲν ἐκείνου στρατηγῷ οὐ διῄρηται τί πρακτέον ἢ μή, πᾶσι δέ, ἄν τις ἀμύνηται, τοσοῦτος ἐπήρτηται φόβος.
141. In the next place, men of Athens, I would like to relate a piece of history, which will make it still more evident to you that it is your bounden duty to abrogate this decree. Once upon a time, on a certain occasion, you gave your citizenship to Ariobarzanes, and also, on his account, to Philiscus,—just as you have recently given it to Charidemus for the sake of Cersobleptes. Philiscus, who resembled Charidemus in his choice of a career, began to use the power of Ariobarzanes by occupying Hellenic cities. He entered them and committed many outrages, mutilating free-born boys, insulting women, and behaving in general as you would expect a man, who had been brought up where there were no laws, and none of the advantages of a free constitution, to behave if he attained to power.
141. καὶ μήν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ γεγονός τι πρᾶγμα φράσαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς βούλομαι, διʼ οὗ μᾶλλον ἔθʼ ὑμῖν γενήσεται δῆλον ὡς σφόδρα δεῖ λῦσαι τὸ ψήφισμα τουτί. ὑμεῖς ἐποιήσασθʼ ἔν τισι καιροῖς καὶ χρόνοις Ἀριοβαρζάνην πολίτην καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνον Φιλίσκον, ὥσπερ νῦν διὰ Κερσοβλέπτην Χαρίδημον. ὢν δʼ ὅμοιος ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ τῇ προαιρέσει τοῦ βίου, διὰ τῆς Ἀριοβαρζάνου δυνάμεως πόλεις κατελάμβανεν Ἑλληνίδας, εἰς ἃς εἰσιὼν πολλὰ καὶ δείνʼ ἐποίει, παῖδας ἐλευθέρους ἀδικῶν καὶ γυναῖκας ὑβρίζων, καὶ πάντα ποιῶν ὅσʼ ἂν ἄνθρωπος ποιήσειεν ἄνευ νόμων καὶ τῶν ἐν πολιτείᾳ καλῶν τεθραμμένος εἰς ἐξουσίαν ἐλθών.
142. Now there were two men in Lampsacus, one named Thersagoras and the other Execestus, who had formed views about tyranny very much like those that prevail here. These men put Philiscus to death, as he deserved, because they felt it their duty to liberate their own fatherland. Now suppose that one of those orators who spoke on behalf of Philiscus, at a time when he was paymaster of the mercenaries at Perinthus, when he held all the Hellespont, and was the most powerful of viceroys, had then, like Aristocrates today, moved a resolution that whosoever killed Philiscus should be liable to seizure in allied territory. I entreat you to reflect upon the depth of ignominy to which our city would have fallen.
142. ἐν δὴ Λαμψάκῳ τινὲς ἄνθρωποι γίγνονται δύο· Θερσαγόρας ὄνομʼ αὐτῶν θατέρῳ, τῷ δʼ Ἐξήκεστος· οἳ παραπλήσια τοῖς παρʼ ἡμῖν γνόντες περὶ τῶν τυράννων ἀποκτιννύασι τὸν Φιλίσκον δικαίως, τὴν αὑτῶν πατρίδʼ οἰόμενοι δεῖν ἐλευθεροῦν. εἰ δὴ τῶν τόθʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλίσκου λεγόντων, ὅτʼ ἐμισθοδότει μὲν τοῖς ἐν Περίνθῳ ξένοις, εἶχεν δʼ ὅλον τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον, μέγιστος δʼ ἦν τῶν ὑπάρχων, ἔγραψέ τις ὥσπερ οὗτος νυνί, ἐάν τις ἀποκτείνῃ Φιλίσκον, ἀγώγιμον αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν συμμάχων εἶναι, πρὸς Διὸς θεάσασθʼ εἰς ὅσην αἰσχύνην ἂν ἡ πόλις ἡμῶν ἐληλύθει.
143. Thersagoras and Execestus came to Lesbos and lived there. Well, if any son or any friend of Philiscus had laid hands on them, they would have been given up to justice in pursuance of your decree; and assuredly you would have been guilty of a shameful and a scandalous act if, while ostentatiously setting up bronze statues of the men who performed a similar feat in your own city, and loading them with unparalleled honors, you had condemned to outlawry those who in some other country had exhibited the selfsame spirit of patriotism. I am glad to say that, in the case of Philiscus, it was not your fate to be ensnared and to incur that great dishonor; but in the present case, if you will heed my warning, you will be very careful; for, if there is no limiting clause and if the phrase “whosoever shall kill Charidemus” is unqualified, it is quite possible that the outcome will be such as I have described.
143. ἧκε μὲν γὰρ ὁ Θερσαγόρας καὶ ὁ Ἐξήκεστος εἰς Λέσβον καὶ ᾤκουν ἐκεῖ· εἰ δʼ ἐφήπτετό τις τῶν Φιλίσκου φίλων ἢ παίδων, ἐξεδίδοντʼ ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὑμετέρου ψηφίσματος. πῶς οὖν οὐκ αἰσχρὸν καὶ δεινὸν ἂν ἦτε πεποιηκότες, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ τοὺς μὲν παρʼ ὑμῖν τοιοῦτό τι πράξαντας χαλκοῦς ἱστάντες καὶ ταῖς μεγίσταις δωρειαῖς τιμῶντες ἐφαίνεσθε, τοὺς δʼ ἑτέρωθί που τὴν αὐτὴν τούτοις διάνοιαν ὑπὲρ τῆς αὑτῶν πατρίδος ἔχοντας ἐκδότους εἶναι κατεψηφισμένοι; τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐπʼ ἐκείνου μέν, εὖ ποιοῦν, οὐ συνέβη φενακισθεῖσιν ὑμῖν αἰσχύνην ὀφλεῖν· ἐπὶ τούτου δέ, ἂν ἐμοὶ πίθησθε, φυλάξεσθε. μὴ γὰρ ὡρισμένου μηδενός, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ Χαρίδημον γεγραμμένου, τάχʼ ἄν, εἰ τύχοι, καὶ τοιοῦτό τι συμβαίη.
144. My next purpose is briefly to examine the past history of Charidemus, and to unmask the extraordinary audacity of his flatterers. I pledge myself simply to this,—and I hope no one will take my pledge in bad part,—that I will satisfy you, not only that he is unworthy of the protection proposed by the defendant, but that he deserves to be most severely punished, if chastisement is justly due to those who wish you ill, and cheat you, and are always trying to thwart you.
