---
title: "Against Leptines · Περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "James Herbert Vince"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince, Against Leptines · Περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/"
---

# Against Leptines · Περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην

*Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince*

Against a law that abolished the tax exemptions given to the city’s benefactors.

> Greek: ed. Samuel Henry Butcher, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg020, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: James Herbert Vince, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg020.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

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

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–57](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/1.md)
2. [Sections 58–113](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/2.md)
3. [Sections 114–167](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/3.md)

## 1. Sections 1–57

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. Gentlemen of the jury, it is chiefly because I consider that the State will benefit by the repeal of this law, but partly also out of sympathy with the young son of Chabrias, that I have consented to support the plaintiffs to the best of my ability. It is clear, men of Athens, that Leptines and anyone else who defends the law will have nothing fair to say in its favor, but will urge the unworthiness of certain persons who have used their exemption as a means of shirking the public services, and he will take his stand chiefly on that ground.

> Greek: 1. ἄνδρες δικασταί, μάλιστα μὲν εἵνεκα τοῦ νομίζειν συμφέρειν τῇ πόλει λελύσθαι τὸν νόμον, εἶτα καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς εἵνεκα τοῦ Χαβρίου ὡμολόγησα τούτοις, ὡς ἂν οἷός τʼ ὦ, συνερεῖν. ἔστι δʼ οὐκ ἄδηλον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦθʼ, ὅτι Λεπτίνης, κἄν τις ἄλλος ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου λέγῃ, δίκαιον μὲν οὐδὲν ἐρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, φήσει δʼ ἀναξίους τινὰς ἀνθρώπους εὑρομένους ἀτέλειαν ἐκδεδυκέναι τὰς λῃτουργίας, καὶ τούτῳ πλείστῳ χρήσεται τῷ λόγῳ.

[¶1] 2. For my own part, I shall forbear to retort that it is unjust to take away this privilege from all because you find fault with some; for that objection has already been partially stated, and you probably realize its force. But I should like to ask Leptines on what grounds, even if not some, but all the recipients had been to the last degree undeserving, he has meted out the same treatment to you as to them; for by the clause “none shall be exempt” he has taken away the privilege from those who now enjoy it, while by the addition “nor shall it be lawful hereafter to grant it” he takes away from you the right to bestow it. For surely he cannot mean that precisely as he thought the holders of this privilege unworthy, so he thought the people unworthy of the right to dispense its own favors to whomsoever it wishes.

> Greek: 2. ἐγὼ δʼ ὅτι μὲν τινῶν κατηγοροῦντα πάντας ἀφαιρεῖσθαι τὴν δωρειὰν τῶν ἀδίκων ἐστίν, ἐάσω· καὶ γὰρ εἴρηται τρόπον τινὰ καὶ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἴσως γιγνώσκεται· ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἂν ἐροίμην ἡδέως αὐτόν, τίνος εἵνεκα, εἰ τὰ μάλιστα μὴ τινὲς ἀλλὰ πάντες ἦσαν ἀνάξιοι, τῶν αὐτῶν ἠξίωσεν ὑμᾶς τε καὶ τούτους. ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ γράψαι μηδένʼ εἶναι ἀτελῆ, τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀφείλετο τὴν ἀτέλειαν, ἐν δὲ τῷ προσγράψαι μηδὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐξεῖναι δοῦναι, ὑμᾶς τὸ δοῦναι ὑμῖν ἐξεῖναι. οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνό γʼ ἔνεστιν εἰπεῖν, ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, ὅνπερ τοὺς ἔχοντας [ἀφείλετο] τὴν δωρειὰν ἀναξίους ἐνόμιζεν, οὕτω καὶ τὸν δῆμον ἀνάξιον ἡγεῖτο κύριον εἶναι τοῦ δοῦναι, ἐάν τῳ βούληται.

[¶2] 3. But perhaps he may object here that he framed his law in this way because the people are so easily gulled. But by parity of reasoning why should you not be deprived of all your rights—of the whole constitution in fact? For there is no single—right which has not been abused in this way. You have often been deceived into passing decrees; you have sometimes been induced to choose weak allies rather than strong; and generally, I suppose, in many of your public proceedings the same thing is bound to happen.

> Greek: 3. ἀλλὰ νὴ Διʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἂν ἴσως εἴποι πρὸς ταῦτα, ὅτι διὰ τὸ ῥᾳδίως ἐξαπατᾶσθαι τὸν δῆμον, διὰ τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔθηκε τὸν νόμον. τί οὖν κωλύει πάντʼ ἀφῃρῆσθαι καὶ ὅλως τὴν πολιτείαν ὑμᾶς κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον; οὐ γὰρ ἔστʼ ἐφʼ ὅτου τοῦτʼ οὐ πεπόνθατε τῶν πάντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψηφίσματα πολλὰ πολλάκις ἐξαπατηθέντες κεχειροτονήκατε, καὶ συμμάχους ἤδη τινὰς ἥττους ἀντὶ κρειττόνων ἐπείσθηθʼ ἑλέσθαι, καὶ ὅλως ἐν οἶμαι πολλοῖς οἷς πράττετε καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι συμβαίνειν ἀνάγκη.

[¶3] 4. Shall we then make a law that hereafter neither Council nor Assembly shall be permitted to deliberate or to vote on any subject? Not so, in my opinion; for we ought not to be deprived of our rights, where we have been misled; we ought to be instructed how to avoid such mistakes, and we ought to make a law, not to strip us of our own authority, but to punish those who mislead us.

> Greek: 4. ἆρʼ οὖν θησόμεθα νόμον διὰ ταῦτα μηδὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐξεῖναι τῇ βουλῇ μηδὲ τῷ δήμῳ μήτε προβουλεύειν μήτε χειροτονεῖν μηδέν; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶμαι· οὐ γάρ ἐσμεν ἀφαιρεθῆναι δίκαιοι περὶ ὧν ἂν ἐξαπατηθῶμεν, ἀλλὰ διδαχθῆναι πῶς τοῦτο μὴ πεισόμεθα, καὶ θέσθαι νόμον οὐχ ὃς ἀφαιρήσεται τὸ κυρίους ἡμᾶς εἶναι, ἀλλὰ διʼ οὗ τὸν ἐξαπατῶντα τιμωρησόμεθα.

[¶4] 5. Now if, putting these considerations aside, you would examine the real problem, whether it is more advantageous that you should possess the power of bestowing this privilege, even though you are sometimes duped into bestowing it on a scoundrel, or that by being wholly dispossessed of it you should be unable to grant honors even where they are deserved, you would find the former course the more advantageous. And why? Because the result of rewarding too many citizens is to encourage many to do you good service, but the result of rewarding no one, even if deserving, is to discourage emulation in all.

> Greek: 5. εἰ τοίνυν τις ἐάσας ταῦτʼ αὐτὸ καθʼ αὕτʼ ἐξετάσειεν, πότερόν ποτε λυσιτελέστερόν ἐστι κυρίους μὲν ὑμᾶς εἶναι τῆς δωρειᾶς, ἐξαπατηθέντας δέ τι καὶ φαύλῳ τινὶ δοῦναι, ἢ διὰ τοῦ παντελῶς ἀκύρους γενέσθαι μηδʼ ἂν ἄξιόν τινʼ εἰδῆτʼ ἐξεῖναι τιμῆσαι, εὕροιτʼ ἂν μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνο λυσιτελοῦν. διὰ τί; ὅτι ἐκ μὲν τοῦ πλείονας ἢ προσήκει τιμᾶν πολλοὺς εὖ ποιεῖν προκαλεῖσθʼ ὑμᾶς, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ μηδενὶ μηδέν, μηδʼ ἂν ἄξιος ᾖ, διδόναι, πάντας ἀπείρξετε τοῦ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι.

[¶5] 6. There is also this other reason, that those who reward an undeserving individual may be credited with some degree of artlessness, but those who never requite their benefactors are charged with baseness. Just so far as it is better to be thought artless than unscrupulous, it is more honorable to repeal this law than to enact it.

> Greek: 6. πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἀνάξιόν τινα τιμήσαντες εὐηθείας τινὰ δόξαν ἔχοιεν ἄν, οἱ δὲ τοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦντας ἑαυτοὺς μὴ τοῖς ὁμοίοις ἀμειβόμενοι, κακίας. ὅσῳ δὴ κρεῖττον εὐήθη δοκεῖν ἢ πονηρὸν εἶναι, τοσούτῳ λῦσαι τὸν νόμον κάλλιον ἢ θέσθαι.

[¶6] 7. Nor again, men of Athens, on reflection does it seem to me reasonable, when finding fault with some on the ground of the rewards they already enjoy, to rob useful citizens of their honors. For if, while these immunities exist, some of the recipients are, as our opponents say, worthless and unprofitable, what result are we to expect when there is no chance whatever of reward for the good citizens?

> Greek: 7. οὐ τοίνυν ἔμοιγʼ οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνʼ εὔλογον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, σκοπουμένῳ φαίνεται, καταμεμφόμενόν τινας ἐπὶ ταῖς ὑπαρχούσαις δωρειαῖς τοὺς χρησίμους ὄντας τῶν τιμῶν ἀποστερεῖν. εἰ γὰρ ὑπαρχουσῶν τούτων φαῦλοι καὶ ἀνάξιοί τινες κατὰ τὸν τούτων λόγον εἰσίν, τί χρὴ προσδοκᾶν ἔσεσθαι τότε, ὅταν παντελῶς μηδὲ πλέον μέλλῃ μηδὲν εἶναι τοῖς χρηστοῖς οὖσιν;

[¶7] 8. Then again, you must consider this point, that in accordance with the existing laws of long standing—laws of which Leptines himself cannot deny the soundness—there is an interval of a year between each public service, so that half the time a citizen is immune. And then, when all citizens, even those who have not benefited you in the least, enjoy a half share in that privilege, are we to take away from your real benefactors the addition that we made to it? Surely not; for that would be dishonorable and, in your case, especially unbecoming.

> Greek: 8. ἔτι τοίνυν ὑμᾶς κἀκεῖνʼ ἐνθυμεῖσθαι δεῖ, ὅτι ἐκ τῶν νῦν ὑπαρχόντων νόμων καὶ πάλαι κυρίων, οὓς οὐδʼ ἂν αὐτὸς οὗτος ἀντείποι μὴ οὐχὶ καλῶς ἔχειν, ἐνιαυτὸν διαλιπὼν ἕκαστος λῃτουργεῖ, ὥστε τὸν ἥμισύν ἐστʼ ἀτελὴς τοῦ χρόνου. εἶθʼ ἧς πᾶσι μέτεστι τὸ ἥμισυ καὶ τοῖς μηδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀγαθὸν πεποιηκόσιν ὑμᾶς, ταύτης τοὺς εὖ ποιήσαντας, ὃ προστεθείκαμεν αὐτοῖς, τοῦτʼ ἀφελώμεθα; μηδαμῶς· οὔτε γὰρ ἄλλως καλὸν οὔθʼ ὑμῖν πρέπον.

[¶8] 9. When we have a law which forbids cheating in the marketplace, where a falsehood entails no public injury, is it not disgraceful that in public affairs the same state should not abide by the law which it enjoins on private individuals, but should cheat its benefactors, and that although it is itself likely to incur no small penalty?

> Greek: 9. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἀγορὰν ἀψευδεῖν νόμον γεγράφθαι, ἐφʼ οἷς οὐδέν ἐστι δημοσίᾳ βλάβος εἴ τις ψεύδεται, ἐν δὲ τῷ κοινῷ μὴ χρῆσθαι τῷ νόμῳ τούτῳ τὴν πόλιν τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιτάξασαν τοῖς ἰδιώταις, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀγαθόν τι πεποιηκότας ἐξαπατῆσαι, καὶ ταῦτʼ οὐ μικρὰν ζημίαν ὀφλήσειν μέλλουσαν;

[¶9] 10. For we must take account not only of loss of money, but of loss of good fame, which you are more anxious to keep than your money—yes, you and your ancestors also. The proof of this is that when they had accumulated vast sums, they spent all for honor, and when reputation was at stake, they never shrank from danger, but even lavished their private fortunes without stint. As it stands, then, this law reflects on your city not honor but disgrace, unworthy alike of your ancestors and of yourselves; for Athens is incurring the three worst reproaches—that men should think us envious, faithless, ungrateful.

> Greek: 10. οὐ γὰρ εἰ μὴ χρήματʼ ἀπόλλυτε μόνον σκεπτέον, ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ δόξαν χρηστήν, περὶ ἧς μᾶλλον σπουδάζετʼ ἢ περὶ χρημάτων, καὶ οὐ μόνον ὑμεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ πρόγονοι. τεκμήριον δέ· χρήματα μὲν γὰρ πλεῖστά ποτε κτησάμενοι πάνθʼ ὑπὲρ φιλοτιμίας ἀνήλωσαν, ὑπὲρ δὲ δόξης οὐδένα πώποτε κίνδυνον ἐξέστησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἰδίας οὐσίας προσαναλίσκοντες διετέλουν. νῦν τοίνυν οὗτος ὁ νόμος ταύτην ἀντὶ καλῆς αἰσχρὰν τῇ πόλει περιάπτει, καὶ οὔτε τῶν προγόνων οὔθʼ ὑμῶν ἀξίαν. τρία γὰρ τὰ μέγιστʼ ὀνείδη κτᾶται, φθονεροὺς ἀπίστους ἀχαρίστους εἶναι δοκεῖν.

[¶10] 11. Next, men of Athens, that it is absolutely contrary to the national character to ratify such a law as this, I will also endeavor to show you briefly by an example of our conduct in the past. The Thirty Tyrants are said to have borrowed money from the Lacedaemonians for use against the patriots in the Piraeus. But when unity was restored to the State and those disputes were settled, the Lacedaemonians sent envoys to demand payment.

> Greek: 11. ὅτι τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἐστὶν ὅλως, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦ ἤθους τοῦ ὑμετέρου κύριον ποιῆσαι τοιοῦτον νόμον, καὶ τοῦτο πειράσομαι δεῖξαι διὰ βραχέων, ἕν τι τῶν πρότερον πεπραγμένων τῇ πόλει διεξελθών. λέγονται χρήμαθʼ οἱ τριάκοντα δανείσασθαι παρὰ Λακεδαιμονίων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐν Πειραιεῖ. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἡ πόλις εἰς ἓν ἦλθεν καὶ τὰ πράγματʼ ἐκεῖνα κατέστη, πρέσβεις πέμψαντες οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τὰ χρήματα ταῦτʼ ἀπῄτουν.

[¶11] 12. When the question was discussed and some were for ordering the city-party, who were the real borrowers, to repay, while others claimed that the first sign of reconciliation should be the joint settlement of the debt, they say that the people chose to pay their contribution and bear their share of the loss, so that there should be no breach of the agreement. On that occasion, men of Athens, to avoid a breach of faith, you consented to pay money to those who had injured you, but now, when you might without any expense requite your benefactors by repealing this law, will it not be strange if you prefer to break your faith? I for one cannot approve of it.

> Greek: 12. λόγων δὲ γιγνομένων καὶ τῶν μὲν τοὺς δανεισαμένους ἀποδοῦναι κελευόντων, τοὺς ἐξ ἄστεως, τῶν δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον ὑπάρξαι τῆς ὁμονοίας σημεῖον ἀξιούντων, κοινῇ διαλῦσαι τὰ χρήματα, φασὶ τὸν δῆμον ἑλέσθαι συνεισενεγκεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ μετασχεῖν τῆς δαπάνης, ὥστε μὴ λῦσαι τῶν ὡμολογημένων μηδέν. πῶς οὖν οὐ δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ τότε μὲν τοῖς ἠδικηκόσιν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ψεύσασθαι τὰ χρήματʼ εἰσφέρειν ἠθελήσατε, νῦν δʼ ἐξὸν ὑμῖν ἄνευ δαπάνης τὰ δίκαια ποιῆσαι τοῖς εὐεργέταις, λύσασι τὸν νόμον, ψεύδεσθαι μᾶλλον αἱρήσεσθε; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἀξιῶ.

[¶12] 13. The instance I have quoted, men of Athens, as well many others, will show what our national character is—truthful, honest, and, where money is concerned, not asking what pays best, but what is the honorable thing to do. But as to the character of the proposer of this law, I have no further knowledge of him, nor do I say or know anything to his prejudice; but if I may judge from his law, I detect a character very far removed from what I have described.

> Greek: 13. τὸ μὲν τοίνυν τῆς πόλεως ἦθος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλων πολλῶν καὶ ἐφʼ ὧν εἶπον ἴδοι τις ἂν τοιοῦτον, ἀψευδὲς καὶ χρηστόν, οὐ τὸ λυσιτελέστατον πρὸς ἀργύριον σκοποῦν, ἀλλὰ τί καὶ καλὸν πρᾶξαι. τὸ δὲ τοῦ θέντος τὸν νόμον, τὰ μὲν ἄλλʼ ἔγωγʼ οὐκ οἶδα, οὐδὲ λέγω φλαῦρον οὐδὲν οὐδὲ σύνοιδα, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ νόμου σκοπῶν εὑρίσκω πολὺ τούτου κεχωρισμένον.

[¶13] 14. I say, then, that it would be more honorable for Leptines to be guided by you in repealing the law than for you to be guided by him in ratifying it, and it would be more profitable for you, as well as for him, that Athens should persuade Leptines to assume a likeness to herself than that she should be persuaded by Leptines to be like him; for even if he is a really good man—and he may be, for aught I know—he cannot excel her in character.

> Greek: 14. φημὶ τοίνυν ἐγὼ κάλλιον εἶναι τοῦτον ὑμῖν ἀκολουθῆσαι περὶ τοῦ λῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ ὑμᾶς τούτῳ περὶ τοῦ θέσθαι, καὶ λυσιτελέστερον εἶναι καὶ ὑμῖν καὶ τούτῳ τὴν πόλιν πεπεικέναι Λεπτίνην ὅμοιον αὐτῇ γενέσθαι δοκεῖν ἢ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τούτου πεπεῖσθαι ὁμοίαν εἶναι τούτῳ· οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ πάνυ χρηστός ἐσθʼ, ὡς ἐμοῦ γʼ ἕνεκʼ ἔστω, βελτίων ἐστὶ τῆς πόλεως τὸ ἦθος.

[¶14] 15. Moreover, gentlemen, I think that you would come to a sounder judgement in this matter if you would observe this further truth, that the present law removes just the one advantage which the rewards of a democracy have over those of other constitutions. For in the material value to the recipients of the rewards bestowed, a tyranny or an oligarchy has an immense advantage in that they can make anyone they choose instantaneously rich; but in honor and in security of possession you will find that the gifts of a democracy are to be preferred.

> Greek: 15. νομίζω τοίνυν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἄμεινον ἂν περὶ τοῦ παρόντος βουλεύσασθαι, εἰ κἀκεῖνο μάθοιτε, ὅτι ᾧ μόνῳ μείζους εἰσὶν αἱ παρὰ τῶν δήμων δωρειαὶ τῶν παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτειῶν [διδομένων], καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀφαιρεῖται νῦν τῷ νόμῳ. τῇ μὲν γὰρ χρείᾳ τῇ τῶν εὑρισκομένων τὰς δωρειὰς οἱ τύραννοι καὶ οἱ τὰς ὀλιγαρχίας ἔχοντες μάλιστα δύνανται [τιμᾶν]· πλούσιον γὰρ ὃν ἂν βούλωνται παραχρῆμʼ ἐποίησαν· τῇ δὲ τιμῇ καὶ τῇ βεβαιότητι τὰς παρὰ τῶν δήμων δωρειὰς εὑρήσετʼ οὔσας βελτίους.

[¶15] 16. For not the receipt of a flatterer’s pay with its taint of shame, but to be honored, where speech is free, as one who is deemed worthy—that is true glory; and to enjoy the willing admiration of equals seems better than to accept the richest gift from a tyrant’s hand. For in those communities the fear of tomorrow outweighs the favor of today, but in your city a man could keep what he won without fear of loss, at any rate in time past.

> Greek: 16. τό τε γὰρ μὴ μετʼ αἰσχύνης ὡς κολακεύοντα λαμβάνειν, ἀλλʼ ἐν ἰσηγορίᾳ δοκοῦντʼ ἄξιόν τινος εἶναι τιμᾶσθαι τῶν καλῶν ἐστι, τό θʼ ὑπὸ τῶν ὁμοίων ἑκόντων θαυμάζεσθαι τοῦ παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου λαμβάνειν ὁτιοῦν κρεῖττον εἶναι δοκεῖ. παρὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνοις μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ τοῦ μέλλοντος φόβος τῆς παρούσης χάριτος, παρὰ δʼ ὑμῖν ἀδεῶς ἃν λάβῃ τις ἔχειν ὑπῆρχε τὸν γοῦν ἄλλον χρόνον.

[¶16] 17. So the law which destroys confidence in the rewards takes away the one thing that gives a higher value to rewards which you bestow. And indeed, if from any one of all known forms of government you take away the right of loyal supporters of the constitution to receive favors, you will find that you have deprived those governments of no unimportant safeguard.

> Greek: 17. ὁ τοίνυν τὴν πίστιν ἀφαιρῶν τῶν δωρειῶν νόμος, οὗτος, ᾧ μόνῳ κρείττους εἰσὶν αἱ παρʼ ὑμῶν δωρειαί, τοῦτʼ ἀφαιρεῖται. καίτοι τῶν ἁπασῶν ἧς ἄν τινος πολιτείας τὸ κομίζεσθαι τοὺς εὔνους τοῖς καθεστῶσιν χάριν ἐξέλῃς, οὐ μικρὰν φυλακὴν αὐτῶν ταύτην ἀφῃρηκὼς ἔσει.

[¶17] 18. Now perhaps Leptines will try to divert your attention from these points and assert that at present the public services fall upon the poor, but that under his law they will be performed by the wealthiest class. At first hearing, the plea seems to have some weight; but examine it strictly and the fallacy will be exposed. For there are, as you know, among us some services that fall upon resident aliens and others that fall upon citizens, and the exemption, which Leptines would remove, has been granted in the case of both. For from special contributions for war or for national defence and also from the equipment of war-galleys, rightly and justly in accordance with earlier laws, no one is exempt, not even the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogiton, whom Leptines has specially named.

> Greek: 18. τάχα τοίνυν ἴσως ἐκεῖνο λέγειν ἂν ἐπιχειρήσειε Λεπτίνης, ἀπάγων ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τούτων, ὡς αἱ λῃτουργίαι νῦν μὲν εἰς πένητας ἀνθρώπους ἔρχονται, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ νόμου τούτου λῃτουργήσουσιν οἱ πλουσιώτατοι. ἔστι δὲ τοῦθʼ οὑτωσὶ μὲν ἀκοῦσαι λόγον τινʼ ἔχον· εἰ δέ τις αὔτʼ ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε, ψεῦδος ἂν φανείη. εἰσὶ γὰρ δήπου παρʼ ἡμῖν αἵ τε τῶν μετοίκων λῃτουργίαι καὶ αἱ πολιτικαί, ὧν ἑκατέρων ἐστὶ τοῖς εὑρημένοις ἡ ἀτέλεια ἣν οὗτος ἀφαιρεῖται. τῶν γὰρ εἰς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς πόλεως εἰσφορῶν καὶ τριηραρχιῶν ὀρθῶς καὶ δικαίως οὐδείς ἐστʼ ἀτελὴς ἐκ τῶν παλαιῶν νόμων, οὐδʼ οὓς οὗτος ἔγραψε, τοὺς ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος.

[¶18] 19. Let us then see what additional contributors he provides to perform those public services, and how many will be passed over if we turn a deaf ear to him. Now the richest citizens, when equipping a war-galley, are already exempt from the ordinary services, while those whose wealth is insufficient necessarily enjoy exemption and are out of the reach of this tax; so his law will not provide us with another contributor from either of these classes.

> Greek: 19. σκεψώμεθα δὴ τίνας ἡμῖν εἰσποιεῖ χορηγοὺς εἰς ἐκείνας τὰς λῃτουργίας, καὶ πόσους, ἐὰν μὴ τούτῳ προσέχωμεν, ἀφήσει. οἱ μὲν τοίνυν πλουσιώτατοι τριηραρχοῦντες ἀεὶ τῶν χορηγιῶν ἀτελεῖς ὑπάρχουσιν, οἱ δʼ ἐλάττω τῶν ἱκανῶν κεκτημένοι, τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἀτέλειαν ἔχοντες, ἔξω τοῦ τέλους εἰσὶ τούτου· οὐκοῦν τούτων μὲν οὐδετέρων οὐδεὶς διὰ τὸν νόμον ἡμῖν προσέσται χορηγός.

[¶19] 20. He may reply that he recruits many aliens for the services. But if he can point to five such, I will eat my words. I will assume, then, that this is not the case, but that if the law stands, both the number of aliens performing public services will be greater, and of the citizens none will be excused because he is equipping a war-galley. Now let us consider what the State will gain if all these perform the services, for it will prove to be no compensation at all for the disgrace it will entail.

> Greek: 20. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δίʼ εἰς τὰς τῶν μετοίκων λῃτουργίας εἰσποιεῖ πολλούς. ἀλλʼ ἐὰν δείξῃ πέντε, ἐγὼ ληρεῖν ὁμολογῶ. θήσω τοίνυν ἐγὼ μὴ τοιοῦτον εἶναι τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν μετοίκων πλείονας ἢ τοσούτους, ἐὰν ὁ νόμος τεθῇ, τοὺς λῃτουργοῦντας ἔσεσθαι, καὶ τῶν πολιτῶν μηδένʼ ἐκ τριηραρχίας ὑπάρξειν ἀτελῆ. σκεψώμεθα δὴ τί τοῦτο τῇ πόλει, ἐὰν ἅπαντες οὗτοι λῃτουργῶσιν· φανήσεται γὰρ οὐδὲ πολλοῦ δεῖ τῆς γενησομένης ἄξιον αἰσχύνης.

[¶20] 21. Put it thus. Of aliens there are exempt—I will assume ten. And by Heaven, as I said before, I do not believe there are five. Moreover of the citizens there are not half a dozen. Sixteen of both, then. Let us call it twenty, or thirty, if you like. How many, pray, are there that annually perform the regularly recurring services—chorus-masters, presidents of gymnasia, and public hosts? Perhaps sixty in all, or a trifle more.

> Greek: 21. ὅρα δʼ οὑτωσί. εἰσὶ τῶν ξένων ἀτελεῖς—δέκα θήσω· καὶ μὰ τοὺς θεούς, ὅπερ εἶπον ἀρτίως, οὐκ οἶμαι πέντʼ εἶναι. καὶ μὴν τῶν γε πολιτῶν οὐκ εἰσὶ ⟨πλείους ἢ⟩ πέντʼ ἢ ἕξ. οὐκοῦν ἀμφοτέρων ἑκκαίδεκα. ποιήσωμεν αὐτοὺς εἴκοσιν, εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, τριάκοντα. πόσοι δή ποτʼ εἰσὶν οἱ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν τὰς ἐγκυκλίους λῃτουργίας λῃτουργοῦντες, χορηγοὶ καὶ γυμνασίαρχοι καὶ ἑστιάτορες; ἑξήκοντʼ ἴσως ἢ μικρῷ πλείους σύμπαντες οὗτοι.

