---
title: "Against Aristocrates · Κατὰ Ἀριστοκράτους"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "James Herbert Vince"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 5 of 5
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-aristocrates/5/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince, Against Aristocrates · Κατὰ Ἀριστοκράτους, section 5. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-aristocrates/5/"
---

# Against Aristocrates · Κατὰ Ἀριστοκράτους

*Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince*

Against a decree making the mercenary captain Charidemus untouchable, with a survey of the Athenian homicide courts.

> Greek: ed. Samuel Henry Butcher, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg023, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: James Herbert Vince, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg023.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

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

## 5. Sections 176–220

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-aristocrates/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-aristocrates/5/#p-N

[¶0] 176. These are the terms that Charidemus drafted, and this is the convention he signed. He swore the oath to which you have listened; but as soon as he saw that the forces of Athenodorus had been disbanded, and that Chabrias had come with only one galley, he did not give up to you the son of Iphiades; he did not fulfil any other of his sworn promises; he repudiated every other article of the convention, and drew up the convention I have here.—That is it; please take and read it. (The Convention is read.)

> Greek: 176. ταῦτα τοίνυν γράψας καὶ συνθέμενος, καὶ τὸν ὅρκον ὃν ἠκούσαθʼ ὑμεῖς ὀμόσας, ἐπειδὴ τὴν μὲν Ἀθηνοδώρου δύναμιν διαφειμένην εἶδεν, μιᾷ δὲ μόνον τριήρει Χαβρίαν ἥκοντα, οὔτε τὸν Ἰφιάδου παρέδωκεν υἱὸν [ὑμῖν] οὔτʼ ἄλλʼ οὐδὲν ὧν ὤμοσʼ ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν ταῖς συνθήκαις ἔξαρνος γίγνεται, καὶ γράφει ταύτας τὰς συνθήκας. λαβέ μοι καὶ λέγε ταυτασί. ΣΥΝΘΗΚΑΙ.

[¶1] 177. Observe that he claimed the right to take the port-dues and the ten-per-cent customs-duties; that he again talked as though the whole country belonged to him, requiring that the duties should be under the control of his own custom-house officers; and that, though he had taken his oath to Athenodorus that he would surrender the son of Iphiades, the hostage whom he held on behalf of Sestus, he now does not even promise to surrender him.—Take the decree which the Athenians adopted in this emergency. Read it. (The Decree is read.)

> Greek: 177. ἐνθυμεῖσθʼ ὅτι καὶ τέλη καὶ δεκάτας ἠξίου λαμβάνειν, καὶ πάλιν ὡς αὑτοῦ τῆς χώρας οὔσης τοὺς λόγους ἐποιεῖτο, τοὺς δεκατηλόγους ἀξιῶν τοὺς αὑτοῦ τῶν τελῶν κυρίους εἶναι, καὶ τὸν ὅμηρον τὸν υἱὸν τὸν Ἰφιάδου, ὃν ὑπὲρ Σηστοῦ ἔχων ὤμοσε πρὸς τὸν Ἀθηνόδωρον παραδώσειν, οὐδʼ ὑπισχνεῖται παραδώσειν ἔτι. λαβὲ τὸ ψήφισμʼ ὃ πρὸς ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐψηφίσασθε. λέγε. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶2] 178. Here is the letter sent by Cersobleptes later, after the arrival of the ambassadors in Thrace,—he would agree to nothing that was fair; and here is the letter sent by the others.—Read this to the jury. (The Letter is read.) Now read the letter from the two kings.—Consider whether you really think that they are making no complaint. (The Letter is read.) Men of Athens, look at this see-saw of villainy and perfidy, and try to understand it. First he was maltreating Cephisodotus; then he stopped, because he was afraid of Athenodorus. Another time he tried to maltreat Chabrias; changed his mind, and agreed with Chares. He always acted inconsistently, ever like an honest, straightforward man.

> Greek: 178. ἐλθόντων τοίνυν μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν πρέσβεων εἰς Θρᾴκην, ὁ μὲν Κερσοβλέπτης ὑμῖν ἐπιστέλλει ταυτί, καὶ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὡμολόγει δίκαιον, οἱ δʼ ἕτεροι ταυτί. λέγʼ αὐτοῖς. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. λέγε δὴ τὴν παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων. καὶ σκοπεῖτʼ εἰ ἄρʼ ὑμῖν δοκοῦσι μηδὲν ἐγκαλεῖν. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. ὁρᾶτε καὶ συνίετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὴν πονηρίαν καὶ τὴν ἀπιστίαν, ὡς ἄνω καὶ κάτω. τὸ πρῶτον ἠδίκει Κηφισόδοτον, πάλιν φοβηθεὶς Ἀθηνόδωρον ἐπαύσατο· αὖθις ἠδίκει Χαβρίαν, πάλιν ὡμολόγει Χάρητι. πάντʼ ἄνω καὶ κάτω [πεποίηκεν], καὶ οὐδὲν ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ δικαίως ἔπραξεν.

[¶3] 179. Since that time, so long as you had forces in the Hellespont, he has continually flattered you and cozened you; but as soon as he found the Hellespont denuded of your forces, he tried to break and to dethrone the two kings, and to bring the whole kingdom under his own thumb, knowing by experience that, until he had ejected them, he could not possibly revoke any part of his agreement with you.

> Greek: 179. μετὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν ὅσον μὲν χρόνον ἡ ὑμετέρα δύναμις παρῆν ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ, κολακεύων καὶ φενακίζων ὑμᾶς διαγέγονεν· ἐπεὶ δʼ εἶδε τάχιστα τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ἔρημον δυνάμεως, εὐθὺς ἐνεχείρει καταλύειν καὶ ἀπαλλάξαι τοὺς δύο [τῆς ἀρχῆς] καὶ πᾶσαν ὑφʼ ἑαυτῷ ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀρχήν, ἔργῳ πεῖραν ἔχων ὅτι τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν μὴ δυνηθῇ πρότερον λῦσαι, πρὶν ἂν ἐκβάλῃ τούτους.

[¶4] 180. For the more expeditious fulfillment of this purpose, he procured from you a decree so worded that, if it had been ratified, as it would have been but for us and for this indictment, the two kings would have been iniquitously treated in the eyes of the world, the commanders of their armies, Bianor, Simon, Athenodorus, would have remained inactive through fear of the spiteful prosecution authorized by the decree, and the man who took advantage of this licence, and brought the whole kingdom into subjection, would have become and remained an enemy, and a powerful enemy, of Athens.

> Greek: 180. ἵνα δʼ ὡς ῥᾷστα τοῦτο περάνειε, ψήφισμα τοιοῦτο παρʼ ὑμῶν εὕρετο ἐξ οὗ κυρωθέντος ἄν, εἰ μὴ διʼ ἡμᾶς καὶ ταύτην τὴν γραφήν, ἠδίκηντο μὲν φανερῶς οἱ δύο τῶν βασιλέων, ἡσυχίαν δʼ ἂν ἦγον οἱ στρατηγοῦντες αὐτοῖς, ὁ Βιάνωρ, ὁ Σίμων, ὁ Ἀθηνόδωρος, φοβούμενοι τὴν διὰ τοῦ ψηφίσματος συκοφαντίαν, ὁ δὲ ταύτης τῆς ἐξουσίας ἀπολαύσας καὶ πᾶσαν ὑφʼ αὑτῷ λαβὼν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἰσχυρὸς ἂν ἐχθρὸς ὑπῆρχεν ὑμῖν.

[¶5] 181. For a base of operations,—on which he has constantly kept his eyes,—he has the city of the Cardians. In all his conventions he has had that city reserved to himself, and in the end he openly stole it from you. Yet why should men who had entirely got rid of any unjust feelings toward us, and had resolved candidly and with entire sincerity to be friendly to us, have left themselves a convenient base of operations for a war against us?

