1. This popular leader of yours, Athenians, who has imposed on himself a sentence of death should he be proved to have taken even the smallest sum from Harpalus, has been clearly convicted of taking bribes from those very men whom he formerly professed to oppose. Much has already been said by Stratocles and most of the charges have now been made; as regards the report itself the Areopagus has expressed opinions which are both just and true, while with events succeeding this Stratocles has already dealt and read the decrees relating to them. It remains for us, Athenians, especially when contesting a case never paralleled in the experience of the city, to make a general exhortation to you all. May we ask you first to pardon those of us who have still to speak if there are certain points which we raise again; our aim is not to weary you by alluding twice to the same matters but to arouse your anger all the more. Secondly, may we ask you not to surrender the rights enjoyed by the whole city or to barter away our common security in exchange for the arguments of the defendant.
1. ὁ μὲν δημαγωγὸς ὑμῖν, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ θανάτου τετιμημένος ἑαυτῷ ἐὰν ἐξελεγχθῇ ὁτιοῦν εἰληφὼς παρʼ Ἁρπάλου, οὗτος φανερῶς ἐξελήλεγκται δῶρʼ εἰληφὼς παρὰ τούτων, οἷς ἐναντία πράττειν ἔφη τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον. πολλῶν δʼ ὑπὸ Στρατοκλέους εἰρημένων καὶ τῶν πλείστων προκατειλημμένων κατηγορημάτων, καὶ περὶ μὲν αὐτῆς τῆς ἀποφάσεως τῆς ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλῆς δικαίας καὶ ἀληθεῖς ἀποδείξεις εἰρηκυίας, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀκολούθων τούτοις Στρατοκλέους εἰρηκότος καὶ τὰ ψηφίσματʼ ἀνεγνωκότος ἤδη τὰ περὶ τούτων, ὑπόλοιπον ἡμῖν, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀγωνιζομένοις ἀγῶνα τηλικοῦτον ἡλίκος οὐδεπώποτε γέγονε τῇ πόλει, κοινῇ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν παρακελεύεσθαι, πρῶτον μὲν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἡμῖν συγγνώμην ἔχειν, ἂν τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνίοις περιπίπτωμεν — οὐ γὰρ ἵνʼ ἐνοχλῶμεν ὑμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ ὀργίζεσθαι μᾶλλον παροξύνωμεν, δὶς περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐροῦμεν —, ἔπειτα μὴ προΐεσθαι τὰ κοινὰ τῆς πόλεως ἁπάσης δίκαια, μηδὲ τὴν κοινὴν σωτηρίαν ἀντικαταλλάξασθαι τῶν τοῦ κρινομένου λόγων.
3. You are aware, Athenians, that whereas this man Demosthenes is here for judgement before you, you are on trial before your fellows. For they are waiting to see what kind of conclusion you will reach about your country's interests: are you going to welcome into your midst the private venality and corruption of these people, or will you make it universally known that you hate men who accept bribes against their city and that, in ordering the Areopagus to make its inquiry, your intention was not to acquit the culprits but rather, when the councillors had made their report, to exact punishment in a manner appropriate to the crimes? This decision then rests with you now.
3. ὁρᾶτε γάρ, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅτι παρὰ μὲν ὑμῖν Δημοσθένης οὑτοσὶ κρίνεται, παρὰ δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὑμεῖς· οἳ σκοποῦσι τίνα ποτὲ γνώμην ἕξετε περὶ τῶν τῇ πατρίδι συμφερόντων, καὶ πότερον τὰς ἰδίας τούτων δωροδοκίας καὶ πονηρίας ἀναδέξεσθʼ εἰς ὑμᾶς αὐτούς, ἢ φανερὸν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ποιήσετε διότι μισεῖτε τοὺς κατὰ τῆς πολιτείας δῶρα λαμβάνοντας, καὶ οὐχ ἵνʼ ἀφῆτε ζητεῖν προσετάξατε τῇ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλῇ, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ ἀποφηνάντων τούτων ὑμεῖς τιμωρήσησθε τῶν ἀδικημάτων ἀξίως. νυνὶ τοίνυν τοῦτʼ ἐφʼ ὑμῖν ἐστι.
4. For when the people passed a lawful decree and every citizen wished to discover which of the politicians had dared to accept money from Harpalus to the discredit and danger of the city; when, moreover, you, Demosthenes, and many others had proposed in a decree that the Areopagus, according to its traditional right, should hold an inquiry to discover if any of them had received gold from Harpalus, the Areopagus began its investigation. In reaching a just decision it paid no heed to your challenges, Demosthenes, nor did it wish to pervert the truth or destroy its own reputation on your account. On the contrary, gentlemen, although, as the Areopagites themselves said, the council realized beforehand the strength of these men and their influence as orators and statesmen, it did not consider that if incrimination or danger was threatening its country it ought to be influenced by any misrepresentation likely to be published about itself.