144. βούλομαι τοίνυν ἤδη καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένʼ ἐξετάσαι τῷ Χαριδήμῳ διὰ βραχέων, καὶ δεῖξαι τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀναιδείας τῶν ἐπαινούντων αὐτόν. ἓν δʼ ὑμῖν ἐκεῖνʼ ὑπισχνοῦμαι, καί μου μηδεὶς ἀχθεσθῇ τῇ ὑποσχέσει· οὐ μόνον ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξω τῆς φυλακῆς οὐκ ἄξιον ἣν γέγραφʼ οὗτος, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίκην δόντʼ ἂν δικαίως τὴν μεγίστην, εἴπερ οἱ κακόνοι καὶ φενακίζοντες ὑμᾶς καὶ διὰ παντὸς ἐναντία πράττοντες κολάζοιντʼ ἂν δικαίως.
145. I dare say that some of you, reflecting that the fellow has first been made a citizen, and thereafter has been decorated with crowns of gold, are astonished that it has been such an easy task to delude you so completely. Well, you may be quite sure, men of Athens, that you have been deluded; and I will explain why such a result was to be expected. You have plenty of good judgement; but you do not apply it persistently.
145. ἴσως δέ τισιν λογιζομένοις ὑμῶν ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν πολίτης γέγονʼ ἅνθρωπος, εἶτα πάλιν χρυσοῖς στεφάνοις ὡς εὐεργέτης ἐστεφάνωται, θαυμάζειν ἐπελήλυθεν εἰ τὰ τηλικαῦθʼ οὕτως ἐξηπάτησθε ῥᾳδίως. εὖ τοίνυν ἴστʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅτι ἐξηπάτησθε. καὶ διʼ ἅ γʼ εἰκότως τοῦτο πεπόνθατε, ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς φράσω. ὅτι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πολλὰ γιγνώσκοντες ὀρθῶς ὑμεῖς οὐ διὰ τέλους αὐτοῖς χρῆσθε.
146. I mean this, for instance: suppose you were asked which you regard as the most unprincipled breed of citizens you have; you would not name the farmers, or the traders, or the silver-miners, or any class like those, but if any one named the people who make speeches and move resolutions for hire, I am sure that your assent would be unanimous. So far your judgement is excellent; but it is no longer sound in the sequel.
146. οἷον τί λέγω; εἴ τις ὑμᾶς ἔροιτο τί πονηρότατον νομίζετε τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει πάντων ἐθνῶν, οὔτε τοὺς γεωργοὺς οὔτε τοὺς ἐμπόρους οὔτε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἀργυρείων οὔτε τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν ἂν εἴποιτε, ἀλλʼ εἰ τοὺς ἐπὶ μισθῷ λέγειν καὶ γράφειν εἰωθότας εἴποι τις, εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι συμφήσαιτʼ ἂν ἅπαντες. μέχρι μὲν δὴ τούτου καλῶς ἐγνώκατε, ἔπειτʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀρθῶς τὸ λοιπόν.
147. For it is on the very people whom you regard as most unprincipled that you rely for a right opinion of a man’s character and they describe this or that man as virtuous or wicked, not when the description is honest and true, but when it brings money into their own pockets. And that is what the orators have constantly done in respect of Charidemus, as you will agree when I have given you an account of his past career.
147. οὓς γὰρ αὐτοὶ πονηροτάτους νομίζετε πάντων, τούτοις περὶ τοῦ ποῖόν τινʼ ἕκαστον χρὴ νομίζειν πεπιστεύκατε· οἱ δʼ ὃν ἂν αὑτοῖς λυσιτελῇ, καὶ χρηστὸν καὶ πονηρὸν εἶναί φασιν, οὐχ ὃν ἂν ᾖ δίκαιον καὶ ἀληθές. ὅπερ πεποιήκασι τὸν Χαρίδημον τοῦτον οἱ ῥήτορες πάντα τὸν χρόνον, ὡς καὶ ὑμεῖς ὁμολογήσετε, ἐπειδὰν ἀκούσητέ μου τὰ πεπραγμένʼ αὐτῷ.
148. I do not reckon among his misdeeds those campaigns of his early life, in which he served against Athens as a slinger or light-infantry man; nor that he once owned a piratical ship and preyed on your allies. But I pass these things by. And for what reason? Because, gentlemen, hard necessity does away with all consideration of what anyone should or should not do; and therefore in such matters a candid examiner must not be too fastidious. But let me tell you of the mischief he did to you at the outset of his career as a mercenary officer with troops under his command.
148. ὅσα μὲν δὴ στρατιώτης ὢν ἐν σφενδονήτου καὶ ψιλοῦ μέρει τὸ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἐναντίʼ ἐστράτευται τῇ πόλει, οὐ τίθημʼ ἐν ἀδικήματος μέρει, οὐδʼ ὅτι λῃστικόν ποτε πλοῖον ἔχων ἐλῄζετο τοὺς ὑμετέρους συμμάχους, ἀλλʼ ἐῶ ταῦτα. διὰ τί; ὅτι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, αἱ ἀναγκαῖαι χρεῖαι τοὺς τοῦ τί πρακτέον ἢ μὴ λογισμοὺς ἀναιροῦσιν ἅπαντας, ὥστʼ οὐ πάνυ ταῦτʼ ἀκριβολογεῖσθαι δεῖ τὸν δικαίως ἐξετάζοντα. ἀλλʼ ὅθεν ἀρξάμενος ξεναγῶν ἤδη καί τινων ἄρχων στρατιωτῶν κακῶς ὑμᾶς ἐποίει, ταῦτʼ ἀκούσατέ μου.
149. First of all, he was hired by Iphicrates, and drew pay in his army for more than three years. When you had cashiered Iphicrates, and dispatched Timotheus as commander-in-chief to Amphipolis and the Chersonesus, the man’s first performance was to surrender to the Amphipolitans those hostages of theirs whom Iphicrates had taken from Harpalus, and put under his care, although you had ordered them to be conveyed to Athens. That act prevented you from occupying Amphipolis. Secondly, when Timotheus in his turn wanted to hire him and his troops, he refused the engagement, and repaired by sea to Cotys, taking with him your light galleys, though he was perfectly well aware that Cotys was the most bitter enemy you had in the world.
149. οὗτος ἓν μὲν ἁπάντων πρῶτον, μισθωθεὶς ὑπʼ Ἰφικράτους καὶ πλεῖν ἢ τρίʼ ἔτη μισθοφορήσας παρʼ ἐκείνῳ, ἐπειδὴ τὸν μὲν Ἰφικράτην ἀποστράτηγον ἐποιήσατε, Τιμόθεον δʼ ἐπʼ Ἀμφίπολιν καὶ Χερρόνησον ἐξεπέμψατε στρατηγόν, πρῶτον μὲν τοὺς Ἀμφιπολιτῶν ὁμήρους, οὓς παρʼ Ἁρπάλου λαβὼν Ἰφικράτης ἔδωκε φυλάττειν αὐτῷ, ψηφισαμένων ὑμῶν ὡς ὑμᾶς κομίσαι παρέδωκεν Ἀμφιπολίταις· καὶ τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν Ἀμφίπολιν τοῦτʼ ἐμποδὼν κατέστη. δεύτερον δέ, μισθουμένου Τιμοθέου πάλιν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ στράτευμα, τούτῳ μὲν οὐ μισθοῖ, πρὸς δὲ Κότυν πλέων ᾤχετʼ ἔχων τὰς ὑμετέρας τριακοντόρους, ὃν ἀκριβῶς ᾔδει τῶν ὄντων ἀνθρώπων ἐχθρόταθʼ ὑμῖν διακείμενον.