> Greek: 181. ἔχει δʼ ὁρμητήριον παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον αὑτῷ τετηρημένον τὴν Καρδιανῶν πόλιν, ἣν ἐν ἁπάσαις μὲν ταῖς συνθήκαις ἐξαίρετον αὑτῷ γέγραφεν, τὸ τελευταῖον δὲ καὶ φανερῶς αὐτὴν ἀφείλετο παρʼ ὑμῶν. καίτοι τοῖς ἀπηλλαγμένοις μὲν τοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν τι φρονεῖν ἄδικον, μετὰ πάσης δʼ ἀληθείας ἁπλῶς εὐνοεῖν ἡμῖν ᾑρημένοις τί προσῆκεν αὑτοῖς ὁρμητήριον καταλείπειν χρήσιμον τοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολέμου;

[¶6] 182. I am sure that you all know,—those of you who have visited the place know for certain, and the rest by hearing their report,—that, the condition of Cardia being what it is, if the relations of Cersobleptes with the Thracians ever become favorable, he is able at twenty-four hours’ notice to invade the Chersonesus quite safely. Indeed by its situation the city of the Cardians occupies a position in the Chersonesus in relation to Thrace analogous to the position of Chalcis in Euboea in relation to Boeotia. Those of you who know its situation cannot be unaware of the advantage for the sake of which he has acquired it for himself, and has taken great pains to keep it out of our hands.

> Greek: 182. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦτο, οἱ μὲν ἀφιγμένοι σαφῶς, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι τούτων ἀκούοντες, ὅτι τῆς Καρδιανῶν πόλεως ἐχούσης ὡς ἔχει, εἰ γενήσεται τὰ πρὸς τοὺς Θρᾷκας εὐτρεπῆ τῷ Κερσοβλέπτῃ, παρʼ ἡμέραν ἔξεστιν αὐτῷ βαδίζειν ἐπὶ Χερρόνησον ἀσφαλῶς. ὥσπερ γὰρ Χαλκὶς τῷ τόπῳ τῆς Εὐβοίας πρὸς τῆς Βοιωτίας κεῖται, οὕτω Χερρονήσου κεῖται πρὸς τῆς Θρᾴκης ἡ Καρδιανῶν πόλις. ἣν ὃν ἔχει τόπον ὅστις οἶδεν ὑμῶν, οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἀγνοεῖ, τίνος εἵνεκα καιροῦ περιπεποίηται καὶ διεσπούδασται μὴ λαβεῖν ὑμᾶς.

[¶7] 183. It is not your duty to help him to secure this advantage against yourselves; you must thwart him to the very best of your power, and consider how to prevent it, for he has made it quite clear that he is not the man to let slip any occasion whatsoever. In fact, when Philip came to Maroneia, he sent Apollonides to him, and gave pledges both to him and to Pammenes; and if Amadocus, who had control of the country, had not forbidden Philip to set foot there, there was nothing to prevent our being at war by this time with the Cardians and with Cersobleptes.—To prove that this statement of mine is true, take Chares’ letter. (The Letter is read.)

> Greek: 183. ὃν οὐ συμπαρασκευάσαι καθʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ὀφείλετε, ἀλλὰ κωλῦσαι καθʼ ὅσον δυνατὸν καὶ σκοπεῖν ὅπως μὴ γενήσεται, ἐπεὶ ὅτι γʼ οὐδʼ ἂν ὁντινοῦν καιρὸν παρείη, δεδήλωκεν. Φιλίππου γὰρ εἰς Μαρώνειαν ἐλθόντος ἔπεμψεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀπολλωνίδην, πίστεις δοὺς ἐκείνῳ καὶ Παμμένει· καὶ εἰ μὴ κρατῶν τῆς χώρας Ἀμάδοκος ἀπεῖπε Φιλίππῳ μὴ ἐπιβαίνειν, οὐδὲν ἂν ἦν ἐν μέσῳ πολεμεῖν ἡμᾶς πρὸς Καρδιανοὺς ἤδη καὶ Κερσοβλέπτην. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λαβὲ τὴν Χάρητος ἐπιστολήν. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.

[¶8] 184. In view of these facts you ought to distrust him, instead of losing your wits and giving him your attention as a benefactor. There is no reason why you should owe him gratitude for those deceitful professions of friendship which he offers under compulsion, nor for the small sums which he lays out for the benefit of your commanders and politicians, thereby contriving to get votes of thanks to himself submitted to you. You have far better cause to resent those efforts to do you harm, which we know him to be making in every place where he has won the power of acting as he pleases.

> Greek: 184. ταῦτα μέντοι δεῖ σκοπουμένους ἀπιστεῖν καὶ μὴ τετυφῶσθαι, μηδʼ ὡς εὐεργέτῃ προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν. οὐ γὰρ ὧν ἀναγκαζόμενος φίλος εἶναί φησι φενακίζων ὑμᾶς, χάριν ἐστὶ δίκαιον ὀφείλειν [Κερσοβλέπτῃ], οὐδʼ ὧν μίκρʼ ἀναλίσκων ἰδίᾳ καὶ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς καὶ τοῖς ῥήτορσιν [Χαρίδημος] διαπράττεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπαίνους αὑτοῦ γράφεσθαι· ἀλλʼ ὧν, ὁσαχοῦ κύριος γέγονεν τοῦ πράττειν ὅ τι βούλεται, πανταχοῦ κακῶς ἐπιχειρῶν ἡμᾶς ποιεῖν φαίνεται, τούτων πολὺ μᾶλλον ὀργίζεσθαι προσήκει.

[¶9] 185. All other persons who have ever received any favour from you have been honored for benefits conferred on you; Charidemus is the one and only man who is honored for the impotence of his efforts to do you harm. Why, to such a fellow exemption from the punishment he had justly earned was a handsome gratuity! But that is not the view of the politicians; no, make him a citizen, dub him benefactor,—here are crowns and presents,—in return for those private doles of his! The rest of you are gulled, and sit there wondering what is going on.

> Greek: 185. οἱ μὲν τοίνυν ἄλλοι πάντες, ὅσοι τι παρʼ ὑμῶν εὕρηνται πώποτε, ἐφʼ οἷς εὖ πεποιήκασιν ὑμᾶς τετίμηνται, οὗτος δʼ εἷς ἁπάντων τῶν ἄλλων μόνος ἐφʼ οἷς ἐγχειρῶν οὐ δεδύνηται κακῶς ποιῆσαι. καίτοι τῷ τοιούτῳ τὸ δίκης, ἣν ἔδωκε δικαίως ἄν, ἀφεῖσθαι, μεγάλη δωρειὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἦν. ἀλλʼ οὐ ταῦτα δοκεῖ τοῖς ῥήτορσιν, ἀλλὰ πολίτης, εὐεργέτης, στέφανοι, δωρειαί, διʼ ἃ τούτοις ἰδίᾳ δίδωσιν· οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι πεφενακισμένοι κάθησθε, τὰ πράγματα θαυμάζοντες.

[¶10] 186. And, to crown all, today they would have appointed his protectors by this resolution, if we had not laid the present indictment, and the commonwealth would have done duty as his hired servant and lackey, keeping guard over a Charidemus! A pretty business, is it not? Heaven help us! to think that a man, who once shouldered a pike for hire in the service of your enemies, should now be seen protected by your decree!

> Greek: 186. τὸ τελευταῖον δὲ νυνὶ κἂν φύλακας κατέστησαν ὑμᾶς ἐκείνου διὰ τοῦ προβουλεύματος τούτου, εἰ μὴ τὴν γραφὴν ἐποιησάμεθʼ ἡμεῖς ταυτηνί, καὶ τὸ τοῦ μισθοφόρου καὶ θεραπεύοντος ἐκεῖνον ἔργον ἡ πόλις ἂν διεπράττετο, ἐφρούρει Χαρίδημον. καλόν γʼ, οὐ γάρ; ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ θεοί, ὃς αὐτός ποτε τοὺς ὑμετέρους ἐχθροὺς μισθὸν λαμβάνων ἐδορυφόρει, τοῦτον ὑφʼ ὑμετέρου ψηφίσματος φανῆναι φυλαττόμενον.