[¶21] 22. In order, then, that we may have thirty more men for the public services, spread over the whole period, is it worth our while to excite the distrust of all? But surely we must know this, that as long as Athens stands, there will be plenty of citizens, without fail, to perform the services, but not a soul will want to do us a good turn, if he sees our previous benefactors wronged.

> Greek: 22. ἵνʼ οὖν τριάκοντʼ ἄνθρωποι πλείους παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον λῃτουργήσωσιν ἡμῖν, τοὺς ἅπαντας ἀπίστως πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς διαθῶμεν; ἀλλʼ ἴσμεν ἐκεῖνο δήπου, ὅτι λῃτουργήσουσιν μέν, ἄνπερ ἡ πόλις ᾖ, πολλοὶ καὶ οὐκ ἐπιλείψουσιν, εὖ δὲ ποιεῖν ἡμᾶς οὐδεὶς ἐθελήσει, τοὺς πρότερον ποιήσαντας ἐὰν ἠδικημένους ἴδῃ.

[¶22] 23. So far, so good. But if there were the most serious shortage of possible contributors, in Heaven’s name, which would you prefer—to organize syndicates for those services as for the equipment of war-vessels, or to rob your benefactors of what you have given them? I think I should prefer the syndicates. By the present law, while each of these thirty is performing a public service, Leptines affords a respite for the others, and that is all; after that, each of them will have to spend as much as before; but in the other case, each would pay a small contribution, proportioned to his means, and none would be hardly treated, even if his property were quite small.

> Greek: 23. εἶεν. εἰ δὲ δὴ τὰ μάλιστʼ ἐπέλειπον οἱ χορηγεῖν οἷοί τε, πρὸς Διὸς πότερον κρεῖττον ἦν εἰς συντέλειαν ἀγαγεῖν τὰς χορηγίας ὥσπερ τὰς τριηραρχίας, ἢ τοὺς εὐεργέτας ἀφελέσθαι τὰ δοθέντα; ἐγὼ μὲν ἐκεῖνʼ οἶμαι. νῦν μέν γε τὸν χρόνον, ὃν ἂν τούτων ἕκαστος λῃτουργῇ, δίδωσι τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτοῖς μόνον, μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἀναλώσει· τότε δʼ ἄν, μικρᾶς συντελείας ἀπὸ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἑκάστῳ γιγνομένης, οὐδὲν ἔπασχε δεινὸν οὐδείς, οὐδʼ εἰ πάνυ μικρὰ κεκτημένος ἦν.

[¶23] 24. Now some of our opponents, men of Athens, are so illogical that they make no attempt to answer these arguments, but take a different line, saying for instance how monstrous it is that on the one hand there is nothing left in the Exchequer, but on the other hand private individuals will grow wealthy because they have secured an immunity. But it is not fair to combine both these statements. For if a man has great wealth without doing you any wrong, there is surely no need to look on him with envy; but if they are prepared to say that he has stolen it or gained it in some other disreputable way, there are laws by which he can be suitably punished. But as long as they do not prosecute him, neither have they any right to make this allegation.

> Greek: 24. οὕτω τοίνυν τινές, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, σφόδρʼ ἔχουσʼ ἀλογίστως ὥστʼ ἐπιχειροῦσι λέγειν πρὸς μὲν ταῦτʼ οὐδέν, ἄλλα δὲ τοιαδί, ὡς ἄρα δεινόν, εἰ ἐν κοινῷ μὲν μηδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὑπάρχει τῇ πόλει, ἰδίᾳ δέ τινες πλουτήσουσʼ ἀτελείας ἐπειλημμένοι. ἔστι δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀμφότερʼ οὐχὶ δίκαιον λέγειν. εἰ μὲν γάρ τις ἔχει πολλὰ μηδὲν ὑμᾶς ἀδικῶν, οὐχὶ δεῖ δήπου τούτῳ βασκαίνειν· εἰ δʼ ὑφῃρημένον φήσουσιν ἤ τινʼ ἄλλον οὐχ ὃν προσήκει τρόπον, εἰσὶ νόμοι καθʼ οὓς προσήκει κολάζειν. ὅτε δὲ τοῦτο μὴ ποιοῦσιν, οὐδὲ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῖς τοῦτον λεκτέον.

[¶24] 25. Further, with regard to the alleged poverty of the Exchequer, you must reflect that you will not be a whit the better off if you abolish these exemptions, for the expenditure on these services has nothing to do with the revenues or the surplus of the State. And apart from all this, of two possible advantages—wealth and credit with the rest of the world—our State today enjoys the latter. But if anyone imagines that because we have no money we need not also keep our honor bright, his judgement is at fault. For myself indeed, I pray Heaven that, if so it may be, our wealth also may increase, but if not, then at least that our reputation for good faith and constancy may remain sure.

> Greek: 25. καὶ μὴν περὶ τοῦ γε μὴ εἶναι χρήματα κοινὰ τῇ πόλει, ἐκεῖνʼ ὑμᾶς δεῖ σκοπεῖν, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἔσεσθʼ εὐπορώτεροι, τὰς ἀτελείας ἐὰν ἀφέλησθε· οὐ γὰρ κοινωνεῖ ταῖς δημοσίαις προσόδοις καὶ περιουσίαις ταῦτα τἀναλώματʼ οὐδέν. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων νυνὶ τῇ πόλει, δυοῖν ἀγαθοῖν ὄντοιν, πλούτου καὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἅπαντας πιστεύεσθαι, ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς πίστεως ὑπάρχον. εἰ δέ τις οἴεται δεῖν, ὅτι χρήματʼ οὐκ ἔχομεν, μηδὲ δόξαν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς χρηστήν, οὐ καλῶς φρονεῖ. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ εὔχομαι τοῖς θεοῖς, μάλιστα μὲν ἡμῖν καὶ χρήματα πολλὰ γενέσθαι, εἰ δὲ μή, τό γε πιστοῖς εἶναι καὶ βεβαίοις δοκεῖν διαμεῖναι.

[¶25] 26. Now take the large fortunes which, according to our opponents, some citizens will amass if relieved of the services, but which I will show to be available for your needs. For of course you are aware that no one is exempt from the equipment of war-galleys or from the special contributions for war. So this person, whoever he may be, who owns much, contributes much to those objects; there is no getting out of it. And again, all would agree that the resources which the State can rely on for these objects should be as great as possible. For money spent by the chorus-masters affords those of us who are in the theater gratification for a fraction of a day; but money lavished on equipment for war gives security to the whole city for all time.

> Greek: 26. φέρε δὴ καὶ τὰς εὐπορίας, ἃς ἀναπαυομένους τινὰς εὐπορήσειν οὗτοι φήσουσιν, εἰς δέον ὑμῖν γιγνομένας δείξω. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ ὅτι τῶν τριηραρχιῶν οὐδείς ἐστʼ ἀτελὴς οὐδὲ τῶν εἰσφορῶν τῶν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον. οὔκουν ὁ πολλὰ κεκτημένος, οὗτος, ὅστις ἂν ᾖ, πόλλʼ εἰς ταῦτα συντελεῖ; πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη. καὶ μὴν ὅτι δεῖ τὴν εὐπορίαν εἰς ταῦθʼ ὑπάρχειν πλείστην τῇ πόλει, πάντες ἂν ὁμολογήσειαν· παρὰ μὲν γὰρ τὰς ἐπὶ τῶν χορηγιῶν δαπάνας ἡμέρας μέρος μικρὸν ἡ χάρις τοῖς θεωμένοις ἡμῶν, παρὰ δὲ τὰς τῶν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον παρασκευῶν ἀφθονίας πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἡ σωτηρία πάσῃ τῇ πόλει.

[¶26] 27. Therefore whatever you remit with one hand, you receive with the other; and you grant as an honor exemptions which even those who receive them cannot enjoy, if they have wealth sufficient for the equipment of a war-vessel. But although I suppose you all know that no one is exempt from the latter service, the clerk shall read to you the actual statute. Take the law about the trierarchy and read this clause only. [The clause is read] [And none shall be exempt from the trierarchy except the nine archons.]

> Greek: 27. ὥσθʼ ὅσον ἐνθάδʼ ἀφίετε, ἐκεῖ κομίζεσθε, καὶ δίδοτʼ ἐν τιμῆς μέρει ταῦθʼ ἃ καὶ μὴ λαβοῦσιν ἔστιν ἔχειν τοῖς τοῦ τριηραρχεῖν ἄξια κεκτημένοις. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι τῶν τριηραρχιῶν οὐδείς ἐστʼ ἀτελής, οἶμαι μὲν ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι πάντας, ὅμως δὲ καὶ τὸν νόμον ὑμῖν αὐτὸν ἀναγνώσεται. λαβὲ τὸν περὶ τῶν τριηραρχιῶν νόμον καὶ λέγε τοῦτʼ αὐτό. ΝΟΜΟΣ. ἀτελῆ δὲ μηδένα εἶναι τριηραρχίας πλὴν τῶν ἐννέα ἀρχόντων.

[¶27] 28. You see, Athenians, how explicitly the law lays down that none shall be exempt from the equipment of a war-galley except the nine archons. So those whose wealth falls short of the qualification for that service will contribute by groups to the special war-tax, but those who reach that qualification will be available both for the war-galleys and for the war-tax. Then what relief does your law, Leptines, afford to the main body of citizens, if from one or two tribes it provides a single contributor, who, having relieved one other citizen on one occasion, will thereafter be exempt? I can see no relief. On the other hand it taints the honor and credit of the whole State. Therefore, when the damage it will inflict is greater than the benefit it confers, ought it not to be repealed by this court? Such would be my verdict.

> Greek: 28. ὁρᾶθʼ ὡς σαφῶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μηδένʼ εἶναι τριηραρχίας ἀτελῆ διείρηκεν ὁ νόμος πλὴν τῶν ἐννέʼ ἀρχόντων. οὐκοῦν οἱ μὲν ἐλάττω κεκτημένοι τοῦ τριηραρχίας ἄξιʼ ἔχειν ἐν ταῖς εἰσφοραῖς συντελοῦσιν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, οἱ δʼ ἐφικνούμενοι τοῦ τριηραρχεῖν εἰς ἀμφότερʼ ὑμῖν ὑπάρξουσι χρήσιμοι, καὶ τριηραρχεῖν καὶ εἰσφέρειν. τίνʼ οὖν ῥᾳστώνην τοῖς πολλοῖς ὁ σός, ὦ Λεπτίνη, ποιεῖ νόμος, εἰ μιᾶς ἢ δυοῖν φυλαῖν ἕνα χορηγὸν καθίστησιν, ὃς ἀνθʼ ἑνὸς ἄλλου τοῦθʼ ἅπαξ ποιήσας ἀπηλλάξεται; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶ. τῆς δέ γʼ αἰσχύνης ὅλην ἀναπίμπλησι τὴν πόλιν καὶ τῆς ἀπιστίας. οὔκουν ὅτε πολλῷ μείζονα βλάψει τῶν ὠφελειῶν ὧν ἔχει, προσήκει λελύσθαι παρὰ τοῖσδʼ αὐτόν; ἔγωγʼ ἂν φαίην.

[¶28] 29. My next point is this, gentlemen of the jury. The law of Leptines explicitly states that “none, whether citizen or enfranchised alien or foreigner, shall be exempt,” and does not specify from what, whether from the public service or from any other charge, but simply that “none shall be exempt except the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogiton.” The word “none” must be taken to include all classes, and foreigner is not further defined as resident at Athens.

> Greek: 29. ἔτι δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι ἐν τῷ νόμῳ διαρρήδην αὐτοῦ μηδένα μήτε τῶν πολιτῶν μήτε τῶν ἰσοτελῶν μήτε τῶν ξένων εἶναι ἀτελῆ, μὴ διῃρῆσθαι δʼ ὅτου ἀτελῆ, χορηγίας ἤ τινος ἄλλου τέλους, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς ἀτελῆ μηδένα πλὴν τῶν ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος, καὶ ἐν μὲν τῷ μηδένα πάντας περιλαμβάνειν τοὺς ἄλλους, ἐν δὲ τῷ τῶν ξένων μὴ διορίζειν τῶν οἰκούντων Ἀθήνησιν, ἀφαιρεῖται καὶ Λεύκωνα τὸν ἄρχοντα Βοσπόρου καὶ τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τὴν δωρειὰν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἔδοτʼ αὐτοῖς.

[¶29] 30. It follows that Leptines deprives Leucon, the ruler of the Bosporus, and his children of the reward which you bestowed on them. For, of course, Leucon is a foreigner by birth, though by adoption an Athenian citizen, but on neither ground can he claim exemption, if this law stands. And yet, while of our other benefactors each has made himself useful to us on one occasion, Leucon will be found on reflection to be a perpetual benefactor, and that in a matter especially vital to our city.

> Greek: 30. ἔστι γὰρ γένει μὲν δήπου ὁ Λεύκων ξένος, τῇ δὲ παρʼ ὑμῶν ποιήσει πολίτης· κατʼ οὐδέτερον δʼ αὐτῷ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἔστιν ἔχειν ἐκ τούτου τοῦ νόμου. καίτοι τῶν μὲν ἄλλων εὐεργετῶν χρόνον τινʼ ἕκαστος ἡμῖν χρήσιμον αὑτὸν παρέσχεν, οὗτος δέ, ἂν σκοπῆτε, φανήσεται συνεχῶς ἡμᾶς εὖ ποιῶν, καὶ ταῦθʼ ὧν μάλισθʼ ἡμῶν ἡ πόλις δεῖται.

[¶30] 31. For you are aware that we consume more imported corn than any other nation. Now the corn that comes to our ports from the Black Sea is equal to the whole amount from all other places of export. And this is not surprising; for not only is that district most productive of corn, but also Leucon, who controls the trade, has granted exemption from dues to merchants conveying corn to Athens, and he proclaims that those bound for your port shall have priority of lading. For Leucon, enjoying exemption for himself and his children, has granted exemption to every one of you.

> Greek: 31. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ, ὅτι πλείστῳ τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡμεῖς ἐπεισάκτῳ σίτῳ χρώμεθα. πρὸς τοίνυν ἅπαντα τὸν ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ἐμπορίων ἀφικνούμενον ὁ ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου σῖτος εἰσπλέων ἐστίν. εἰκότως· οὐ γὰρ μόνον διὰ τὸ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον σῖτον ἔχειν πλεῖστον τοῦτο γίγνεται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ κύριον ὄντα τὸν Λεύκωνʼ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἄγουσιν Ἀθήναζε ἀτέλειαν δεδωκέναι, καὶ κηρύττειν πρώτους γεμίζεσθαι τοὺς ὡς ὑμᾶς πλέοντας. ἔχων γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἑαυτῷ καὶ τοῖς παισὶ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἅπασι δέδωκεν ὑμῖν.

[¶31] 32. See what this amounts to. He exacts a toll of one-thirtieth from exporters of corn from his country. Now from the Bosporus there come to Athens about four hundred thousand bushels; the figures can be checked by the books of the grain commissioners. So for each three hundred thousand bushels he makes us a present of ten thousand bushels, and for the remaining hundred thousand a present of roughly three thousand.

> Greek: 32. τοῦτο δʼ ἡλίκον ἐστὶ θεωρήσατε. ἐκεῖνος πράττεται τοὺς παρʼ αὑτοῦ σῖτον ἐξάγοντας τριακοστήν. αἱ τοίνυν παρʼ ἐκείνου δεῦρʼ ἀφικνούμεναι σίτου μυριάδες περὶ τετταράκοντʼ εἰσί· καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐκ τῆς παρὰ τοῖς σιτοφύλαξιν ἀπογραφῆς ἄν τις ἴδοι. οὐκοῦν παρὰ μὲν τὰς τριάκοντα μυριάδας μυρίους δίδωσι μεδίμνους ἡμῖν, παρὰ δὲ τὰς δέκα ὡσπερανεὶ τρισχιλίους.

[¶32] 33. Now, so little danger is there of his depriving our state of this gift, that he has opened another depot at Theudosia, which our merchants say is not at all inferior to the Bosporus, and there, too, he has granted us the same exemption. I omit much that might be said about the other benefits conferred upon you by this prince and also by his ancestors, but the year before last, when there was a universal shortage of grain, he not only sent enough for your needs, but such a quantity in addition that Callisthenes had a surplus of fifteen talents of silver to dispose of.

> Greek: 33. τοσούτου τοίνυν δεῖ ταύτην ἀποστερῆσαι τὴν δωρειὰν τὴν πόλιν, ὥστε προσκατασκευάσας ἐμπόριον Θευδοσίαν, ὅ φασιν οἱ πλέοντες οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν χεῖρον εἶναι τοῦ Βοσπόρου, κἀνταῦθʼ ἔδωκε τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἡμῖν. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα σιωπῶ, πόλλʼ ἂν ἔχων εἰπεῖν, ὅσʼ εὐεργέτηκεν ὑμᾶς οὗτος ἁνὴρ καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ πρόγονοι· ἀλλὰ πρωπέρυσιν σιτοδείας παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις γενομένης οὐ μόνον ὑμῖν ἱκανὸν σῖτον ἀπέστειλεν, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ὥστε πεντεκαίδεκʼ ἀργυρίου τάλαντα, ἃ Καλλισθένης διῴκησε, προσπεριγενέσθαι.

[¶33] 34. What, then, men of Athens, do you expect of this man, who has proved himself such a friend to you, if he learns that you have deprived him by law of his immunity, and have made it illegal to bestow it hereafter, even if you change your minds? Are you not aware that this same law, if ratified, will take away the immunity, not only from Leucon, but from those of you who import corn from his country?

> Greek: 34. τί οὖν οἴεσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτον τὸν τοιοῦτον περὶ ὑμᾶς γεγενημένον, ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ νόμῳ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ὑμᾶς ἀφῃρημένους αὐτὸν καὶ μηδʼ ἂν μεταδόξῃ ποτὲ ψηφισαμένους ἐξεῖναι δοῦναι; ἆρʼ ἀγνοεῖθʼ ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς νόμος οὗτος ἐκεῖνόν τʼ ἀφαιρήσεται τὴν ἀτέλειαν, κύριος ἂν γένηται, καὶ ὑμῶν τοὺς παρʼ ἐκείνου σιτηγοῦντας;

[¶34] 35. For surely no one dreams that he will tolerate the cancelling of your gifts to him, and let his own gifts to you stand good. So to the many disadvantages that this law will obviously entail upon you, may be added the immediate loss of part of your resources. In view of this, are you still considering whether you ought to erase it from the statute-book? Have you not made up your minds long ago? Take and read them the decrees touching Leucon. [The decrees are read] How reasonable and just was the immunity which Leucon has obtained from you, these decrees have informed you, gentlemen of the jury.

> Greek: 35. οὐ γὰρ δήπου τοῦτό γʼ ὑπείληφεν οὐδείς, ὡς ἐκεῖνος ὑπομενεῖ ἑαυτῷ μὲν ἀκύρους εἶναι τὰς παρʼ ὑμῶν δωρειάς, ὑμῖν δὲ μένειν τὰς παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ. οὐκοῦν πρὸς πολλοῖς οἷς βλάψειν ὑμᾶς ὁ νόμος φαίνεται, καὶ προσαφαιρεῖταί τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἤδη. εἶθʼ ὑμεῖς ἔτι σκοπεῖτʼ εἰ χρὴ τοῦτον ἐξαλεῖψαι, καὶ οὐ πάλαι βεβούλευσθε; ἀνάγνωθι λαβὼν αὐτοῖς τὰ ψηφίσματα τὰ περὶ τοῦΛεύκωνος. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΑ.

[¶35] 36. Copies of all these decrees on stone were set up by you and by Leucon in the Bosporus, in the Piraeus, and at Hierum. Just reflect to what depths of meanness you are dragged by this law, which makes the nation less trustworthy than an individual.

> Greek: 36. ὡς μὲν εἰκότως καὶ δικαίως τετύχηκεν τῆς ἀτελείας παρʼ ὑμῶν ὁ Λεύκων, ἀκηκόατʼ ἐκ τῶν ψηφισμάτων, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. τούτων δʼ ἁπάντων στήλας ἀντιγράφους ἐστήσαθʼ ὑμεῖς κἀκεῖνος, τὴν μὲν ἐν Βοσπόρῳ, τὴν δʼ ἐν Πειραιεῖ, τὴν δʼ ἐφʼ Ἱερῷ. σκοπεῖτε δὴ πρὸς ὅσης κακίας ὑπερβολὴν ὑμᾶς ὁ νόμος προάγει, ὃς ἀπιστότερον τὸν δῆμον καθίστησʼ ἑνὸς ἀνδρός.

[¶36] 37. For you must not imagine that the pillars standing there are anything else than the covenants of all that you have received or granted; and it will be made clear that Leucon observes them and is always eager to benefit you, but that you have repudiated them while they still stand; and that is a far worse offence than to pull them down; for when men wish to traduce our city, there will stand the pillars to witness to the truth of their words.

> Greek: 37. μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθʼ ὑμῖν ἄλλο τι τὰς στήλας ἑστάναι ταύτας ἢ τούτων πάντων ὧν ἔχετʼ ἢ δεδώκατε συνθήκας, αἷς ὁ μὲν Λεύκων ἐμμένων φανεῖται καὶ ποιεῖν ἀεί τι προθυμούμενος ὑμᾶς εὖ, ὑμεῖς δʼ ἑστώσας ἀκύρους πεποιηκότες, ὃ πολὺ δεινότερον τοῦ καθελεῖν· αὗται γὰρ οὑτωσὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις κατὰ τῆς πόλεως βλασφημεῖν τεκμήριον ὡς ἀληθῆ λέγουσιν ἑστήξουσιν.

[¶37] 38. Now mark! Suppose Leucon sends and asks us on what charge or for what fault we have taken away his immunity; what, in the name of wonder, shall we say, or in what terms will the proposer of your reply draft it? He will say, I suppose, that some of those who obtained immunity did not deserve it!

> Greek: 38. φέρʼ, ἐὰν δὲ δὴ πέμψας ὡς ἡμᾶς ὁ Λεύκων ἐρωτᾷ, τί ἔχοντες ἐγκαλέσαι καὶ τί μεμφόμενοι τὴν ἀτέλειαν αὐτὸν ἀφῄρησθε, τί πρὸς θεῶν ἐροῦμεν ἢ τί γράψει ποθʼ ὁ τὸ ψήφισμʼ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γράφων;

[¶38] 39. If, then, Leucon replies to this, “Yes; I dare say some of the Athenians are scoundrels, but I have not made that a reason for robbing the good citizens; on the contrary, because I think the Athenians, as a nation, are good men, I allow them all a share”; will there not be more fairness in his words than in ours? To me, at least, it seems so. For it is the custom of all nations, for the sake of their benefactors, rather to include some bad men in their rewards, than to make the worthless men an excuse for withholding their rewards from those who are acknowledged to merit them.

> Greek: 39. ὅτι νὴ Δίʼ ἦσάν τινες τῶν εὑρημένων ἀνάξιοι. ἐὰν οὖν εἴπῃ πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνος καὶ γὰρ Ἀθηναίων τινὲς ἴσως φαῦλοι, καὶ οὐ διὰ ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς χρηστοὺς ἀφειλόμην, ἀλλὰ τὸν δῆμον νομίζων χρηστὸν πάντας ἔχειν ἐῶ, οὐ δικαιότερʼ ἡμῶν ἐρεῖ; ἐμοὶ γοῦν δοκεῖ. παρὰ πᾶσι γὰρ ἀνθρώποις μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἔθος διὰ τοὺς εὐεργέτας καὶ ἄλλους τινὰς εὖ ποιεῖν τῶν μὴ χρηστῶν ἢ διὰ τοὺς φαύλους τοὺς ὁμολογουμένως ἀξίους χάριτος τὰ δοθέντʼ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι.

[¶39] 40. Nay more, upon consideration, I cannot even see why anyone should not, if he wishes, challenge Leucon to an exchange of property. For there is always property of his at Athens, and by this law, if anyone tries to lay hands on it Leucon will either forfeit it or be compelled to perform public service. And it is not the question of expense that will trouble him most, but the reflection that you have robbed him of his reward.

> Greek: 40. καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ὅπως οὐκ ἀντιδώσει τῷ Λεύκωνί τις, ἂν βούληται, δύναμαι σκοπούμενος εὑρεῖν. χρήματα μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἀεὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτοῦ, κατὰ δὲ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον, ἐάν τις ἐπʼ αὔτʼ ἔλθῃ, ἢ στερήσεται τούτων ἢ λῃτουργεῖν ἀναγκασθήσεται. ἔστι δʼ οὐ τὸ τῆς δαπάνης μέγιστον ἐκείνῳ, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὴν δωρειὰν ὑμᾶς αὐτὸν ἀφῃρῆσθαι νομιεῖ.

[¶40] 41. Again then, Athenians, it is not merely necessary to consider how Leucon may be spared injustice—a man whose anxiety about his privilege would arise from a sense of honor rather than from his needs—but we must also consider whether another man, who did you service when he was prosperous, may not find that the exemption he received from you then is a matter of necessity to him now. To whom, then, do I refer? To Epicerdes of Cyrene, than whom no recipient of this honor ever deserved it better, not because his gifts were great or extraordinary, but because they came at a time when we were hard put to it to find, even among those whom we had benefited, anyone willing to remember our benefactions.

> Greek: 41. οὐ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μὴ Λεύκων ἀδικηθῇ μόνον δεῖ σκοπεῖν, ᾧ φιλοτιμίας ἕνεχʼ ἡ περὶ τῆς δωρειᾶς σπουδὴ γένοιτʼ ἄν, οὐ χρείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος εὖ μὲν ἐποίησεν ὑμᾶς εὖ πράττων, εἰς δέον δὲ νῦν γέγονʼ αὐτῷ τὸ λαβεῖν παρʼ ὑμῶν τὴν ἀτέλειαν. τίς οὖν οὗτός ἐστιν; Ἐπικέρδης ὁ Κυρηναῖος, ὅς, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος τῶν εἰληφότων, δικαίως ἠξιώθη ταύτης τῆς τιμῆς, οὐ τῷ μεγάλʼ ἢ θαυμάσιʼ ἡλίκα δοῦναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ παρὰ τοιοῦτον καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ καὶ τῶν εὖ πεπονθότων ἔργον ἦν εὑρεῖν ἐθέλοντά τινα ὧν εὐεργέτητο μεμνῆσθαι.

[¶41] 42. For Epicerdes, as this decree then passed in his honor declares, gave a hundred minae to our fellow-countrymen at that time prisoners in Sicily under such distressing circumstances, and thus he became the chief instrument in saving them from all perishing of hunger. Afterwards, when you had rewarded him with immunity, seeing that in the war just before the rule of the Thirty the people were straitened for want of funds, he gave them a talent as a freewill offering.