150. Subsequently, after the decision of Timotheus to take the operations against Amphipolis before those against the Chersonesus, finding that there was no mischief he could do you in that country, he again hired himself out,—this time to the Olynthians, who were your enemies and were then holding Amphipolis. He set sail from Cardia for Amphipolis, with the intention of fighting against Athens, but on the voyage he was captured by our fleet. But in view of the needs of the hour, and because mercenaries were wanted for the war against Amphipolis, instead of being punished for his refusal to deliver the hostages, and for deserting with the light galleys to your enemy Cotys, guarantees were exchanged, and he entered the campaign as your auxiliary.
150. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα, ἐπειδὴ τὸν πρὸς Ἀμφίπολιν πόλεμον πρότερον πολεμεῖν εἵλετο Τιμόθεος τοῦ πρὸς Χερρόνησον, καὶ οὐδὲν εἶχε ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ κακόν, μισθοῖ πάλιν αὑτὸν Ὀλυνθίοις τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοῖς ἔχουσιν Ἀμφίπολιν κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον. καὶ πλέων ἐκεῖσε, ἐκ Καρδίας ἀναχθείς, ἵνα τἀναντία τῇ πόλει πολεμῇ, ὑπὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων τριήρων ἑάλω. διὰ τὸν παρόντα δὲ καιρὸν καὶ τὸ δεῖν ξένων ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον τὸν ἐπʼ Ἀμφίπολιν, ἀντὶ τοῦ δίκην δοῦναι ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεδεδώκει τοὺς ὁμήρους καὶ διότι πρὸς Κότυν ἐχθρὸν ὄνθʼ ὑμῖν ηὐτομόλησεν ἔχων τὰς τριακοντόρους, πίστεις δοὺς καὶ λαβὼν ἐστράτευσε μεθʼ ὑμῶν.
151. He ought to have been grateful to you because his life was spared when he might justly have been put to death; but instead of that the city, as though she owed gratitude to him, has bestowed upon him crowns and franchise and favours known to you all.—To prove the truth of these allegations, please read the decree respecting the hostages, the dispatch of Iphicrates, the dispatch of Timotheus, and lastly this deposition.—You will find that what I am telling you is not mere gossip and recrimination, but the plain truth.—Read. (The Decree, the Dispatches, and the Deposition are read.)
151. ὧν δʼ ἐκεῖνον δίκαιον ἦν χάριν ὑμῖν ἔχειν οὐκ ἀπολωλότα, τοῦτο παθόντʼ ἂν δικαίως, ἀντὶ τούτων ὡς ὀφείλουσʼ ἡ πόλις αὐτῷ στεφάνους καὶ πολιτείαν καὶ ἃ πάντες ἐπίστασθε δέδωκεν. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, τό τε ψήφισμʼ ἀνάγνωθί μοι τὸ περὶ τῶν ὁμήρων, καὶ τὴν Ἰφικράτους ἐπιστολὴν καὶ τὴν Τιμοθέου, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν μαρτυρίαν ταυτηνί· ὄψεσθε γὰρ οὐ λόγους οὐδʼ αἰτίαν, ἀλλʼ ἀλήθειαν οὖσαν ὧν λέγω. λέγε. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΙ.
152. You have heard the evidence of the dispatch and the deposition, proving that at the outset Charidemus sold his services to a country where he expected to fight against you, though he had the choice of many other markets; that later, finding that in that country he could do you no harm, he sailed back to a place where he had a chance of operating against Athens; and that he was the chief cause of your failure to take Amphipolis. Such were the early exploits of Charidemus. You must now look at his later conduct.
152. ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν καὶ τὸ πρῶτον, οὗ πολεμεῖν ὑμῖν ᾤετο, ἐκεῖσʼ ἐμίσθωσεν αὑτὸν πολλαχόσʼ ἄλλοσε μισθῶσαι παρόν, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα, ὡς οὐδὲν ἐκεῖ κακὸν εἶχε ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἔπλει δεῦρο πάλιν οὗ τἀναντίʼ ἔμελλε πράξειν τῇ πόλει, καὶ τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν Ἀμφίπολιν πάντων οὗτος αἰτιώτατός ἐστιν, ἀκηκόατʼ ἐκ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς καὶ τῆς μαρτυρίας. καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα τοιαῦτʼ ἐστὶν τῶν ἔργων τῶν Χαριδήμου, μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ ἄλλα θεάσασθε.
153. After a certain lapse of time, when the war with Cotys had already broken out, he sent a letter to you; or rather, not to you but to Cephisodotus, for, being conscious of his transgressions, he was very much of the opinion that the beguilement of Athens was a task beyond his own powers. In this letter he undertook to recover the Chersonesus for Athens; but his real intention was exactly the opposite. You must be informed of the nature of this epistolary transaction,—it is not a long story—and so get an insight into the fashion of this man’s dealings with you from first to last.
153. χρόνου γὰρ διελθόντος καὶ τοῦ πολέμου πρὸς Κότυν ὄντος ἤδη, πέμπει πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιστολήν (μᾶλλον δʼ οὐχὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς Κηφισόδοτον· οὕτω σφόδρʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γε οὐδʼ ἂν ἐξαπατηθῆναι τὴν πόλιν ἡγεῖτο, συνειδὼς ἃ πεποίηκεν) ἐν ᾗ Χερρόνησον ὑπέσχετο τῇ πόλει κομιεῖσθαι, πάντα τούτοις τἀναντίʼ ἐγνωκὼς ποιεῖν. δεῖ δʼ ὑμᾶς τὸ πρᾶγμʼ οἷον ἦν τὸ περὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀκοῦσαι (καὶ γάρ ἐστι βραχύ) καὶ θεωρῆσαι τὸν τρόπον τἀνθρώπου, ὡς ὑμῖν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς κέχρηται.
154. Being at that time discharged from the service of Timotheus, he withdrew from Amphipolis, crossed the straits to Asia, and there, because of the recent arrest of Artabazus by Autophradates, he hired out his forces and himself to the sons-in-law of Artabazus. He had taken and given pledges, but he ignored and broke his oaths, and, finding the inhabitants of the country, who thought they were dealing with a friend, off their guard, he seized their towns, Scepsis, Cebren, and Ilium.