4. ψηφισαμένου γὰρ τοῦ δήμου δίκαιον ψήφισμα, καὶ πάντων τῶν πολιτῶν βουλομένων εὑρεῖν τίνες εἰσὶ τῶν ῥητόρων οἱ τολμήσαντες ἐπὶ διαβολῇ καὶ κινδύνῳ τῆς πόλεως χρήματα παρʼ Ἁρπάλου λαβεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ⟨ἐν⟩ ψηφίσματι γράψαντος, ὦ Δημόσθενες, σοῦ καὶ ἑτέρων πολλῶν, ζητεῖν τὴν βουλὴν περὶ αὐτῶν, ὡς αὐτῇ πάτριόν ἐστιν, εἴ τινες εἰλήφασι παρʼ Ἁρπάλου χρυσίον, ζητεῖ ἡ βουλή, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν προκλήσεων μαθοῦσα τὸ δίκαιον, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν πίστιν τὴν περὶ αὑτῆς ἐπὶ σοῦ καταλῦσαι βουλομένη, ἀλλʼ, ὅπερ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ Ἀρεοπαγῖται εἶπον, προορῶσα ⟨μὲν⟩ ἡ βουλή, ὦ ἄνδρες, τὴν τούτων ἰσχὺν καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν δύναμιν, οὐκ οἰομένη δὲ δεῖν οὐδεμίαν ὑπολογίζεσθαι τῶν περὶ αὑτῆς ἐσομένων βλασφημιῶν, εἴ τις μέλλει τῇ πατρίδι αὐτῆς αἰτία μοχθηρὰ καὶ κίνδυνος ἔσεσθαι.
6. Though this investigation has been conducted, in the people's opinion, both fairly and profitably, accusations, challenges, and calumnies are proceeding from Demosthenes, since he has been listed as the holder of twenty talents of gold. Will that council then which, in cases of willful] murder, is trustworthy enough to arrive at truth and justice and is empowered to pass judgement in matters of life and death on each of the citizens, to take up the cause of those who have met a violent end and banish or execute any in the city who have broken the law, be powerless now to administer justice over the money credited to Demosthenes?
6. τούτων ὡς ἐδόκει τῷ δήμῳ καλῶς καὶ συμφερόντως πεπραγμένων, αἰτίαι νῦν καὶ προκλήσεις καὶ συκοφαντίαι παρὰ Δημοσθένους ἥκουσιν, ἐπειδὴ οὗτος ἀποπέφανται εἴκοσι τάλαντα ἔχων χρυσίου· καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐκ προνοίας φόνων ἀξιόπιστος οὖσα βουλὴ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τἀληθὲς εὑρεῖν, καὶ κυρία δικάσαι τε περὶ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἑκάστου τῶν πολιτῶν, καὶ τοῖς μὲν βιαίῳ θανάτῳ τετελευτηκόσι βοηθῆσαι, τοὺς δὲ παράνομόν τι τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει διαπεπραγμένους ἐκβαλεῖν ἢ θανάτῳ ζημιῶσαι, νῦν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατὰ Δημοσθένους ἀποπεφασμένοις χρήμασιν ἄκυρος ἔσται τοῦ δικαίου;
7. It will; for the council has told lies against Demosthenes. This is the crowning argument in his case. It has told lies, has it, against you and Demades: men against whom it is evidently not even safe to speak the truth; though you previously instructed the Areopagus to investigate many public matters and expressed approval of it for the inquiries which it had held? Are the indictments which the council has made against these men false when the whole city cannot compel them to do right? Great Heavens!
7. ναί· κατέψευσται γὰρ ἡ βουλὴ Δημοσθένους· τουτὶ γάρ ἐστιν ὑπερβολὴ τοῦ πράγματος. σοῦ κατέψευσται καὶ Δημάδου; καθʼ ὧν οὐδὲ τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀσφαλές ἐστιν; οἳ πολλὰ πρότερον τῶν κοινῶν ἐκείνῃ ζητεῖν προσετάξατε καὶ διὰ τὰς γενομένας ζητήσεις ἐπῃνέσατε; οὓς δʼ ἡ πόλις ἅπασα οὐ δύναται ἀναγκάσαι τὰ δίκαια ποιεῖν, κατὰ τούτων ἡ βουλὴ ψευδεῖς ἀποφάσεις πεποίηται;
8. Then why, Demosthenes, did you agree in the Assembly to a penalty of death for yourself, if the report of the council should turn out against you? And why have you yourself ruined many others by insisting on the findings of the council? To what authority should the people now refer, or to whom should it entrust the inquiry in the event of mysterious or momentous crimes, if it is to discover the truth?