> Greek: 42. οὗτος γὰρ ἁνήρ, ὡς τὸ ψήφισμα τοῦτο δηλοῖ τὸ τότʼ αὐτῷ γραφέν, τοῖς ἁλοῦσι τότʼ ἐν Σικελίᾳ τῶν πολιτῶν, ἐν τοιαύτῃ συμφορᾷ καθεστηκόσιν, ἔδωκε μνᾶς ἑκατὸν καὶ τοῦ μὴ τῷ λιμῷ πάντας αὐτοὺς ἀποθανεῖν αἰτιώτατος ἐγένετο. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα, δοθείσης ἀτελείας αὐτῷ διὰ ταῦτα παρʼ ὑμῶν, ὁρῶν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ [πρὸ τῶν τριάκοντα μικρὸν] σπανίζοντα τὸν δῆμον χρημάτων, τάλαντον ἔδωκεν αὐτὸς ἐπαγγειλάμενος.

[¶42] 43. In the name of Zeus and all the gods, men of Athens, ask yourselves how a man could more clearly show his goodwill towards you, or how he could be less deserving of an ill return than if, being first an eye-witness of that national disaster, he should prefer the beaten side and such favors as they might some day bestow, rather than the victors among whom he found himself in their hour of triumph; or if next, seeing a further need arise, he should be found once more a donor, anxious not to hoard his own private means, but to ensure that no cause of yours should fall short of success, so far as in him lay.

> Greek: 43. σκέψασθε δὴ πρὸς Διὸς καὶ θεῶν, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πῶς ἂν ἄνθρωπος μᾶλλον φανερὸς γένοιτʼ εὔνους ὢν ὑμῖν, ἢ πῶς ἧττον ἄξιος ἀδικηθῆναι, ἢ πρῶτον μὲν εἰ παρὼν τῷ τῆς πόλεως ἀτυχήματι μᾶλλον ἕλοιτο τοὺς ἀτυχοῦντας καὶ τὴν παρὰ τούτων χάριν, ἥτις ποτʼ ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι, ἢ τοὺς ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ κεκρατηκότας καὶ παρʼ οἷς ἦν, δεύτερον δέ, ἑτέραν χρείαν ἰδών, εἰ φαίνοιτο διδοὺς καὶ μὴ πῶς ἰδίᾳ τὰ ὄντα σώσει προνοούμενος, ἀλλʼ ὅπως τῶν ὑμετέρων μηδὲν ἐνδεῶς ἕξει τὸ καθʼ αὑτόν.

[¶43] 44. Yet this man, who in actual deed on those momentous occasions shared his wealth with the people, but enjoyed only a nominal and honorary immunity, will be robbed by you, not of his immunity, for it is evident that he did not use it when he had it, but of his trust in you; and what could be more discreditable than that? Now you shall hear the very words of the decree then passed in his honor. And observe, men of Athens, how many decrees this law annuls, how many individuals it wrongs, and what occasions they chose for making themselves serviceable to you; for you will find that the law wrongs just the men who least deserve it. Read. The decree is read Gentlemen of the jury, you have heard from the decrees what were the services for which Epicerdes obtained his immunity.

> Greek: 44. τοῦτον μέντοι τὸν τῷ μὲν ἔργῳ παρὰ τοὺς μεγίστους καιροὺς οὑτωσὶ κοινὰ τὰ ὄντα τῷ δήμῳ κεκτημένον, τῷ δὲ ῥήματι καὶ τῇ τιμῇ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἔχοντα, οὐχὶ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἀφαιρήσεσθε (οὐδὲ γὰρ οὔσῃ χρώμενος φαίνεται), ἀλλὰ τὸ πιστεύειν ὑμῖν, οὗ τί γένοιτʼ ἂν αἴσχιον; τὸ τοίνυν ψήφισμʼ ὑμῖν αὔτʼ ἀναγνώσεται τὸ τότε ψηφισθὲν τῷ ἀνδρί. καὶ θεωρεῖτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅσα ψηφίσματʼ ἄκυρα ποιεῖ ὁ νόμος, καὶ οἵους ἀνθρώπους ἀδικεῖ, καὶ ἐν ὁποίοις καιροῖς χρησίμους ὑμῖν παρασχόντας ἑαυτούς· εὑρήσετε γὰρ τούτους, οὓς ἥκιστα προσῆκεν, ἀδικοῦντα. λέγε. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶44] 45. Do not stop to ask whether he gave you a hundred minae and a talent as well—for I expect that even those who received it were not struck by the amount of his gift—but think of his zeal, his spontaneous act, and the occasion that he chose.

> Greek: 45. τὰς μὲν εὐεργεσίας ἀνθʼ ὧν εὕρετο τὴν ἀτέλειαν ὁ Ἐπικέρδης ἀκηκόατʼ ἐκ τῶν ψηφισμάτων, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. σκοπεῖτε δὲ μὴ τοῦτο, εἰ μνᾶς ἑκατὸν καὶ πάλιν τάλαντον ἔδωκεν (οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς λαβόντας ἔγωγʼ ἡγοῦμαι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν χρημάτων θαυμάσαι), ἀλλὰ τὴν προθυμίαν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον ποιεῖν καὶ τοὺς καιροὺς ἐν οἷς.

[¶45] 46. For recompense is due to all alike who are forward to do us service, but in a special degree to those who are friends in time of need; and such an one clearly was Epicerdes. Are we not then ashamed, men of Athens, if it appears that we have retained no memory of these services and have robbed of their reward the sons of such a benefactor, though we can charge them with no fault?

> Greek: 46. πάντες μὲν γάρ εἰσιν ἴσως ἄξιοι χάριν ἀνταπολαμβάνειν οἱ προϋπάρχοντες τῷ ποιεῖν εὖ, μάλιστα δʼ οἱ παρὰ τὰς χρείας, ὧν εἷς οὗτος ἁνὴρ ὢν φαίνεται. εἶτʼ οὐκ αἰσχυνόμεθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς τοῦ τοιούτου παῖδας εἰ μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενοι τούτων μηδενὸς μνείαν ἀφῃρημένοι φανούμεθα τὴν δωρειάν, μηδὲν ἔχοντες ἐγκαλέσαι;

[¶46] 47. For if those who were then saved by him and who bestowed on him this immunity were a different generation from you who now propose to take it away, yet that does not remove the infamy of the act; nay, it is just there that its atrocity lies. For if those who knew and experienced his generosity felt that it merited this return, while we, who have only heard the story told, shall revoke the gift as undeserved, shall we not be guilty of more than ordinary atrocity?

> Greek: 47. οὐ γὰρ εἰ ἕτεροι μὲν ἦσαν οἱ τότε σωθέντες ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ δόντες τὴν ἀτέλειαν, ἕτεροι δʼ ὑμεῖς οἱ νῦν ἀφαιρούμενοι, ἀπολύει τοῦτο τὴν αἰσχύνην, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ δεινόν ἐστιν. εἰ γὰρ οἱ μὲν εἰδότες καὶ παθόντες ἄξια τούτων ἐνόμιζον εὖ πάσχειν, ἡμεῖς δʼ οἱ λόγῳ ταῦτʼ ἀκούοντες ὡς ἀναξίων ἀφαιρησόμεθα, πῶς οὐχ ὑπέρδεινον ποιήσομεν;

[¶47] 48. Now my plea is the same in this case as for those who overthrew the Four Hundred, and for those who proved helpful to the democrats in exile; for I think they would all be atrociously treated if any portion of the rewards then decreed to them should be revoked.

> Greek: 48. ὁ αὐτὸς τοίνυν ἐστί μοι λόγος οὗτος καὶ περὶ τῶν τοὺς τετρακοσίους καταλυσάντων, καὶ περὶ τῶν ὅτʼ ἔφευγεν ὁ δῆμος χρησίμους αὑτοὺς παρασχόντων· πάντας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡγοῦμαι δεινότατʼ ἂν παθεῖν, εἴ τι τῶν τότε ψηφισθέντων αὐτοῖς λυθείη.

[¶48] 49. Now if any of you is persuaded that our city is far from needing such a benefactor today, let him pray Heaven it may be so, and I will join in that prayer; but let him also reflect, first, that he is going to give his vote on a law under which, if unrepealed, he will have to live, and secondly, that bad laws can injure even communities which fancy they are dwelling in security. For there would have been no changes for better or for worse in the fortunes of states, had it not been that a nation in peril is guided to safety by good policy, good laws, and good citizens and by the observance of order in all things, but in the case of a nation that seems established in perfect prosperity, all these things, being neglected, slip away from it little by little.

> Greek: 49. εἰ τοίνυν τις ὑμῶν ἐκεῖνο πέπεισται, πολὺ τοῦ δεηθῆναί τινος τοιούτου νῦν ἀπέχειν τὴν πόλιν, ταῦτα μὲν εὐχέσθω τοῖς θεοῖς, κἀγὼ συνεύχομαι, λογιζέσθω δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι περὶ νόμου μέλλει φέρειν τὴν ψῆφον ᾧ μὴ λυθέντι δεήσει χρῆσθαι, δεύτερον δʼ ὅτι βλάπτουσιν οἱ πονηροὶ νόμοι καὶ τὰς ἀσφαλῶς οἰκεῖν οἰομένας πόλεις. οὐ γὰρ ἂν μετέπιπτε τὰ πράγματʼ ἐπʼ ἀμφότερα, εἰ μὴ τοὺς μὲν ἐν κινδύνῳ καθεστηκότας καὶ πράξεις χρησταὶ καὶ νόμοι καὶ ἄνδρες χρηστοὶ καὶ πάντʼ ἐξητασμένʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον προῆγε, τοὺς δʼ ἐν ἁπάσῃ καθεστάναι δοκοῦντας εὐδαιμονίᾳ πάντα ταῦτʼ ἀμελούμενʼ ὑπέρρει κατὰ μικρόν.

[¶49] 50. For most men achieve prosperity by planning soundly and by despising nothing; but they do not take the trouble to guard it by the same means. Let not this mistake be yours today, and do not think that you ought to ratify a law which will taint the reputation of our city in the time of her prosperity and, if ever a crisis comes, will leave her destitute of those who would be willing to do her service.

> Greek: 50. τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων οἱ πλεῖστοι κτῶνται μὲν τἀγαθὰ τῷ καλῶς βουλεύεσθαι καὶ μηδενὸς καταφρονεῖν, φυλάττειν δʼ οὐκ ἐθέλουσι τοῖς αὐτοῖς τούτοις. ὃ μὴ πάθητε νῦν ὑμεῖς, μηδʼ οἴεσθε νόμον τοιοῦτον θέσθαι δεῖν, ὃς καλῶς τε πράττουσαν τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν πονηρᾶς δόξης ἀναπλήσει, ἐάν τέ τι συμβῇ ποτέ, ἔρημον τῶν ἐθελησόντων ἀγαθόν τι ποιεῖν καταστήσει.

[¶50] 51. Again, Athenians, it is not only the men who, in a private capacity, chose to benefit you and to offer their services on those important occasions that have been described a little while ago by Phormio and mentioned by me just now—it is not only these men that you must be careful not to wrong, but many others also, who drew whole states, their own native cities, into alliance with us in the war against the Lacedaemonians, thus furthering by word and deed the interests of your city;

> Greek: 51. οὐ τοίνυν μόνον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς ἰδίᾳ γνόντας εὖ ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρασχόντας χρησίμους αὑτοὺς ἐπὶ τηλικούτων καὶ τοιούτων καιρῶν, οἵων μικρῷ πρότερον Φορμίων διεξελήλυθε κἀγὼ νῦν εἴρηκα, ἄξιόν ἐστιν εὐλαβηθῆναι ἀδικῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, οἳ πόλεις ὅλας, τὰς ἑαυτῶν πατρίδας, συμμάχους ὑμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους πολέμου παρέσχον, καὶ λέγοντες ἃ συμφέρει τῇ πόλει τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ καὶ πράττοντες·

[¶51] 52. and some of these men through their goodwill to you have no longer a fatherland. The first example that I propose to examine is that of the Corinthian exiles. And here I am obliged to mention facts which I myself have only heard from the lips of the older among you. Some occasions, then, on which they made themselves useful to us, I will pass over; but when the great battle against the Lacedaemonians was fought near Corinth, and when the party in that city determined after the battle not to admit our soldiers within their walls, but to send heralds to greet the Lacedaemonians, these men, though they saw that Athens had lost the day and that our enemies were holding the pass, refused to betray us or to take steps for their own individual safety, but with the whole armed force of the Peloponnese close upon them, they opened their gates to us in defiance of the majority and chose along with you, who had been engaged in the battle, to suffer whatever might betide, rather than without you to enjoy a safety that involved no danger; and so they admitted the troops and succeeded in saving both you and your allies.

> Greek: 52. ὧν ἔνιοι διὰ τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς εὔνοιαν στέρονται τῆς πατρίδος. ὧν ἐπέρχεταί μοι πρώτους ἐξετάσαι τοὺς ἐκ Κορίνθου φεύγοντας. ἀναγκάζομαι δὲ λέγειν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταῦθʼ ἃ παρʼ ὑμῶν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων αὐτὸς ἀκήκοα. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλʼ ὅσα χρησίμους ὑμῖν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκεῖνοι παρέσχον, ἐάσω· ἀλλʼ ὅθʼ ἡ μεγάλη μάχη πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐγένεθʼ ἡ ἐν Κορίνθῳ, τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει βουλευσαμένων μετὰ τὴν μάχην μὴ δέχεσθαι τῷ τείχει τοὺς στρατιώτας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐπικηρυκεύεσθαι, ὁρῶντες ἠτυχηκυῖαν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τῆς παρόδου κρατοῦντας Λακεδαιμονίους, οὐχὶ προὔδωκαν οὐδʼ ἐβουλεύσαντʼ ἰδίᾳ περὶ τῆς αὑτῶν σωτηρίας, ἀλλὰ πλησίον ὄντων μεθʼ ὅπλων ἁπάντων Πελοποννησίων ἀνέῳξαν τὰς πύλας ὑμῖν βίᾳ τῶν πολλῶν, καὶ μᾶλλον εἵλοντο μεθʼ ὑμῶν τῶν τότε στρατευσαμένων, εἴ τι δέοι, πάσχειν ἢ χωρὶς ὑμῶν ἀκινδύνως σεσῶσθαι, καὶ εἰσέφρουν τὸ στράτευμα, καὶ διέσωσαν καὶ ὑμᾶς καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους.

[¶52] 54. And afterwards, when peace, the peace of Antalcidas, was concluded with the Lacedaemonians, the latter requited their acts with exile. But you, in giving them shelter, acted like good men and true; for you decreed them all that they needed. Yet now are we actually debating whether those decrees should remain valid? No! The bare statement is a disgrace, if it should be reported that Athenians are debating whether they ought to let their benefactors keep what they have given them; for that question ought to have been debated, yes, and decided, long ago. Read this decree also to the court. [The decree is read] Such, gentlemen of the jury, is the decree passed by you in favor of the Corinthians who were exiled on your account.

> Greek: 54. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἡ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους εἰρήνη μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐγένετο, ἡ ἐπʼ Ἀνταλκίδου, ἀντὶ τῶν ἔργων τούτων ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων ἐξέπεσον. ὑποδεξάμενοι δʼ ὑμεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐποιήσατʼ ἔργον ἀνθρώπων καλῶν κἀγαθῶν· ἐψηφίσασθε γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἅπανθʼ ὧν ἐδέοντο. εἶτα ταῦτα νῦν εἰ χρὴ κύριʼ εἶναι σκοποῦμεν; ἀλλʼ ὁ λόγος πρῶτον αἰσχρὸς [τοῖς σκοπουμένοις], εἴ τις ἀκούσειεν ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι σκοποῦσιν εἰ χρὴ τοὺς εὐεργέτας ἐᾶν τὰ δοθέντʼ ἔχειν· πάλαι γὰρ ἐσκέφθαι ταῦτα καὶ ἐγνῶσθαι προσῆκεν. ἀνάγνωθι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ψήφισμʼ αὐτοῖς. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶53] 55. But think! If one who knew those critical times—whether as an eye-witness or hearing the story from one who knew—if he should hear this law which revokes the gifts that were then bestowed, how he would denounce the baseness of us who made the law—and who were so generous and obliging when our need was pressing, but when we have satisfied all our hopes, are so thankless and churlish that we have robbed men of the rewards they enjoy, and have made a law that hereafter no, such rewards should be bestowed!

> Greek: 55. ἃ μὲν ἐψηφίσασθε τοῖς φεύγουσιν διʼ ὑμᾶς Κορινθίων ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. ὅρα δέ, εἴ τις ἐκείνους τοὺς καιροὺς εἰδὼς [ἢ παρὼν] ἤ τινος εἰδότος διεξιόντος ἀκούσας, ἀκούσαι τοῦ νόμου τούτου τὰς τότε δωρειὰς δοθείσας ἀφαιρουμένου, ὅσην ἂν κακίαν τῶν θεμένων τὸν νόμον καταγνοίη, οἳ παρὰ μὲν τὰς χρείας οὕτω φιλάνθρωποι καὶ πάντα ποιοῦντες, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐπράξαμεν πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν εὐξαίμεθα, οὕτως ἀχάριστοι καὶ κακοί, ὥστε τούς τʼ ἔχοντας ἀφῃρήμεθα καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν μηδενὶ δοῦναι ταῦτʼ ἐξεῖναι νόμον τεθήκαμεν.

[¶54] 56. “Oh but,” we shall be told, “some of those who received these rewards did not deserve them”; for that thought will run through all their argument. In that case shall we confess that we do not know that a man’s deserts should be examined at the time of the reward, and not an indefinitely long time after? For to give no reward in the first instance is an exercise of judgement; to take it away when given shows a grudging spirit, and you must not seem to have been prompted by that.

> Greek: 56. νὴ Δίʼ ἀνάξιοι γάρ τινες τῶν εὑρημένων ταῦτʼ ἦσαν· τουτὶ γὰρ παρὰ πάντʼ ἔσται τὸν λόγον αὐτοῖς. ἔπειτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἀγνοεῖν φήσομεν, ὅτι τὴν ἀξίαν, ὅταν διδῶμεν, δεῖ σκοπεῖν, οὐ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὕστερον χρόνῳ παμπληθεῖ; τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τι μὴ δοῦναι γνώμῃ χρησαμένων ἔργον ἀνθρώπων ἐστί· τὸ δὲ τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀφαιρεῖσθαι φθονούντων, τοῦτο δʼ οὐ δεῖ δοκεῖν ὑμᾶς πεπονθέναι.

[¶55] 57. Furthermore, on the question of merit I shall not shrink from saying this to you: I for one do not think that merit should be examined by the State in the same way as by an individual, because the examination is not concerned with the same questions. For in private life each of us tries to find who is worthy, say, to marry into our family, or something of that sort, and such questions are determined by convention and opinion; but in public affairs the State and the people try to find who is their benefactor and savior, and that question you will find is best decided by reference not to birth or opinion, but to plain fact. So, whenever we want to receive benefits, are we to allow anyone to confer them, but when we have received them, then shall we scrutinize the merits of the benefactor? That will be a topsy-turvy policy.

> Greek: 57. καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὀκνήσω περὶ τῆς ἀξίας αὐτῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπεῖν. ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον νομίζω πόλει τὸν ἄξιον ἐξεταστέον εἶναι καὶ ἰδιώτῃ· οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡ σκέψις. ἰδίᾳ μὲν γὰρ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν σκοπεῖ τίς ἄξιός ἐστιν ἑκάστου κηδεστὴς ἢ τῶν τοιούτων τι γίγνεσθαι, ταῦτα δὲ καὶ νόμοις τισὶ καὶ δόξαις διώρισται· κοινῇ δʼ ἡ πόλις καὶ ὁ δῆμος, ὅστις ἂν αὐτὸν εὖ ποιῇ καὶ σῴζῃ, τοῦτο δʼ οὐ γένει καὶ δόξῃ κρινόμενον ἴδοι τις ἄν, ἀλλʼ ἔργῳ. ὅταν μὲν οὖν εὖ πάσχειν δέῃ, τὸν βουλόμενον εὖ ποιεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐάσομεν, ἐπειδὰν δὲ πάθωμεν, τότε τὴν ἀξίαν τοῦ ποιήσαντος σκεψόμεθα; οὐκ ἄρʼ ὀρθῶς βουλευσόμεθα.

## 2. Sections 58–113

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/2/#p-N

[¶0] 58. But, it may be said, the only sufferers will be those I have mentioned, and all my remarks apply to them alone. That is quite untrue. But I could not even attempt to examine all the instances of men who have benefited you, but who by this law, if it is not repealed, will be robbed of their rewards; by calling your attention to one or two further decrees, I absolve myself from discussing these cases.

> Greek: 58. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δίʼ οὗτοι μόνοι τοῦτο πείσονται, καὶ περὶ τούτων μόνων ποιοῦμαι λόγον τοσοῦτον. πολλοῦ γε καὶ δέω. ἀλλὰ πάντας μὲν οὐδʼ ἂν ἐγχειρήσαιμʼ ἐξετάζειν ὅσοι πεποιηκότες ὑμᾶς εὖ διὰ τὸν νόμον, εἰ μὴ λυθήσεται, τὰ δοθέντʼ ἀφαιρεθήσονται· ἓν δʼ ἢ δύο δείξας ἔτι ψηφίσματʼ ἀπαλλάττομαι τοῦ περὶ τούτων λέγειν.

[¶1] 59. In the first place, then, will you not wrong the Thasian supporters of Ecphantus, if you revoke their immunity—I mean the men who handed over Thasos to you by expelling the armed garrison of the Lacedaemonians and admitting Thrasybulus, and thus, by bringing their own country on to your side, were the means of winning for you the alliance of the district bordering on Thrace?

> Greek: 59. τοῦτο μὲν τοίνυν Θασίους τοὺς μετʼ Ἐκφάντου πῶς οὐκ ἀδικήσετε, ἐὰν ἀφαιρῆσθε τὴν ἀτέλειαν, οἳ παραδόντες ὑμῖν Θάσον καὶ τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων φρουρὰν μεθʼ ὅπλων ἐκβαλόντες καὶ Θρασύβουλον εἰσαγαγόντες καὶ παρασχόντες φίλην ὑμῖν τὴν αὑτῶν πατρίδα αἴτιοι τοῦ γενέσθαι σύμμαχον τὸν περὶ Θρᾴκην τόπον ὑμῖν ἐγένοντο;

[¶2] 60. In the second place, will you not wrong Archebius and Heraclides, who by putting Byzantium into the hands of Thrasybulus made you masters of the Hellespont, so that you farmed out the toll of ten per cent, and thus being well furnished with money forced the Lacedaemonians to conclude a peace favorable to you? When subsequently they were banished, you, Athenians, passed what I think was a very proper decree in favor of men exiled through devotion to your interests, conferring on them the title of Friends of the State and Benefactors, together with immunity from all taxes. For your sakes they were in exile, from you they received a just recompense; and are we now to let them be robbed of this, though we can charge them with no fault? But that would be scandalous.

> Greek: 60. τοῦτο δʼ Ἀρχέβιον καὶ Ἡρακλείδην, οἳ Βυζάντιον παραδόντες Θρασυβούλῳ κυρίους ὑμᾶς ἐποίησαν τοῦ Ἑλλησπόντου, ὥστε τὴν δεκάτην ἀποδόσθαι καὶ χρημάτων εὐπορήσαντας Λακεδαιμονίους ἀναγκάσαι τοιαύτην, οἵαν ὑμῖν ἐδόκει, ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην; ὧν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐκπεσόντων ἐψηφίσασθʼ ἅπερ, οἶμαι, φεύγουσιν εὐεργέταις διʼ ὑμᾶς προσῆκε, προξενίαν, εὐεργεσίαν, ἀτέλειαν ἁπάντων. εἶτα τοὺς διʼ ὑμᾶς φεύγοντας καὶ δικαίως τι παρʼ ὑμῶν εὑρομένους ἐάσωμεν ἀφαιρεθῆναι ταῦτα, μηδὲν ἔχοντες ἐγκαλέσαι; ἀλλʼ αἰσχρὸν ἂν εἴη.

[¶3] 61. You will grasp the situation best if you will reason it out for yourselves in this way. Suppose at the present day a party of those in power at Pydna or Potidaea or any of those other places which are subject to Philip and hostile to you— just as Thasos and Byzantium then were friendly to the Lacedaemonians and estranged from you—promised to hand them over to you in return for the same rewards that you gave to Ecphantus of Thasos and Archebius of Byzantium; and suppose some of these gentlemen here objected to their proposal on the ground that it would be monstrous if a select few of the resident aliens were to escape the public services; how would you deal with their arguments?

> Greek: 61. μάθοιτε δὲ τοῦτο μάλιστʼ ἄν, ἐκείνως εἰ λογίσαισθε πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτούς· εἴ τινες νυνὶ τῶν ἐχόντων Πύδναν ἢ Ποτείδαιαν ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων χωρίων, ἃ Φιλίππῳ μέν ἐστιν ὑπήκοα, ὑμῖν δʼ ἐχθρά, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὅνπερ ἡ Θάσος ἦν τότε καὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον Λακεδαιμονίοις μὲν οἰκεῖα, ὑμῖν δʼ ἀλλότρια, παραδώσειν ταῦτʼ ἐπαγγείλαιντο, ἂν αὐτοῖς τὰς αὐτὰς δῶτε δωρειὰς ὥσπερ Ἐκφάντῳ τῷ Θασίῳ καὶ Ἀρχεβίῳ τῷ Βυζαντίῳ, καί τινες τούτων ἀντιλέγοιεν αὐτοῖς ταῦτα λέγοντες, ὡς δεινὸν εἴ τινες μόνοι τῶν ἄλλων μετοίκων μὴ χορηγοῖεν, πῶς ποτʼ ἂν ἔχοιτε πρὸς τοὺς ταῦτα λέγοντας;

[¶4] 62. Is it not certain that you would refuse to listen to such malignant pettifoggers? If so, then it is disgraceful that you should consider such an objection malignant when you are going to receive a benefit, but should lend an ear to it when it is proposed to revoke your gifts to former benefactors. Now let us pass to another argument.

> Greek: 62. ἢ δῆλον ὅτι φωνὴν οὐκ ἂν ἀνάσχοισθʼ ὡς συκοφαντούντων; οὔκουν αἰσχρὸν εἰ μέλλοντες μὲν εὖ πάσχειν συκοφάντην ἂν τὸν ταῦτα λέγονθʼ ἡγοῖσθε, ἐπὶ τῷ δʼ ἀφελέσθαι τὰς τῶν προτέρων εὐεργετῶν δωρειὰς ταῦτα λεγόντων ἀκούσεσθε;

[¶5] 63. The men who betrayed Pydna and the other places to Philip—what prompted them to injure us? Is it not obvious to everyone that it was the reward which they calculated on receiving from Philip for their services? Which, then, ought you to have chosen to do, Leptines? To induce our enemies, if you can, to give up honoring those who become their benefactors on the strength of injuries done to us, or to impose a law on us which takes away some part of the rewards which our own benefactors are enjoying? I fancy the former. But that I may not wander from the present point, take and read the decrees passed in honor of the Thasians and the Byzantines. [The decrees are read] You have heard the decrees, gentlemen of the jury.