154. ἐκεῖνος ὡς ἀπόμισθος γίγνεται παρὰ τοῦ Τιμοθέου τότε, ἀπʼ Ἀμφιπόλεως ἀναχωρῶν, διαβὰς εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, διὰ τὴν σύλληψιν τὴν Ἀρταβάζῳ συμβᾶσαν τόθʼ ὑπʼ Αὐτοφραδάτου μισθοῖ τὸ στράτευμα καὶ αὑτὸν τοῖς Ἀρταβάζου κηδεσταῖς, λαβὼν δὲ πίστεις καὶ δούς, ὀλιγωρήσας τῶν ὅρκων καὶ παραβὰς αὐτούς, ἀφυλάκτων ὄντων ὡς ἂν πρὸς φίλον τῶν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ, καταλαμβάνει Σκῆψιν καὶ Κεβρῆνα καὶ Ἴλιον αὐτῶν.
155. Having taken possession of these strongholds, he had a misadventure into which even an ordinary person, not to say a man calling himself a commander, could never have blundered. Although he held no position on the sea-coast, and had no means of supplying his troops with provisions, and although he had no food in the towns, he remained within the walls, instead of looting the towns and making off in pursuance of his intention to do mischief. But Artabazus, having been released by Autophradates, collected an army, and appeared on the scene; and he could draw supplies from the friendly countries of upper Phrygia, Lydia, and Paphlagonia, while for Charidemus nothing remained but to stand a siege.
155. ἐγκρατὴς δὲ τούτων γενόμενος τῶν χωρίων πρᾶγμʼ ἔπαθεν τοιοῦτον οἷον οὐχ ὅτι στρατηγὸς ἂν [ἠγνόησέ] τις εἶναι φάσκων, ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὁ τυχὼν ἄνθρωπος. οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν γὰρ ἔχων χωρίον ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ, [οὐδʼ] ὅθεν ἂν σιτοπομπίας ηὐπόρησε τοῖς στρατιώταις, οὐδʼ αὖ σῖτον ἔχων ἐν τοῖς χωρίοις, ὑπέμεινʼ ἐν τοῖς τείχεσιν καὶ οὐ διαρπάσας ᾤχετο, ἐπειδή γʼ ἀδικεῖν ἔγνω. ὡς δὲ συλλέξας δύναμιν παρῆν ὁ Ἀρτάβαζος, ἀφειμένος παρὰ τοῦ Αὐτοφραδάτου, τῷ μὲν ὑπῆρχʼ ἐπισιτισμὸς ἐκ τῆς ἄνωθεν Φρυγίας καὶ Λυδίας καὶ Παφλαγονίας οἰκείας οὔσης, τῷ δʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἄλλο πλὴν πολιορκία περιειστήκει.
156. When he realized what trouble he was in, and came to the conclusion that he would be reduced by famine, if by no other means, he made the discovery, whether by suggestion or by his own wits, that his only chance of salvation lay where there is salvation for everybody. And where is that? In your good-nature, if that is the right term, men of Athens,—or call it what you will. Having reached that conclusion, he dispatched the letter to you,—and it is worth your while to hear it read. His desire was, by means of a promise to recover the Chersonesus for you, and on the pretence that such was also the wish of Cephisodotus, as an enemy of Cotys and Iphicrates, to get a supply of galleys from you, and so scuttle safely out of Asia.
156. αἰσθόμενος δʼ οὗ ἦν κακοῦ καὶ λογισμὸν λαβὼν ὅτι ληφθήσεται, κἂν μηδενὶ τῶν ἄλλων, τῷ γε λιμῷ, εἶδεν, εἴτε δή τινος εἰπόντος εἴτʼ αὐτὸς συνείς, ὅτι σωτηρία μόνη γένοιτʼ ἂν αὐτῷ ἥπερ ἅπαντας ἀνθρώπους σῴζει. ἔστι δʼ αὕτη τίς; ἡ ὑμετέρα, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἴτε χρὴ φιλανθρωπίαν λέγειν εἴθʼ ὅ τι δήποτε. γνοὺς δὲ τοῦτο πέμπει τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὑμῖν, ἧς ἄξιόν ἐστιν ἀκοῦσαι, βουλόμενος διὰ τῆς ὑποσχέσεως τοῦ κομιεῖσθαι Χερρόνησον ὑμῖν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ τὸν Κηφισόδοτον δοκεῖν ἐχθρὸν ὄντα τοῦ Κότυος καὶ τοῦ Ἰφικράτους ταῦτα βούλεσθαι, τριήρων εὐπορήσας παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀσφαλῶς ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας ἀποδρᾶναι.
157. Do you remember the immediate sequel, by which the trick was exposed in the very act? Memnon and Mentor, the sons-in-law of Artabazus, were young men, enjoying unexpected good fortune by their relationship to Artabazus. What they wanted was to govern the country peaceably without delay, and to win distinction without warfare and peril. Accordingly, they persuaded Artabazus to forgo his vengeance upon Charidemus, and to send him off under an armistice, advising him that you would bring Charidemus across with or without his consent: he could not possibly stop you.
157. τί δὴ συμβαίνει παραυτά, ὅθεν ἐξηλέγχθη τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ; ὁ Μέμνων καὶ ὁ Μέντωρ, οἱ κηδεσταὶ τοῦ Ἀρταβάζου, ἄνθρωποι νέοι καὶ κεχρημένοι ἀπροσδοκήτῳ εὐτυχίᾳ τῇ τοῦ Ἀρταβάζου κηδείᾳ, βουλόμενοι τῆς χώρας ἄρχειν εὐθὺς ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ τιμᾶσθαι καὶ μὴ πολεμεῖν μηδὲ κινδυνεύειν, πείθουσι τὸν Ἀρτάβαζον τοῦ μὲν τιμωρεῖσθαι τὸν Χαρίδημον ἀφέσθαι, ἀποστεῖλαι δʼ ὑπόσπονδον, διδάσκοντες ὡς ὑμεῖς, κἂν ἐκεῖνος μὴ ʼθέλῃ, διαβιβᾶτε καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται κωλύειν.
158. Having gained this unaccountable and unforeseen deliverance, Charidemus crossed the sea to the Chersonesus without your authority by reason of the armistice; but then, so far from attacking Cotys,—although he had told you in his letter that Cotys would not repel his attack,—and so far from helping you to recover the Chersonesus, he entered the service of Cotys once more, and began to beleaguer your last remaining strongholds, Crithote and Elaeus. You will find proof in his route across the straits that he had already decided on this action at the time when he was in Asia and was sending you the letter, and therefore that he was cheating you; for he crossed from Abydus, a place always hostile to you, and the base from which Sestus was captured, to Sestus, which was in the possession of Cotys.