8. ὦ Ἡράκλεις. διὰ τί οὖν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ συνεχώρεις, ὦ Δημόσθενες, ἐὰν ἀποφήνῃ ⟨κατὰ⟩ σοῦ ἡ βουλή, θάνατον ἑαυτῷ τὴν ζημίαν; καὶ διὰ τί πολλοὺς ἀνῄρηκας σὺ ταῖς τῆς βουλῆς ἰσχυριζόμενος ἀποφάσεσιν; ἢ ποῖ νῦν ἐλθὼν ὁ δῆμος ἢ τίσι προστάξας ζητεῖν περὶ τῶν ἀφανῶν καὶ μεγάλων ἀδικημάτων εὕρῃ τὴν ἀλήθειαν;
9. For the council which formerly commanded confidence is being discredited by you, who claim to be the people's man, though it is a body to which the people gave in trust the protection of their lives, to whose charge they have often committed their constitution and democracy, a council which, destined though you were to malign it, has safeguarded your life, according to your own account so often threatened, and which keeps the mystic deposits whereby the safety of the city is preserved.
9. τὸ μὲν γὰρ συνέδριον, τὸ πρότερον δοκοῦν εἶναι πιστόν, σὺ καταλύεις, ὁ δημοτικὸς εἶναι φάσκων, ᾧ τὴν τῶν σωμάτων φυλακὴν ὁ δῆμος παρακαταθήκην ἔδωκεν, ᾧ τὴν πολιτείαν καὶ δημοκρατίαν πολλάκις ἐγκεχείρικεν, ὃ διαπεφύλαχε τὸ σὸν σῶμα τοῦ βλασφημεῖν περὶ αὐτοῦ μέλλοντος πολλάκις, ὡς σὺ φῄς, ἐπιβουλευθέν, ὃ φυλάττει τὰς ἀπορρήτους διαθήκας, ἐν αἷς τὰ τῆς πόλεως σωτήρια κεῖται.
10. Now in one respect—for I shall speak my mind—the Areopagus fully deserves this treatment. It was faced with two alternatives. One would have been, in accordance with the people's instructions, to conduct the previous investigation over the three hundred talents which came from the Persian king; in which case this monster would have been convicted and the names of those who shared the money published; the betrayal of Thebes, for which Demosthenes was responsible, would have been exposed, and we, exacting from this demagogue the punishment he deserved, would have been rid of him.
10. δίκαια μὲν οὖν, δίκαια τρόπον γέ τινα πάσχει τὸ συνέδριον· εἰρήσεται γὰρ ἃ γιγνώσκω. δυοῖν γὰρ θάτερον ἐχρῆν αὐτούς, ἢ καὶ τὴν προτέραν ζήτησιν τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν τριακοσίων ταλάντων τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως ἀφικομένων ζητεῖν, καθάπερ συνέταξεν ὁ δῆμος, ἵνα τότε δόντος δίκην τοῦ θηρίου τούτου, καὶ τῶν μερισαμένων ἐκεῖνα τὰ χρήματα φανερῶν γενομένων, καὶ τῆς περὶ Θηβαίους προδοσίας ἐξελεγχθείσης ἣν οὗτος προδέδωκεν, ἀπηλλάγμεθα τούτου τοῦ δημαγωγοῦ δίκην ἀξίαν δόντος·
11. Alternatively, if it was your wish to forgive Demosthenes for these offences and to have in the city a large number of people who would take bribes against you, the council ought, having tested your wishes in the previous cases, to have refused to undertake an investigation over the payments of money recently reported. For despite the excellence and the justice of this recent report, which incriminates Demosthenes and the rest of them, and despite the fact that the Areopagus has not deferred to the power of Demosthenes or Demades but has regarded justice and truth as more important, Demosthenes goes round none the less maligning the council and telling the same stories about himself with which he will probably try to mislead you presently.
11. ἤ, εἰ ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐβούλεσθε Δημοσθένει συγχωρεῖν καὶ πολλοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει τοὺς καθʼ ὑμῶν δωροδοκήσοντας εἶναι, τὴν περὶ τῶν νῦν ἀποπεφασμένων ζήτησιν χρημάτων μὴ προσδέχεσθαι, πεῖραν ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς πρότερον εἰληφότας· ὅπου γʼ οὕτω καλῶς καὶ δικαίως τῆς ἀποφάσεως τῆς κατὰ τούτου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων νυνὶ γεγενημένης, καὶ τῆς ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλῆς οὔτε τὴν Δημοσθένους οὔτε τὴν Δημάδου δύναμιν ὑποστειλαμένης, ἀλλὰ τὸ δίκαιον αὐτὸ καὶ τἀληθὲς προὐργιαίτερον πεποιημένης, οὐδὲν ἧττον περιέρχεται Δημοσθένης περί τε τῆς βουλῆς βλασφημῶν καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγων οἷσπερ ἴσως καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτίκα χρήσεται λόγοις ἐξαπατῶν ὑμᾶς, ὡς ἐγὼ Θηβαίους ὑμῖν ἐποίησα συμμάχους.