[¶11] 187. Now perhaps I may be asked for what reason I, who had such exact knowledge of these doings, and had given close attention to some of his misdeeds, let them all pass; why I did not object either when you made him a citizen or when you gave him a vote of thanks; why, in short, I found nothing to say at any time earlier than the passing of this decree. Men of Athens, I will tell you the whole truth. I knew that he was undeserving; I was present when he asked these favours; I made no objection. I admit it.

> Greek: 187. ἴσως τοίνυν ἐκεῖνʼ ἄν τίς μʼ ἔροιτο, τί δήποτε ταῦτʼ εἰδὼς οὕτως ἀκριβῶς ἐγὼ καὶ παρηκολουθηκὼς ἐνίοις τῶν ἀδικημάτων εἴασα, καὶ οὔθʼ ὅτʼ αὐτὸν ἐποιεῖσθε πολίτην οὐδὲν ἀντεῖπον, οὔθʼ ὅτʼ ἐπῃνεῖτε, οὔθʼ ὅλως πρότερον, πρὶν τὸ ψήφισμα τουτὶ γενέσθαι, λόγον οὐδένʼ ἐποιησάμην. ἐγὼ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἅπασαν ἐρῶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀνάξιος ἦν ᾔδειν, καὶ παρῆν ὅτε τούτων ἠξιοῦτο, καὶ οὐκ ἀντεῖπον· ὁμολογῶ.

[¶12] 188. What was the reason? In the first place, men of Athens, I imagined that a great many men glibly telling lies about him would overpower one man, namely myself, telling the truth alone. Then as for the favours that he won by misleading you, I solemnly protest that it never entered my head to grudge him any one of them. I could not see that you would buffer any very grievous calamity, if you forgave a man who had done you much wrong, and so encouraged him to do you good service in future. Both these considerations applied to the grant of citizenship and to the grant of a crown.

> Greek: 188. διὰ τί; ὅτι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πρῶτον μὲν ἀσθενέστερον ἡγούμην ἔσεσθαι πολλῶν ψευδομένων ἑτοίμως περὶ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἕνα τἀληθῆ λέγοντʼ ἐμαυτόν· ἔπειθʼ ὧν μὲν ἐκεῖνος εὑρίσκετʼ ἐξαπατῶν ὑμᾶς, μὰ τὸν Δία καὶ θεοὺς πάντας οὐδενὸς εἰσῄει μοι φθονεῖν, κακὸν δʼ οὐδὲν ἑώρων ὑπερφυὲς πεισομένους ὑμᾶς, εἴ τινʼ ἠδικηκότα πόλλʼ ἀφίετε καὶ προὐκαλεῖσθέ τι τοῦ λοιποῦ ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀγαθόν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ πολίτην ποιεῖσθαι καὶ στεφανοῦν ταῦτʼ ἐνῆν ἀμφότερα.

[¶13] 189. But now, when I perceive that he is contriving a new plan by which, if only he can provide himself with agents here to mislead you on his behalf, our friends abroad, who are ready to serve you and to stop him from acting against you,—I mean such men as Athenodorus, Simon, Archebius of Byzantium, the two kings of Thrace,—will all find it out of their power to oppose or to thwart him, at such a time I come into court and denounce him.

> Greek: 189. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ὁρῶ προσκατασκευαζόμενόν τι τοιοῦτον διʼ οὗ, ἂν μόνον εὐτρεπίσηται τοὺς ἐνθάδʼ ἐξαπατήσοντας ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ, τῶν γʼ ἔξω φίλων καὶ βουλομένων ἄν τι ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀγαθὸν κἀκεῖνον κωλύειν ἐναντία πράττειν ὑμῖν, οἷον Ἀθηνόδωρον λέγω, Σίμωνα, Βιάνορα, Ἀρχέβιον τὸν Βυζάντιον, τοὺς Θρᾷκας τοὺς δύο, τοὺς βασιλέας, τούτων μηδενὶ μήτʼ ἐναντιωθῆναι μήτε κωλύειν ἐκεῖνον ἐξέσται, τηνικαῦθʼ ἥκω καὶ κατηγορῶ.

[¶14] 190. I conceive that to speak against grants which he might accept without being likely to do serious injury to the State, is the act of one who has either a private grievance or the spirit of an informer, but that to set myself in opposition to a project by which he was concerting very serious detriment to the commonwealth is the act of an honest man and a patriotic citizen. That is why I was silent then and speak now.

> Greek: 190. καὶ νομίζω τὸ μέν, οἷς ἔμελλεν ἐκεῖνος λαβὼν μηδὲν ὑπερμέγεθες τὴν πόλιν βλάψειν, ἀντιλέγειν ἢ κακῶς ἰδίᾳ πεπονθότος ἢ συκοφαντοῦντος εἶναι, τὸ δέ, ἐφʼ οἷς μέγα πρᾶγμʼ ἀλυσιτελὲς τῇ πόλει κατεσκευάζετο, ἐναντιοῦσθαι χρηστοῦ καὶ φιλοπόλιδος ἀνδρὸς ἔργον εἶναι. διὰ ταῦτʼ ἐπʼ ἐκείνοις οὐδὲν εἰπὼν νῦν λέγω.

[¶15] 191. There is another plea of the same sort by which they hope to lead you off the track. “Cersobleptes and Charidemus,” they will say, “did perhaps oppose Athens at a time when they were unfriendly; but now they are our friends, and wish to be useful friends. We really must not be vindictive. When we were rescuing the Lacedaemonians, we dismissed from our minds the injuries they had done to us as enemies; so too with the Thebans, and, quite recently, with the Euboeans.”

> Greek: 191. ἔστιν τοίνυν τις αὐτοῖς τοιοῦτος λόγος διʼ οὗ προσδοκῶσι παράξειν ὑμᾶς, ὡς ὁ Κερσοβλέπτης καὶ Χαρίδημος ἴσως ἐναντίʼ ἔπραττον τῇ πόλει τόθʼ ὅτʼ ἦσαν ἐχθροί, νῦν δὲ φίλοι καὶ χρησίμους παρέχουσιν ἑαυτούς. οὐ δὴ δεῖ μνησικακεῖν· οὐδὲ γὰρ Λακεδαιμονίους ὅτʼ ἐσῴζομεν, οὐκ ἀνεμιμνῃσκόμεθʼ εἴ τι κακῶς ἐποίησαν ἡμᾶς ὄντες ἐχθροί, οὐδὲ Θηβαίους, οὐδʼ Εὐβοέας τὰ τελευταῖα νυνί.

[¶16] 192. —But I hold that this plea would have been rightly offered, if they had offered it on some occasion when an expedition in relief of Cersobleptes and Charidemus had been proposed, and we were trying to block it. But, as we have here no such occasion and no such proposal, but only the argument of men trying to make Cersobleptes more powerful than he deserves by means of an immunity received from you by his generals, I regard their action as dangerous. It is not fair, men of Athens, that the pleas of men seeking deliverance should be offered to you in justification of men whose object is the power to do you wrong.

> Greek: 192. ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγοῦμαι τοῦτον τὸν λόγον, εἰ μὲν ἔν τινι καιρῷ, βοηθείας γεγραμμένης τῷ Κερσοβλέπτῃ καὶ τῷ Χαριδήμῳ, κωλυόντων ἡμῶν ταύτην, ἔλεγον, ὀρθῶς ἂν λέγεσθαι· εἰ δὲ τοιούτου μὲν μηδενὸς ὄντος μηδὲ γεγραμμένου, βουλόμενοι δὲ μείζω τοῦ δέοντος ποιῆσαι διὰ τοῦ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἄδειαν λαβεῖν τοὺς ἐκείνου στρατηγούς, δεινὰ ποιεῖν αὐτοὺς ἡγοῦμαι. οὐ γάρ ἐστι δίκαιον, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς τῶν σωθῆναι ζητούντων λόγους πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅπως ἀδικεῖν αὑτοῖς ἐξέσται πραττόντων.