158. ὡς δὲ τυγχάνει ταύτης τῆς ἀλόγου καὶ ἀπροσδοκήτου σωτηρίας ὁ Χαρίδημος, διαβὰς εἰς τὴν Χερρόνησον ἐφʼ αὑτοῦ διὰ τὰς σπονδάς, τοσούτου ἐδέησεν ἐπελθεῖν τῷ Κότυϊ, γεγραφὼς ὅτι οὐχ ὑπομενεῖ Κότυς αὐτὸν ἐπιόντα, ἢ τὴν Χερρόνησον ὅπως κομιεῖσθʼ ὑμεῖς συμπρᾶξαι, ὥστε πάλιν μισθώσας αὑτὸν τῷ Κότυϊ τὰ ὑπόλοιπα τῶν ὑμετέρων χωρίων Κριθώτην καὶ Ἐλαιοῦντʼ ἐπολιόρκει. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα, καὶ ἡνίκʼ ἔτʼ ἦν ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔπεμπε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐγνωκὼς ποιεῖν ἐφενάκιζεν ὑμᾶς, ἀπὸ τῆς διαβάσεως ἣν ἐποιήσατο γνώσεσθε· ἐκ γὰρ Ἀβύδου τῆς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ὑμῖν ἐχθρᾶς καὶ ὅθεν ἦσαν οἱ Σηστὸν καταλαβόντες, εἰς Σηστὸν διέβαινεν, ἣν εἶχε Κότυς.
159. Yet you must not imagine that either the Abydenes or the people at Sestus would have admitted him, after that letter had been sent to you, if they had not been aware that he was cheating you, or if they had not been actually parties to the deception. They wanted you to provide a safe passage for the troops, and then, after the passage, to get the use of them for their own purposes; as in fact they did, when Artabazus had granted a safe-conduct.—To prove that such are the facts read the letters,—I mean the letter sent by Charidemus, and those that came from the authorities in the Chersonesus.—You will learn from them that the facts are so.—Read. (A Letter is read.)
159. καίτοι μὴ νομίζετε μήτʼ ἂν τοὺς Ἀβυδηνοὺς αὐτὸν ὑποδέχεσθαι μήτʼ ἂν τοὺς ἐν τῇ Σηστῷ, τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ὑμῖν ἐκείνης πεπεμμένης, εἰ μὴ συνῄδεσαν αὐτῷ φενακίζοντι τότε καὶ συνεξηπάτων αὐτοί, βουλόμενοι τοῦ μὲν διαβῆναι τὸ στράτευμʼ ὑμᾶς παρέχειν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, διαβάντος δέ, ὅπερ συνέβη δόντος Ἀρταβάζου τὴν ἄδειαν, αὑτοῖς ὑπάρξαι τὴν χρείαν. ὅτι τοίνυν οὕτω ταῦτʼ ἔχει, λέγε τὰς ἐπιστολάς, ἥν τʼ ἔπεμψεν ἐκεῖνος καὶ τὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν ἐκ Χερρονήσου· γνώσεσθε γὰρ ἐκ τούτων ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει. λέγε. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.
160. Observe from and to what points he crossed the straits; it was from Abydus to Sestus. Do you suppose that the Abydenes and the Sestians would have admitted him, if they had not been privy to his fraud, when he sent you that letter?—Now read to the jury the letter itself.—Observe, men of Athens, with what extravagance of self-commendation he wrote to you, telling you he had done this, and undertaking to do that.—Read. (The Letter is read.)
160. ἐνθυμεῖσθʼ ὅθεν οἷ διέβη, ἐξ Ἀβύδου εἰς Σηστόν. ἆρʼ οὖν οἴεσθʼ ἂν ὑποδέξασθαι τοὺς Ἀβυδηνοὺς ἢ τοὺς Σηστίους, εἰ μὴ συνεξηπάτων ὅτε τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔπεμπεν ἐπιστολήν; λέγʼ αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐπιστολὴν αὐτήν. καὶ θεωρεῖτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὰς ὑπερβολὰς ὧν αὐτὸς περὶ αὑτοῦ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔγραψεν ἐπαίνων, [καὶ] τὰ μὲν ὡς πεποίηκε λέγων, τὰ δʼ ὑπισχνούμενος ποιήσειν. λέγε. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.
161. A beautiful letter, is it not, gentlemen? One for which you could not have been too grateful,—if only it had been true! But in fact he wrote it to deceive, when he had no expectation of an armistice; but when he had got his armistice,—read what he did then. (Another Letter is read.) So, after the gentleman who undertook to recover our lost fortresses had passed the straits, the governor of Crithote informs us that our remaining possessions are in greater danger than ever.—Show me another letter, and then read a bit of it. (Another Letter is read.) Read a passage from another. (Another Letter is read.)
161. καλά γʼ, οὐ γάρ; ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὰ γεγραμμένα καὶ χάριτος πολλῆς ἄξια, εἴ γʼ ἦν ἀληθῆ. νῦν δέ, ὅτε μὲν τῶν σπονδῶν οὐκ ᾤετο τεύξεσθαι, ταῦτʼ ἔγραφʼ ἐξαπατῶν· ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἔτυχεν, λέγʼ οἷʼ ἐποίησεν. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. οὐκοῦν τοῦ κομιεῖσθαι τἀπολωλότα χωρίʼ ὑποσχομένου [Χαριδήμου] διαβάντος φησὶν ὁ ἄρχων Κριθώτης περὶ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων γεγενῆσθαι μείζους τῶν πρότερον τοὺς κινδύνους. λέγʼ ἐξ ἑτέρας ἐπιστολῆς ἐπιδείξας. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. λέγʼ ἐξ ἑτέρας. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.
162. You see how testimony comes in from every quarter that, when he crossed the straits, he was not marching to attack Cotys but to join Cotys in attacking us. Now here is just one letter more that you must read; but never mind the rest. For it has, I suppose, become quite clear now that he has cheated you. Read. (Another Letter is read.) Stop. Now reflect how, after writing that he would recover the Chersonesus, he took the pay of your enemies, and tried to rob you of your remaining possessions there; and how, after writing that Alexander had sent envoys to him but that he had refused to see them, he was found behaving exactly like Alexander’s filibusters. So much for your single-minded well-wisher; the man who is incapable of writing lies or practising deceit!
162. ὁρᾶθʼ ὅτι πανταχόθεν τὸ πρᾶγμα μαρτυρεῖται, ὅτι διαβὰς οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸν Κότυν, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς μετʼ ἐκείνου ἐπορεύετο. ἔτι τοίνυν ταύτην μόνην ἀνάγνωθί μοι τὴν ἐπιστολήν, τὰς δʼ ἄλλας ἔα· δῆλον γάρ που [ὑμῖν] γέγονʼ ὡς πεφενάκικεν ὑμᾶς. λέγε. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. ἐπίσχες. ἐνθυμεῖσθʼ ὅτι γράψας μὲν ὡς ἀποδώσει Χερρόνησον, τὰ λοίπʼ ἀφελέσθαι μισθώσας αὑτὸν τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐχθροῖς ἐπεχείρει, γράψας δʼ ὡς Ἀλεξάνδρου πρεσβευσαμένου πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐ προσεδέξατο, τοῖς λῃσταῖς φαίνεται τοῖς παρʼ ἐκείνου ταὐτὰ πράττων. εὔνους γʼ, οὐ γάρ; ἁπλῶς ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἂν ἐπιστείλας ψεῦδος οὐδʼ ἐξαπατήσας.