12. “I made the Thebans your allies.” No, Demosthenes, you impaired the common interest of both our states. “I brought everyone into line at Chaeronea.” On the contrary you yourself were the only one to leave the line at Chaeronea. “I served on many embassies on your behalf.”
12. οὔκ· ἀλλὰ τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον ἀμφοτέραις ἐλυμήνω ταῖς πόλεσιν, ὦ Δημόσθενες. ἐγὼ παρέταξα πάντας εἰς Χαιρώνειαν. οὔκ· ἀλλʼ ἔλιπες μόνος αὐτὸς τὴν ἐκεῖ τάξιν. ἐγὼ πολλὰς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐπρέσβευσα πρεσβείας.
13. One wonders what he would have done or what he would have said if the course that he had recommended on these missions had proved successful, when, after touring the whole Greek world to negotiate such disasters and mistakes, he still claims to have been granted the greatest privileges, namely those of accepting bribes against his country and saying and doing whatever he wishes against the public interest.
13. ἐφʼ αἷς οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅ τι ποτʼ ἂν ἐποίησεν ἢ τίνας ἂν εἶπε λόγους, εἰ συνέβη κατορθῶσαι αὐτῷ ἃ συνεβούλευσεν, ὃς ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀτυχήμασι καὶ κακοῖς ἅπασαν ἐπεληλυθὼς τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅμως ἀξιοῖ δωρεὰς αὑτῷ δεδόσθαι τὰς μεγίστας, λαμβάνειν δῶρα κατὰ τῆς πατρίδος καὶ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν κατὰ τοῦ δήμου ἃ ἂν βούληται.
14. You made no allowance for Timotheus, Athenians, although he sailed round the Peloponnese and defeated the Lacedaemonians in a naval battle at Corcyra, and was the son of Conon too who liberated Greece. Though he captured Samos, Methone, Pydna, Potidaea, and twenty other cities besides, you did not permit such services to outweigh the trial which you were then conducting or the oaths that governed your vote; instead you fined him a hundred talents because Aristophon said that he had accepted money from the Chians and Rhodians.
14. καὶ Τιμοθέῳ μέν, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, Πελοπόννησον περιπλεύσαντι καὶ τὴν ἐν Κερκύρᾳ ναυμαχίαν νικήσαντι Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ Κόνωνος υἱεῖ τοῦ τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐλευθερώσαντος καὶ Σάμον λαβόντι καὶ Μεθώνην καὶ Πύδναν καὶ Ποτείδαιαν καὶ πρὸς ταύταις ἑτέρας εἴκοσι πόλεις, οὐκ ἐποιήσασθʼ ὑπόλογον, οὐδὲ τῆς τότʼ ἐνεστώσης κρίσεως οὐδὲ τῶν ὅρκων, οὓς ὀμωμοκότες ἐφέρετε τὴν ψῆφον, ἀντικατηλλάξασθε τὰς τοιαύτας εὐεργεσίας, ἀλλʼ ἑκατὸν ταλάντων ἐτιμήσατε, ὅτι χρήματʼ αὐτὸν ⟨Ἀριστοφῶν⟩ ἔφη παρὰ Χίων εἰληφέναι καὶ Ῥοδίων·
15. Will you then absolve this abominable wretch, this Scythian,—really I cannot contain myself,—whom no mere individual but the whole Areopagus has shown, after inquiry, to be in possession of money to your detriment, whose bribery and corruption against the city have been revealed and established beyond doubt? Will you not punish him and make him an example to others? He is known not only to have taken gold from the royal treasuries but also to have enriched himself at the city's own expense, since he did not even withhold his hand from the money lately brought to her by Harpalus.
15. τὸν δὲ κατάπτυστον τοῦτον καὶ Σκύθην — ἐξάγομαι γάρ —, ὃν οὐχ εἷς ἀνὴρ ἀλλὰ πᾶσʼ ἡ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλὴ ζητήσασʼ ἀποπέφαγκε χρήματʼ ἔχειν καθʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ ὃς ἀποπέφανται μισθαρνῶν καὶ δωροδοκῶν κατὰ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐξελήλεγκται, τοῦτον οὐ τιμωρησάμενοι παράδειγμα ποιήσετε τοῖς ἄλλοις; ὃς οὐκ ἐκ τῶν βασιλικῶν μόνον εἰληφὼς χρυσίον φανερός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς πόλεως κεχρηματισμένος· ὁ νῦν οὐδὲ τῶν ὑφʼ Ἁρπάλου κομισθέντων χρημάτων εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀποσχόμενος.