[¶17] 193. Apart from that, if he had injured you as an enemy, but had been reformed after claiming to be your friend, such an excuse might, perhaps, have been acceptable; but, inasmuch as that is not so, and as most of his deceptions fall after the date of his profession of friendship, you ought to distrust him for his later, if not to dislike him for his earlier, conduct. With regard, however, to not being “vindictive,” I have this to say. The vindictive man is the man who hunts up grievances in order to inflict injury; the man who bears them in mind in order to be on his guard and not suffer injury, is a reasonable man.

> Greek: 193. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων, εἰ μὲν ἐχθρὸς ὢν κακῶς ἐποίει, φίλος δὲ φήσας μετεβέβλητο, τάχʼ ἂν ταῦτά τις ἤκουεν· ἐπειδὴ δʼ οὐ τοιοῦτʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ἐξ οὗ φίλος εἶναι προσποιεῖται, ἐκ τούτου πλεῖσθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐξηπάτηκεν, εἰ μὴ καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνα μισεῖν, διά γε ταῦτʼ ἀπιστεῖν δήπου προσήκει. καὶ μὴν περὶ τοῦ γε μὴ μνησικακεῖν ἔγωγʼ ὡδί πως λέγω· ὁ μὲν εἵνεκα τοῦ κακόν τι ποιεῖν τὰ τοιαῦτʼ ἐξετάζων μνησικακεῖ, ὁ δʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ φυλάξασθαι σκοπῶν σωφρονεῖ.

[¶18] 194. Perhaps they will make a suggestion of this sort: the man has now embarked on a course of friendship, and really wants to do Athens a good turn; if we condemn the decree, we shall be discouraging him, and filling him with mistrust of us. Well, men of Athens, my attitude is this; please consider it. If he were our friend honestly and in all sincerity, if he really did intend to do us all manner of good, even then I should not think this argument worthy of your attention. In my judgement there is no man who could possibly do you so much service that for his sake you ought to perjure yourselves and vote against proven justice.

> Greek: 194. ἴσως τοίνυν καὶ τοιαύτην τινʼ ἐροῦσʼ ὑπόνοιαν, ὡς ὡρμηκότα νῦν τὸν ἄνθρωπον φίλον εἶναι καὶ βουλόμενόν τι ποιεῖν ἀγαθὸν τὴν πόλιν εἰς ἀθυμίαν τρέψομεν, εἰ καταψηφιούμεθα, καὶ ποιήσομεν ὑπόπτως ἔχειν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ἐγὼ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, θεάσασθʼ ὡς ἔχω. εἰ μετʼ ἀληθείας ἁπλῶς ἦν ἡμῖν φίλος καὶ νὴ Δία πάντʼ ἀγάθʼ ἔμελλεν ἡμᾶς ποιήσειν, οὐδʼ ἂν οὕτως ᾤμην δεῖν τοῦτον ἀκούειν τὸν λόγον· οὐδένα γὰρ ἂν νομίζω τοσαῦτʼ ἀγαθὰ ποιῆσαι, διʼ ὃν ὑμῖν προσήκειν ἐπιορκῆσαι καὶ παρʼ ἃ φαίνεται δίκαια τὴν ψῆφον θέσθαι.

[¶19] 195. Seeing that he is convicted of deceit and perpetual dishonesty,—vote against him, and one of two desirable results must follow. Either he will abandon his impostures on the ground that they can no longer escape detection, or else, if it is his desire to be really on good terms with us, he will make a genuine effort to serve us well, having discovered that he can no longer accomplish his purposes by chicanery. For that reason alone, if for no other, you will do well to give your verdict against him.

> Greek: 195. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ φενακίζων καὶ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὑγιὲς πράττων ἐξελέγχεται, δυοῖν ἀγαθοῖν θάτερον ὑμῖν, ἂν καταψηφίσησθε, συμβήσεται· ἢ γὰρ ἐξαπατῶν παύσεται νομίσας οὐκέτι λανθάνειν, ἢ εἴπερ αὐτῷ βουλομένῳ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔστιν οἰκείως ἔχειν ὡς ἀληθῶς, ἀγαθόν τι ποιεῖν πειράσεται, γνοὺς ὅτι τῷ φενακίζειν οὐκέθʼ ἃ βούλεται πράξει. ὥστε καὶ εἰ μηδὲ διʼ ἓν τῶν ἄλλων, διὰ τοῦτο καταψηφίσασθαι συμφέρει.

[¶20] 196. It is also opportune, men of Athens, to inquire how our forefathers bestowed distinctions and rewards upon genuine benefactors, whether they were citizens or strangers. If you find their practice better than yours, you will do well to follow their example; if you prefer your own, it rests with you to continue it. Take first Themistocles, who won the naval victory at Salamis, Miltiades, who commanded at Marathon, and many others, whose achievements were not on a level with those of our commanders today. Our ancestors did not put up bronze statues of these men, nor did they carry their regard for them to extremes.

> Greek: 196. ἄξιον τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κἀκεῖνʼ ἐξετάσαι, πῶς ποθʼ οἱ πάλαι τὰς τιμὰς ἔνεμον καὶ τὰς δωρειὰς τοῖς ὡς ἀληθῶς εὐεργέταις, καὶ ὅσοι πολῖται τύχοιεν ὄντες καὶ ὅσοι ξένοι. κἂν μὲν ἴδητʼ ἐκείνους ἄμεινον ὑμῶν, καλὸν τὸ μιμήσασθαι, ἂν δʼ ὑμᾶς αὐτούς, ἐφʼ ὑμῖν ἔσται τὸ πράττειν. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν ἐκεῖνοι Θεμιστοκλέα τὸν τὴν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίαν νικήσαντα καὶ Μιλτιάδην τὸν ἡγούμενον Μαραθῶνι καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, οὐκ ἴσα τοῖς νῦν στρατηγοῖς ἀγάθʼ εἰργασμένους, οὐ χαλκοῦς ἵστασαν οὐδʼ ὑπερηγάπων.

[¶21] 197. So they were not grateful to those who had served them well? Yes, men of Athens, they were very grateful; they showed their gratitude in a manner that was equally creditable to themselves and the recipients. They were all men of merit, but they chose those men to lead them; and to men of sobriety, who have a keen eye for realities, being raised to the primacy of a brave and noble people is a far greater distinction than any effigy of bronze.

> Greek: 197. οὐκ ἄρα τοῖς ἑαυτοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσιν χάριν εἶχον; σφόδρα γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἀπεδίδοσάν γε καὶ αὑτῶν κἀκείνων ἀξίαν· ὄντες γὰρ πολλοῦ πάντες ἄξιοι προὔκρινον ἐκείνους αὑτῶν ἡγεῖσθαι. ἔστι δὲ σώφροσιν ἀνθρώποις καὶ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν βουλομένοις σκοπεῖν πολὺ μείζων τιμὴ τῆς χαλκῆς εἰκόνος τὸ καλῶν κἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν κεκρίσθαι πρώτους.

[¶22] 198. The truth is, gentlemen, that they would not rob themselves of their own share in any of those ancient achievements; and no man would say that the battle of Salamis belonged to Themistocles,—it was the battle of the Athenians; or that the victory at Marathon belonged to Miltiades,—it was the victory of the commonwealth. But today, men of Athens, it is commonly said that Corcyra was captured by Timotheus, that the Spartan battalion was cut to pieces by Iphicrates, that the naval victory off Naxos was won by Chabrias. It really looks as though you disclaimed any merit for those feats of arms by the extravagant favours that you lavish on the several commanders.