163. Although, then, it is abundantly clear that there is not a sincere word in all his professions of attachment to Athens, yet, if it is not already clear from these facts, it will be more evident in the light of later events. Cotys, I am glad to say,—for he was your enemy, and a bad man,—was killed by Pytho; Cersobleptes, the present king, was a mere boy, and so were all the sons of Cotys; and Charidemus had got control of affairs, because he was on the spot and had a force at his back. Cephisodotus, the man to whom he sent the famous letter, had arrived in command of an army, and so had the galleys, which were to have rescued him, even without the consent of Artabazus, when his deliverance was in doubt.
163. οὐ τοίνυν ἐκ τούτων πω δῆλόν ἐσθʼ, οὕτω σαφῶς δῆλον ὄν, ὡς οὐδὲν πιστόν ἐσθʼ ὧν ἐκεῖνός φησιν [προσποιεῖται] τῇ πόλει προσέχειν, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα συμβάντων ἔσται φανερώτερον. τὸν μὲν γὰρ Κότυν, εὖ ποιῶν, ὄντα γʼ ἐχθρὸν ὑμῖν καὶ πονηρὸν ἀποκτίννυσιν ὁ Πύθων, ὁ δὲ Κερσοβλέπτης ὁ νυνὶ βασιλεύων μειρακύλλιον ἦν καὶ πάντες οἱ τοῦ Κότυος παῖδες, τῶν δὲ πραγμάτων κύριος διὰ τὴν παρουσίαν καὶ τὸ δύναμιν ἔχειν ὁ Χαρίδημος ἐγεγόνει, ἧκε δὲ Κηφισόδοτος στρατηγῶν, πρὸς ὃν αὐτὸς ἔπεμψε τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐκείνην, καὶ αἱ τριήρεις, αἵ, ὅτʼ ἦν ἄδηλα τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῷ, καὶ μὴ συγχωροῦντος Ἀρταβάζου σῴζειν ἔμελλον αὐτόν.
164. Now what, men of Athens, was the conduct proper for a really single-minded and friendly person, after the arrival of a commander,—not one of those men whom he might have called jealous of himself, but the recipient of his letter, a man whom he had chosen out of all Athens as his special friend,—with Cotys in his grave, and himself in supreme power? Was it not to restore your territory there and then? To cooperate with you in establishing the king of Thrace? To embrace the opportunity of exhibiting his friendly disposition towards you I should say, yes.
164. τί δὴ προσῆκεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἁπλοῦν καὶ φίλον, παρόντος μὲν στρατηγοῦ οὐχ ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἔφησεν ἂν αὑτῷ φθονεῖν οὐδενός, ἀλλʼ ὃν αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ φίλον προείλετο τῶν παρʼ ὑμῖν, καὶ πρὸς ὃν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπεπόμφει, τετελευτηκότος δὲ Κότυος, κύριον δʼ ὄντα τῶν πραγμάτων; οὐκ ἀποδοῦναι μὲν τὴν χώραν εὐθέως ὑμῖν, κοινῇ δὲ μεθʼ ὑμῶν καθιστάναι τὸν βασιλέα τῆς Θρᾴκης, δηλῶσαι δʼ ὡς εἶχεν εὐνοϊκῶς ὑμῖν, καιροῦ τοιούτου λαβόμενον;
165. Well, is that what he did? By no means. For seven whole months he persisted in making war on us, openly displaying his hostility and withholding even the language of goodwill. At the outset we took anchorage at Perinthus with only ten ships, having heard that he was in the neighborhood, and hoping to meet him and talk matters over. He waited till our men were having their breakfast, and then tried to take our ships, killed a number of our sailors, and hunted every man of them into the sea with his cavalry and light infantry.
165. ἔγωγʼ ἂν φαίην. ἆρʼ οὖν ἐποίησέ τι τούτων; πολλοῦ γε δεῖ. ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν ἅπαντα χρόνον μῆνας ἑπτὰ διήγαγεν ἡμᾶς πολεμῶν, ἐκ προφανοῦς ἐχθρὸς ὢν καὶ οὐδὲ λόγον φιλάνθρωπον διδούς. καὶ κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν ἡμῶν δέκα ναυσὶ μόναις εἰς Πέρινθον ὁρμισαμένων, ἀκηκοότων ὅτι πλησίον ἐστὶν ἐκεῖνος, ὅπως συμμείξαιμεν αὐτῷ καὶ περὶ τούτων εἰς λόγους ἔλθοιμεν, ἀριστοποιουμένους φυλάξας τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐπεχείρησε μὲν ἡμῶν τὰ σκάφη λαβεῖν, πολλοὺς δʼ ἀπέκτεινε τῶν ναυτῶν, κατήραξε δʼ εἰς τὴν θάλατταν ἅπαντας, ἱππέας ἔχων καὶ ψιλούς τινας.
166. Afterwards, when we set sail—, no, it was not to attack any part of Thrace, or any fortress there. For this at least no man can say: “Ah, yes; he did do a little damage,—in self-defence, you know, and to protect himself.” That is not true; we never went to any place in Thrace; we went to Alopeconnesus, and that is in the Chersonesus and used to belong to you,—a headland running out towards Imbros, a long way from Thrace; a place swarming with robbers and pirates.
166. μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πλευσάντων ἡμῶν—οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς Θρᾴκης τόπον οὐδένʼ οὐδὲ χωρίον· οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτό γʼ ἂν εἴποι τις νὴ Δίʼ, ἀμυνόμενος γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ παθεῖν ἐποίει τι κακόν· οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο· οὐ γὰρ ἤλθομεν οὐδαμοῖ τῆς Θρᾴκης, ἀλλʼ ἐπʼ Ἀλωπεκόννησον, ἣ Χερρονήσου μέν ἐστι καὶ ἦν ὑμετέρα, ἀκρωτήριον δʼ ἀνέχον πρὸς τὴν Ἴμβρον ἀπωτάτω τῆς Θρᾴκης, λῃστῶν δʼ ἦν μεστὴ καὶ καταποντιστῶν— ἐνταῦθα δʼ ἐλθόντων ἡμῶν καὶ πολιορκούντων τούτους, πορευθεὶς διὰ Χερρονήσου πάσης τῆς ὑμετέρας ἡμῖν μὲν προσέβαλλεν, ἐβοήθει δὲ τοῖς λῃσταῖς καὶ καταποντισταῖς.