> Greek: 63. φέρε δὴ κἀκεῖνʼ ἐξετάσωμεν. οἱ προδόντες τὴν Πύδναν καὶ τἄλλα χωρία τῷ Φιλίππῳ τῷ ποτʼ ἐπαρθέντες ἡμᾶς ἠδίκουν; ἢ πᾶσι πρόδηλον τοῦτο, ὅτι ταῖς παρʼ ἐκείνου δωρειαῖς, ἃς διὰ ταῦτʼ ἔσεσθαι σφίσιν ἡγοῦντο; πότερον οὖν μᾶλλον ἔδει σʼ, ὦ Λεπτίνη, τοὺς ἐχθρούς, εἰ δύνασαι, πεῖσαι τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀδικήμασι γιγνομένους ἐκείνων εὐεργέτας μὴ τιμᾶν, ἢ θεῖναι νόμον ἡμῖν ὃς τῶν τοῖς ἡμετέροις εὐεργέταις ὑπαρχουσῶν δωρειῶν ἀφαιρεῖταί τι; ἐγὼ μὲν ἐκεῖνʼ οἶμαι. ἀλλʼ ἵνα μὴ πόρρω τοῦ παρόντος γένωμαι, λαβὲ τὰ ψηφίσμαθʼ ἃ τοῖς Θασίοις καὶ Βυζαντίοις ἐγράφη. λέγε. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΑ.

[¶6] 64. Perhaps some of the men named are no longer alive. But their deeds survive, since they were done once for all. It is fitting, therefore, to allow these inscriptions to hold good for all time, that as long as any of the men are alive, they may suffer no wrong at your hands, and when they die, those inscriptions may be a memorial of our national character, and may stand as proofs to all who wish to do us service, declaring how many benefactors our city has benefited in return.

> Greek: 64. ἠκούσατε μὲν τῶν ψηφισμάτων, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. τούτων δʼ ἴσως ἔνιοι τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὐκέτʼ εἰσίν. ἀλλὰ τὰ ἔργα τὰ πραχθέντʼ ἔστιν, ἐπειδήπερ ἅπαξ ἐπράχθη. προσήκει τοίνυν τὰς στήλας ταύτας κυρίας ἐᾶν τὸν πάντα χρόνον, ἵνʼ, ἕως μὲν ἄν τινες ζῶσι, μηδὲν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἀδικῶνται, ἐπειδὰν δὲ τελευτήσωσιν, ἐκεῖναι τοῦ τῆς πόλεως ἤθους μνημεῖον ὦσι, καὶ παραδείγμαθʼ ἑστῶσι τοῖς βουλομένοις τι ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀγαθόν, ὅσους εὖ ποιήσαντας ἡ πόλις ἀντʼ εὖ πεποίηκεν.

[¶7] 65. Nor indeed would I have you forget this, men of Athens, that it is a most disgraceful thing to show and proclaim to all mankind that the misfortunes which these men endured for your sake have been confirmed to them for ever, while the grants which they received from you in recompense have been even now rescinded.

> Greek: 65. καὶ μὴν μηδʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, λανθανέτω, ὅτι τῶν αἰσχίστων ἐστὶν πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἰδεῖν καὶ ἀκοῦσαι τὰς μὲν συμφοράς, αἷς διʼ ὑμᾶς ἐχρήσανθʼ οἱ ἄνδρες οὗτοι, πάντα τὸν χρόνον κυρίας αὐτοῖς γεγενημένας, τὰς δὲ δωρειάς, ἃς ἀντὶ τούτων ἔλαβον παρʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ δὴ λελυμένας.

[¶8] 66. For it would have been far more fitting to mitigate their distress by letting them keep your gifts, than, while the distress remains, to rob them of your bounty. In Heaven’s name, I ask you, who is there that will choose to do you service with the prospect of instant punishment by your enemies, if he fails, and of a dubious gratitude from you, if he succeeds?

> Greek: 66. πολὺ γὰρ μᾶλλον ἥρμοττεν τὰ δοθέντʼ ἐῶντας τῶν ἀτυχημάτων ἀφαιρεῖν ἢ τούτων μενόντων τὰς δωρειὰς ἀφαιρεῖσθαι. φέρε γὰρ πρὸς Διός, τίς ἔστιν ὅστις εὖ ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς βουλήσεται, μέλλων, ἂν μὲν ἀποτύχῃ, παραχρῆμα δίκην δώσειν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, ἂν δὲ κατορθώσῃ, τὰς χάριτας παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀπίστους ἕξειν;

[¶9] 67. Now I should be greatly vexed, gentlemen of the jury, if I thought that the only real charge I was bringing against the law was its depriving many of our alien benefactors of the immunity, but should seem unable to point to any deserving recipient of the honor among our own fellow-countrymen. For my prayer would ever be that Athens may abound in all blessings, but especially that the best men and the most numerous benefactors of this city may be her own citizens.

> Greek: 67. πάνυ τοίνυν ἀχθοίμην ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, εἰ τοῦτο μόνον δόξαιμι δίκαιον κατηγορεῖν τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι πολλοὺς ξένους εὐεργέτας ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν ἀτέλειαν, τῶν δὲ πολιτῶν μηδένʼ ἄξιον δοκοίην ἔχειν δεῖξαι τῶν εὑρημένων ταύτην τὴν τιμήν. καὶ γὰρ τἄλλʼ ἀγάθʼ εὐξαίμην ἂν ἔγωγε παρʼ ἡμῖν εἶναι πλεῖστα, καὶ ἄνδρας ἀρίστους καὶ πλείστους εὐεργέτας τῆς πόλεως πολίτας εἶναι.

[¶10] 68. First of all, then, in the case of Conon, ask yourselves whether dissatisfaction with the man or his performances justifies the cancelling of the gifts conferred on him. For, as some of you who are his contemporaries can attest, it was just after the return of the exiled democrats from the Piraeus, when our city was so weak that she had not a single ship, and Conon, who was a general in the Persian service and received no prompting whatever from you, defeated the Lacedaemonians at sea and taught the former dictators of Greece to show you deference; he cleared the islands of their military governors, and coming here he restored our Long Walls; and he was the first to make the hegemony of Greece once more the subject of dispute between Athens and Sparta.

> Greek: 68. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν Κόνωνα σκοπεῖτε, εἰ ἄρʼ ἄξιον, καταμεμψαμένους ἢ τὸν ἄνδρα ἢ τὰ πεπραγμένα, ἄκυρόν τι ποιῆσαι τῶν ἐκείνῳ δοθέντων. οὗτος γάρ, ὡς ὑμῶν τινῶν ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι τῶν κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡλικίαν ὄντων, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ δήμου κάθοδον τὴν ἐκ Πειραιῶς ἀσθενοῦς ἡμῶν τῆς πόλεως οὔσης καὶ ναῦν οὐδεμίαν κεκτημένης, στρατηγῶν βασιλεῖ, παρʼ ὑμῶν οὐδʼ ἡντινοῦν ἀφορμὴν λαβών, κατεναυμάχησεν Λακεδαιμονίους, καὶ πρότερον τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτάττοντας εἴθισʼ ἀκούειν ὑμῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἁρμοστὰς ἐξήλασεν ἐκ τῶν νήσων, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα δεῦρʼ ἐλθὼν ἀνέστησε τὰ τείχη, καὶ πρῶτος πάλιν περὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἐποίησε τῇ πόλει τὸν λόγον πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους εἶναι.

[¶11] 69. For, indeed, he has the unique distinction of being thus mentioned in his inscription; “Whereas Conon,” it runs, “freed the allies of Athens.” That inscription, gentlemen of the jury, is his glory in your estimation, but it is yours in the estimation of all Greece. For whatever boon any one of us confers on the other states, the credit of it is reaped by the fame of our city.

> Greek: 69. καὶ γάρ τοι μόνῳ τῶν πάντων αὐτῷ τοῦτʼ ἐν τῇ στήλῃ γέγραπται· ἐπειδὴ [Κόνων] φησὶν ἠλευθέρωσε τοὺς Ἀθηναίων συμμάχους. ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο τὸ γράμμʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐκείνῳ μὲν φιλοτιμία πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτούς, ὑμῖν δὲ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς Ἕλληνας· ὅτου γὰρ ἄν τις παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀγαθοῦ τοῖς ἄλλοις αἴτιος γένηται, τούτου τὴν δόξαν τὸ τῆς πόλεως ὄνομα καρποῦται.

[¶12] 70. Therefore his contemporaries not only granted him immunity, but also set up his statue in bronze—the first man so honored since Harmodius and Aristogiton. For they felt that he too, in breaking up the empire of the Lacedaemonians, had ended no insignificant tyranny. In order, then, that you may give a closer attention to my words, the clerk shall read the actual decrees which you then passed in favor of Conon. Read them. [The decrees are read] It was not, then, only by you, Athenians, that Conon was honored for the services that I have described, but by many others, who rightly felt bound to show gratitude for the benefits they had received.

> Greek: 70. διόπερ οὐ μόνον αὐτῷ τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἔδωκαν οἱ τότε, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαλκῆν εἰκόνα, ὥσπερ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος, ἔστησαν πρώτου· ἡγοῦντο γὰρ οὐ μικρὰν τυραννίδα καὶ τοῦτον τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων ἀρχὴν καταλύσαντα πεπαυκέναι. ἵνʼ οὖν μᾶλλον οἷς λέγω προσέχητε, τὰ ψηφίσμαθʼ ὑμῖν αὔτʼ ἀναγνώσεται τὰ τότε ψηφισθέντα τῷ Κόνωνι. λέγε. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΑ.

[¶13] 71. And so it is to your dishonor, men of Athens, that in other states his rewards hold good, but of your rewards alone he is to lose this part. Neither is this creditable—to honor him when living, with all the distinctions that have been recited to you, but when he is dead to take back some part of your former gifts. For many of his achievements, men of Athens, deserve praise, and all of them make it improper to revoke the gifts they earned for him, but the noblest deed of all was his restoration of the Long Walls.

> Greek: 71. οὐ τοίνυν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν μόνον ὁ Κόνων, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τότʼ ἐτιμήθη πράξας ἃ διεξῆλθον ἐγώ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπʼ ἄλλων πολλῶν, οἳ δικαίως ὧν εὐεργέτηντο χάριν ᾤοντο δεῖν ἀποδιδόναι. οὔκουν αἰσχρόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ αἱ μὲν παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις δωρειαὶ βέβαιοι μένουσιν αὐτῷ, τῆς δὲ παρʼ ὑμῶν μόνης τοῦτʼ ἀφαιρήσεται; καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνο καλόν, ζῶντα μὲν αὐτὸν οὕτω τιμᾶν ὥστε τοσούτων ὅσων ἀκηκόατʼ ἀξιοῦν, ἐπειδὴ δὲ τετελεύτηκεν, [μηδεμίαν ποιησαμένους τούτων μνείαν] ἀφελέσθαι τι τῶν δοθέντων τότε. πολλὰ μὲν γάρ ἐστιν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν ὑπʼ ἐκείνου πραχθέντων ἄξιʼ ἐπαίνου, διʼ ἃ πάντα προσήκει μὴ λύειν τὰς ἐπὶ τούτοις δοθείσας δωρειάς, κάλλιστον δὲ πάντων ἡ τῶν τειχῶν ἀνάστασις.

[¶14] 73. You will realize this if you compare the way in which Themistocles, the most famous man of his age, accomplished the same result. Now history tells us that Themistocles bade his countrymen get on with the building and detain anyone who came from Sparta, while he went off himself on an embassy to the Lacedaemonians; and while negotiations went on there and the news kept coming that the Athenians were fortifying, he denied it and told them to send envoys to see for themselves, and when these envoys did not return, he urged them to send more. Indeed, I expect you have all heard the story of how he hoodwinked them.

> Greek: 73. γνοίη δʼ ἄν τις εἰ παραθείη πῶς Θεμιστοκλῆς, ὁ τῶν καθʼ ἑαυτὸν ἁπάντων ἀνδρῶν ἐνδοξότατος, ταὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἐποίησεν. λέγεται τοίνυν ἐκεῖνος, τειχίζειν εἰπὼν τοῖς πολίταις, κἂν ἀφικνῆταί τις ἐκ Λακεδαίμονος, κατέχειν κελεύσας, οἴχεσθαι πρεσβεύων αὐτὸς ὡς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους, λόγων δὲ γιγνομένων ἐκεῖ καί τινων ἀπαγγελλόντων ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι τειχίζουσιν, ἀρνεῖσθαι καὶ πρέσβεις πέμπειν σκεψομένους κελεύειν, ἐπειδὴ δʼ οὐχ ἧκον οὗτοι, πέμπειν ἑτέρους παραινεῖν. καὶ πάντες ἴσως ἀκηκόαθʼ ὃν τρόπον ἐξαπατῆσαι λέγεται.

[¶15] 74. Now I assert—and I earnestly appeal to you, Athenians, not to take offence at what is coming, but to consider whether it is true—I assert that in proportion as openness is better than secrecy, and it is more honorable to gain one’s end by victory than by trickery, so Conon deserves more credit than Themistocles for building the walls. For the latter achieved it by evading those who would have prevented it, but the former by beating them in battle. Therefore it is not right that so great a man should be wronged by you, or should gain less than those orators who will try to prove that you ought to deduct something from what was bestowed on him.

> Greek: 74. φημὶ τοίνυν ἐγώ (καὶ πρὸς Διός, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μηδεὶς φθόνῳ τὸ μέλλον ἀκούσῃ, ἀλλʼ ἂν ἀληθὲς ᾖ σκοπείτω), ὅσῳ τὸ φανερῶς τοῦ λάθρᾳ κρεῖττον, καὶ τὸ νικῶντας τοῦ παρακρουσαμένους πράττειν ὁτιοῦν ἐντιμότερον, τοσούτῳ κάλλιον Κόνωνα τὰ τείχη στῆσαι Θεμιστοκλέους· ὁ μὲν γὰρ λαθών, ὁ δὲ νικήσας τοὺς κωλύσοντας αὔτʼ ἐποίησεν. οὐ τοίνυν ἄξιον τὸν τοιοῦτον ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἀδικηθῆναι, οὐδʼ ἔλαττον σχεῖν τῶν ῥητόρων τῶν διδαξόντων ὡς ἀφελέσθαι τι χρὴ τῶν ἐκείνῳ δοθέντων.

[¶16] 75. Very well. But, they will say, we may let the son of Chabrias be robbed of the immunity which his father justly received from you and bequeathed to him. But I am sure there is not a single right-minded man who would approve of that. Now, perhaps you know, even without any words from me, that Chabrias was a man of high character; yet there is no harm if I too recall briefly his achievements.

> Greek: 75. εἶεν. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δία τὸν παῖδα τὸν Χαβρίου περιίδωμεν ἀφαιρεθέντα τὴν ἀτέλειαν, ἣν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῷ δικαίως παρʼ ὑμῶν λαβὼν κατέλιπεν. ἀλλʼ οὐδένʼ ἀνθρώπων εὖ φρονοῦντʼ οἶμαι ταῦτʼ ἂν φῆσαι καλῶς ἔχειν. ἴστε μὲν οὖν ἴσως, καὶ ἄνευ τοῦ παρʼ ἐμοῦ λόγου, ὅτι σπουδαῖος Χαβρίας ἦν ἀνήρ, οὐ μὴν κωλύει γʼ οὐδὲν κἀμὲ διὰ βραχέων ἐπιμνησθῆναι τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτῷ.

[¶17] 76. How skilfully, as your commander, he drew up your ranks at Thebes to face the whole power of the Peloponnese, how he slew Gorgopas in Aegina, what trophies he set up in Cyprus and afterwards in Egypt, how he visited, I might almost say, every land, yet nowhere disgraced our city’s name or his own—of all these exploits it is by no means easy to speak adequately, and it would be a great shame if my words should make them fall below the estimate of him which each one of you has formed in his own mind. But of some, which I think I could never belittle in describing them, I will try to remind you.

> Greek: 76. ὃν μὲν οὖν τρόπον ὑμᾶς ἔχων πρὸς ἅπαντας Πελοποννησίους παρετάξατʼ ἐν Θήβαις, καὶ ὡς Γοργώπαν ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν Αἰγίνῃ, καὶ ὅσʼ ἐν Κύπρῳ τρόπαιʼ ἔστησεν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ὅτι πᾶσαν ἐπελθὼν ὀλίγου δέω λέγειν χώραν οὐδαμοῦ τὸ τῆς πόλεως ὄνομʼ οὐδʼ αὑτὸν κατῄσχυνεν, οὔτε πάνυ ῥᾴδιον κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν εἰπεῖν, πολλή τʼ αἰσχύνη λέγοντος ἐμοῦ ταῦτʼ ἐλάττω φανῆναι τῆς ἐν ἑκάστῳ νῦν περὶ αὐτοῦ δόξης ὑπαρχούσης· ἃ δʼ οὐδαμῶς ἂν εἰπὼν οἴομαι μικρὰ ποιῆσαι, ταῦθʼ ὑπομνῆσαι πειράσομαι.

[¶18] 77. Now, he beat the Lacedaemonians in a sea-fight and took forty-nine warships; he captured most of the islands near and handed them over to you, turning their previous enmity into friendship; he brought to Athens three thousand captives, and paid into the treasury more than a hundred and ten talents taken from the enemy. And in all these facts some of the oldest among you can bear me out. But in addition, he captured more than twenty warships, one or two at a time, and brought them all into your harbors.

> Greek: 77. ἐνίκησεν μὲν τοίνυν Λακεδαιμονίους ναυμαχίᾳ καὶ πεντήκοντα μιᾶς δεούσας ἔλαβʼ αἰχμαλώτους τριήρεις, εἷλε δὲ τῶν νήσων τούτων τὰς πολλὰς καὶ παρέδωκεν ὑμῖν καὶ φιλίας ἐποίησεν ἐχθρῶς ἐχούσας πρότερον, τρισχίλια δʼ αἰχμάλωτα σώματα δεῦρʼ ἤγαγεν, καὶ πλεῖν ἢ δέκα καὶ ἑκατὸν τάλαντʼ ἀπέφηνʼ ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων. καὶ τούτων πάντων ὑμῶν τινὲς οἱ πρεσβύτατοι μάρτυρές εἰσί μοι. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἄλλας τριήρεις πλεῖν ἢ εἴκοσιν εἷλε, κατὰ μίαν καὶ δύο λαμβάνων, ἃς ἁπάσας εἰς τοὺς ὑμετέρους λιμένας κατήγαγεν.

[¶19] 78. To sum up; he alone of all our generals never lost a city, a fort, a ship, or a man, as long as he led you; and none of your enemies can boast a single trophy won from you and him, while you possess many won from many enemies while he was your general. But for fear lest my speech should omit any of his exploits, the clerk shall read to you an inventory of all the ships he took and where he took each, the number of cities and the amount of treasure captured, and the place where he set up each trophy. Read. [The exploits of Chabrias are read] Does it seem to any of you, gentlemen of the jury, that this man, who captured so many cities and ships from your enemies by his victories on sea, and who was the source of so much honor, but never of disgrace, to your city, deserves to be deprived of the immunity which he obtained at your hands and bequeathed to his son?

> Greek: 78. ἑνὶ δὲ κεφαλαίῳ μόνος τῶν πάντων στρατηγῶν οὐ πόλιν, οὐ φρούριον, οὐ ναῦν, οὐ στρατιώτην ἀπώλεσεν οὐδένʼ ἡγούμενος ὑμῶν, οὐδʼ ἔστιν οὐδενὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἐχθρῶν τρόπαιον οὐδὲν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν τε κἀκείνου, ὑμῖν δʼ ἀπὸ πολλῶν πόλλʼ ἐκείνου στρατηγοῦντος. ἵνα δὲ μὴ λέγων παραλίπω τι τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτῷ, ἀναγνώσεται γεγραμμένας ὑμῖν τάς τε ναῦς ὅσας ἔλαβεν καὶ οὗ ἑκάστην, καὶ τῶν πόλεων τὸν ἀριθμὸν καὶ τῶν χρημάτων τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ τῶν τροπαίων οὗ ἕκαστον. λέγε. ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΧΑΒΡΟΥ.

[¶20] 79. I cannot believe it, for it is out of all reason. Had he lost a single city or as few as ten ships, Leptines and his supporters would have impeached him for high treason, and if he had been convicted, he would have been a ruined man for ever.

> Greek: 79. δοκεῖ τισὶν ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὗτος ὃ τοσαύτας πόλεις λαβὼν καὶ τριήρεις τῶν πολεμίων ναυμαχίᾳ νικήσας, καὶ τοσούτων καλῶν αἴτιος ὤν, αἰσχροῦ δʼ οὐδενὸς τῇ πόλει, ἄξιος εἶναι ἀποστερηθῆναι τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἣν εὕρετο παρʼ ὑμῶν καὶ τῷ υἱεῖ κατέλιπεν; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἴομαι. καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἄλογον εἴη· μίαν μὲν πόλιν εἰ ἀπώλεσεν ἢ ναῦς δέκα μόνας, περὶ προδοσίας ἂν αὐτὸν εἰσήγγελλον οὗτοι, καὶ εἰ ἑάλω, τὸν ἅπαντʼ ἂν ἀπωλώλει χρόνον·

[¶21] 80. But since, on the contrary, he took seventeen cities, and captured seventy ships and three thousand prisoners, and paid into the treasury a hundred and ten talents, and set up so many trophies, in that case shall not his rewards for these services stand good? Moreover, Athenians, it will be seen that Chabrias during his lifetime did everything in your behalf, and that he met death itself in no other service; so that for this, as well as for all that he did in his life, you ought to show yourselves generously disposed to his son.

> Greek: 80. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὐναντίον ἑπτακαίδεκα μὲν πόλεις εἷλεν, ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ ναῦς ἔλαβεν, τρισχιλίους δʼ αἰχμαλώτους, δέκα δὲ καὶ ἑκατὸν τάλαντʼ ἀπέφηνεν, τοσαῦτα δʼ ἔστησε τρόπαια, τηνικαῦτα δʼ οὐκ ἔσται κύριʼ αὐτῷ τὰ δοθέντʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις; καὶ μήν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ζῶν πάνθʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν φανήσεται πράξας Χαβρίας, καὶ τὴν τελευτὴν αὐτὴν τοῦ βίου πεποιημένος οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τινός, ὥστε δικαίως ἂν οὐ μόνον διὰ τὰ ζῶντι πεπραγμένα φαίνοισθʼ εὐνοϊκῶς διακείμενοι πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ ταύτην.

[¶22] 81. Then this too, Athenians, demands your consideration—that we must not prove less generous than the Chians in our treatment of our benefactors. For if they, against whom Chabrias carried arms as an enemy, have not now revoked any of their former gifts, but have made ancient services outweigh recent offences, while you, in whose cause he marched against them to his death, so far from honoring him the more on that account, are even going to rob him of part of the reward of his past services, how will you escape the ignominy that you deserve?

> Greek: 81. ἄξιον τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κἀκεῖνο σκοπεῖν, ὅπως μὴ φανούμεθα φαυλότεροι Χίων περὶ τοὺς εὐεργέτας γεγενημένοι. εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι μέν, ἐφʼ οὓς μεθʼ ὅπλων ἦλθεν ἐν ἐχθροῦ τάξει, μηδὲν ὧν ἔδοσαν πρότερον νῦν ἀφῄρηνται, ἀλλὰ τὰς πάλαι χάριτας μείζους τῶν καινῶν ἐγκλημάτων πεποίηνται, ὑμεῖς δέ, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐπʼ ἐκείνους ἐλθὼν ἐτελεύτησεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ διὰ ταῦτʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον αὐτὸν τιμᾶν καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς πρότερον εὐεργεσίαις τι δοθέντων ἀφῃρημένοι φανήσεσθε, πῶς οὐκ εἰκότως αἰσχύνην ἕξετε;

[¶23] 82. Moreover, should the son be robbed of part of his reward, his treatment would be undeserved in view of the fact that no man’s child was ever orphaned through the fault of Chabrias, though he frequently led you in war, but the boy himself has grown up an orphan, just because of his father’s devotion to your cause. For to me he seems truly to have been such a staunch patriot, that though reputed to be the most cautious of commanders, as indeed he was, it was for your sake that he displayed that quality whenever he led you, but for his own sake, when he found himself assigned to the post of danger, he forgot all his caution and preferred to lay down his life rather than tarnish the honors that you had bestowed.

> Greek: 82. καὶ μὴν καὶ κατʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἀνάξιʼ ἂν εἴη πεπονθὼς ὁ παῖς εἴ ⟨τι⟩ τῆς δωρειᾶς ἀφαιρεθείη, καθʼ ὃ πολλάκις ὑμῶν στρατηγήσαντος Χαβρίου οὐδενὸς πώποθʼ υἱὸς ὀρφανὸς διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἐγένετο, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν ὀρφανίᾳ τέθραπται διὰ τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς φιλοτιμίαν τοῦ πατρός. οὕτω γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἔμοιγε φαίνεται βεβαίως πως ἐκεῖνος φιλόπολις, ὥστε δοκῶν καὶ ὢν ἀσφαλέστατος στρατηγὸς ἁπάντων, ὑπὲρ μὲν ὑμῶν, ὁπόθʼ ἡγοῖτο, ἐχρῆτο τούτῳ, ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ δέ, ἐπειδὴ τὸ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐτάχθη κινδυνεύειν, παρεῖδε, καὶ μᾶλλον εἵλετο μὴ ζῆν ἢ καταισχῦναι τὰς παρʼ ὑμῶν ὑπαρχούσας αὐτῷ τιμάς.

[¶24] 83. After that, are we to rob the son of those honors which inspired the father to conquer or to die? And what shall we say, men of Athens, when the trophies that he set up as general in your name stand plain for all men to see, but a part of the reward for those trophies is found to have been filched away? Will you not observe, men of Athens, and reflect that today we are not judging the law, to see whether it is suitable or not? It is you who are under examination, to see whether you are suitable persons to receive benefits in the future or whether you are not.

> Greek: 83. εἶθʼ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐκεῖνος ᾤετο δεῖν ἀποθνῄσκειν ἢ νικᾶν, ταῦθʼ ἡμεῖς ἀφελώμεθα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ; καὶ τί φήσομεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅταν τὰ μὲν τρόπαιʼ ἑστήκῃ δῆλα πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις, ἃ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν στρατηγῶν ἐκεῖνος ἔστησε, τῶν δʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις δωρειῶν ἀφῃρημένον τι φαίνηται; οὐ σκέψεσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ λογιεῖσθε, ὅτι νῦν οὐχ ὁ νόμος κρίνεται πότερον ἔστʼ ἐπιτήδειος ἢ οὔ, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς δοκιμάζεσθʼ εἴτʼ ἐπιτήδειοι πάσχειν ἔστʼ εὖ τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον εἴτε μή;

[¶25] 84. Turn now to the decree passed in honor of Chabrias. Just look and see; it must be somewhere there. There is one thing further that I want to say about Chabrias. You, Athenians, in honoring Iphicrates, honored not only him but also on his account Strabax and Polystratus; and again, when giving your reward to Timotheus, you also for his sake rewarded Clearchus and some others with the citizenship;

> Greek: 84. λαβὲ δὴ καὶ τὸ τῷ Χαβρίᾳ ψήφισμα ψηφισθέν. ὅρα δὴ καὶ σκόπει· δεῖ γὰρ αὔτʼ ἐνταῦθʼ εἶναί που. ἐγὼ δʼ ἔτι τοῦτʼ εἰπεῖν ὑπὲρ Χαβρίου βούλομαι. ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τιμῶντές ποτʼ Ἰφικράτην, οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν ἐτιμήσατε, ἀλλὰ καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνον Στράβακα καὶ Πολύστρατον· καὶ πάλιν, Τιμοθέῳ διδόντες τὴν δωρειάν, διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἐδώκατε καὶ Κλεάρχῳ καί τισιν ἄλλοις πολιτείαν· Χαβρίας δʼ αὐτὸς ἐτιμήθη παρʼ ὑμῖν μόνος.