> Greek: 198. καὶ γάρ τοι τῶν ἔργων τῶν τότʼ, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, οὐδενὸς ἀπεστέρησαν ἑαυτούς, οὐδʼ ἔστιν οὐδεὶς ὅστις ἂν εἴποι τὴν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίαν Θεμιστοκλέους, ἀλλʼ Ἀθηναίων, οὐδὲ τὴν Μαραθῶνι μάχην Μιλτιάδου, ἀλλὰ τῆς πόλεως. νῦν δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πολλοὶ τοῦτο λέγουσιν, ὡς Κέρκυραν εἷλε Τιμόθεος καὶ τὴν μόραν κατέκοψεν Ἰφικράτης καὶ τὴν περὶ Νάξον ἐνίκα ναυμαχίαν Χαβρίας· δοκεῖτε γὰρ αὐτοὶ τῶν ἔργων τούτων παραχωρεῖν τῶν τιμῶν ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς αἷς δεδώκατʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ τούτων.

[¶23] 199. Thus they distributed rewards within the city righteously and to the public advantage; we do it the wrong way. But what about those bestowed on strangers? When Meno of Pharsalus had given us twelve talents for the war at Eion near Amphipolis, and had reinforced us with three hundred of his own mounted serfs, they did not pass a decree that whoever slew Meno should be liable to seizure; they made him a citizen, and thought that distinction adequate.

> Greek: 199. τὰς μὲν δὴ πολιτικὰς δωρειὰς οὕτως ἐκεῖνοί τε καλῶς καὶ λυσιτελούντως αὑτοῖς ἐδίδοσαν καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ὀρθῶς· τὰς δὲ τῶν ξένων πῶς; ἐκεῖνοι Μένωνι τῷ Φαρσαλίῳ δώδεκα μὲν τάλαντʼ ἀργυρίου δόντι πρὸς τὸν ἐπʼ Ἠιόνι τῇ πρὸς Ἀμφιπόλει πόλεμον, τριακοσίοις δʼ ἱππεῦσι πενέσταις ἰδίοις βοηθήσαντι, οὐκ ἐψηφίσαντο, αὐτὸν ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ, ἀγώγιμον εἶναι, ἀλλὰ πολιτείαν ἔδοσαν καὶ ταύτην ἱκανὴν ὑπελάμβανον εἶναι τὴν τιμήν.

[¶24] 200. Or take Perdiccas, who was reigning in Macedonia at the time of the Persian invasion, and who destroyed the Persians on their retreat from Plataea, and made the defeat of the King irreparable. They did not resolve that any man should be liable to seizure who killed Perdiccas, the man who for our sake had provoked the enmity of the great King; they gave him our citizenship, and that was all. The truth is that in those days to be made a citizen of Athens was an honor so precious in the eyes of the world that, to earn that favour alone, men were ready to render to you those memorable services. Today it is so worthless that not a few men who have already received it have wrought worse mischief to you than your declared enemies.

> Greek: 200. καὶ πάλιν Περδίκκᾳ τῷ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ βαρβάρου ποτʼ ἐπιστρατείαν βασιλεύοντι Μακεδονίας, τοὺς ἀναχωροῦντας ἐκ Πλαταιῶν τῶν βαρβάρων διαφθείραντι καὶ τέλειον τἀτύχημα ποιήσαντι τῷ βασιλεῖ, οὐκ ἐψηφίσαντʼ ἀγώγιμον, ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ Περδίκκαν, ᾧ βασιλεὺς ἐχθρὸς διʼ ἡμᾶς ἀπεδέδεικτο, ἀλλὰ πολιτείαν ἔδωκαν μόνον. καὶ γάρ τοι τότε μὲν οὕτω τίμιον ἦν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τὸ γενέσθαι πολίταις παρʼ ὑμῖν ὥσθʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ τυχεῖν τούτου τηλικαῦθʼ ὑμᾶς ἀγάθʼ ἤθελον ποιεῖν, νῦν δʼ οὕτως ἄτιμον ὥστε τῶν τετυχηκότων πολλοὶ πλείω κακὰ τῶν φανερῶς ἐχθρῶν εἰσιν ὑμᾶς εἰργασμένοι.

[¶25] 201. Not only this guerdon of the common wealth but all your honors have been dragged through the mire and made contemptible by those execrable and god-forsaken politicians, who make proposals like this on such easy terms; men who, in their inordinate lust of dishonest gain, put up honors and civic rewards for sale, like hucksters vending and cheapening their pitiful, trumpery merchandise, and supply a host of buyers at fixed prices with any decree they want.

> Greek: 201. οὐ μόνον δʼ αὕτη τῆς πόλεως ἡ δωρειὰ προπεπηλάκισται καὶ φαύλη γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι διὰ τὴν τῶν καταράτων καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρῶν ῥητόρων, τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα γραφόντων ἑτοίμως, πονηρίαν, οἳ τοσαύτην ὑπερβολὴν πεποίηνται τῆς αὑτῶν αἰσχροκερδείας ὥστε τὰς τιμὰς καὶ τὰς παρʼ ὑμῶν δωρειάς, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰ μικρὰ καὶ κομιδῇ φαῦλʼ ἀποκηρύττοντες, οὕτω πωλοῦσιν ἐπευωνίζοντες καὶ πολλοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν λημμάτων γράφοντες πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν βούλωνται.

[¶26] 202. In the first place,—let me mention the latest instance first,—they not only claimed that Ariobarzanes and his two sons deserved everything they chose to ask for, but they associated with him two men of Abydus, unprincipled fellows, and bitter enemies of Athens, Philiscus and Agavus. Again, when Timotheus was held to have served your needs in some way, besides conferring on him all manner of great rewards, they associated with him Phrasierides and Polysthenes, who were not even free-born, but were blackguards whose conduct had been such as any man of good feeling will be loth to describe.

> Greek: 202. πρῶτον μέν, ἵνα τῶν τελευταίων πρώτων μνησθῶμεν, Ἀριοβαρζάνην ἐκεῖνον οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς υἱεῖς τρεῖς ὄντας πάντων ἠξίωσαν ὅσων ἐβουλήθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δύʼ Ἀβυδηνούς, μισαθηναιοτάτους καὶ πονηροτάτους ἀνθρώπους, [προσέθηκαν αὐτῷ] Φιλίσκον καὶ Ἀγαυόν. πάλιν Τιμοθέου δόξαντός τι ποιῆσαι τῶν δεόντων ὑμῖν, πρὸς τῷ πάνθʼ ἃ μέγιστʼ ἦν αὐτῷ δοῦναι προσέθηκαν αὐτῷ Φρασιηρίδην καὶ Πολυσθένην, ἀνθρώπους οὐδʼ ἐλευθέρους, ἀλλʼ ὀλέθρους καὶ τοιαῦτα πεποιηκότας οἷα λέγειν ὀκνήσειεν ἄν τις εὖ φρονῶν.

[¶27] 203. Finally on this occasion, while demanding for Cersobleptes any honors they thought proper, and while concentrating on that, they attached two other names to his. One is the man of whose many misdeeds you have just heard the story. The other is named Euderces, but nobody in the wide world knows who he is. You see the result, men of Athens: honors that were once great now appear trifling; and the practice is advancing ever farther and farther. The old rewards no longer suffice, and they are not in the least grateful for them, unless you will also protect their persons, man by man, or so it seems.