16. Yet the embassies to Thebes which Demosthenes undertook are equivalent to a mere fraction of Timotheus' services; and which of you, contrasting with the exploits on which Demosthenes prides himself those which Timotheus and Conon performed on your behalf, would not laugh to scorn all who consented to listen to this man? But then there should be no comparison made between this outcast and the men who in your interests acted worthily of the city and your ancestors. I will therefore cite the decree which was passed concerning Timotheus and then return to my review of the defendant. Read.
16. καίτοι τί μέρος ἐστὶ τῶν ὑπὸ Τιμοθέου πεπραγμένων ἀγαθῶν ἃς Δημοσθένης ἐπρέσβευσεν εἰς Θήβας πρεσβείας; ἢ τίς οὐκ ἂν καταγελάσειεν ὑμῶν τῶν τούτου τολμώντων ἀκούειν, ἀντιθεὶς ἐφʼ αἷς οὗτος σεμνύνεται πράξεσιν ἐκείνας ἃς Τιμόθεος ὑμᾶς καὶ Κόνων εὐεργέτησαν; ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐ πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ κάθαρμα παραβάλλειν δεῖ τοὺς ἄξια καὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τῶν προγόνων ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν πράξαντας. παρασχόμενος οὖν τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ Τιμοθέῳ γενόμενον πάλιν ἐπὶ τοὺς περὶ τούτου λόγους βαδιοῦμαι. λέγε.
17. Decree This citizen, Demosthenes, of such a character, who might well have gained the pardon and gratitude of his colleagues in the public life of those days, since he had rendered great services to the city, not in word only but in deed, and had always remained true to the same policy rather than changing to and fro as you have done, met his death without begging the people for such extensive favors as would set him above the laws or thinking that men who had sworn to vote in accordance with the law should consider anything more important than their word; he was ready even for condemnation, if the jury decided upon it, and did not plead the inclemency of circumstance or express in public opinions which he did not hold.
17. Ψήφισμα ὁ τοιοῦτος, ὦ Δημόσθενες, πολίτης, ὃς δικαίως ἂν καὶ συγγνώμης καὶ χάριτος ἐτύγχανε παρὰ τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς χρόνοις συμπεπολιτευμένων, οὐ λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἔργοις μεγάλα τὴν πόλιν ἀγαθὰ ποιήσας, καὶ διαμείνας ἐπὶ τῆς ⟨αὐτῆς⟩ πολιτείας καὶ οὐκ ἄνω καὶ κάτω μεταβαλόμενος ὥσπερ σύ, ἐτελεύτησεν οὐ τηλικαύτας τὸν δῆμον αἰτήσας δωρεὰς ὥστε τῶν νόμων εἶναι κρείττων, οὐδʼ οἰόμενος δεῖν τοὺς ὀμωμοκότας κατὰ τοὺς νόμους οἴσειν τὴν ψῆφον ἄλλο τι προὐργιαίτερον ποιεῖσθαι τῆς εὐσεβείας, ἀλλʼ ὑπομένων καὶ κρίνεσθαι, εἰ δόξειε τοῖς δικασταῖς, καὶ οὐ καιροὺς λέγων, οὐδʼ ἕτερα φρονῶν καὶ δημηγορῶν.
18. Will you not execute this accursed wretch, Athenians, who, in addition to many other crucial blunders, stood by while the Thebans' city was destroyed, though he had accepted three hundred talents from the Persian King for their protection though the Arcadians, arriving at the Isthmus, had dismissed with a rebuff the envoys of Antipater and welcomed those from the unhappy Thebans who had reached them with difficulty by sea, bearing a suppliant's staff and heralds' wands, plaited, they said, from olive shoots? They came to assure the Arcadians that no wish to break their friendship with the Greeks had led the Thebans to a revolution, nor did they intend to do anything to the detriment of Greece; but they were no longer able to countenance at home the behavior of the Macedonians in the city, to endure slavery, or to witness the outrages perpetrated against the persons of free men.
18. οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖτε, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸν μιαρὸν τοῦτον ἄνθρωπον, ὃς πρὸς ἑτέροις πολλοῖς καὶ μεγάλοις ἁμαρτήμασι καὶ τὴν Θηβαίων πόλιν περιεῖδεν ἀνάστατον γενομένην, τριακόσια τάλαντα λαβὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων σωτηρίαν παρὰ τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως, καὶ Ἀρκάδων ἡκόντων εἰς Ἰσθμὸν καὶ τὴν μὲν παρʼ Ἀντιπάτρου πρεσβείαν ἄπρακτον ἀποστειλάντων, τὴν δὲ παρὰ Θηβαίων τῶν ταλαιπώρων προσδεξαμένων, οἳ κατὰ θάλατταν μόλις ἀφίκοντο πρὸς ἐκείνους, ἱκετηρίαν ἔχοντες καὶ κηρύκεια συμπεπλεγμένα, ὡς ἔφασαν, ἐκ τῶν θαλλῶν, ἐροῦντες τοῖς Ἀρκάσιν ὅτι οὐ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας φιλίαν Θηβαῖοι διαλῦσαι βουλόμενοι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπανέστησαν, οὐδʼ ἐναντίον τῶν Ἑλλήνων οὐδὲν πράξοντες, ἀλλὰ τὰ παρʼ αὑτοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν Μακεδόνων ἐν τῇ πόλει γιγνόμενα φέρειν οὐκέτι δυνάμενοι, οὐδὲ τὴν δουλείαν ὑπομένειν, οὐδὲ τὰς ὕβρεις ὁρᾶν τὰς εἰς τὰ ἐλεύθερα σώματα γιγνομένας, —
20. The Arcadians were ready to help them and, sympathizing with their misfortunes, explained that, though they were compelled through force of circumstance to serve Alexander with their persons, in spirit they sided always with the Thebans and the cause of Greek liberty. Since their leader, Astylus, was open to bribery, as Stratocles said, and wanted ten talents as the price of helping the Thebans, the envoys approached Demosthenes who, as they knew, held the King's gold and earnestly begged him to spend the money to save their city. But this hard-hearted and impious miser could not bring himself to expend, from his great resources, ten paltry talents, though he saw such high hopes dawning for the salvation of Thebes. Instead, as Stratocles said, he allowed others to provide this sum to induce those of the Arcadians who had marched out to return home and deny their help to Thebes.
20. οἷς ἑτοίμων γενομένων τῶν Ἀρκάδων βοηθεῖν, καὶ ἐλεησάντων ἐν οἷς ἦσαν κακοῖς, καὶ φανερὸν ποιησάντων ὅτι τοῖς μὲν σώμασι μετʼ Ἀλεξάνδρου διὰ τοὺς καιροὺς ἀκολουθεῖν ἠναγκάζοντο, ταῖς δʼ εὐνοίαις μετὰ Θηβαίων καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐλευθερίας ἦσαν, καὶ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ αὐτῶν Ἀστύλου ὠνίου ὄντος, ὥσπερ καὶ Στρατοκλῆς εἶπε, καὶ δέκα τάλαντʼ αἰτοῦντος ὥστʼ ἀγαγεῖν τὴν βοήθειαν τοῖς Θηβαίοις, καὶ τῶν πρεσβευτῶν ὡς τοῦτον ἐλθόντων, ὃν ᾔδεσαν ἔχοντα τὸ βασιλικὸν χρυσίον, καὶ δεομένων καὶ ἱκετευόντων δοῦναι τὰ χρήματʼ εἰς τὴν τῆς πόλεως σωτηρίαν, οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ὁ μιαρὸς οὗτος καὶ ἀσεβὴς καὶ αἰσχροκερδὴς ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν χρημάτων ὧν εἶχε δέκα μόνον τάλαντα δοῦναι, τοσαύτας ὁρῶν ἐλπίδας ὑποφαινούσας εἰς τὴν Θηβαίων σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ περιεῖδεν ἑτέρους δόντας τοῦτο τὸ ἀργύριον, ὥσπερ καὶ Στρατοκλῆς εἶπεν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ πάλιν ἀπελθεῖν οἴκαδε τοὺς ἐξεληλυθότας Ἀρκάδων καὶ μὴ βοηθῆσαι τοῖς Θηβαίοις.
22. Do you consider that the evils for which Demosthenes and his avarice have been responsible are trivial or of little import for the whole of Greece? Do you think that he deserves any pity at your hands after committing such offences? Should he not rather suffer the extreme penalty to atone for his crimes, both past and present? The verdict given by you today, Athenians, will be heard by all mankind, who will observe how you, the judges, treat the man with such a record.
22. ἆρʼ ὑμῖν δοκεῖ μικρῶν κακῶν ἢ τῶν τυχόντων ὅλῃ τῇ Ἑλλάδι αἴτιος γεγενῆσθαι Δημοσθένης καὶ ἡ τούτου φιλαργυρία; ἢ προσήκειν αὐτὸν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἐλέου τινὸς τυγχάνειν τοιαῦτα διαπεπραγμένον, ἀλλʼ οὐ τῆς ἐσχάτης τιμωρίας καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν νῦν καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν πρότερον γεγενημένων ἀδικημάτων; ἀκούσονται τὴν κρίσιν, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, τὴν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ τήμερον ἡμέρᾳ γεγενημένην πάντες ἄνθρωποι· θεωρήσουσιν ὑμᾶς τοὺς κρίνοντας, ὅπως χρῆσθε τῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα διαπεπραγμένῳ.