[¶26] 85. but in the case of Chabrias your honors were for him alone. Now, if at the time when he was receiving his reward, he had claimed that as you had rewarded others for the sake of Iphicrates and Timotheus, so for his sake you should reward some of those men who have actually received the immunity, but to whom our opponents object so strongly that they want all alike to be deprived of it, would you not have granted him that boon? I cannot doubt it.

> Greek: 85. εἰ δὴ τόθʼ, ὅθʼ εὑρίσκετο τὴν δωρειάν, ἠξίωσεν ὑμᾶς, ὥσπερ διʼ Ἰφικράτην καὶ Τιμόθεον εὖ τινὰς πεποιήκατε, οὕτω καὶ διʼ αὑτὸν εὖ ποιῆσαι τούτων τινὰς τῶν εὑρημένων τὴν ἀτέλειαν, οὓς νῦν οὗτοι μεμφόμενοι πάντας ἀφαιρεῖσθαι κελεύουσιν ὁμοίως, οὐκ ἂν ἐδώκατε ταύτην αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν; ἔγωγʼ ἡγοῦμαι.

[¶27] 86. For his sake you would have rewarded them then; yet now, on their account, will you take away the immunity from Chabrias himself? Why, that is absurd! For it is inconsistent to seem so generous, when the benefits are recent, that you honor not the benefactors only but their friends as well, but, when a short time has elapsed, to take away even the rewards that you have given to the benefactors. [The decrees on the honour of Chabrias are read] So these whose names you have heard, as well as many others, are the men whom you will injure if you do not repeal the law.

> Greek: 86. εἶθʼ οἷς διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἂν τότʼ ἐδώκατε δωρειάν, διὰ τούτους νῦν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον ἀφαιρήσεσθε τὴν ἀτέλειαν; ἀλλʼ ἄλογον. οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑμῖν ἁρμόττει δοκεῖν παρὰ μὲν τὰς εὐεργεσίας οὕτω προχείρως ἔχειν ὥστε μὴ μόνους αὐτοὺς τοὺς εὐεργέτας τιμᾶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐκείνων φίλους, ἐπειδὰν δὲ χρόνος διέλθῃ βραχύς, καὶ ὅσʼ αὐτοῖς δεδώκατε, ταῦτʼ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΧΑΒΡΙΟΥ ΤΙΜΩΝ.

[¶28] 87. Just reflect and ponder in your own minds, if any of these men now passed away could somehow come to know of the present proceedings, what just ground they would have for indignation! For if of the deeds that each wrought for your advantage there is to be a judgement based on words, if actions nobly performed by them, unless nobly avowed by us in speech, have been wrought in vain for all their toil, are they not suffering a terrible wrong?

> Greek: 87. οὓς μὲν τοίνυν ἀδικήσετε, εἰ μὴ λύσετε τὸν νόμον, πρὸς πολλοῖς ἄλλοις, οὓς ἀκηκόατε, εἰσίν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. σκοπεῖτε δὴ καὶ λογίσασθʼ ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, εἴ τινες τούτων τῶν τετελευτηκότων λάβοιεν τρόπῳ τινὶ τοῦ νυνὶ γιγνομένου πράγματος αἴσθησιν, ὡς ἂν εἰκότως ἀγανακτήσειαν. εἰ γὰρ ὧν ἔργῳ πεποίηκεν ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ὑμᾶς εὖ, τούτων ἐκ λόγου κρίσις γίγνεται, καὶ τὰ καλῶς πραχθένθʼ ὑπʼ ἐκείνων, ἂν ὑφʼ ἡμῶν μὴ καλῶς ῥηθῇ τῷ λόγῳ, μάτην τοῖς πονήσασιν εἴργασται, πῶς οὐ δεινὰ πάσχουσιν;

[¶29] 88. Now, to satisfy you, Athenians, that every argument that we submit to you is based on perfectly just grounds, and that not a single argument is intended to mislead and deceive you, the clerk shall read the law drafted and proposed by us to take the place of the present one, which we contend is mischievous. For our law will show you that we take some care to ensure that you shall be saved from the appearance of a dishonorable act; that if anyone objects to one of the recipients, he can deprive him of his gift, if the objection is sound, after trial in your courts; and also that those whose claim to the gifts none could dispute shall keep them.

> Greek: 88. ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅτι ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπὶ πᾶσι δικαίοις ποιούμεθα τοὺς λόγους πάντας οὓς λέγομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔσθʼ ὅ τι τοῦ παρακρούσασθαι καὶ φενακίσαι λέγεται παρʼ ἡμῶν ἕνεκα, ἀναγνώσεται τὸν νόμον ὑμῖν ὃν παρεισφέρομεν γράψαντες ἀντὶ τοῦδε, ὃν οὐκ ἐπιτήδειον εἶναί φαμεν. γνώσεσθε γὰρ ἐκ τούτου πρόνοιάν τινʼ ἔχοντας ἡμᾶς καὶ ὅπως ὑμεῖς μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν ποιῆσαι δόξετε, καὶ ὅπως, εἴ τινά τις καταμέμφεται τῶν εὑρημένων τὰς δωρειάς, ἂν δίκαιον ᾖ, κρίνας παρʼ ὑμῖν ἀφαιρήσεται, καὶ ὅπως, οὓς οὐδεὶς ἂν ἀντείποι μὴ οὐ δεῖν ἔχειν, ἕξουσιν τὰ δοθέντα.

[¶30] 89. And in all this there is nothing new, no innovation of our own; but the old law, transgressed by Leptines, lays down this procedure in legislation, that if a man disapproves of an existing law, he shall bring an indictment against it, but shall himself introduce an alternative, such as he proposes to enact after repeal of the other, and that you, after hearing arguments, shall choose the better law.

> Greek: 89. καὶ τούτων πάντων οὐδὲν ἔσθʼ ἡμέτερον οὐδὲ καινὸν εὕρημα, ἀλλʼ ὁ παλαιός, ὃν οὗτος παρέβη, νόμος οὕτω κελεύει νομοθετεῖν, γράφεσθαι μέν, ἄν τίς τινα τῶν ὑπαρχόντων νόμων μὴ καλῶς ἔχειν ἡγῆται, παρεισφέρειν δʼ αὐτὸν ἄλλον, ὃν ἂν τιθῇ λύων ἐκεῖνον, ὑμᾶς δʼ ἀκούσαντες ἑλέσθαι τὸν κρείττω.

[¶31] 90. For Solon, who imposed this method, did not think it right that while the junior archons, who are appointed by lot to administer the laws, undergo two scrutinies before entering on office, one in the Council and a second in the law-courts before you, the laws themselves, which regulate their official acts and all other civic duties, should be passed at haphazard to meet some emergency, and should be at once valid without passing a scrutiny.

> Greek: 90. οὐ γὰρ ᾤετο δεῖν ὁ Σόλων, ὁ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον προστάξας νομοθετεῖν, τοὺς μὲν θεσμοθέτας τοὺς ἐπὶ τοὺς νόμους κληρουμένους δὶς δοκιμασθέντας ἄρχειν, ἔν τε τῇ βουλῇ καὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ, τοὺς δὲ νόμους αὐτούς, καθʼ οὓς καὶ τούτοις ἄρχειν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις πολιτεύεσθαι προσήκει, ἐπὶ καιροῦ τεθέντας, ὅπως ἔτυχον, μὴ δοκιμασθέντας κυρίους εἶναι.

[¶32] 91. For in those days, indeed, while they legislated in that way, they kept to the existing laws and were not always proposing new ones; but ever since certain statesmen rose to power and, as I am informed, contrived to get into their own hands the right to initiate legislation at any time and in any way they wished, there are so many contradictory statutes that for a long time you have had to appoint a commission to sort out the contradictory ones;

> Greek: 91. καὶ γάρ τοι τότε μέν, τέως τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἐνομοθέτουν, τοῖς μὲν ὑπάρχουσι νόμοις ἐχρῶντο, καινοὺς δʼ οὐκ ἐτίθεσαν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν πολιτευομένων τινὲς δυνηθέντες, ὡς ἐγὼ πυνθάνομαι, κατεσκεύασαν αὑτοῖς ἐξεῖναι νομοθετεῖν, ὅταν τις βούληται καὶ ὃν ἂν τύχῃ τρόπον, τοσοῦτοι μὲν οἱ ἐναντίοι σφίσιν αὑτοῖς εἰσὶ νόμοι, ὥστε χειροτονεῖθʼ ὑμεῖς τοὺς διαλέξοντας τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐπὶ πάμπολυν ἤδη χρόνον, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ οὐδὲν μᾶλλον δύναται πέρας ἔχειν·

[¶33] 92. yet in spite of this the business never comes to an end. Our laws are no better than so many decrees; nay, you will find that the laws which have to be observed in drafting the decrees are later than the decrees themselves. Not to be content, then, with a bare assertion, but to show you the actual law to which I refer, please take and read the law constituting the original legislative commission. [The law is read] You understand, Athenians, the beauty of Solon’s directions for legislating.

> Greek: 92. ψηφισμάτων δʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν διαφέρουσιν οἱ νόμοι, ἀλλὰ νεώτεροι οἱ νόμοι, καθʼ οὓς τὰ ψηφίσματα δεῖ γράφεσθαι, τῶν ψηφισμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμῖν εἰσίν. ἵνʼ οὖν μὴ λόγον λέγω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν νόμον αὐτὸν ὅν φημι δείξω, λαβέ μοι τὸν νόμον καθʼ ὃν ἦσαν οἱ πρότερον νομοθέται. λέγε. ΝΟΜΟΣ.

[¶34] 93. The first stage is in your courts, before men under oath, where all other ratifications are made; the next is the repeal of the contradictory laws, so that there may be only one law dealing with each subject, and that the plain citizen may not be puzzled by such contradictions and be at a disadvantage compared with those who are acquainted with the whole body of law, but that all may have the same ordinances before them, simple and clear to read and understand.

> Greek: 93. συνίεθʼ ὃν τρόπον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὁ Σόλων τοὺς νόμους ὡς καλῶς κελεύει τιθέναι, πρῶτον μὲν παρʼ ὑμῖν, ἐν τοῖς ὀμωμοκόσιν, παρʼ οἷσπερ καὶ τἄλλα κυροῦται, ἔπειτα λύοντα τοὺς ἐναντίους, ἵνʼ εἷς ᾖ περὶ τῶν ὄντων ἑκάστου νόμος, καὶ μὴ τοὺς ἰδιώτας αὐτὸ τοῦτο ταράττῃ καὶ ποιῇ τῶν ἅπαντας εἰδότων τοὺς νόμους ἔλαττον ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν ᾖ ταὔτʼ ἀναγνῶναι καὶ μαθεῖν ἁπλᾶ καὶ σαφῆ τὰ δίκαια.

[¶35] 94. Moreover, before these proceedings, Solon ordered that the laws should be exposed before the statues of the eponymous heroes and handed in to the town-clerk to recite them at the meetings of the Assembly, so that each of you may hear them more than once and digest them at leisure, and if they are just and expedient, may add them to the statute-book. Now, numerous as those enactments are, Leptines yonder has observed not one of them, for, if he had, I do not think that you would ever have consented to pass his law. We on the other hand, Athenians, have observed them all, and we are submitting a much better and more equitable law than his. You will realize that when you hear it.

> Greek: 94. καὶ πρὸ τούτων γʼ ἐπέταξεν ἐκθεῖναι πρόσθε τῶν ἐπωνύμων καὶ τῷ γραμματεῖ παραδοῦναι, τοῦτον δʼ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἀναγιγνώσκειν, ἵνʼ ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ἀκούσας πολλάκις καὶ κατὰ σχολὴν σκεψάμενος, ἃν ᾖ καὶ δίκαια καὶ συμφέροντα, ταῦτα νομοθετῇ. τούτων τοίνυν τοσούτων ὄντων [δικαίων] τὸ πλῆθος, οὑτοσὶ μὲν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐποίησε [Λεπτίνης]· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ὑμεῖς ποτʼ ἐπείσθητε, ὡς ἐγὼ νομίζω, θέσθαι τὸν νόμον· ἡμεῖς δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάντα, καὶ παρεισφέρομεν πολλῷ καὶ κρείττω καὶ δικαιότερον τοῦ τούτου νόμον.

[¶36] 95. Take and read first of all the clauses of his law which we have indicted, and next the clauses we propose to substitute for them. Read. [The law is read] These are the parts of the law of Leptines which we arraign as unsatisfactory. Next in order read our proposed amendments. Pray attend, gentlemen of the jury, to these as they are recited. Read. [The law is read] Stop there.

> Greek: 95. γνώσεσθε δʼ ἀκούοντες. λαβὲ καὶ λέγε πρῶτον μὲν ἃ τοῦ τούτου νόμου γεγράμμεθα, εἶθʼ ἅ φαμεν δεῖν ἀντὶ τούτων τεθῆναι. λέγε. ΝΟΜΟΣ. ταῦτα μέν ἐσθʼ ἃ τοῦ τούτου νόμου διώκομεν ὡς οὐκ ἐπιτήδεια. τὰ δʼ ἑξῆς λέγε, ἃ τούτων εἶναι βελτίω φαμέν. προσέχετʼ, ἄνδρες δικασταί, τούτοις ἀναγιγνωσκομένοις τὸν νοῦν. λέγε. ΝΟΜΟΣ.

[¶37] 96. The laws now in force contain this provision—a capital one, men of Athens, and unambiguous—that “all rewards granted by the people shall be valid.” Equitable too, by all the powers! So Leptines should not have proposed his own law until he had indicted and repealed this. As it is, neglecting proof of his own violation of the law, he nevertheless proceeded to legislate, in face of the fact that another law proclaims his law indictable for this very offence, namely, for contradicting previous legislation. Here is the very law in question. [The law is read] Men of Athens, is not the provision that “all rewards granted by the people shall be valid” contradicted by the clause that “no one shall be immune,” no one, that is, of those to whom the people has granted immunity?

> Greek: 96. ἐπίσχες. τοῦτο μέν ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς οὖσι νόμοις κυρίοις ὑπάρχον καλόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ σαφές, τὰς δωρειὰς ὅσας ὁ δῆμος ἔδωκε κυρίας εἶναι· δίκαιον, ὦ γῆ καὶ θεοί. χρῆν τοίνυν Λεπτίνην μὴ πρότερον τιθέναι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ νόμον πρὶν τοῦτον ἔλυσε γραψάμενος. νῦν δὲ μαρτυρίαν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ καταλείπων ὅτι παρανομεῖ τουτονὶ τὸν νόμον, ὅμως ἐνομοθέτει, καὶ ταῦθʼ ἑτέρου κελεύοντος νόμου καὶ κατʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἔνοχον εἶναι τῇ γραφῇ, ἐὰν ἐναντίος ᾖ τοῖς πρότερον κειμένοις νόμοις. λαβὲ δʼ αὐτὸν τὸν νόμον. >
ΝΟΜΟΣ.

[¶38] 97. That is plain enough, at any rate. But it is not so in the alternative law which my friend here proposes, and which confirms what you have granted, and provides a fair ground of action against those who have imposed upon you, or have subsequently injured you, or are generally undeserving; so that you will thus prevent anyone you please from retaining his grant. Read the law. [The law is read] You hear the law, Athenians, and you understand that it enables the deserving to retain their rewards, and those who are judged otherwise to be deprived of any privilege they have unjustly secured; for the future everything is left in your hands, as is right, to grant or to withhold.

> Greek: 97. οὔκουν ἐναντίον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῷ κυρίας εἶναι τὰς δωρειάς, ὅσας ὁ δῆμος ἔδωκε, τὸ μηδένʼ εἶναι ἀτελῆ τούτων οἷς ὁ δῆμος ἔδωκεν; σαφῶς γʼ οὑτωσί. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ᾧ νῦν ὅδʼ ἀντεισφέρει νόμῳ, ἀλλʼ ἅ τʼ ἐδώκατε, κύρια, καὶ πρόφασις δικαία κατὰ τῶν ἢ παρακρουσαμένων ἢ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἀδικούντων ἢ ὅλως ἀναξίων, διʼ ἣν ὃν ἂν ὑμῖν δοκῇ κωλύσετʼ ἔχειν τὴν δωρειάν. λέγε τὸν νόμον. ΝΟΜΟΣ.

[¶39] 98. Now I do not think that Leptines will deny that this law is sound and just, or, if he does, that he will be able to prove it. But perhaps he will try to lead you astray by repeating what he said before the junior archons. For he alleged that the publication of this amended law was a mere trick, and that should his own law be repealed, this one would never be passed.

> Greek: 98. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ καταμανθάνετε, ὅτι ἐνταῦθʼ ἔνι καὶ τοὺς ἀξίους ἔχειν τὰ δοθέντα καὶ τοὺς μὴ τοιούτους κριθέντας, ἐὰν ἀδίκως τι λάβωσιν, ἀφαιρεθῆναι, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐφʼ ὑμῖν εἶναι πάνθʼ, ὥσπερ ἐστὶ δίκαιον, καὶ δοῦναι καὶ μή. ὡς μὲν τοίνυν οὐχὶ καλῶς οὗτος ἔχει καὶ δικαίως ὁ νόμος, οὔτʼ ἐρεῖν οἴομαι Λεπτίνην οὔτʼ, ἐὰν λέγῃ, δεῖξαι δυνήσεσθαι· ἃ δὲ πρὸς τοῖς θεσμοθέταις ἔλεγεν, ταῦτʼ ἴσως λέγων παράγειν ὑμᾶς ζητήσει. ἔφη γὰρ ἐξαπάτης εἵνεκα παραγεγράφθαι τοῦτον τὸν νόμον, ἐὰν δʼ ὃν αὐτὸς ἔθηκεν λυθῇ, τοῦτον οὐ τεθήσεσθαι.

[¶40] 99. Now, to avoid dispute, I will not press the point that the old law of Solon, in accordance with which the junior archons have notified these amendments to you, clearly enjoins that if the law of Leptines is repealed by your vote, the alternative law shall be valid. I will pass to another point. Leptines, in saying this, obviously admits that our law is better and fairer than his own, but bases his argument on the way in which it is to be passed.

> Greek: 99. ἐγὼ δʼ, ὅτι μὲν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ψήφῳ τοῦ τούτου νόμου λυθέντος τὸν παρεισενεχθέντα κύριον εἶναι σαφῶς ὁ παλαιὸς κελεύει νόμος, καθʼ ὃν οἱ θεσμοθέται τοῦτον ὑμῖν παρέγραψαν, ἐάσω, ἵνα μὴ περὶ τούτου τις ἀντιλέγῃ μοι, ἀλλʼ ἐπʼ ἐκεῖνʼ εἶμι. ὅταν ταῦτα λέγῃ δήπου, ὁμολογεῖ μὲν εἶναι βελτίω καὶ δικαιότερον τόνδε τὸν νόμον οὗ τέθεικεν αὐτός, ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ πῶς τεθήσεται ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον.

[¶41] 100. Now, in the first place, there are many ways open to him, if he wishes, of compelling the amender to introduce his own law. In the next place, Phormio and myself and anyone else he likes to name are prepared to guarantee that we will introduce it. You know there is a law making death the penalty for anyone who breaks his promise to the Assembly or one of the Councils or law-courts. You have our guarantee, our promise. Let the archons record it, and let the matter rest in their hands.

> Greek: 100. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν εἰσὶν αὐτῷ κατὰ τοῦ παρεισφέροντος πολλοὶ τρόποι, διʼ ὧν, ἂν βούληται, θεῖναι τὸν νόμον αὐτὸν ἀναγκάσει. ἔπειτʼ ἐγγυώμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, ἐγώ, Φορμίων, ἄλλον εἴ τινα βούλεται, θήσειν τὸν νόμον. ἔστι δὲ δήπου νόμος ὑμῖν, ἐάν τις ὑποσχόμενός τι τὸν δῆμον ἢ τὴν βουλὴν ἢ δικαστήριον ἐξαπατήσῃ, τὰ ἔσχατα πάσχειν. ἐγγυώμεθα, ὑπισχνούμεθα· οἱ θεσμοθέται ταῦτα γραφόντων, ἐπὶ τούτοις τὸ πρᾶγμα γιγνέσθω.

[¶42] 101. Neither do anything that is unworthy of this court, nor, if a worthless person is found among those who enjoy the grant, let him keep it; only let each case be judged on its merits. But if Leptines shall say that that is all talk and humbug, this at any rate is not mere talk; let him bring in the amended law himself and cease to say that we will not do so. It is surely a greater honor to propose the law, stamped with your approval, than this of his own devising.

> Greek: 101. μήθʼ ὑμεῖς ποιήσητε μηδὲν ἀνάξιον ὑμῶν αὐτῶν, μήτε, εἴ τις φαῦλός ἐστι τῶν εὑρημένων τὴν δωρειάν, ἐχέτω, ἀλλʼ ἰδίᾳ κατὰ τόνδε κριθήτω τὸν νόμον. εἰ δὲ ταῦτα λόγους καὶ φλυαρίας εἶναι φήσει, ἐκεῖνό γʼ οὐ λόγος· αὐτὸς θέτω, καὶ μὴ λεγέτω τοῦθʼ, ὡς οὐ θήσομεν ἡμεῖς. κάλλιον δὲ δήπου τὸν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν κριθέντα καλῶς ἔχειν νόμον εἰσφέρειν ἢ ὃν νῦν ἀφʼ αὑτοῦ τίθησιν.

[¶43] 102. It seems to me, Athenians, that Leptines—and pray, be not angry, for I am not going to say anything offensive about you—Leptines has either never read Solon’s laws or else does not understand them. For if Solon made a law that every man could grant his property to whomsoever he pleased, in default of legitimate offspring, not with the object of depriving the next of kin of their rights of consanguinity, but that by making the prize open to all he might excite a rivalry in doing good one to another;

> Greek: 102. ἐμοὶ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δοκεῖ Λεπτίνης (καί μοι μηδὲν ὀργισθῇς· οὐδὲν γὰρ φλαῦρον ἐρῶ σε) ἢ οὐκ ἀνεγνωκέναι τοὺς Σόλωνος νόμους ἢ οὐ συνιέναι. εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν Σόλων ἔθηκεν νόμον ἐξεῖναι δοῦναι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ᾧ ἄν τις βούληται, ἐὰν μὴ παῖδες ὦσι γνήσιοι, οὐχ ἵνʼ ἀποστερήσῃ τοὺς ἐγγυτάτω γένει τῆς ἀγχιστείας, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ εἰς τὸ μέσον καταθεὶς τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἐφάμιλλον ποιήσῃ τὸ ποιεῖν ἀλλήλους εὖ, σὺ δὲ τοὐναντίον εἰσενήνοχας μὴ ἐξεῖναι τῷ δήμῳ τῶν αὑτοῦ δοῦναι μηδενὶ μηδέν, πῶς σέ τις φήσει τοὺς Σόλωνος ἀνεγνωκέναι νόμους ἢ συνιέναι;

[¶44] 103. and if you, on the contrary, have proposed a law that the people shall not be permitted to bestow on any man any part of what is their own, how can you be said to have read or understood the laws of Solon? You make the nation barren of would-be patriots by proclaiming unmistakably that those who benefit us shall gain nothing by it. Again, there is another excellent law of Solon, forbidding a man to speak ill of the dead, even if he is himself defamed by the dead man’s children. You do not speak ill of our departed benefactors, Leptines; you do ill to them, when you blame one and assert that another is unworthy, though these charges have nothing to do with the dead men. Are you not very far from the intention of Solon?

> Greek: 103. ὃς ἔρημον ποιεῖς τὸν δῆμον τῶν φιλοτιμησομένων, προλέγων καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσιν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἔσται πλέον. καὶ μὴν κἀκεῖνος τῶν καλῶς δοκούντων ἔχειν νόμων Σόλωνός ἐστι, μὴ λέγειν κακῶς τὸν τεθνεῶτα, μηδʼ ἂν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκείνου τις ἀκούῃ παίδων αὐτός· σὺ δὲ ποιεῖς, οὐ λέγεις κακῶς τοὺς τετελευτηκότας τῶν εὐεργετῶν, τῷ δεῖνι μεμφόμενος καὶ τὸν δεῖνʼ ἀνάξιον εἶναι φάσκων, ὧν οὐδὲν ἐκείνοις προσῆκεν. ἆρʼ οὐ πολὺ τοῦ Σόλωνος ἀποστατεῖς τῇ γνώμῃ;

[¶45] 105. Now I have been quite seriously informed that with regard to the absolute prohibition of all rewards, whatever a man’s services may be, our opponents are prepared to use some such argument as this. The Lacedaemonians, who are a well-organized state, and the Thebans grant no such reward to any of their citizens, and yet possibly there are some good men among them. In my opinion, men of Athens, all such arguments are provocative, and intended to persuade you to abolish the immunities, but just they are certainly not. For I am quite aware that the Thebans and the Lacedaemonians and ourselves do not observe the same laws and customs, nor the same form of government.

> Greek: 105. πάνυ τοίνυν σπουδῇ τις ἀπήγγελλέ μοι περὶ τοῦ μηδενὶ δεῖν μηδὲν διδόναι, μηδʼ ἂν ὁτιοῦν πράξῃ, τοιοῦτόν τι λέγειν αὐτοὺς παρεσκευάσθαι, ὡς ἄρʼ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι καλῶς πολιτευόμενοι καὶ Θηβαῖοι οὐδενὶ τῶν παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς διδόασι τοιαύτην οὐδεμίαν τιμήν· καίτοι καὶ παρʼ ἐκείνοις τινές εἰσιν ἴσως ἀγαθοί. ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκοῦσιν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάντες οἱ τοιοῦτοι λόγοι παροξυντικοὶ μὲν εἶναι πρὸς τὸ τὰς ἀτελείας ὑμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι πεῖσαι, οὐ μέντοι δίκαιοί γʼ οὐδαμῇ. οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοῶ τοῦθʼ ὅτι Θηβαῖοι καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι καὶ ἡμεῖς οὔτε νόμοις οὔτʼ ἔθεσιν χρώμεθα τοῖς αὐτοῖς οὔτε πολιτείᾳ.

[¶46] 106. For in the first place, if this is their argument, they are about to do exactly what a man cannot do at Sparta—praise the laws of Athens or of any other state; nay, so far from that, he is obliged to praise, as well as do, whatever accords with his native constitution. Then again, though the Lacedaemonians do not hold with these customs, yet there are other honors at Sparta, which our citizens to a man would shrink from introducing here.