> Greek: 203. τὸ τελευταῖον δὲ νῦν, ἐπειδὴ Κερσοβλέπτην ἠξίουν ὧν αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει, καὶ περὶ τούτων ἦν ἡ σπουδή, προστιθέασιν δύʼ αὐτῷ, τὸν μὲν ὅσʼ ὑμεῖς ἀκηκόατʼ εἰργασμένον κακά, τὸν δʼ ὅλως οὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἀνθρώπων τίς ἐστιν, Εὐδέρκην ὄνομα. τοιγάρτοι διὰ ταῦτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μικρά, ἃ πρὸ τοῦ μεγάλʼ ἦν, φαίνεται, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἤδη καὶ πορρωτέρω βαδίζει καὶ οὐκέτι ταῦτʼ ἀπόχρη, ἀλλʼ εἰ μὴ καὶ φυλάξεθʼ ἕκαστον τούτων, ἐκείνων γʼ οὐδεμία χάρις, ὡς ἔοικεν.

[¶28] 204. For this progress along the road of dishonor, men of Athens, if I am to tell the truth in all candor, nobody is more to blame than yourselves. You are no longer willing to bring malefactors to justice: retribution has disappeared from our city. Yet consider how our ancestors castigated those who had done them wrong, and ask whether their way was not better than yours.

> Greek: 204. τοῦ μέντοι ταῦθʼ οὕτως αἰσχρῶς προεληλυθέναι, εἰ δεῖ μετὰ παρρησίας εἰπεῖν τἀληθῆ, οὐδένες ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μᾶλλόν εἰσιν αἴτιοι. οὐδὲ γὰρ δίκην ἔτι λαμβάνειν ἐθέλετε παρὰ τῶν ἀδικούντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐξελήλυθεν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως. καίτοι σκέψασθʼ ὡς ἐκόλαζον οἱ πρόγονοι τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἑαυτούς, εἰ παραπλησίως ὑμῖν.

[¶29] 205. When they caught Themistocles presumptuously setting himself above the people, they banished him from Athens, and found him guilty of siding with the Medes. Because Cimon had dislocated the ancestral constitution by his personal efforts, they acquitted him by a majority of three votes only on the capital charge, and made him pay fifty talents. Such was their attitude to the men who had rendered those signal services. And they were right; they would not sell to those men their own freedom and their pride in their own achievements; they honored them as long as they did right, but resisted them when they tried to do wrong.

> Greek: 205. ἐκεῖνοι Θεμιστοκλέα λαβόντες μεῖζον ἑαυτῶν ἀξιοῦντα φρονεῖν ἐξήλασαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ μηδισμὸν κατέγνωσαν· καὶ Κίμωνα, ὅτι τὴν πάτριον μετεκίνησε πολιτείαν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῦ, παρὰ τρεῖς μὲν ἀφεῖσαν ψήφους τὸ μὴ θανάτῳ ζημιῶσαι, πεντήκοντα δὲ τάλαντʼ ἐξέπραξαν. καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον προσεφέροντο τηλικαῦτʼ αὐτοὺς ἀγάθʼ εἰργασμένοις ἀνθρώποις. δικαίως· οὐ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀπεδίδοντο τὴν αὑτῶν ἐλευθερίαν καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν τῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ χρηστοὺς μὲν ὄντας ἐτίμων, ἀδικεῖν δʼ ἐπιχειροῦσιν οὐκ ἐπέτρεπον.

[¶30] 206. You, men of Athens, acquit men who have committed the gravest crimes and are clearly proved guilty, if they treat you to one or two pleasantries, or if a few advocates chosen from their own tribe ask you to be so good. If ever you do bring them in guilty, you assess the penalty at five-and-twenty drachmas. In those old times the State was wealthy and splendid, but in private life no man held his head higher than the multitude.

> Greek: 206. ὑμεῖς δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς τὰ μέγιστʼ ἀδικοῦντας καὶ φανερῶς ἐξελεγχομένους, ἂν ἓν ἢ δύʼ ἀστεῖʼ εἴπωσιν καὶ παρὰ τῶν φυλετῶν τινες ᾑρημένοι σύνδικοι δεηθῶσιν, ἀφίετε· ἂν δὲ καὶ καταψηφίσησθέ του, πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι δραχμῶν ἐτιμήσατε. καὶ γάρ τοι τότε μὲν τὰ μὲν τῆς πόλεως ἦν εὔπορα καὶ λαμπρὰ δημοσίᾳ, ἰδίᾳ δʼ οὐδεὶς ὑπερεῖχε τῶν πολλῶν.

[¶31] 207. Here is the proof: if any of you know the sort of house that Themistocles or Miltiades or any of those distinguished men of old lived in, you may observe that it is no grander than the common run of houses. On the other hand, both the structure and the equipment of their Public buildings were on such a scale and of such quality that no opportunity of surpassing them was left to coming generations. Witness those gate-houses, docks, porticoes, the great harbor, and all the edifices with which you see our city adorned.

> Greek: 207. τεκμήριον δέ· τὴν Θεμιστοκλέους μὲν οἰκίαν καὶ τὴν Μιλτιάδου καὶ τῶν τότε λαμπρῶν, εἴ τις ἄρʼ ὑμῶν οἶδεν ὁποία ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὁρᾷ τῶν πολλῶν οὐδὲν σεμνοτέραν οὖσαν, τὰ δὲ τῆς πόλεως οἰκοδομήματα καὶ κατασκευάσματα τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦθʼ ὥστε μηδενὶ τῶν ἐπιγιγνομένων ὑπερβολὴν λελεῖφθαι, προπύλαια ταῦτα, νεώσοικοι, στοαί, Πειραιεύς, τἄλλʼ οἷς κατεσκευασμένην ὁρᾶτε τὴν πόλιν.

[¶32] 208. But today every man who takes part in public life enjoys such superfluity of wealth that some of them have built private dwelling-houses more magnificent than many public buildings; and others have bought larger estates than all you people in this court possess between you; while, as for the public buildings that you put up and whitewash, I am ashamed to say how mean and shabby they are. Can you name anything that you have acquired and that you will bequeath to posterity, as they bequeathed the Chersonesus, and Amphipolis, and the glory of noble exploits? That glory citizens like these are squandering as fast as they can,—but they cannot annihilate it, men of Athens; and we know why.

> Greek: 208. νῦν δʼ ἰδίᾳ μὲν ἑκάστῳ τῶν τὰ κοινὰ πραττόντων τοσαύτη περιουσία [ἐστὶν] ὥστε τινὲς μὲν αὐτῶν πολλῶν δημοσίων οἰκοδομημάτων σεμνοτέρας τὰς ἰδίας κατεσκευάκασιν οἰκίας, γῆν δʼ ἔνιοι πλείω πάντων ὑμῶν τῶν ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ συνεώνηνται· δημοσίᾳ δʼ ὑμεῖς ἃ μὲν οἰκοδομεῖτε καὶ κονιᾶτε, ὡς μικρὰ καὶ γλίσχρα, αἰσχύνη λέγειν. ἀλλʼ ἔχετʼ εἰπεῖν ὅ τι κοινῇ κτησάμενοι καταλείψετε, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνοι Χερρόνησον, Ἀμφίπολιν, δόξαν ἔργων καλῶν; ἣν οἱ τοιοῦτοι πολῖται πάντʼ ἀναλίσκοντες τρόπον οὐχ οἷοί τʼ εἰσὶν ἀφανίσαι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι.

[¶33] 209. In those days Aristeides had full control of the assessment of the tribute, but his own fortune was not increased by a single shilling; and when he died he was actually buried at the public expense. Whenever you wanted anything, you had more money in your treasury than any other Hellenic people, insomuch that you always started on any expedition with pay for the full period named in the decree authorizing such expedition. Now, while the administrators of public affairs have risen from poverty to affluence, and are provided with ample maintenance for a long time to come, you have not enough money laid by for a single day’s expenditure, and when something must be done, you are at once without the means of doing it. The nation was then the master, as it is now the servant, of the politicians.