167. When we got there, and were besieging these gentry, he marched right across the Chersonesus,—your property, every yard of it,—attacked us, and tried to rescue the robbers and pirates. He took up his position, and persuaded or constrained your commander not to serve your interests, instead of letting himself be persuaded by him to carry out some part of his covenant and undertaking; and then he must needs draw up that convention with Cephisodotus, by which you were so deeply annoyed and exasperated that you dismissed your commander, and fined him five talents, and there was a majority of three votes only against a sentence of death.
167. καὶ πρότερον προσκαθήμενος τὸν ὑμέτερον στρατηγὸν ἔπεισε καὶ ἠνάγκασε μὴ τὰ βέλτισθʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν πράττειν, ἢ αὐτὸς [ὑπὸ τούτου] ἐπείσθη ὧν ὡμολογήκει καὶ ὑπέσχητό τι πρᾶξαι, καὶ γράφει δὴ τὰς συνθήκας ταύτας τὰς πρὸς Κηφισόδοτον, ἐφʼ αἷς ὑμεῖς οὕτως ἠγανακτήσατε καὶ χαλεπῶς ἠνέγκατε, ὥστʼ ἀπεχειροτονήσατε μὲν τὸν στρατηγόν, πέντε ταλάντοις δʼ ἐζημιώσατε, τρεῖς δὲ μόναι ψῆφοι διήνεγκαν τὸ μὴ θανάτου τιμῆσαι.
168. Why, what a preposterous absurdity a man must account this, men of Athens, when for one and the same transaction he sees one man punished with such severity as a criminal, and another glorified as a benefactor from that day to this! To prove the truth of my narrative, you are, of course, my witnesses in regard to the fate of the commander; for it was you who tried him, cashiered him, reprimanded him; all this is within your knowledge. In respect of the incidents at Perinthus and Alopeconnesus, please call the ships’ captains as witnesses. (The Evidence of the Capitains.)
168. καίτοι πηλίκην τινὰ χρὴ νομίζειν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ταύτην [τὴν] ἀλογίαν, ὅταν τις ἴδῃ διὰ τὰς αὐτὰς πράξεις τὸν μὲν ὡς ἀδικοῦντα κολασθέντα πικρῶς οὕτως, τὸν δʼ ὡς εὐεργέτην ἔτι καὶ νῦν τιμώμενον; ὅτι τοίνυν ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, τῶν μὲν τῷ στρατηγῷ συμβάντων δήπου μάρτυρες ὑμεῖς ἐστέ μοι· καὶ γὰρ ἐκρίνεθʼ ὑμεῖς καὶ ἀπεχειροτονεῖτε καὶ ὠργίζεσθε, καὶ πάντα ταῦτα σύνισθʼ ὑμεῖς· τῶν δʼ ἐν Περίνθῳ καὶ τῶν ἐν Ἀλωπεκοννήσῳ κάλει μοι τοὺς τριηράρχους μάρτυρας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ.
169. Thereafter, when Cephisodotus had been discharged from his command, and you held the view that the convention made with him was improper and unfair, Miltocythes, who had been consistently well-affected to you, was betrayed by Smicythion, and fell into the hands of our honest friend. Knowing that the man’s life would be spared if he were taken to Cersobleptes,—for killing one another is not customary among the Thracians,—Charidemus handed him over to your enemies the Cardians. They took Miltocythes and his son, put out in a ship to deep water, cut the boy’s throat, and then threw the father overboard, after he had witnessed the murder of his son.
169. μετὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ Κηφισόδοτος μὲν ἀπηλλάγη τοῦ στρατηγεῖν, ὑμῖν δʼ οὐκ ἐδόκουν καλῶς ἔχειν οὐδὲ δικαίως αἱ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον γραφεῖσαι συνθῆκαι, τὸν μὲν Μιλτοκύθην, τὸν διὰ παντὸς εὔνουν ὑμῖν τοῦ χρόνου, λαβὼν προδοθένθʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σμικυθίωνος ὁ χρηστὸς οὗτος Χαρίδημος, οὐκ ὄντος νομίμου τοῖς Θρᾳξὶν ἀλλήλους ἀποκτιννύναι, γνοὺς ὅτι σωθήσεται πρὸς Κερσοβλέπτην ἂν ἀχθῇ, παραδίδωσι Καρδιανοῖς τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐχθροῖς. κἀκεῖνοι λαβόντες καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν υἱόν, ἀναγαγόντες εἰς τὸ πέλαγος ἐν πλοίῳ, τὸν μὲν υἱὸν ἀπέσφαξαν, ἐκεῖνον δʼ ἐπιδόντα τὸν υἱὸν ἀποσφαττόμενον κατεπόντισαν.
170. These atrocities moved the whole population of Thrace to resentment; Berisades and Amadocus made a coalition; and Athenodorus, recognizing a favorable opportunity, formed alliance with them, and so was in a position to make war. Then Cersobleptes took fright, and Athenodorus proposed a convention, under which he compelled Cersobleptes to make a sworn engagement with you and with the other princes that the kingdom of Thrace should be held in common, and divided among the three, and that they should all restore to you your territory.
170. τῶν δὲ Θρᾳκῶν ἁπάντων χαλεπῶς ἐνεγκόντων ἐπὶ τούτοις, καὶ συστραφέντων τοῦ τε Βηρισάδου καὶ τοῦ Ἀμαδόκου, ἰδὼν τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον Ἀθηνόδωρος, συμμαχίαν ποιησάμενος πρὸς τούτους οἷος ἦν πολεμεῖν. ἐν φόβῳ δὲ καταστάντος τοῦ Κερσοβλέπτου γράφει ὁ Ἀθηνόδωρος συνθήκας, καθʼ ἃς ἀναγκάζει τὸν Κερσοβλέπτην ὀμόσαι πρός θʼ ὑμᾶς καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας εἶναι μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν κοινὴν τῆς Θρᾴκης εἰς τρεῖς διῃρημένην, πάντας δʼ ὑμῖν ἀποδοῦναι τὴν χώραν.
171. At the election of magistrates you appointed Chabrias to command in that campaign; but unluckily Athenodorus disbanded his army, because he had no money from you, and no resources for carrying on war; and Chabrias started on his expedition with only one ship. And how does this man Charidemus turn his coat? He repudiates his sworn covenant with Athenodorus, persuades Cersobleptes to disclaim it, and proposes new terms to Chabrias,—terms more monstrous than those made with Cephisodotus. Chabrias was obliged to acquiesce, I suppose because he had no force at his back.