> Greek: 106. αὐτὸ γὰρ τοῦτο πρῶτον, ὃ νῦν οὗτοι ποιήσουσιν, ἐὰν ταῦτα λέγωσιν, οὐκ ἔξεστι ποιεῖν παρὰ τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις, τὰ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐπαινεῖν νόμιμα οὐδὲ τὰ τῶν δείνων, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ, ἀλλʼ ἃ τῇ παρʼ ἐκείνοις πολιτείᾳ συμφέρει, ταῦτʼ ἐπαινεῖν ἀνάγκη [καὶ ποιεῖν]. εἶτα καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τῶν μὲν τοιούτων ἀφεστᾶσιν, ἄλλαι δέ τινες παρʼ ἐκείνοις εἰσὶ τιμαί, ἃς ἀπεύξαιτʼ ἂν ἅπας ὁ δῆμος ἐνταυθοῖ γενέσθαι.

[¶47] 107. What, then, are those honors? Not to take each singly, I will describe one which comprises all the rest. Whenever a man for his good conduct is elected to the Senate, or Gerusia, as they call it, he is absolute master of the mass of citizens. For at Sparta the prize of merit is to share with one’s peers the supremacy in the State; but with us the people is supreme, and any other form of supremacy is forbidden by imprecations and laws and other safeguards, but we have crowns of honor and immunities and free maintenance and similar rewards, which anyone may win, if he is a good citizen.

> Greek: 107. τίνες οὖν εἰσιν αὗται; τὰς μὲν καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐάσω, μίαν δʼ ἣ συλλαβοῦσα τὰς ἄλλας ἔχει, δίειμι. ἐπειδάν τις εἰς τὴν καλουμένην γερουσίαν ἐγκριθῇ παρασχὼν αὑτὸν οἷον χρή, δεσπότης ἐστὶ τῶν πολλῶν. ἐκεῖ μὲν γάρ ἐστι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἆθλον τῆς πολιτείας κυρίῳ γενέσθαι μετὰ τῶν ὁμοίων, παρὰ δʼ ἡμῖν ταύτης μὲν ὁ δῆμος κύριος, καὶ ἀραὶ καὶ νόμοι καὶ φυλακαὶ ὅπως μηδεὶς ἄλλος κύριος γενήσεται, στέφανοι δὲ καὶ ἀτέλειαι καὶ σιτήσεις καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὧν ἄν τις ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ὢν τύχοι.

[¶48] 108. And both these customs are right enough, the one at Sparta and the other here. Why? Because in an oligarchy harmony is attained by the equality of those who control the State, but the freedom of a democracy is guarded by the rivalry with which good citizens compete for the rewards offered by the people.

> Greek: 108. καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀμφότερʼ ὀρθῶς ἔχει, καὶ τἀκεῖ καὶ τὰ παρʼ ἡμῖν. διὰ τί; ὅτι τὰς μὲν διὰ τῶν ὀλίγων πολιτείας τὸ πάντας ἔχειν ἴσον ἀλλήλοις τοὺς τῶν κοινῶν κυρίους ὁμονοεῖν ποιεῖ, τὴν δὲ τῶν δήμων ἐλευθερίαν ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἅμιλλα, ἣν ἐπὶ ταῖς παρὰ τοῦ δήμου δωρειαῖς πρὸς αὑτοὺς ποιοῦνται, φυλάττει.

[¶49] 109. Again, with regard to the absence of honors at Thebes, I think I can express the truth thus. The Thebans, men of Athens, plume themselves more on brutality and iniquity than you on humanity and love of justice. If a prayer may be allowed, may they never cease to withhold honor and admiration from those who do them service, or to deal with kindred states in the same way (For you remember how they treated Orchomenus. ) And never may you cease to do the opposite, honoring your benefactors and winning your rights from your fellow-citizens by debate and in harmony with the laws!

> Greek: 109. καὶ μὴν περὶ τοῦ γε μηδὲ Θηβαίους μηδένα τιμᾶν, ἐκεῖνʼ ἂν ἔχειν εἰπεῖν ἀληθὲς οἴομαι. μεῖζον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, Θηβαῖοι φρονοῦσιν ἐπʼ ὠμότητι καὶ πονηρίᾳ ἢ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ καὶ τῷ τὰ δίκαια βούλεσθαι. μήτʼ οὖν ἐκεῖνοί ποτε παύσαιντο, εἰ ἄρʼ εὔξασθαι δεῖ, τοὺς μὲν ἑαυτοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦντας μήτε τιμῶντες μήτε θαυμάζοντες, τοὺς δὲ συγγενεῖς (ἴστε γὰρ ὃν τρόπον Ὀρχομενὸν διέθηκαν) οὕτω μεταχειριζόμενοι, μήθʼ ὑμεῖς τἀναντία τούτοις τοὺς μὲν εὐεργέτας τιμῶντες, παρὰ δὲ τῶν πολιτῶν λόγῳ μετὰ τῶν νόμων τὰ δίκαια λαμβάνοντες.

[¶50] 110. And in general, I think that then only ought you to praise the habits and character of other nations and decry your own, when it is possible to prove that they are more prosperous than you. As long as you (thank Heaven!) are more prosperous than they, in public policy, in internal harmony, and in every other way, why should you belittle your national institutions and imitate theirs? Even if theirs could be proved superior in theory, yet the good fortune that you have enjoyed under your own institutions makes it worth your while to retain them.

> Greek: 110. ὅλως δʼ οἶμαι τότε δεῖν τοὺς ἑτέρων ἐπαινεῖν τρόπους καὶ ἔθη τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐπιτιμῶντας, ὅταν ᾖ δεῖξαι βέλτιον ἐκείνους πράττοντας ὑμῶν. ὅτε δʼ ὑμεῖς, καλῶς ποιοῦντες, καὶ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὁμόνοιαν καὶ κατὰ τἄλλα πάντʼ ἄμεινον ἐκείνων πράττετε, τοῦ χάριν ἂν τῶν ὑμετέρων αὐτῶν ἐθῶν ὀλιγωροῦντες ἐκεῖνα διώκοιτε; εἰ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐκεῖνα φανείη βελτίω, τῆς γε τύχης ἕνεχʼ ᾗ παρὰ ταῦτʼ ἀγαθῇ κέχρησθε, ἐπὶ τούτων ἄξιον μεῖναι.

[¶51] 111. Besides all this, if I must say what I think is right, I would put it in this way. It is not right, Athenians, to cite the laws of the Lacedaemonians or of the Thebans in order to undermine the laws established here; it is not right that you should want to put a man to death for transplanting to Athens any of the institutions that have made those nations great, and yet lend a willing ear to those who propose to destroy the institutions under which our democracy has flourished.

> Greek: 111. εἰ δὲ δεῖ παρὰ πάντα ταῦτʼ εἰπεῖν ὃ δίκαιον ἡγοῦμαι, ἐκεῖνʼ ἂν ἔγωγʼ εἴποιμι. οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων νόμους οὐδὲ τοὺς Θηβαίων λέγειν ἐπὶ τῷ τοὺς ἐνθάδε λυμαίνεσθαι, οὐδὲ διʼ ὧν μὲν ἐκεῖνοι μεγάλοι [τῆς ὀλιγαρχίας καὶ δεσποτείας εἰσί], κἂν ἀποκτεῖναι βούλεσθαι τὸν παρʼ ἡμῖν τούτων τι κατασκευάσαντα, διὰ δʼ ὧν ὁ παρʼ ἡμῖν δῆμος εὐδαίμων, ταῦθʼ ὡς ἀνελεῖν δεῖ λεγόντων τινῶν ἐθέλειν ἀκούειν.

[¶52] 112. Then they have another argument ready; that even at Athens in former generations men who had rendered great services met with no recognition of this sort, but were content with an inscription in the Hermes-Portico. Perhaps indeed the inscription will be read to you. But in my opinion, Athenians, this argument is in many ways prejudicial to the State, besides being unjust.

> Greek: 112. ἔστι τοίνυν τις πρόχειρος λόγος, ὡς ἄρα καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων πόλλʼ ἀγάθʼ εἰργασμένοι τινὲς οὐδενὸς ἠξιοῦντο τοιούτου, ἀλλʼ ἀγαπητῶς ἐπιγράμματος ἐν τοῖς Ἑρμαῖς ἔτυχον· καὶ ἴσως τοῦθʼ ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσεται τοὐπίγραμμα. ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγοῦμαι τοῦτον τὸν λόγον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ πόλλʼ ἀσύμφορον εἶναι τῇ πόλει λέγεσθαι, πρὸς δὲ καὶ οὐδὲ δίκαιον.

[¶53] 113. For if anyone says that even these men deserved no honor, let him say who does deserve it, if there is no one either before or after them. If he shall say “no one,” I should be very sorry for our city, if no one in the course of its history has proved worthy of reward. Again, if while admitting their merit he points out that they got nothing by it, assuredly he accuses the city of ingratitude. But that is not the truth or anything like it; but whenever a man maliciously gives a wrong twist to his arguments, I think they must appear hateful.

> Greek: 113. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀναξίους εἶναί τις φήσει κἀκείνους τιμᾶσθαι, τίς ἄξιος, εἰπάτω, εἰ μήτε τῶν προτέρων μηδεὶς μήτε τῶν ὑστέρων· εἰ δὲ μηδένα φήσει, συναχθεσθείην ἂν ἔγωγε τῇ πόλει, εἰ μηδεὶς ἐν ἅπαντι τῷ χρόνῳ γέγονʼ ἄξιος εὖ παθεῖν. καὶ μὴν εἴ γʼ ὁμολογῶν ἐκείνους εἶναι σπουδαίους μὴ τετυχηκότας δείξει μηδενός, τῆς πόλεως ὡς ἀχαρίστου δήπου κατηγορεῖ. ἔστι δʼ οὐχ οὕτω ταῦτʼ ἔχοντα, οὐδʼ ὀλίγου δεῖ· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδάν τις οἶμαι κακουργῶν ἐπὶ μὴ προσήκοντα πράγματα τοὺς λόγους μεταφέρῃ, δυσχερεῖς ἀνάγκη φαίνεσθαι.

## 3. Sections 114–167

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leptines/3/#p-N

[¶0] 114. I, however, will explain the case to you, as truth and justice demand. There were, men of Athens, plenty of zealous citizens in former generations, and our city even then honored its good men; only honors then, like everything else, reflected the temper of the times, just as they now reflect the temper of today. And why do I say this? Because for myself I should be inclined to assert that they did get from the State everything that they wished.

> Greek: 114. ὡς δὲ τἀληθές τʼ ἔχει καὶ δίκαιόν ἐστι λέγειν, ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐρῶ. ἦσαν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πολλοὶ τῶν πρότερον σπουδαῖοι, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἡμῶν ἐτίμα καὶ τότε τοὺς ἀγαθούς· αἱ μέντοι τιμαὶ καὶ τἄλλα πάντα τὰ μὲν τότʼ ἦν ἐπὶ τοῖς τότʼ ἔθεσιν, τὰ δὲ νῦν ἐπὶ τοῖς νῦν. πρὸς οὖν τί τοῦτο λέγω; ὅτι φήσαιμʼ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐκείνους οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅτου παρὰ τῆς πόλεως οὐ τυχεῖν ὧν ἐβουλήθησαν.

[¶1] 115. What is my evidence? Lysimachus, only one of the worthies of that day, received a hundred roods of orchard in Euboea and a hundred of arable land, besides a hundred minas of silver and a pension of four drachmas a day. And the decree in which these gifts are recorded stands in the name of Alcibiades. For then our city was rich in lands and money, though now—she will be rich some day; for I must put it in that way to avoid anything like obloquy. Yet today who, think you, would not prefer a third of that reward to mere immunity? To prove the truth of my words, please take the decree. [The decree is read] Now this decree, Athenians, proves that your ancestors, like yourselves, were accustomed to honor good men; if they used different methods from ours today, that is another matter.

> Greek: 115. τίνι χρώμενος τεκμηρίῳ; ὅτι Λυσιμάχῳ δωρειάν, ἑνὶ τῶν τότε χρησίμων, ἑκατὸν μὲν ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ πλέθρα γῆς πεφυτευμένης ἔδοσαν, ἑκατὸν δὲ ψιλῆς, ἔτι δʼ ἀργυρίου μνᾶς ἑκατόν, καὶ τέτταρας τῆς ἡμέρας δραχμάς. καὶ τούτων ψήφισμʼ ἔστιν Ἀλκιβιάδου, ἐν ᾧ ταῦτα γέγραπται. τότε μὲν γὰρ ἡ πόλις ἡμῶν καὶ γῆς ηὐπόρει καὶ χρημάτων, νῦν δʼ εὐπορήσει· δεῖ γὰρ οὕτω λέγειν καὶ μὴ βλασφημεῖν. καίτοι τίνʼ οὐκ ἂν οἴεσθε νῦν τὸ τρίτον μέρος τούτων ἀντὶ τῆς ἀτελείας ἑλέσθαι; ὅτι τοίνυν ἀληθῆ λέγω, λαβέ μοι τὸ ψήφισμα τουτί. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶2] 116. So even if we should admit that neither Lysimachus nor anyone else gained anything from our ancestors, does that make it any fairer in us to rob the men whom we have just rewarded? For there is nothing outrageous in withholding what one never dreamed of giving; but it is an outrage to give and afterwards take back one’s gift, with no fault alleged. Prove to me that our ancestors ever took back the gifts they had bestowed, and you too have my leave to do the same, though the disgrace remains none the less; but if no one can cite an instance from the whole course of our history, why is such a precedent to be set in our generation?

> Greek: 116. ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ τοῖς προγόνοις ὑμῶν ἔθος ἦν τοὺς χρηστοὺς τιμᾶν, δηλοῖ τὸ ψήφισμα τουτί· εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς οἷσπερ ἡμεῖς νῦν, ἕτερόν τι τοῦτʼ ἂν εἴη. εἰ τοίνυν μήτε Λυσίμαχον μήτʼ ἄλλον μηδένα μηδὲν εὑρῆσθαι παρὰ τῶν προγόνων ἡμῶν συγχωρήσαιμεν, τί μᾶλλον, οἷς ἔδομεν νῦν ἡμεῖς, διὰ τοῦτο δικαίως ἂν ἀφαιρεθεῖεν; οὐ γὰρ οἱ μὴ δόντες ἃ μὴ ʼδόκει δεινόν εἰσιν οὐδὲν εἰργασμένοι, ἀλλʼ οἱ δόντες μέν, πάλιν δʼ ὕστερον μηδὲν ἐγκαλοῦντες ἀφαιρούμενοι. εἰ μὲν γάρ τις ἔχει δεῖξαι κἀκείνους ὧν ἔδοσάν τῴ τι, τοῦτʼ ἀφῃρημένους, συγχωρῶ καὶ ὑμᾶς ταὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, καίτοι τοῦτό γʼ αἰσχρὸν ὁμοίως· εἰ δὲ μηδʼ ἂν εἷς ἐν ἅπαντι τῷ χρόνῳ τοῦτʼ ἔχοι δεῖξαι γεγονός, τίνος εἵνεκʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν πρώτων καταδειχθῇ τοιοῦτον ἔργον;

[¶3] 118. Again, men of Athens, you must also consider well and carefully the fact that you have come into court today, sworn to give your verdict according to the laws, not of Sparta or Thebes, nor those of our earliest ancestors, but those under which immunities were granted to the men whom Leptines is now trying to rob by his law; and where there are no statutes to guide you, you are sworn to decide according to the best of your judgement. So far, so good. Then you must apply these principles to the law as a whole.

> Greek: 118. χρὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κἀκεῖνʼ ἐνθυμεῖσθαι καὶ ὁρᾶν, ὅτι νῦν ὀμωμοκότες κατὰ τοὺς νόμους δικάσειν ἥκετε, οὐχὶ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων οὐδὲ Θηβαίων, οὐδʼ οἷς ποτʼ ἐχρήσανθʼ οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν προγόνων, ἀλλὰ καθʼ οὓς ἔλαβον τὰς ἀτελείας οὓς ἀφαιρεῖται νῦν οὗτος τῷ νόμῳ, καὶ περὶ ὧν ἂν νόμοι μὴ ὦσι, γνώμῃ τῇ δικαιοτάτῃ κρινεῖν. καλῶς. τὸ τοίνυν τῆς γνώμης πρὸς ἅπαντʼ ἀνενέγκατε τὸν νόμον.

[¶4] 119. Is it right, Athenians, to honor your benefactors? It is. Well then, is it right to allow a man to keep what has once been given him? It is. Then, to observe your oaths, act on that principle yourselves; resent the imputation that your ancestors acted otherwise; and as for those who cite such instances, alleging that your ancestors rewarded no man for great benefits received, look upon them as both knaves and dullards—knaves, because they falsely charge your ancestors with ingratitude; fools, because they do not see that were the charge proved to the hilt, it would better become them to deny than to repeat it.

> Greek: 119. ἆρʼ οὖν δίκαιον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς εὐεργέτας τιμᾶν; δίκαιον. τί δέ; ὅσʼ ἂν δῷ τις ἅπαξ, δίκαιον ἔχειν ἐᾶν; δίκαιον. ταῦτα τοίνυν αὐτοί τε ποιεῖτε, ἵνʼ εὐορκῆτε, καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ὀργίζεσθʼ ἂν μή τις φῇ ποιεῖν, καὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντας παραδείγματα, ὡς ἄρʼ ἐκεῖνοι μεγάλʼ εὖ παθόντες οὐδένʼ ἐτίμησαν, καὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀπαιδεύτους ἡγεῖσθʼ εἶναι, πονηροὺς μὲν διότι καταψεύδονται τῶν προγόνων ὑμῶν ὡς ἀχαρίστων, ἀμαθεῖς δὲ διότι ἐκεῖνʼ ἀγνοοῦσιν, ὅτι εἰ τὰ μάλιστα ταῦθʼ οὕτως εἶχεν, ἀρνεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ λέγειν αὐτοῖς προσῆκεν.

[¶5] 120. Now I expect that another argument of Leptines will be that his law does not deprive the recipients of their inscriptions and their free maintenance, nor the State of the right to confer honor on those who deserve it, but that it will still be in your power to set up statues and grant maintenance and anything else you wish, except this one privilege. But with respect to the powers that he will pretend to leave to the State, I have just this to say. As soon as you take away one of the privileges you have already granted, you will shake the credit of all the rest. For how can the grant of a statue or of free maintenance be more indefeasible than that of an immunity, which you will seem to have first given and then taken away?

> Greek: 120. οἴομαι τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον Λεπτίνην ἐρεῖν, ὡς τὰς εἰκόνας καὶ τὴν σίτησιν οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται τῶν εἰληφότων ὁ νόμος, οὐδὲ τῆς πόλεως τὸ τιμᾶν τοὺς ὄντας ἀξίους, ἀλλʼ ἔσται χαλκοῦς ἱστάναι καὶ σίτησιν διδόναι καὶ ἄλλʼ ὅ τι ἂν βούλησθε, πλὴν τούτου. ἐγὼ δʼ ὑπὲρ ὧν μὲν τῇ πόλει καταλείπειν φήσει, τοσοῦτο λέγω· ὅταν ὧν ἐδώκατέ τῳ πρότερόν τι, τοῦτʼ ἀφέλησθε, καὶ τὰς ὑπολοίπους ἀπίστους ποιήσετε πάσας δωρειάς. τί γὰρ ἔσται πιστότερον τὸ τῆς εἰκόνος ἢ τῆς σιτήσεως ἢ τὸ τῆς ἀτελείας, ἣν πρότερόν τισι δόντες ἀφῃρημένοι φανεῖσθε;

[¶6] 121. Further, even if this difficulty were not likely to arise, I cannot think that it is well to bring the State into this dilemma, that it must either put all citizens on an equality with its greatest benefactors, or to avoid this must treat some with ingratitude. Now as for great benefactions, it is not well that you should have many opportunities of receiving them, nor is it perhaps easy for an individual to confer them;

> Greek: 121. ἔτι δʼ εἰ μηδὲν ἔμελλε τοῦτʼ ἔσεσθαι δυσχερές, οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνο καλῶς ἔχειν ἡγοῦμαι, εἰς τοιαύτην ἄγειν ἀνάγκην τὴν πόλιν διʼ ἧς ἅπαντας ἐξ ἴσου τῶν αὐτῶν ἀξιώσει τοῖς τὰ μέγιστʼ εὐεργετοῦσιν, ἢ μὴ τοῦτο ποιοῦσα χάριν τισὶν οὐκ ἀποδώσει. μεγάλων μὲν οὖν εὐεργεσιῶν οὔθʼ ὑμῖν συμφέρει συμβαίνειν πολλάκις καιρόν, οὔτʼ ἴσως ῥᾴδιον αἰτίῳ γενέσθαι·

[¶7] 122. but the humbler duties to which one can rise in time of peace and in the civil sphere—loyalty, justice, zeal and the like—it is, in my opinion, both well and necessary that they should be rewarded. Grants ought, therefore, to be so apportioned that each man may receive from the people the exact reward that he deserves.

> Greek: 122. μετρίων δὲ καὶ ὧν ἂν ἐν εἰρήνῃ τις καὶ πολιτείᾳ δύναιτʼ ἐφικέσθαι, εὐνοίας, δικαιοσύνης, ἐπιμελείας, τῶν τοιούτων, καὶ συμφέρειν ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ καὶ χρῆναι διδόναι τὰς τιμάς. δεῖ τοίνυν μεμερίσθαι καὶ τὰ τῶν δωρειῶν, ἵνʼ ἧς ἂν ἄξιος ὢν ἕκαστος φαίνηται, ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ δήμου λαμβάνῃ τὴν δωρειάν.

[¶8] 123. And then again, with regard to what he will say about leaving their honors to those who have received them, some would have a perfectly plain and straightforward answer, when they claim their right to all their rewards, because they were granted for the same service, but the others will reply that the man who says that he leaves them anything is mocking them. For if a man has been thought to deserve immunity and has received that from you as his sole reward, be he foreigner or citizen, what reward has he left, Leptines, if that is taken from him? None whatever! Then you have no right to rob some because you arraign the worthlessness of the others, or to rob one class of their sole reward because you say that you are going to leave the other class something.

> Greek: 123. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὑπὲρ ὧν γε τοῖς εὑρημένοις τὰς τιμὰς καταλείπειν φήσει, οἱ μὲν ἁπλᾶ πάνυ καὶ δίκαιʼ ἂν εἴποιεν, πάνθʼ ὅσα τῶν αὐτῶν ἕνεκʼ αὐτοῖς ἔδοτʼ εὐεργεσιῶν ἀξιοῦντες ἔχειν, οἱ δὲ φενακίζειν τὸν ὡς καταλείπεται λέγοντά τι αὐτοῖς. ὁ γὰρ ἄξια τῆς ἀτελείας εὖ πεποιηκέναι δόξας καὶ ταύτην παρʼ ὑμῶν λαβὼν τὴν τιμὴν μόνην, ἢ ξένος ἢ καί τις πολίτης, ἐπειδὰν ἀφαιρεθῇ ταύτην, τίνʼ ἔχει λοιπὴν δωρειάν, Λεπτίνη; οὐδεμίαν δήπου. μὴ τοίνυν διὰ μὲν τοῦ τῶνδε κατηγορεῖν ὡς φαύλων ἐκείνους ἀφαιροῦ, διʼ ἃ δʼ αὖ καταλείπειν ἐκείνοις φήσεις, τούσδʼ ὃ μόνον λαβόντες ἔχουσι, τοῦτʼ ἀφέλῃ.

[¶9] 124. To put it plainly, the danger is not that of doing a greater or less injustice to one member of the whole body, but that of rendering precarious the honors with which we reward men’s services, nor is immunity the main topic of my speech, but the evil precedent which this law will establish, so that there will be no security for the nation’s gifts.

> Greek: 124. ὡς δʼ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν, οὐκ, εἰ τῶν πάντων ἀδικήσομέν τινʼ ἢ μείζονʼ ἢ ἐλάττονα, δεινόν ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ εἰ τὰς τιμάς, αἷς ἂν ἀντʼ εὖ ποιήσωμέν τινας, ἀπίστους καταστήσομεν· οὐδʼ ὁ πλεῖστος ἔμοιγε λόγος περὶ τῆς ἀτελείας ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ πονηρὸν ἔθος τὸν νόμον εἰσάγειν καὶ τοιοῦτον διʼ οὗ πάντʼ ἄπισθʼ ὅσʼ ὁ δῆμος δίδωσιν ἔσται.

[¶10] 125. Again, the most unscrupulous argument that they have framed, as they think, to persuade you to withdraw the immunities, is one which I had better explain for fear you should be their innocent dupes. They are going to claim that all such payments are religious dues, and that of course it is monstrous that anyone should be exempt from the dues of religion. For my part, I see no unfairness in such exemption, if the people have bestowed it; the really monstrous thing is the course which they propose, if that is to be their argument.

> Greek: 125. ὃν τοίνυν κακουργότατον οἴονται λόγον εὑρηκέναι πρὸς τὸ τὰς ἀτελείας ὑμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι πεῖσαι, βέλτιόν ἐστι προειπεῖν, ἵνα μὴ λάθητʼ ἐξαπατηθέντες. ἐροῦσʼ ὅτι ταῦθʼ ἱερῶν ἐστιν ἅπαντα τἀναλώματα [αἱ χορηγίαι καὶ αἱ γυμνασιαρχίαι]· δεινὸν οὖν, εἰ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀτελής τις ἀφεθήσεται. ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ μέν τινας, οἷς ὁ δῆμος ἔδωκεν, ἀτελεῖς εἶναι τούτων δίκαιον ἡγοῦμαι, ὃ δὲ νῦν οὗτοι ποιήσουσιν, ἐὰν ἄρα ταῦτα λέγωσι, τοῦτʼ εἶναι δεινὸν νομίζω.

[¶11] 126. For if by appealing to the name of the gods they try to justify a robbery which they cannot justify otherwise, will not that be most impious and monstrous conduct? In my opinion, whenever a man appeals solemnly to the gods, his conduct ought to be clearly such as would not appear base even if supported only by human authority. Now that there is a difference between exemption from religious duties and exemption from public services, and that the defendants are trying to deceive you by transferring the name of public services to religious acts, I shall adduce Leptines himself as my witness.

> Greek: 126. εἰ γὰρ ἃ [κατὰ] μηδένʼ ἄλλον ἔχουσι τρόπον δεῖξαι δίκαιον ὑμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι, ταῦτʼ ἐπὶ τῷ τῶν θεῶν ὀνόματι ποιεῖν ζητήσουσιν, πῶς οὐκ ἀσεβέστατον ἔργον καὶ δεινότατον πράξουσιν; χρὴ γάρ, ὡς γοῦν ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, ὅσα τις πράττει τοὺς θεοὺς ἐπιφημίζων, τοιαῦτα φαίνεσθαι οἷα μηδʼ ἂν ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπου πραχθέντα πονηρὰ φανείη. ὅτι δʼ οὐκ ἔστι ταὐτὸν ἱερῶν ἀτέλειαν ἔχειν καὶ λῃτουργιῶν, ἀλλʼ οὗτοι τὸ τῶν λῃτουργιῶν ὄνομʼ ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν ἱερῶν μεταφέροντες ἐξαπατᾶν ζητοῦσι, Λεπτίνην ὑμῖν αὐτὸν ἐγὼ παρασχήσομαι μάρτυρα.