> Greek: 209. εἰκότως· τότε μὲν γὰρ τῷ κυρίῳ τῶν φόρων γενομένῳ τάξαι Ἀριστείδῃ οὐδὲ μιᾷ δραχμῇ πλείω τὰ ὑπάρχοντʼ ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τελευτήσαντʼ αὐτὸν ἔθαψεν ἡ πόλις· ὑμῖν δʼ, εἴ τι δέοισθε, χρήμαθʼ ὑπῆρχε κοινῇ πλεῖστα τῶν πάντων Ἑλλήνων, ὥσθʼ ὁπόσου χρόνου ψηφίσαισθʼ ἐξιέναι, τοσούτου μισθὸν ἔχοντες ἐξῇτε. νῦν δʼ οἱ μὲν τὰ κοινὰ διοικοῦντες ἐκ πτωχῶν εὔποροι καὶ πολλοῦ χρόνου τροφὴν ἄφθονόν εἰσιν ἡτοιμασμένοι· ὑμῖν δʼ οὐδὲ μιᾶς ἡμέρας ἐφόδιʼ ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ κοινῷ, ἀλλʼ ἅμα δεῖ τι ποιεῖν, καὶ πόθεν οὐκ ἔχετε. τότε μὲν γὰρ ὁ δῆμος ἦν δεσπότης τῶν πολιτευομένων, νῦν δʼ ὑπηρέτης.

[¶34] 210. The fault lies with the authors of such decrees as this, who have trained you to think very little of yourselves, and a great deal of one or two individuals. So they are the inheritors of your renown and of your possessions; you get no benefit from that inheritance! You are the witnesses of the prosperity of others, and participate in nothing but delusions. Ah, how loud would be the lamentation of those great men who laid down their lives for glory and for liberty, and left behind them the monuments of many noble achievements, if they could see how today the progress of our city has ended in the form and rank of a dependant, and that the question of the hour is—whether Charidemus is entitled to personal protection! Charidemus! Heaven help us!

> Greek: 210. αἴτιοι δʼ οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράφοντες, καὶ συνεθίζοντες ὑμᾶς ὑμῶν μὲν αὐτῶν καταφρονεῖν, ἕνα δʼ ἢ δύο θαυμάζειν ἀνθρώπους. εἶθʼ οὗτοι κληρονομοῦσι τῆς ὑμετέρας δόξης καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὑμεῖς δʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀπολαύετε, ἀλλὰ μάρτυρές ἐστε τῶν ἑτέρων ἀγαθῶν, οὐδενὸς ἄλλου μετέχοντες ἢ τοῦ ἐξαπατᾶσθαι. καίτοι πηλίκον τί ποτʼ ἂν στενάξειαν οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκεῖνοι, οἱ ὑπὲρ δόξης καὶ ἐλευθερίας τελευτήσαντες, καὶ πολλῶν καὶ καλῶν ἔργων ὑπομνήματα καταλιπόντες, εἰ ἄρʼ αἴσθοινθʼ ὅτι νῦν ἡ πόλις εἰς ὑπηρέτου σχῆμα καὶ τάξιν προελήλυθεν, καὶ Χαρίδημον εἰ χρὴ φρουρεῖν βουλεύεται; Χαρίδημον; οἴμοι.

[¶35] 211. But the really scandalous thing is, not that our counsels are inferior to those of our ancestors, who surpassed all mankind in virtue, but that they are worse than those of all other nations. Is it not discreditable that, whereas the Aeginetans yonder, who inhabit that insignificant island, and have nothing whatever to be proud of, have never to this day given their citizenship to Lampis, the largest ship-owner in Hellas, who fitted out their city and their seaport, but have reluctantly rewarded him merely with exemption from the alien-tax;

> Greek: 211. ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτʼ ἔστι τὸ δεινόν, εἰ τῶν προγόνων, οἳ διενηνόχασιν ἁπάντων ἀρετῇ, χεῖρον βουλευόμεθα, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρὸν Αἰγινήτας μὲν τουτουσί, νῆσον οἰκοῦντας οὕτω μικρὰν καὶ οὐδὲν ἔχοντας ἐφʼ ᾧ μέγα χρὴ φρονεῖν αὐτούς, Λάμπιν, ὃς μέγιστα ναυκλήρια κέκτηται τῶν Ἑλλήνων, καὶ κατεσκεύακεν τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ ἐμπόριον, μηδέπω καὶ τήμερον πολίτην πεποιῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ μόλις τῆς ἀτελείας αὐτὸν ἠξιωκέναι τῆς τοῦ μετοικίου·

[¶36] 212. that whereas those detestable Megarians are so obsessed with their own dignity that, when the Lacedaemonians sent and ordered them to admit to their citizenship Hermo, the pilot, who, serving with Lysander, captured two hundred war-galleys on the occasion of our disaster at Aegospotami, they replied that they would make him a Megarian when they saw that the Lacedaemonians had made him a Spartan;

> Greek: 212. καὶ Μεγαρέας τουτουσὶ τοὺς καταράτους οὕτως εὖ τὰ παρʼ αὑτοῖς σεμνύνειν ὥσθʼ Ἕρμωνα τὸν κυβερνήτην, τὸν μετὰ Λυσάνδρου λαβόντα τριήρεις διακοσίας ὅτʼ ἐν Αἰγὸς ποταμοῖς ἠτυχήσαμεν ἡμεῖς, πεμψάντων Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ κελευόντων ποιήσασθαι πολίτην ἀποκρίνασθαι ὅτι, ὅταν αὐτοὺς ἴδωσι Σπαρτιάτην αὐτὸν πεποιημένους, τότε καὶ αὐτοὶ Μεγαρέα ποιήσονται·

[¶37] 213. that whereas the people of Oreus, who inhabit only a fourth part of Euboea, dealing with this very Charidemus, whose mother belongs to their city,—I will not mention who his father is or where he comes from, for it is not worth while to make unnecessary inquiries about the man,—so that he himself contributed one-half of the birth-qualification, have never to this day thought fit to make up the other moiety, and to this very day he is on the bastards’ list, just as here bastards are registered at Cynosarges,— will you, men of Athens, after giving him your full franchise and honoring him with other distinctions,—will you bestow upon him this immunity into the bargain?

> Greek: 213. καὶ Ὠρείτας ἐκείνους, μέρος τέταρτον Εὐβοίας οἰκοῦντας, τὸν Χαρίδημον τοῦτον αὐτόν, ᾧ μήτηρ μὲν ὑπάρχει πολῖτις ἐκεῖ, πατὴρ δʼ οὐκ ἐρῶ τίς ἢ πόθεν (οὐδὲν γὰρ δεῖ πλείω τῶν ἀναγκαίων αὐτὸν ἐξετάζεσθαι), ἀλλʼ ὅμως, τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ συμβαλλομένου, τοῦ ἡμίσεος μέχρι τῆς τήμερον ἡμέρας οὐκ ἠξιώκασιν, ἀλλʼ εἰς τοὺς νόθους ἐκεῖ συντελεῖ, καθάπερ ποτʼ ἐνθάδʼ εἰς Κυνόσαργες οἱ νόθοι·

[¶38] 214. For what? What ships has he taken for you, to cause the men who have lost them to plot against him? What city has he captured and handed over to you? What perils has he encountered in your defence? When has he chosen your enemies as his own? No man can tell you.

> Greek: 214. ὑμεῖς δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάσης τῆς πόλεως μεταδόντες αὐτῷ καὶ τετιμηκότες ἄλλοις, ἔτι καὶ τοῦτʼ αὐτῷ προσθήσετε; ὅτι τί; ποίας ἔλαβεν ναῦς ὑμῖν διʼ ἃς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπολωλεκότων ἐπιβουλεύεται; ἢ ποίαν πόλιν παρέδωκεν αἰχμάλωτον λαβών; ἢ τίνας κινδύνους ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κεκινδύνευκεν; ἢ τίνας ἐχθροὺς τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὑμῖν ᾕρηται; οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς εἰπεῖν ἔχοι.