171. ὡς δʼ ἐν ἀρχαιρεσίαις ὑμεῖς Χαβρίαν ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον τοῦτον κατεστήσατε, καὶ τῷ μὲν Ἀθηνοδώρῳ συνέβη διαφεῖναι τὴν δύναμιν χρήματʼ οὐκ ἔχοντι παρʼ ὑμῶν οὐδʼ ἀφορμὴν τῷ πολέμῳ, τῷ Χαβρίᾳ δὲ μίαν ναῦν ἔχοντι μόνην ἐκπλεῖν, τί ποιεῖ πάλιν οὗτος ὁ Χαρίδημος; ἃς μὲν ὤμοσε πρὸς τὸν Ἀθηνόδωρον συνθήκας ἔξαρνος γίγνεται καὶ τὸν Κερσοβλέπτην ἀρνεῖσθαι πείθει, γράφει δʼ ἑτέρας πρὸς τὸν Χαβρίαν ἔτι τῶν πρὸς Κηφισόδοτον δεινοτέρας· οὐκ ἔχων δʼ ἐκεῖνος, οἶμαι, δύναμιν στέργειν ἠναγκάζετο τούτοις.
172. When the news reached you, a great many speeches were made in the Assembly; the conventions were read and compared; and, without any respect for Chabrias’s good name or for any of his supporters, you in your turn cancelled the new convention, and resolved, on the motion of Glauco, to elect ten citizens as ambassadors. If Cersobleptes would abide by his covenant with Athenodorus, they were to make him renew his oath; if not, they were to accept the oaths of the two kings, and concert measures for making war on him.
172. ἀκούσαντες δʼ ὑμεῖς ταῦτα, ἐν τῷ δήμῳ λόγων ῥηθέντων πολλῶν καὶ τῶν συνθηκῶν ἀναγνωσθεισῶν, οὔτε τὴν Χαβρίου δόξαν αἰσχυνθέντες οὔτε τῶν συναγορευόντων οὐδένα, ἀπεχειροτονήσατε καὶ ταύτας πάλιν τὰς συνθήκας, καὶ ψηφίζεσθε ψήφισμα Γλαύκωνος εἰπόντος ἑλέσθαι πρέσβεις δέκʼ ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν, τούτους δέ, ἂν μὲν ἐμμένῃ ταῖς πρὸς Ἀθηνόδωρον συνθήκαις, ὁρκίσαι πάλιν αὐτόν, εἰ δὲ μή, παρὰ μὲν τοῖν δυοῖν βασιλέοιν ἀπολαβεῖν τοὺς ὅρκους, πρὸς δʼ ἐκεῖνον ὅπως πολεμήσετε βουλεύεσθαι.
173. The ambassadors took their departure; but by mere lapse of time the business came to such a pass, with these men dawdling and refusing to take any plain, honest action in your service, that we sent a relief expedition to Euboea, and Chares, on returning with his mercenaries, was sent out by you to the Chersonesus as plenipotentiary. So Charidemus once more drafts a new convention with Chares, supported by Athenodorus and the two kings: here it is,—the best and most equitable of the lot. He has convicted himself by his conduct of lying in wait for opportunities against Athens; there is no uprightness, no equity, in his policy.
173. ἐκπεπλευκότων δὲ τῶν πρέσβεων συμβαίνει τοῖς χρόνοις εἰς τοῦθʼ ὑπηγμένα τὰ πράγματʼ ἤδη, διατριβόντων τούτων καὶ οὐδὲν ἁπλοῦν οὐδὲ δίκαιον ὑμῖν ἐθελόντων πρᾶξαι, ὥστʼ ἐβοηθοῦμεν εἰς Εὔβοιαν, καὶ Χάρης ἧκεν ἔχων τοὺς ξένους, καὶ στρατηγὸς ὑφʼ ὑμῶν αὐτοκράτωρ εἰς Χερρόνησον ἐξέπλει. οὕτω γράφει πάλιν συνθήκας πρὸς τὸν Χάρητα, παραγενομένου Ἀθηνοδώρου καὶ τῶν βασιλέων, ταύτας αἵπερ εἰσὶν ἄρισται καὶ δικαιόταται. καὶ ἔργῳ ἑαυτὸν ἐξήλεγξεν ὅτι καιροφυλακεῖ τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἁπλοῦν ἔγνωκε ποιεῖν οὐδʼ ἴσον.
174. When you see that he is your friend only on inducement, and that his estimate of your strength is the measure of his goodwill, do you really think it your duty to allow him to be powerful,—and powerful through you? If that is your opinion, it is wrong. To satisfy you that I am telling the truth, please take the letter that came after the first convention, and then the letter from Berisades.—You will be helped by these documents to a right conclusion. (The Letter is read.) Read also the letter of Berisades. (The Letter is read.)
174. εἶθʼ ὃν ὁρᾶτʼ ἐκ προσαγωγῆς ὑμῖν φίλον, καὶ ὅπως ἂν ὑμᾶς δύνασθαι νομίσῃ, οὕτω πρὸς ὑμᾶς εὐνοίας ἔχοντα, τοῦτον οἴεσθε δεῖν ἰσχυρόν ποτʼ ἐᾶσαι γενέσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα διʼ ὑμῶν; οὐκ ἄρʼ ὀρθῶς ἐγνώκατε. ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι τἀληθῆ λέγω, λαβέ μοι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἣ μετὰ τὰς πρώτας συνθήκας ἦλθεν, εἶτα τὴν παρὰ Βηρισάδου· μάλιστα γὰρ οὕτω γνώσεσθε διδασκόμενοι. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. λέγε καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν τοῦ Βηρισάδου. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.
175. The alliance with the two kings was concluded in this manner after the fraud effected by the convention with Cephisodotus. At that time Miltocythes had been got rid of, and Charidemus was known by his conduct to be an enemy of Athens; for surely a man who, having got into his power one known to him as the most loyal friend you had in all Thrace, put him into the hands of your enemies the Cardians, was ostentatiously displaying his great hostility towards you.—Read the convention which Cersobleptes made later, when he was afraid of war with the Thracians and with Athenodorus. (The Convention is read.)
175. ἡ μὲν τοίνυν συμμαχία τοῖς βασιλεῦσι [τοῖν δυοῖν] τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον μετὰ τὴν παράκρουσιν τὴν διὰ τῶν πρὸς Κηφισόδοτον συνθηκῶν συνεστάθη, ἤδη Μιλτοκύθου μὲν ἀνῃρημένου, Χαριδήμου δʼ ἔργῳ φανεροῦ γεγενημένου ὅτι τῆς πόλεως ἐχθρός ἐστιν. ὃς γὰρ ὃν ᾔδει διὰ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου πάντων τῶν Θρᾳκῶν εὐνούστατον ὄνθʼ ὑμῖν, τοῦτον ἠξίωσʼ ὑποχείριον λαβὼν τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐχθροῖς Καρδιανοῖς ἐγχειρίσαι, πῶς οὐ μεγάλης ἔχθρας δεῖγμα πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐξέφερεν; ἃς δὴ τὸν πόλεμον δεδιὼς τὸν πρὸς τοὺς Θρᾷκας καὶ πρὸς Ἀθηνόδωρον ἐποιήσατο συνθήκας μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ Κερσοβλέπτης, λέγε. ΣΥΝΘΗΚΑΙ.