[¶12] 127. For the first clause of the law says “Leptines proposed that, to the end that the wealthiest citizens may perform the public services, none shall be immune save and except the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogiton.” But if immunity from religious duties were the same as immunity from public services, what was the object of that clause? For immunity from religious duties has never been granted even to the persons here named. To prove that this is so, please take and read the copy of the inscription and then the beginning of the law of Leptines. [The copy of the inscription is read] You hear the copy of the inscription, men of Athens, ordering them to be immune, save from religious duties.

> Greek: 127. γράφων γὰρ ἀρχὴν τοῦ νόμου Λεπτίνης εἶπεν φησίν, ὅπως ἂν οἱ πλουσιώτατοι λῃτουργῶσιν, ἀτελῆ μηδένʼ εἶναι πλὴν τῶν ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος. καίτοι εἰ ἦν ἱερῶν ἀτέλειαν ἔχειν ταὐτὸ καὶ λῃτουργιῶν, τί τοῦτο μαθὼν προσέγραψεν; οὐδὲ γὰρ τούτοις ἀτέλεια τῶν γʼ ἱερῶν ἐστιν δεδομένη. ἵνα δʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι ταῦτα τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, λαβέ μοι πρῶτον μὲν τῆς στήλης τἀντίγραφα, εἶτα τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ νόμου τοῦ Λεπτίνου. λέγε. ΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΑ ΣΤΗΛΗΣ.

[¶13] 128. Now read the beginning of the law of Leptines. [The law is read Good; stop there. After the words “to the end that the wealthiest citizens may perform the public services,” he added “no one shall be immune save and except, the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogiton.” Why so, if to pay for a religious rite is to perform a public service? For if that is his meaning, his own drafting will be found to contradict the inscription.

> Greek: 128. ἀκούετε τῶν ἀντιγράφων τῆς στήλης, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἀτελεῖς αὐτοὺς εἶναι κελευόντων πλὴν ἱερῶν. λέγε δὴ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ νόμου τοῦ Λεπτίνου. ΝΟΜΟΣ. καλῶς· κατάθες. γράψας ὅπως ἂν οἱ πλουσιώτατοι λῃτουργῶσι, μηδένʼ εἶναι προσέγραψεν ἀτελῆ πλὴν τῶν ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος. τίνος ἕνεκα, εἴ γε τὸ τῶν ἱερῶν τέλος ἐστὶ λῃτουργεῖν; αὐτὸς γὰρ οὑτωσὶ τἀναντία τῇ στήλῃ γεγραφώς, ἂν τοῦτο λέγῃ, φανήσεται.

[¶14] 129. Now I should like to put a question to Leptines. When you say that the public services come under the head of religious dues, in what, according to you, did the immunity consist, which our ancestors then granted and you now leave untouched? For by the old laws they are not immune from all the special war-taxes or from the equipment of war-galleys; and they enjoy no immunity from the state services, since they are included in the religious duties.

> Greek: 129. ἡδέως δʼ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐροίμην Λεπτίνην· τίνος αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀτέλειαν ἢ σὺ νῦν καταλείπειν φήσεις ἢ ἐκείνους τότε δοῦναι, τὰς λῃτουργίας ὅταν εἶναι φῇς ἱερῶν; τῶν μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸν πόλεμον πασῶν εἰσφορῶν καὶ τριηραρχιῶν ἐκ τῶν παλαιῶν νόμων οὐκ εἴσʼ ἀτελεῖς· τῶν δὲ λῃτουργιῶν, εἴπερ εἴσʼ ἱερῶν, οὐδʼ ἔχουσιν.

[¶15] 130. And yet the inscription says that they shall be immune. From what? From the tax on resident aliens, since nothing else is left? Of course not. It is from the regularly recurring services, as the inscription shows, as your law further specifies, and as all history witnesses. During all that length of time no tribe has ever ventured to nominate one of these descendants as chorus-master, and no one nominated has ever ventured to challenge them to an exchange of property. If Leptines dares to deny it, you must pay no heed to him.

> Greek: 130. ἀλλὰ μὴν γέγραπταί γʼ ἀτελεῖς αὐτοὺς εἶναι. τίνος; ἢ τοῦ μετοικίου; τοῦτο γὰρ λοιπόν. οὐ δήπου, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐγκυκλίων λῃτουργιῶν, ὡς ἥ τε στήλη δηλοῖ καὶ σὺ προσδιώρισας ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ μαρτυρεῖ πᾶς ὁ πρὸ τοῦ χρόνος γεγονώς, ἐν ᾧ τοσούτῳ τὸ πλῆθος ὄντι οὔτε φυλὴ πώποτʼ ἐνεγκεῖν ἐτόλμησεν οὐδεμίʼ οὐδένα τῶν ἀπʼ ἐκείνων χορηγόν, οὔτʼ ἐνεχθεὶς αὐτοῖς ἄλλος οὐδεὶς ἀντιδοῦναι. οἷς οὐκ ἀκουστέον ἂν ἐναντία τολμᾷ λέγειν.

[¶16] 131. Again, perhaps they will say in their haphazard style that some citizens, by claiming to be Megarians and Messenians, at once gain immunity, whole crowds at a time, to say nothing of slaves and jailbirds like Lycidas and Dionysius; such are the examples they select. When they hold such language, deal with them thus. Tell them, if they are speaking the truth, to produce the decrees which contain these men’s immunity; for no one in your city enjoys immunity unless granted by some decree or law.

> Greek: 131. ἔτι τοίνυν ἴσως ἐπισύροντες ἐροῦσιν ὡς Μεγαρεῖς καὶ Μεσσήνιοί τινες εἶναι φάσκοντες, ἔπειτʼ ἀτελεῖς εἰσιν, ἁθρόοι παμπληθεῖς ἄνθρωποι, καί τινες ἄλλοι δοῦλοι καὶ μαστιγίαι, Λυκίδας καὶ Διονύσιος, καὶ τοιούτους τινὰς ἐξειλεγμένοι. ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων ὡδὶ ποιήσαθʼ ὅταν ταῦτα λέγωσι· κελεύετʼ, εἴπερ ἀληθῆ λέγουσι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τὰ ψηφίσματʼ ἐν οἷς ἀτελεῖς εἰσιν οὗτοι δεῖξαι. οὐ γάρ ἐστʼ οὐδεὶς ἀτελὴς παρʼ ὑμῖν ὅτῳ μὴ ψήφισμʼ ἢ νόμος δέδωκε τὴν ἀτέλειαν.

[¶17] 132. Many such men, however, have been proclaimed Friends of the State here at the instance of your politicians Lycidas, for example. But it is one thing to be a Friend of the State and another to enjoy immunity. Be not misled by them. Because slaves, like Lycidas and Dionysius and perhaps one other, were made Friends of the State by men who are readily bribed to propose such decrees, they must not try to take away the gifts that you have justly bestowed on men of a different class—mentorious, freeborn, munificent benefactors.

> Greek: 132. πρόξενοι μέντοι πολλοὶ διὰ τῶν πολιτευομένων γεγόνασι παρʼ ὑμῖν τοιοῦτοι, ὧν εἷς ἐστιν ὁ Λυκίδας. ἀλλʼ ἕτερον πρόξενόν ἐστʼ εἶναι καὶ ἀτέλειαν εὑρῆσθαι. μὴ δὴ παραγόντων ὑμᾶς, μηδʼ, ὅτι δοῦλος ὢν ὁ Λυκίδας καὶ Διονύσιος καί τις ἴσως ἄλλος διὰ τοὺς μισθοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράφοντας ἑτοίμως πρόξενοι γεγόνασι, διὰ τοῦθʼ ἑτέρους ἀξίους καὶ ἐλευθέρους καὶ πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν αἰτίους, ἃς ἔλαβον δικαίως παρʼ ὑμῶν δωρειὰς ἀφελέσθαι ζητούντων.

[¶18] 133. On this principle, what a gross insult it would be to Chabrias, if politicians of that stamp, not content with making his slave, Lycidas, a Friend of your State, should make the slave an excuse for taking back rewards conferred on the master, and that on a false plea! For neither Lycidas nor anyone else enjoys immunity as a Friend of the State, unless such immurity has been expressly conferred by the people. The men in question have not received it; I defy the defendants to prove it. If they have the effrontery to assert it, they will be acting dishonorably.

> Greek: 133. πῶς γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο δεινότατʼ ἂν πεπονθὼς ὁ Χαβρίας φανείη, εἰ μὴ μόνον ἐξαρκέσει τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα πολιτευομένοις τὸν ἐκείνου δοῦλον Λυκίδαν πρόξενον ὑμέτερον πεποιηκέναι, ἀλλʼ εἰ διὰ τοῦτον πάλιν καὶ τῶν ἐκείνῳ τι δοθέντων ἀφέλοιντο, καὶ ταῦτʼ αἰτίαν λέγοντες ψευδῆ; οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οὔθʼ οὗτος οὔτʼ ἄλλος οὐδεὶς πρόξενος ὢν ἀτελής, ὅτῳ μὴ διαρρήδην ἀτέλειαν ἔδωκεν ὁ δῆμος. τούτοις δʼ οὐ δέδωκεν, οὐδʼ ἕξουσιν οὗτοι δεικνύναι, λόγῳ δʼ ἂν ἀναισχυντῶσιν, οὐχὶ καλῶς ποιήσουσιν.

[¶19] 134. I now come to speak of a matter about which I feel bound, Athenians, to warn you most seriously. For even if one could admit the truth of all that Leptines will say in praise of his law, it would be impossible under any circumstances to wipe out one disgrace which his law, if ratified, will bring upon our city. To what do I refer? To the reputation of having cheated our benefactors.

> Greek: 134. ὃ τοίνυν μάλιστα πάντων οἶμαι δεῖν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, φυλάξασθαι, τοῦτʼ εἰπεῖν ἔτι βούλομαι. εἰ γάρ τις πάνθʼ ὅσα Λεπτίνης ἐρεῖ περὶ τοῦ νόμου διδάσκων ὑμᾶς ὡς καλῶς κεῖται, συγχωρήσειεν ἀληθῆ λέγειν αὐτόν, ἕν γʼ αἰσχρὸν οὐδʼ ἂν εἴ τι γένοιτʼ ἀναιρεθείη, ὃ συμβήσεται διὰ τοῦ νόμου κυρίου γενομένου τῇ πόλει. τί οὖν τοῦτʼ ἔστιν;

[¶20] 135. Now I think you would all agree that this is a distinct disgrace; how much worse in you than in others, hear me explain. You have an ancient law, one held in great respect, that if anyone deceives the people by false promises, he shall be brought to trial, and if convicted shall be punished with death. And are you not then ashamed, Athenians, to find yourselves doing the very thing for which you punish other men with death? Nay, but in everything it is right to take heed against doing whatever seems or is dishonorable, but especially in cases where a man is seen to be indignant with others. For there is no room left even for hesitation in avoiding acts which a man’s own judgement has already condemned.

> Greek: 135. τὸ δοκεῖν ἐξηπατηκέναι τοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσαντας. ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν τοῦθʼ ἕν τι τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἐστιν πάντας ἂν ἡγοῦμαι φῆσαι, ὅσῳ δʼ ὑμῖν αἴσχιον τῶν ἄλλων, ἀκούσατέ μου. ἔστιν ὑμῖν νόμος ἀρχαῖος, τῶν καλῶς δοκούντων ἔχειν, ἄν τις ὑποσχόμενός τι τὸν δῆμον ἐξαπατήσῃ, κρίνειν, κἂν ἁλῷ, θανάτῳ ζημιοῦν. εἶτʼ οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ ἐφʼ ᾧ τοῖς ἄλλοις θάνατον ζημίαν ἐτάξατε, τοῦτʼ αὐτοὶ ποιοῦντες φανήσεσθε; καὶ μὴν πάντα μὲν εὐλαβεῖσθαι δεῖ ποιεῖν τὰ δοκοῦντα καὶ ὄντʼ αἰσχρά, μάλιστα δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐφʼ οἷς τοῖς ἄλλοις χαλεπῶς τις ἔχων ὁρᾶται· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀμφισβήτησις καταλείπεται τὸ μὴ ταῦτα ποιεῖν ἃ πονήρʼ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν εἶναι πρότερον.

[¶21] 136. Then there is another precaution that you must take—to do nothing as a community which you would shun as individuals. Not a man among you would take away from another his own personal gifts, nor even dream of doing so. Then do not so in your public capacity, but tell the official defenders of this law that if they say that any of the recipients of these rewards is undeserving, or holds them under false pretences, or is open to any other charge, they should indict him under the amended law which we are now proposing, either when we have carried it through, as we guarantee and assert that we will, or when they have themselves carried it, that is, as soon as the legislative commission has been appointed.

> Greek: 136. ἔτι τοίνυν ὑμᾶς κἀκεῖνʼ εὐλαβεῖσθαι δεῖ, ὅπως μηδὲν ὧν ἰδίᾳ φυλάξαισθʼ ἄν, τοῦτο δημοσίᾳ ποιοῦντες φανήσεσθε. ὑμῶν τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς οὐδὲν ὧν ἰδίᾳ τινὶ δοίη, τοῦτʼ ἀφέλοιτο πάλιν, ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐπιχειρήσειεν ἄν. μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ δημοσίᾳ τοῦτο ποιήσητε, ἀλλὰ κελεύετε τούτους τοὺς ἐροῦντας ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου, εἴ τινα τῶν εὑρημένων τὴν δωρειὰν ἀνάξιον εἶναί φασιν ἢ μὴ πεποιηκότʼ ἐφʼ οἷς εὕρετʼ ἔχειν, ἢ ἄλλʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐγκαλοῦσίν τινι, γράφεσθαι κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὃν παρεισφέρομεν νῦν ἡμεῖς, ἢ θέντων ἡμῶν, ὥσπερ ἐγγυώμεθα καὶ φαμὲν θήσειν, ἢ θέντας αὐτούς, ὅταν πρῶτον γένωνται νομοθέται.

[¶22] 137. But each defender of this law, it seems, has a personal enemy, whether Diophantus or Eubulus or someone else.

> Greek: 137. ἔστι δʼ ἑκάστῳ τις αὐτῶν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐχθρός, τῷ μὲν Διόφαντος, τῷ δʼ Εὔβουλος, τῷ δʼ ἴσως ἄλλος τις.

[¶23] 138. If they hang back and refuse to take this step, then consider, men of Athens, whether it is to your credit that you should be known to have taken away from your benefactors what not one of these men ventures to take from his personal enemy, and that you should pass a law to rob collectively of their rewards men who have served you well and whom no one dreams of indicting, when the handful of unworthy recipients, if there are any, could be dealt with just as effectively, if these men would impeach them and bring them to trial one by one. For it passes my comprehension how the present arrangement can consort with your honor and your dignity.

> Greek: 138. εἰ δὲ τοῦτο φεύξονται καὶ μὴ ʼθελήσουσι ποιεῖν, σκοπεῖτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ καλῶς ὑμῖν ἔχει, ἃ τούτων ἕκαστος ὀκνεῖ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀφαιρούμενος ὀφθῆναι, ταῦθʼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς εὐεργέτας ἀφῃρημένους φαίνεσθαι, καὶ τοὺς εὖ τι πεποιηκότας ὑμᾶς, οἷς οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐγκαλέσαι, νόμῳ τὰ δοθέντʼ ἀπολωλεκέναι διʼ ὑμῶν ἁθρόους, παρόν, εἴ τις ἄρʼ ἐστὶν ἀνάξιος, εἷς ἢ δύʼ ἢ πλείους, γραφῇ διὰ τούτων ταὐτὸ τοῦτο παθεῖν κατʼ ἄνδρα κριθέντας. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ὑπολαμβάνω ταῦτα καλῶς ἔχειν οὐδέ γʼ ἀξίως ὑμῶν.

[¶24] 139. Again, we must not deviate from this principle, that it was fair to investigate their merits at the time of conferring the reward, when none of these men opposed the vote, but after that to let the reward stand, unless you have received any subsequent wrong at their hands. If they allege that (for they cannot prove it), it must be shown that the men were punished at the time of the alleged wrongs. But if you ratify this law, though no such wrong was committed, it will seem that you have taken away their reward because you were envious, not because you found them rascals.

> Greek: 139. [Σκοπῶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο.] Καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐκείνου γʼ ἀποστατέον τοῦ λόγου, ὅτι τῆς μὲν ἀξίας, ὅτʼ ἐδώκαμεν, ἦν δίκαιον τὴν ἐξέτασιν λαμβάνειν, ὅτε τούτων οὐδεὶς ἀντεῖπεν, μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ ἐᾶν, εἴ τι μὴ πεπόνθαθʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ὕστερον κακόν. εἰ δʼ οὗτοι τοῦτο φήσουσι (δεῖξαι μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔχουσιν), δεῖ κεκολασμένους αὐτοὺς παρʼ αὐτὰ τἀδικήματα φαίνεσθαι. εἰ δὲ μηδενὸς ὄντος τοιούτου τὸν νόμον ποιήσετε κύριον, δόξετε φθονήσαντες, οὐχὶ πονηροὺς λαβόντες ἀφῃρῆσθαι.

[¶25] 140. Every reproach, I might almost say, should be avoided, but this above all, men of Athens. Why? Because in every way envy is the mark of a vicious nature, and the man who is subject to it has no claim whatever to consideration. Moreover there is no reproach more alien to our city than the appearance of envy, averse as she is from all that is disgraceful.

> Greek: 140. ἔστι δὲ πάντα μὲν ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν ὀνείδη φευκτέον, τοῦτο δὲ πάντων μάλιστʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι. διὰ τί; ὅτι παντάπασι φύσεως κακίας σημεῖόν ἐστιν ὁ φθόνος, καὶ οὐκ ἔχει πρόφασιν διʼ ἣν ἂν τύχοι συγγνώμης ὁ τοῦτο πεπονθώς. εἶτα καὶ οὐδʼ ἔστιν ὄνειδος ὅτου πορρώτερόν ἐσθʼ ἡμῶν ἡ πόλις ἢ τοῦ φθονερὰ δοκεῖν εἶναι, ἁπάντων ἀπέχουσα τῶν αἰσχρῶν.

[¶26] 141. See what strong evidence we have of this. In the first place, you alone of all mankind publicly pronounce over your dead funeral orations, in which you extol the deeds of the brave. Such, however, is the practice of men who admire bravery, not of men who envy the honors that bravery wins. Next, you have from time immemorial given the richest rewards to those who win crowns in the athletic games; nor, because such honors are necessarily confined to a few, have you grudged or stinted the honors of the victors on that account. Beside these notable instances, no one, I think, has ever surpassed our State in generosity; such a superabundance of rewards has she heaped on those who serve her well.

> Greek: 141. τεκμήρια δʼ ἡλίκα τούτου θεωρήσατε. πρῶτον μὲν μόνοι τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τοῖς τελευτήσασι δημοσίᾳ [καὶ ταῖς ταφαῖς ταῖς δημοσίαις] ποιεῖτε λόγους ἐπιταφίους, ἐν οἷς κοσμεῖτε τὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἔργα. καίτοι τοῦτʼ ἔστι τοὐπιτήδευμα ζηλούντων ἀρετήν, οὐ τοῖς ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τιμωμένοις φθονούντων. εἶτα μεγίστας δίδοτʼ ἐκ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου δωρειὰς τοῖς τοὺς γυμνικοὺς νικῶσιν ἀγῶνας τοὺς στεφανίτας, καὶ οὐχ, ὅτι τῇ φύσει τούτων ὀλίγοις μέτεστιν, ἐφθονήσατε τοῖς ἔχουσιν, οὐδʼ ἐλάττους ἐνείματε τὰς τιμὰς διὰ ταῦτα. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τοιούτοις οὖσιν οὐδεὶς πώποτε τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν εὖ ποιῶν δοκεῖ νικῆσαι· τοσαύτας ὑπερβολὰς τῶν δωρειῶν αἷς ἀντʼ εὖ ποιεῖ, παρέσχηται.

[¶27] 142. All these, men of Athens, are proofs of justice, of virtue, of magnanimity. Then do not now destroy the very qualities on which throughout its history our city’s reputation is founded; do not, in order that Leptines may vent his spite on men whom he dislikes, rob both yourselves and your city of the fair fame that has been yours in every age; do not suppose that anything else is at stake in this trial save the honor of Athens, whether it is to stand unimpaired as of old, or to pass into neglect and degradation.

> Greek: 142. ἔστι τοίνυν πάντα ταῦτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δικαιοσύνης, ἀρετῆς, μεγαλοψυχίας ἐπιδείγματα. μὴ τοίνυν διʼ ἃ πάλαι παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἡ πόλις εὐδοξεῖ, ταῦτʼ ἀνέλητε νῦν· μηδʼ ἵνα Λεπτίνης ἰδίᾳ τισίν, οἷς ἀηδῶς ἔχει, ἐπηρεάσῃ, τῆς πόλεως ἀφέλησθε καὶ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἣν διὰ παντὸς ἀεὶ τοῦ χρόνου δόξαν κέκτησθε καλήν· μηδʼ ὑπολαμβάνετʼ εἶναι τὸν ἀγῶνα τόνδʼ ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τινὸς ἢ τοῦ τῆς πόλεως ἀξιώματος, πότερον αὐτὸ δεῖ σῶν εἶναι καὶ ὅμοιον τῷ προτέρῳ, ἢ μεθεστάναι καὶ λελυμάνθαι.

[¶28] 143. But of all the astonishing features of Leptines’ law, what astonishes me most is his ignorance of the fact that just as a man who assigns heavy penalties for offences would be unlikely to have contemplated an offence himself, so one who abolishes the rewards for benefactions will not himself be likely to have contemplated a good deed. Now if, as is just possible, he did not know this, he will at once confess it by allowing you to repeal the law which embodies his own error, but if he shows himself obstinate and eager to ratify the law, I for one cannot praise him, though I refrain from censure.

> Greek: 143. πολλὰ δὲ θαυμάζων Λεπτίνου κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ἓν μάλιστα τεθαύμακα πάντων, εἰ ἐκεῖνʼ ἠγνόηκεν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις μεγάλας τὰς τιμωρίας τῶν ἀδικημάτων τάττοι, οὐκ ἂν αὐτός γʼ ἀδικεῖν παρεσκευάσθαι δόξαι, οὕτως, ἄν τις ἀναιρῇ τὰς τιμὰς τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν, οὐδὲν αὐτὸς ποιεῖν ἀγαθὸν παρεσκευάσθαι δόξει. εἰ μὲν τοίνυν ἠγνόησε ταῦτα (γένοιτο γὰρ ἂν καὶ τοῦτο), αὐτίκα δηλώσει· συγχωρήσεται γὰρ ὑμῖν λῦσαι περὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ἥμαρτεν. εἰ δὲ φανήσεται σπουδάζων καὶ διατεινόμενος κύριον ποιεῖν τὸν νόμον, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω πῶς ἐπαινέσω, ψέγειν δʼ οὐ βούλομαι.

[¶29] 144. Then be not stubborn, Leptines; do not insist on a course which will not add to your own reputation or that of your supporters, especially as this trial no longer endangers you. For owing to the death of the father of Apsephion here, Bathippus, who indicted Leptines when he was still liable, the legal period has elapsed, and now our whole concern is with the law, and its proposer runs no risk.

> Greek: 144. μηδὲν οὖν φιλονίκει, Λεπτίνη, μηδὲ βιάζου τοιοῦτον διʼ οὗ μήτʼ αὐτὸς δόξεις βελτίων εἶναι μήθʼ οἱ πεισθέντες σοι, ἄλλως τε καὶ γεγενημένου σοι τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἀκινδύνου. διὰ γὰρ τὸ τελευτῆσαι Βάθιππον τὸν τουτουὶ πατέρʼ Ἀψεφίωνος, ὃς αὐτὸν ἔτʼ ὄνθʼ ὑπεύθυνον ἐγράψατο, ἐξῆλθον οἱ χρόνοι, καὶ νυνὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου πᾶς ἐσθʼ ὁ λόγος, τούτῳ δʼ οὐδείς ἐστι κίνδυνος.

[¶30] 145. I am told, however, that you assert that three distinct persons indicted you before Apsephion, but dropped the action. Well, if your complaint against them is that they did not endanger you, you must be fonder of danger than other people, but if you bring it forward as a proof of the justice of your proposals, you are doing a very silly thing. For how is your law improved by the fact that one of those who indicted you died before he could come into court, or was induced by you to drop the charge, or even was simply suborned by you? But I am ashamed even to suggest such things.

> Greek: 145. καίτοι καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀκούω σε λέγειν, ὡς ἄρα τρεῖς σέ τινες γραψάμενοι πρότεροι τοῦδε οὐκ ἐπεξῆλθον. εἰ μὲν τοίνυν ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς λέγεις ὅτι σʼ οὐ κατέστησαν εἰς κίνδυνον, φιλοκινδυνότατος πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἶ· εἰ δὲ τεκμήριον ποιεῖ τοῦ τὰ δίκαιʼ εἰρηκέναι, λίαν εὔηθες ποιεῖς. τί γὰρ εἵνεκα τούτου βελτίων ἔσθʼ ὁ νόμος, εἴ τις ἢ τετελεύτηκε τῶν γραψαμένων πρὶν εἰσελθεῖν, ἢ πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ σοῦ διεγράψατο, ἢ καὶ ὅλως ὑπὸ σοῦ παρεσκευάσθη; ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὐδὲ λέγειν καλόν.

[¶31] 146. There are advocates appointed to defend the law, and very able speakers they are; Leodamas of Acharnae, Aristophon of Hazenia, Cephisodotus of Ceramicus, and Dinias of Herchia. Let me tell you, then, how you may reasonably retort upon them, and do you consider whether the retort is fair. Take Leodamas first. It was he who impeached the grant to Chabrias, which included among other things the gift of immunity, and when his case came before you, he lost it.

> Greek: 146. ᾕρηνται δὲ τῷ νόμῳ σύνδικοι καὶ μάλισθʼ οἱ δεινοὶ λέγειν ἄνδρες, Λεωδάμας Ἀχαρνεὺς καὶ Ἀριστοφῶν Ἁζηνιεὺς καὶ Κηφισόδοτος ἐκ Κεραμέων καὶ Δεινίας Ἑρχιεύς. ἃ δὴ πρὸς τούτους ὑπολαμβάνοιτʼ ἂν εἰκότως, ἀκούσατε, καὶ σκοπεῖτʼ ἂν ὑμῖν δίκαια φαίνηται. πρῶτον μὲν πρὸς Λεωδάμαντα. οὗτος ἐγράψατο τὴν Χαβρίου δωρειάν, ἐν ᾗ τοῦτʼ ἔνεστιν τὸ τῆς ἀτελείας τῶν ἐκείνῳ τι δοθέντων, καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰσελθὼν ἡττήθη·

[¶32] 147. Now the laws forbid the same man to be tried twice on the same issue, be it a civil action, a scrutiny, a contested claim, or anything else of the sort. But quite apart from all this, it would be a most absurd result if on the first occasion the services of Chabrias outweighed the arguments of Leodamas, but when to his services were added those of all the other benefactors, then the combined effect should be weaker than the arguments.