[¶39] 215. Before I leave the tribune, gentlemen of the jury, I wish to add some brief observations upon the statutes that we have adduced. If you will bear them in mind, I think that you will keep a better look-out for any attempts these men may make to cajole and mislead you. The first statute expressly ordains that, if any man slay another, the Areopagus shall take cognizance. Aristocrates proposes that such a manslayer shall be liable to seizure without more ado. Mark that carefully, and remember that to make a man an outlaw without trial is exactly the opposite of trying him.

> Greek: 215. περὶ δὴ τῶν νόμων ὧν παραγεγράμμεθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, βούλομαι μικρὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπὼν καταβαίνειν, ἃ νομίζω μνημονεύοντας ἂν ὑμᾶς ἄμεινον φυλάττειν, ἂν παράγειν καὶ φενακίζειν οὗτοι ζητῶσιν. ὁ πρῶτος νόμος ἄντικρυς εἴρηκεν, ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ, τὴν βουλὴν δικάζειν· ὁ δέ, ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ, εὐθὺς ἔγραψεν ἀγώγιμον εἶναι. τοῦτο φυλάττετε καὶ μέμνησθε, ὅτι πάντων ἐναντιώτατόν ἐστι τῷ κρίνειν τὸ μὴ διδόντα κρίσιν ἔκδοτον ποιεῖν.

[¶40] 216. The second statute forbids personal maltreatment or extortion even in the case of a convicted homicide. Aristocrates, by making him liable to seizure, has permitted such misusage; for it will be competent for captors to treat the man as they will. The statute provides that the culprit shall be conveyed to the judges, even though arrested in the country of his victim. He allows the homicide on seizure to be taken to the house of the prosecutor, even though the capture be effected in foreign parts.

> Greek: 216. οὐκ ἐᾷ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ δεύτερος νόμος οὐδὲ τὸν ἑαλωκότʼ ἀνδροφόνον λυμαίνεσθαι οὐδὲ χρήματα πράττεσθαι· ὁ δʼ ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν ἀγώγιμον πάντα ταῦτα δέδωκεν· ἐπὶ γὰρ τοῖς λαβοῦσιν ἔσται ποιεῖν ὅ τι ἂν βούλωνται. ἀπάγειν ὁ νόμος ὡς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας κελεύει, καὶ τοῦτʼ, ἂν ἐν τῇ τοῦ πεπονθότος λάβῃ τις πατρίδι· ὁ δʼ ἀγώγιμον αὐτῷ τῷ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπενεγκόντι δίδωσιν ὡς αὑτόν, κἂν τῆς ἀλλοτρίας που λάβῃ.

[¶41] 217. There are certain injuries for which the statute permits life to be taken. Aristocrates, even though the life be taken in such circumstances, makes no reservation, but permits a man whom the laws release without penalty to be handed over for punishment. When a man has suffered this misfortune, the law enjoins that satisfaction be first claimed. In defiance of this law he proposes no trial, demands no redress from the persons on whom he has such claim, but declares incontinently that the man is liable to seizure, and puts under an immediate ban anyone who tries to rescue him.

> Greek: 217. ἔστιν ἐφʼ οἷς ἀδικήμασιν δέδωκεν ἀποκτείνειν ὁ νόμος· ὁ δʼ οὐδὲν ὑπειπών, κἂν ἐπὶ τούτοις τις κτείνῃ, δίδωσιν ἔκδοτον τὸν ἀθῷον ἀφειμένον ἐν τοῖς νόμοις. ἄν τις πάθῃ τι τοιοῦτον, δίκας ὁ νόμος κελεύει αἰτεῖν πρῶτον· ὁ δὲ τοὐναντίον οὐδεμίαν κρίσιν οὔτʼ αὐτὸς εἰπὼν οὔτε παρʼ ὧν ἀξιοῖ λαβεῖν αἰτήσας, ἀγώγιμον εὐθὺς ἔγραψεν, κἄν τις ἀφαιρῆται, παραχρῆμʼ ἔκσπονδον.

[¶42] 218. The statute provides that not more than three hostages may be taken from the people with whom the offender lives, if they refuse to give satisfaction. The defendant puts under ban without more ado whosoever rescues the accused from his captors because he is unwilling to surrender him before judgement. The statute forbids anyone to introduce a new law without making it applicable to all men alike; he composes a special decree in favour of a particular man. The statute does not permit any decree to override the law. The relevant laws are many, but Aristocrates annuls them all and makes a mere decree supreme.

> Greek: 218. τὸ ἀνδρολήψιον, παρʼ οἷς ἂν ὁ δράσας ᾖ, ἂν μὴ διδῶσι δίκας, κελεύουσιν οἱ νόμοι μέχρι τριῶν εἶναι· ὁ δέ, ἂν ἀφέληταί τις τὸν ἄγοντα μὴ βουλόμενος πρὸ δίκης ἐκδοῦναι, εὐθὺς ἔκσπονδον ποιεῖ. οὐκ ἐᾷ νόμον, ἂν μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τιθῇ τις, εἰσφέρειν· ὁ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ γράφει ψήφισμʼ ἴδιον. οὐκ ἐᾷ ψήφισμʼ ὁ νόμος κυριώτερον εἶναι νόμου· ὁ δʼ ὑπαρχόντων τοσούτων νόμων ψήφισμα ποιεῖ κύριον τοὺς νόμους ἀναιρῶν.

[¶43] 219. Bear all this in mind and memory so long as you sit in that box. Dismiss all the fallacious reasons they will allege; do not allow them to be uttered. Tell them to show you the clause in which he has proposed a trial, or the clause that punishes a man duly convicted of murder. If he had provided for the due punishment of a man tried and found guilty elsewhere, or if he had himself proposed a trial to determine whether homicide has been committed or not, and if so whether justifiably or not, he would have done no wrong.

> Greek: 219. ταῦτα φυλάττετε καὶ μεμνημένοι κάθησθε. καὶ τὰς μὲν παραγωγάς, ἃς οὗτοι ποιήσονται, χαίρειν ἐᾶτε καὶ μὴ ἐπιτρέπετε λέγειν αὐτοῖς, κελεύετε δὲ δεῖξαι ποῦ γέγραφεν κρίσιν, ἢ ποῦ γέγραφεν, ἄν τις ἁλῷ φόνου, κατὰ τούτου τὰς τιμωρίας. εἰ γὰρ ἢ τὸν ἄλλοθί που κριθέντα καὶ ἑαλωκότα ὅτι δεῖ κολάζειν ἔγραψεν, ἢ αὐτὸς ἔγραψεν κρίσιν εἰ πεποίηκεν ἢ οὒ καὶ εἰ δικαίως ἢ ἀδίκως, οὐκ ἂν ἠδίκει.

[¶44] 220. But inasmuch as, after a phrase of mere accusation, “if any man kills,” without any such addition as “and is found guilty of murder,” or, “is adjudged to have killed,” or, “he shall submit to judgement for the murder,” or, “he shall be liable to the same penalty as if he had killed an Athenian,” he has omitted every just precaution, and has simply made the man liable to seizure, do not be led astray, but be assured that in this decree the laws have been absolutely contravened.

> Greek: 220. εἰ δὲ τὸ τῆς αἰτίας ὄνομʼ αὐτὸ γράψας ἄν τις ἀποκτείνῃ, καὶ ὑπερβὰς τὸ καὶ ἁλῷ φόνου, καὶ τὸ δόξῃ ἀπεκτονέναι, καὶ τὸ δίκας ὑπεχέτω τοῦ φόνου, καὶ τὸ τὰς τιμωρίας εἶναι κατʼ αὐτοῦ τὰς αὐτὰς ἅσπερ ἂν τὸν Ἀθηναῖον κτείνῃ, καὶ πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἐστὶ δίκαιʼ ὑπερβὰς ἀγώγιμον εἶναι γέγραφεν, μὴ φενακίζεσθε, ἀλλʼ εὖ ἴσθʼ ὅτι πάντων παρανομώτατʼ εἴρηκεν.