23. You are the people who, for crimes far smaller than those Demosthenes has committed, have inflicted on men severe and irrevocable penalties. It was you who killed Menon the miller, because he kept a free boy from Pellene in his mill. You punished with death Themistius of Aphidna, because he assaulted the Rhodian lyre-player at the Eleusinian festival, and Euthymachus, because he put the Olynthian girl in a brothel.
23. ὑμεῖς ἔσθʼ οἱ διὰ πολλῷ τῶν ὑπὸ τούτου πεπραγμένων ἀδικημάτων ἐλάττω μεγάλας καὶ ἀπαραιτήτους ἐνίοις ἐπιτεθηκότες τιμωρίας. ὑμεῖς Μένωνα μὲν τὸν μυλωθρὸν ἀπεκτείνατε, διότι παῖδʼ ἐλεύθερον ἐκ Πελλήνης ἔσχεν ἐν τῷ μυλῶνι· Θεμίστιον δὲ τὸν Ἀφιδναῖον, διότι τὴν Ῥοδίαν κιθαρίστριαν ὕβρισεν Ἐλευσινίοις, θανάτῳ ἐζημιώσατε, Εὐθύμαχον δέ, διότι τὴν Ὀλυνθίαν παιδίσκην ἔστησεν ἐπʼ οἰκήματος.
24. But through this traitor children and women, the wives of the Thebans, were distributed among the tents of the barbarians, a neighboring and allied city has been torn up from the midst of Greece and the site of Thebes is being ploughed and sown, the city of men who shared with you the war against Philip. Yes, it is being ploughed and sown. And this unfeeling wretch showed no compassion for a city thus lamentably destroyed, though he visited it as an envoy representing you and has often shared the meat and drink of its citizens, claiming himself that he made it our ally. But those to whom he often resorted in their prosperity he has betrayed in their misfortune.
24. διὰ δὲ τοῦτον τὸν προδότην παῖδες καὶ γυναῖκες αἱ Θηβαίων ἐπὶ τὰς σκηνὰς τῶν βαρβάρων διενεμήθησαν, πόλις ἀστυγείτων καὶ σύμμαχος ἐκ μέσης τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἀνήρπασται, ἀροῦται καὶ σπείρεται τὸ Θηβαίων ἄστυ τῶν κοινωνησάντων ὑμῖν τοῦ πρὸς Φίλιππον πολέμου. ἀροῦται, φημί, καὶ σπείρεται· καὶ οὐκ ἠλέησε, φημί, ὁ μιαρὸς οὗτος πόλιν οἰκτρῶς οὕτως ἀπολλυμένην, εἰς ἣν ἐπρέσβευσεν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἀποσταλείς, ἧς ὁμόσπονδος καὶ ὁμοτράπεζος πολλάκις γέγονεν, ἣν αὐτός φησι σύμμαχον ἡμῖν ποιῆσαι. ἀλλὰ πρὸς οὓς εὐτυχοῦντας πολλάκις ἦλθε, τούτους ἀτυχοῦντας προδέδωκεν.
25. The Thebans, so our elders tell us, when the democracy in our city had been overthrown and Thrasybulus was assembling the exiles in Thebes ready for the seizure of Phyle, although the Spartans were strong and forbade them to admit or let out any Athenian, helped the democrats to return and passed that decree which has so often been read before you, stating that they would turn a blind eye if any Athenian marched through their territory bearing arms.
25. κἀκεῖνοι ⟨μέν⟩, ὡς οἱ πρεσβύτεροι λέγουσι, καταλελυμένης τῆς δημοκρατίας τῆς παρʼ ἡμῖν καὶ συνάγοντος ἐν Θήβαις Θρασυβούλου τοὺς φυγάδας ἐπὶ τὴν Φυλῆς κατάληψιν, καὶ Λακεδαιμονίων ἰσχυόντων καὶ ἀπαγορευόντων μηδένʼ Ἀθηναίων ὑποδέχεσθαι μηδʼ ἐκπέμπειν, ὅμως συνέπραττον τῷ δήμῳ τὴν κάθοδον καὶ τὸ πολλάκις ἀνεγνωσμένον παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐψηφίσαντο ψήφισμα, [μὴ] περιορᾶν ἐάν τις ὅπλα διὰ τῆς χώρας [τῆς] Ἀθηναίων ἔχων πορεύηται·
26. This man who fraternizes, as he will presently tell you, with our allies, behaved very differently; he would not part with any of the money which he had received for their protection. Remember these things, gentlemen; consider the disasters caused by traitors in the downfall of Olynthus and of Thebes; decide wisely now in your interest; destroy those who are ready to take bribes against their country and so rest your hopes of safety on yourselves and on the gods.