> Greek: 147. οἱ νόμοι δʼ οὐκ ἐῶσι δὶς πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν οὔτε δίκας οὔτʼ εὐθύνας οὔτε διαδικασίαν οὔτʼ ἄλλο τοιοῦτʼ οὐδὲν εἶναι. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων ἀτοπώτατον ἂν πάντων συμβαίη, εἰ τότε μὲν τὰ Χαβρίου παρʼ ὑμῖν ἔργα μεῖζον ἴσχυε τῶν Λεωδάμαντος λόγων, ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταῦτά θʼ ὑπάρχει καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων εὐεργετῶν προσγέγονεν, τηνικαῦτα σύμπαντα ταῦτʼ ἀσθενέστερα τῶν τούτου λόγων γένοιτο.

[¶33] 148. To Aristophon I think I could raise many sound objections. He obtained his grant, which included immunity, by your votes. I find no fault with that, for it is right that you should have it in your power to bestow what is yours on anyone you please. But I do suggest that it is unfair that he should raise no objection when he was going to receive it himself, but when it has been given to others, he should take offence and urge you to withdraw it.

> Greek: 148. καὶ μὴν πρός γʼ Ἀριστοφῶντα πολλὰ καὶ δίκαιʼ ἂν ἔχειν εἰπεῖν οἶμαι. οὗτος εὕρετο τὴν δωρειὰν παρʼ ὑμῖν, ἐν ᾗ τοῦτʼ ἐνῆν. καὶ οὐ τοῦτʼ ἐπιτιμῶ· δεῖ γὰρ ἐφʼ ὑμῖν εἶναι διδόναι τὰ ὑμέτερʼ αὐτῶν οἷς ἂν βούλησθε. ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνό γʼ οὐχὶ δίκαιον εἶναί φημι, τὸ ὅτε μὲν τούτῳ ταῦτʼ ἔμελλεν ὑπάρχειν λαβόντι, μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι δεινόν, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἑτέροις δέδοται, τηνικαῦτʼ ἀγανακτεῖν καὶ πείθειν ὑμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι.

[¶34] 149. Moreover it was Aristophon who proposed to pay Gelarchus five talents for sums advanced to the democrats in the Piraeus; and he was right. Then, my friend, if you recommended the repayment of unattested sums on the ground of service done to the people, you must not advise the revocation of grants for services which the people themselves attested by inscriptions in the temples, and which are indeed known to all men. You must not exhibit yourself as at the same time proposing that debts ought to be paid, and urging that a man should be deprived of what he has won at the hands of the people.

> Greek: 149. καὶ μὴν καὶ Γελάρχῳ πέντε τάλαντʼ ἀποδοῦναι γέγραφʼ οὗτος ὡς παρασχόντι τοῖς ἐν Πειραιεῖ τοῦ δήμου, καὶ καλῶς ἐποίει. μὴ τοίνυν ἃ μὲν ἦν ἀμάρτυρα, ταῦτʼ ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ δήμου προφάσει διὰ σοῦ δεδόσθω, ὧν δʼ αὐτὸς ὁ δῆμος μαρτυρίας ἔστησεν ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀναγράψας καὶ πάντες συνίσασιν, ταῦτʼ ἀφελέσθαι παραίνει· μηδʼ αὑτὸς φαίνου τά τʼ ὀφειλόμενʼ ὡς ἀποδοῦναι δεῖ γράφων, καὶ ἅ τις παρὰ τοῦ δήμου κεκόμισται, ταῦτʼ ἀφελέσθαι παραινῶν.

[¶35] 150. Next, I have this much to say to Cephisodotus. As an orator, men of Athens, he is inferior to none. Then it would be far more honorable to use his talents for the chastisement of evil-doers than for the injury of those who deserve well. If he must make enemies, I suggest that they should be those who injure the people, not those who benefit them.

> Greek: 150. καὶ μὴν πρός γε Κηφισόδοτον τοσοῦτʼ ἂν εἴποιμι. οὗτός ἐστιν οὐδενὸς ἧττον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν λεγόντων δεινὸς εἰπεῖν. πολὺ τοίνυν κάλλιον τῇ δεινότητι ταύτῃ χρῆσθαι ἐπὶ τὸ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ὑμᾶς κολάζειν ἢ τοὺς ἀγαθοῦ τινὸς αἰτίους ἀδικεῖν. εἰ γὰρ ἀπεχθάνεσθαί τισι δεῖ, τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι τὸν δῆμον, οὐ τοῖς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσιν ἔγωγε νομίζω δεῖν.

[¶36] 151. Then as to Dinias. Perhaps he will tell you of the war-galleys he has equipped and of his other public services. For my part, though Dinias has proved himself a valuable servant of the public, as I sincerely believe, I would urge him rather to claim from you some reward for himself than to tell you to take back rewards previously given to others; for a man gives a surer proof of excellence by claiming a reward for his own services than by grudging others the rewards they have received for theirs.

> Greek: 151. πρὸς τοίνυν Δεινίαν· οὗτος ἴσως ἐρεῖ τριηραρχίας αὑτοῦ καὶ λῃτουργίας. ἐγὼ δʼ, εἰ πολλοῦ τῇ πόλει Δεινίας ἄξιον αὑτὸν παρέσχηκεν, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ νὴ τοὺς θεούς, μᾶλλον ἂν παραινέσαιμʼ αὑτῷ τινὰ τιμὴν ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦν δοῦναι ἢ τὰς ἑτέροις πρότερον δοθείσας ἀφελέσθαι κελεύειν· πολὺ γὰρ βελτίονος ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἐφʼ οἷς αὐτὸς εὖ πεποίηκεν ἀξιοῦν τιμᾶσθαι ἢ ἐφʼ οἷς ἕτεροι ποιήσαντες ἐτιμήθησαν φθονεῖν.

[¶37] 152. But the most effective retort is one which applies to all the commissioners alike. Each one of them has often before served as commissioner for some business or other. Now you have a very sound law—not, of course, directed against these men, but framed to prevent any commissioner from using his opportunity for profit or blackmail—that no one, elected by the people, be permitted to serve as commissioner more than once.

> Greek: 152. ὃ δὲ δὴ μέγιστον ἁπάντων καὶ κοινὸν ὑπάρχει κατὰ πάντων τῶν συνδίκων· τούτων πολλάκις εἷς ἕκαστος πρότερόν τισι πράγμασι σύνδικος γέγονεν. ἔστι δὲ καὶ μάλʼ ἔχων νόμος ὑμῖν καλῶς, οὐκ ἐπὶ τούτοις τεθείς, ἀλλʼ ἵνα μὴ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ὥσπερ ἐργασία τισὶν ᾖ καὶ συκοφαντία, μὴ ἐξεῖναι ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου χειροτονηθέντα πλεῖν ἢ ἅπαξ συνδικῆσαι.

[¶38] 153. Surely those who are going to advocate a law and urge its necessity ought to show themselves ready to obey existing laws; otherwise it is absurd for them to defend one law as commissioners and violate another themselves. Take and read the law which I cite. [The law is read] That, Athenians, is both an old and a sound law, which the commissioners will be careful not to violate, if they are wise.

> Greek: 153. τοὺς δὴ συνεροῦντας νόμῳ καὶ διδάξοντας ὑμᾶς ὡς ἐπιτήδειός ἐστιν, αὐτοὺς τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι νόμοις δεῖ πειθομένους φαίνεσθαι· εἰ δὲ μή, γελοῖον νόμῳ μὲν συνδικεῖν, νόμον δʼ αὐτοὺς παραβαίνειν ἕτερον. ἀνάγνωθι λαβὼν τὸν νόμον αὐτοῖς ὃν λέγω. ΝΟΜΟΣ. οὗτος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ παλαιός ἐσθʼ ὁ νόμος καὶ καλῶς ἔχων, ὃν ἐὰν σωφρονῶσι φυλάξονται παραβαίνειν οὗτοι.

[¶39] 154. I have still a few things to say to you before I sit down. For you ought, in my opinion, men of Athens, to be anxious for the utmost possible efficiency of our laws, but especially of those on which depends the strength or weakness of our State. And which are they? They are those which assign rewards to those who do good and punishments to those who do evil. For in truth, if from fear of legal penalties all men shunned wrongdoing, and if from ambition for the rewards of good service all chose the path of duty, what prevents our city from being great and all our citizens honest, with not a rogue among them?

> Greek: 154. ἐγὼ δʼ ἔτι μικρὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπὼν καταβήσομαι. ἔστι γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάντας μὲν τοὺς νόμους ὑμῖν, ὡς ἐγὼ νομίζω, σπουδαστέον ὡς κάλλιστʼ ἔχειν, μάλιστα δὲ τούτους διʼ ὧν ἢ μικρὰν ἢ μεγάλην ἔστʼ εἶναι τὴν πόλιν. εἰσὶ δʼ οὗτοι τίνες; οἵ τε τοῖς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσι τὰς τιμὰς διδόντες καὶ οἱ τοῖς τἀναντία πράττουσι τὰς τιμωρίας. εἰ γὰρ ἅπαντες ὡς ἀληθῶς τὰς ἐν τοῖς νόμοις ζημίας φοβούμενοι τοῦ κακόν τι ποιεῖν ἀποσταῖεν, καὶ πάντες τὰς ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις δωρειὰς ζηλώσαντες ἃ χρὴ πράττειν προέλοιντο, τί κωλύει μεγίστην εἶναι τὴν πόλιν καὶ πάντας χρηστοὺς καὶ μηδένʼ εἶναι πονηρόν;

[¶40] 155. Now the law of Leptines, Athenians, does harm not only by abolishing the rewards of good service and so rendering fruitless the good intentions of those who are ambitious for honor, but also by leaving our city under the serious reproach of imbecility. For you are of course aware that for each grave offence a single penalty is provided by the law, which says explicitly that “at any trial there shall be not more than one assessment of penalty, whichever the court imposes, whether a personal punishment or a fine, but not both.”

> Greek: 155. ὁ τοίνυν νόμος οὗτος ὁ Λεπτίνου, οὐ μόνον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτʼ ἀδικεῖ, ὅτι τὰς τιμὰς ἀναιρῶν τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ἀχρεῖον τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τοῖς φιλοτιμεῖσθαι βουλομένοις καθίστησιν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ παρανομίας δόξαν αἰσχίστην τῇ πόλει καταλείπει. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ ὅτι τῶν τὰ δεινόταθʼ ἡμᾶς ἀδικούντων ἓν ἑκάστῳ τίμημʼ ὑπάρχει διὰ τὸν νόμον, ὃς διαρρήδην λέγει μηδὲ [ὡς χρὴ] τίμημʼ ὑπάρχειν ἐπὶ κρίσει πλέον ἢ ἕν, ὁπότερον ἂν τὸ δικαστήριον τιμήσῃ, παθεῖν ἢ ἀποτεῖσαι· ἀμφότερα δὲ μὴ ἐξέστω.

[¶41] 156. But Leptines has used a different measure and says that if anyone claims a return from you, “he shall be disfranchised, and his property shall be confiscated.” There you have two penalties. “The process shall be by laying information or by summary arrest; and if he be convicted, he shall be liable under the law which provides for the case of a man holding office while in debt to the treasury.” Death is what he means, for such is the punishment in that case. Why, here are three penalties! Is it not monstrously hard, Athenians, if it proves more serious in your courts to ask for a return for good service than to be convicted of some heinous crime?

> Greek: 156. ἀλλʼ οὐχ οὗτος ἐχρήσατο τούτῳ τῷ μέτρῳ, ἀλλʼ ἐάν τις ἀπαιτήσῃ χάριν ὑμᾶς, ἄτιμος ἔστω φησὶ καὶ ἡ οὐσία δημοσία ἔστω. δύο τιμήματα ταῦτα. εἶναι δὲ καὶ ἐνδείξεις καὶ ἀπαγωγάς· ἐὰν δʼ ἁλῷ, ἔνοχος ἔστω τῷ νόμῳ ὃς κεῖται, ἐάν τις ὀφείλων ἄρχῃ τῷ δημοσίῳ. θάνατον λέγει· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστʼ ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ τοὐπιτίμιον. οὐκοῦν τρία τιμήματα ταῦτα. πῶς οὖν οὐ σχέτλιον καὶ δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ χαλεπώτερον εἶναι παρʼ ὑμῖν δόξει χάριν εὖ ποιήσαντʼ ἀπαιτεῖν ἢ τὰ δεινότατʼ ἐργαζόμενον ληφθῆναι;

[¶42] 157. Men of Athens, this law, so dishonorable, so unsound, so suggestive of envy and spite and—I spare you the rest. Those are the sort of things that the framer of the law seems to favor, but you must not imitate them nor display sentiments unworthy of yourselves. I ask you in Heaven’s name, what should we all most earnestly deprecate? What do all our laws most carefully guard against? What but those vengeful murders against which our specially appointed protector is the Council of the Areopagus?

> Greek: 157. αἰσχρός, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ κακῶς ἔχων ὁ νόμος, καὶ ὅμοιος φθόνῳ τινὶ καὶ φιλονικίᾳ καὶ—τὸ λοιπὸν ἐῶ· τοιούτοις δέ τισιν προσέοιχʼ ὁ γράφων χρῆσθαι. ὑμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ πρέπει τὰ τοιαῦτα μιμεῖσθαι, οὐδʼ ἀνάξια φαίνεσθαι φρονοῦντας ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. φέρε γὰρ πρὸς Διός, τί μάλιστʼ ἂν ἀπευξαίμεθα πάντες, καὶ τί μάλιστʼ ἐν ἅπασι διεσπούδασται τοῖς νόμοις; ὅπως μὴ γενήσονται οἱ περὶ ἀλλήλους φόνοι, περὶ ὧν ἐξαίρετος ἡ βουλὴ φύλαξ ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ τέτακται.

[¶43] 158. Now Draco, in this group of laws, marked the terrible wickedness of homicide by banning the offender from the lustral water, the libations, the loving-cup, the sacrifices and the market-place; he enumerated everything that he thought likely to deter the offender; but he never robbed him of his claim to justice; he defined the circumstances that make homicide justifiable and proclaimed the accused in such case free from taint. If, then, your laws can justify homicide, is this fellow’s law to forbid any claim, even a just one, to recompense? Not so, men of Athens!

> Greek: 158. ἐν τοίνυν τοῖς περὶ τούτων νόμοις ὁ Δράκων φοβερὸν κατασκευάζων καὶ δεινὸν τό τινʼ αὐτόχειρʼ ἄλλον ἄλλου γίγνεσθαι, καὶ γράφων χέρνιβος εἴργεσθαι τὸν ἀνδροφόνον, σπονδῶν, κρατήρων, ἱερῶν, ἀγορᾶς, πάντα τἄλλα διελθὼν οἷς μάλιστʼ ἄν τινας ᾤετʼ ἐπισχεῖν τοῦ τοιοῦτόν τι ποιεῖν, ὅμως οὐκ ἀφείλετο τὴν τοῦ δικαίου τάξιν, ἀλλʼ ἔθηκεν ἐφʼ οἷς ἐξεῖναι ἀποκτιννύναι, κἂν οὕτω τις δράσῃ, καθαρὸν διώρισεν εἶναι. εἶτʼ ἀποκτεῖναι μὲν δικαίως ἔν γε τοῖς παρʼ ὑμῖν νόμοις ἐξέσται, χάριν δʼ ἀπαιτεῖν οὔτε δικαίως οὔθʼ ὁπωσοῦν διὰ τὸν τούτου νόμον;

[¶44] 159. Do not let it appear that you have been more diligent to prevent any of your benefactors from winning a recompense than to suppress murder in your city. Rather, recalling the occasions on which you have repaid the services rendered you, and remembering the inscription of Demophantus, already referred to by Phormio, on which it stands written and confirmed by oath that whoso shall suffer in defence of the democracy shall receive the same reward as Harmodius and Aristogiton, vote for the repeal of this law; for if you do not, it is impossible for you to observe your oaths.

> Greek: 159. μηδαμῶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι· μὴ βούλεσθε δοκεῖν πλείω πεποιῆσθαι σπουδὴν ὅπως μηδενὶ τῶν εὖ τι ποιούντων ὑμᾶς χάριν ἐξέσται κομίσασθαι ἢ ὅπως μηδεὶς φόνος ἐν τῇ πόλει γενήσεται· ἀλλʼ ἀναμνησθέντες τῶν καιρῶν, παρʼ οὓς εὖ πεπονθότες εὖ πεποιήκατε τοὺς εὑρομένους, καὶ τῆς Δημοφάντου στήλης περὶ ἧς εἶπε Φορμίων, ἐν ᾗ γέγραπται καὶ ὀμώμοται, ἄν τις ἀμύνων τι πάθῃ τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ, τὰς αὐτὰς δώσειν δωρειὰς ἅσπερ Ἁρμοδίῳ καὶ Ἀριστογείτονι, καταψηφίσασθε τοῦ νόμου. οὐ γὰρ ἔνεστʼ εὐορκεῖν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ποιήσετε.

[¶45] 160. And besides all this, observe a further point. That law cannot be a sound one which deals with the past and the future in the same way. “None,” says this law, “shall be immune save and except the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogiton.” Good! “Nor shall anyone in future be granted immunity.” What! not even if other such benefactors arise, Leptines? If you found fault with the past, can it be that you also foresaw the future?

> Greek: 160. παρὰ πάντα δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἔτʼ ἀκούσατέ μου. οὐκ ἔνι τοῦτον ἔχειν καλῶς τὸν νόμον, ὃς περὶ τῶν παρεληλυθότων καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ταὐτὰ λέγει. μηδένʼ εἶναί φησιν ἀτελῆ πλὴν τῶν ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος. καλῶς. μηδὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐξεῖναι δοῦναι. μηδʼ ἂν τοιοῦτοί τινες γένωνται, Λεπτίνη; εἰ τὰ πρὸ τοῦ κατεμέμφου, τί;μὴ καὶ τὰ μέλλοντʼ ᾔδεις;

[¶46] 161. Because, you will say, we are now past such expectation. I pray that we may be, Athenians. But as we are mere mortals, neither our language nor our laws should offend religious sentiment; we may both expect blessings and pray for them, but we must reflect that all things are conditioned by mortality. For the Lacedaemonians never dreamed that they would be brought to their present straits, and perhaps even the Syracusans, once a democracy, who exacted tribute from the Carthaginians and ruled all their neighbors and beat at us at sea, little thought they would fall under the tyranny of a single clerk, if report be true.

> Greek: 161. ὅτι νὴ Δία πόρρω τοῦ τι τοιοῦτον νῦν ἐλπίζειν ἐσμέν. καὶ εἴημέν γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι· ἀλλὰ χρή γʼ ἀνθρώπους ὄντας τοιαῦτα καὶ λέγειν καὶ νομοθετεῖν οἷς μηδεὶς ἂν νεμεσήσαι, καὶ τἀγαθὰ μὲν προσδοκᾶν καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς εὔχεσθαι διδόναι, πάντα δʼ ἀνθρώπινʼ ἡγεῖσθαι. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν Λακεδαιμόνιοί ποτʼ ἤλπισαν εἰς τοιαῦτα πράγματʼ ἀφίξεσθαι, οὐδέ γʼ ἴσως Συρακόσιοι, τὸ πάλαι δημοκρατούμενοι καὶ φόρους Καρχηδονίους πραττόμενοι καὶ πάντων τῶν περὶ αὑτοὺς ἄρχοντες καὶ ναυμαχίᾳ νενικηκότες ἡμᾶς, ὑφʼ ἑνὸς γραμματέως, ὃς ὑπηρέτης ἦν, ὥς φασι, τυραννήσεσθαι.

[¶47] 162. Nor again could the present Dionysius ever have exacted that Dion would come against him in a cargo-boat with a handful of soldiers and expel the master of so many warships and mercenaries and cities. But, methinks, the future is hidden from all men, and great events hang on small chances. Therefore we must be modest in the day of prosperity, and must show that we are not blind to the future.

> Greek: 162. οὐδέ γʼ ὁ νῦν ὢν Διονύσιος ἤλπισεν ἄν ποτʼ ἴσως πλοίῳ στρογγύλῳ καὶ στρατιώταις ὀλίγοις Δίωνʼ ἐλθόντʼ ἐφʼ αὑτὸν ἐκβαλεῖν τὸν τριήρεις πολλὰς καὶ ξένους καὶ πόλεις κεκτημένον. ἀλλʼ, οἶμαι, τὸ μέλλον ἄδηλον πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις, καὶ μικροὶ καιροὶ μεγάλων πραγμάτων αἴτιοι γίγνονται. διὸ δεῖ μετριάζειν ἐν ταῖς εὐπραξίαις καὶ προορωμένους τὸ μέλλον φαίνεσθαι.

[¶48] 163. There are still many arguments that one might develop at length, showing that this law is in every respect unsound and opposed to your interests; but to sum up and bring my speech to a conclusion, I will ask you to do this. Calculate and compare in your own minds what will happen to you if you repeal this law, and what if you do not; and then be careful to remember all the consequences of either step, so that you may make the better choice.

> Greek: 163. πολλὰ δʼ ἄν τις ἔχοι λέγειν ἔτι καὶ διεξιέναι περὶ τοῦ μηδαμῇ μηδὲ καθʼ ἓν τοῦτον ἔχειν καλῶς τὸν νόμον μηδὲ συμφέρειν ὑμῖν· ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τοῦτο μάθητε κἀγὼ παύσωμαι λέγων, τάδε ποιήσατε· σκέψασθε παρʼ ἄλληλα καὶ λογίσασθε πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς τί συμβήσεται καταψηφισαμένοις ὑμῖν τοῦ νόμου καὶ τί μή· εἶτα φυλάττετε καὶ μέμνησθʼ ἃν ὑμῖν ἐξ ἑκατέρου φανῇ, ἵνʼ ἕλησθε τὰ κρείττω.

[¶49] 164. Now if, on our advice, you reject it, deserving men will receive their due reward from you, and any undeserving man (assuming that there are such) will not only lose his reward, but will pay whatever penalty you approve, in accordance with our alternative law, while all men will acknowledge the honor, justice and veracity of our city. If, on the other hand, you allow it to pass, as I pray you may not, the good will suffer for the sake of the bad, the undeserving will bring calamity on the rest, but come off scot-free themselves, and the reputation of Athens will be the very reverse of what I have described; all men will regard her as faithless, envious and mean.

> Greek: 164. ἂν μὲν τοίνυν καταψηφίσησθε, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς κελεύομεν, οἱ μὲν ἄξιοι παρʼ ὑμῶν τὰ δίκαιʼ ἕξουσιν, εἰ δέ τις ἔστʼ ἀνάξιος, ὡς ἔστω, πρὸς τῷ τὴν δωρειὰν ἀφαιρεθῆναι δίκην ἣν ἂν ὑμῖν δοκῇ δώσει κατὰ τὸν παρεισενηνεγμένον νόμον· ἡ δὲ πόλις πιστή, δικαία, πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀψευδὴς φανήσεται. ἐὰν δʼ ἀποψηφίσησθε, ὃ μὴ ποιήσαιτε, οἱ μὲν χρηστοὶ διὰ τοὺς φαύλους ἀδικήσονται, οἱ δʼ ἀνάξιοι συμφορᾶς ἑτέροις αἴτιοι γενήσονται, δίκην δʼ οὐδʼ ἡντινοῦν αὐτοὶ δώσουσιν, ἡ δὲ πόλις τἀναντίʼ ὧν εἶπον ἀρτίως, δόξει ἄπιστος, φθονερά, φαύλη παρὰ πᾶσιν εἶναι.

[¶50] 165. It is unworthy of you, Athenians, to prefer such a foul reproach to advantages so honorable and so appropriate to you. For each of you will share individually in the credit of your joint decision. For it is known to all standing round us, as to everyone else, that in this court Leptines is contending with us, but within the conscience of each member of the jury humanity is arrayed against envy, justice against malice, and all that is good against all that is most base.

> Greek: 165. οὔκουν ἄξιον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοσαύτην βλασφημίαν ἀντὶ καλῶν καὶ προσηκόντων ὑμῖν ἀγαθῶν ἑλέσθαι. καὶ γὰρ ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ἰδίᾳ μεθέξει τῆς δόξης τῶν κοινῇ γνωσθέντων. οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ τοῦτʼ οὐδεὶς οὔτε τῶν περιεστηκότων οὔτε τῶν ἄλλων, ὅτι ἐν μὲν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ Λεπτίνης πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀγωνίζεται, ἐν δὲ τῇ τῶν καθημένων ὑμῶν ἑνὸς ἑκάστου γνώμῃ φιλανθρωπία πρὸς φθόνον καὶ δικαιοσύνη πρὸς κακίαν καὶ πάντα τὰ χρηστὰ πρὸς τὰ πονηρότατʼ ἀντιτάττεται.

[¶51] 166. If you yield to the nobler impulse and cast your votes with us, you will win for yourselves the credit, and for the State the benefit, of a righteous verdict, and if ever occasion arises, you will not lack friends willing to encounter risk in your behalf. I ask you, therefore, to take all these considerations seriously to heart and to beware that you are not forced into an error of judgement. For on many occasions, men of Athens, the justice of the case has not been brought home to you, but a verdict has been wrested from you by the clamor, the violence and the shamelessness of the pleaders.

> Greek: 166. ὧν τοῖς βελτίοσι πειθόμενοι καὶ κατὰ ταὔθʼ ἡμῖν θέμενοι τὴν ψῆφον, αὐτοί θʼ ἃ προσήκει δόξετʼ ἐγνωκέναι, καὶ τῇ πόλει τὰ κράτιστʼ ἔσεσθʼ ἐψηφισμένοι, κἄν τις ἄρʼ ἔλθῃ ποτὲ καιρός, οὐκ ἀπορήσετε τῶν ἐθελησόντων ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κινδυνεύειν. ὑπὲρ οὖν τούτων ἁπάντων οἶμαι δεῖν ὑμᾶς σπουδάζειν καὶ προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν, ὅπως μὴ βιασθῆθʼ ἁμαρτάνειν. πολλὰ γὰρ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πολλάκις οὐκ ἐδιδάχθηθʼ ὡς ἔστι δίκαια, ἀλλʼ ἀφῃρέθηθʼ ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν λεγόντων κραυγῆς καὶ βίας καὶ ἀναισχυντίας.

[¶52] 167. Let not that be your case today, for that would be unworthy of you; but hold fast to what you are convinced is just, and bear it in mind until you vote, so that true to your oaths you may cast your votes against the counsels of the wicked. If you punish with death those who debase the coinage, I shall be surprised if you lend an ear to men who render our whole State base and counterfeit. By all the gods, I will not believe it of you. I think I need say no more, for I believe you understand all my arguments.

> Greek: 167. ὃ μὴ πάθητε νῦν· οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον. ἀλλʼ ἃ δίκαιʼ ἐγνώκατε, ταῦτα φυλάξατε καὶ μνημονεύετε, ἕως ἂν ψηφίσησθε, ἵνʼ εὔορκον θῆσθε τὴν ψῆφον κατὰ τῶν τὰ πονηρὰ συμβουλευόντων. θαυμάζω δʼ ἔγωγε, εἰ τοῖς μὲν τὸ νόμισμα διαφθείρουσιν θάνατος παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἡ ζημία, τοῖς δʼ ὅλην τὴν πόλιν κίβδηλον καὶ ἄπιστον ποιοῦσι λόγον δώσετε. οὐ δή πού γʼ, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ θεοί. οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅ τι δεῖ πλείω λέγειν· οἶμαι γὰρ ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ἀγνοεῖν τῶν εἰρημένων.