26. οὗτος δὲ ὁ κοινὸν αὑτὸν τοῖς συμμάχοις, ὡς αὐτίκα φήσει, παρέχων οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔπραξεν, οὐδὲ τῶν χρημάτων ὧν ἔλαβεν εἰς τὴν τούτων σωτηρίαν οὐδὲν ἠθέλησε προέσθαι. ὧν ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες, μνησθέντες, καὶ τὰ ἀτυχήματα τὰ γιγνόμενα διὰ τοὺς προδότας θεωρήσαντες ἐν ταῖς Ὀλυνθίων καὶ Θηβαίων συμφοραῖς, ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ὀρθῶς νυνὶ βουλεύεσθε, καὶ τοὺς δωροδοκεῖν ἐθέλοντας κατὰ τῆς πατρίδος ἀνελόντες ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς τὰς ἐλπίδας τῆς σωτηρίας ἔχετε.
27. For there is only one way, Athenians, in which you will reform the rest of mankind, only one way: to expose those criminals who are notable men and punish them as their crimes deserve. In the case of the average defendant no one knows or troubles to inquire, when he is convicted, what has been his sentence. But with men of note everyone hears the news and praises the jury, when they have not sacrificed the interests of justice in deference to the reputation of the defendants. Read the Theban decree. Cite the evidence. Read the letters.
27. μόνως γὰρ οὕτως, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μόνως καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ποιήσετε βελτίους, ἐὰν τοὺς ἐνδόξους τῶν πονηρῶν ἐξελέγξαντες κολάσητε τῶν ἀδικημάτων ἀξίως. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ τυχόντας τῶν κρινομένων, ὅταν ἁλῶσιν, οὐδεὶς οἶδεν οὐδὲ ζητεῖ πυθέσθαι τί πεπόνθασι· τοὺς δʼ ἐνδόξους πάντες πυνθάνονται, καὶ τοὺς δικάζοντας ἐπαινοῦσιν, ὅταν τὸ δίκαιον μὴ προῶνται ταῖς τῶν κρινομένων δόξαις. ἀνάγνωθι τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ Θηβαίων. λέγε τὰς μαρτυρίας. ἀναγίγνωσκε τὰς ἐπιστολάς.
28. Decree. Evidence. Letters This man is a hireling, Athenians, a hireling of long standing. It was he who summoned from Thebes the embassy coming to us from Philip and was responsible for finishing the first war. He helped to defend Philocrates who proposed the peace with Philip and was exiled by you in consequence, he hired a carriage for the envoys who came here with Antipater, and by attaching them to himself, first introduced into the city the custom of flattering Macedon.
28. Ψήφισμα Μαρτυρίαι Ἐπιστολαί μισθωτὸς οὗτος, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, μισθωτὸς οὗτός ἐστι παλαιός. οὗτος ἦν ὁ τὴν πρεσβείαν τὴν παρὰ Φιλίππου πορευομένην ὡς ἡμᾶς ἐκ Θηβῶν καλέσας, καὶ τοῦ λυθῆναι τὸν πρῶτον πόλεμον αἴτιος γενόμενος· οὗτος Φιλοκράτει συναπελογεῖτο τῷ γράψαντι πρὸς Φίλιππον εἰρήνην, διʼ ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐκεῖνον ἐξεβάλετε, καὶ ζεύγη τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἐμισθώσατο τοῖς μετʼ Ἀντιπάτρου δεῦρʼ ἐλθοῦσιν, ἀναλαμβάνων αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸ κολακεύειν τοὺς Μακεδόνας πρῶτος εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσάγων.
29. Do not acquit him, Athenians. Do not let go unpunished this man who has endorsed the misfortunes of his country and the rest of Greece, when he has been caught with bribes against the city in his very hands. Now that good fortune is improving your lot and, after expelling from the city one of the two who have defiled their country, has surrendered this other to you for execution, do not oppose all our interests yourselves but rather bring happier omens to our state affairs and divert our misfortunes on to the heads of these leaders.
29. μὴ ἀφῆτε, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μὴ ἀφῆτε τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς τῆς πόλεως καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων ἀτυχήμασιν ἐπιγεγραμμένον ἀτιμώρητον, εἰλημμένον ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ δῶρα ἔχοντα κατὰ τῆς πόλεως, μηδὲ τῆς ἀγαθῆς τύχης ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἀγούσης, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἕτερον τῶν τὴν πατρίδα λελυμασμένων ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐκβεβληκυίας, τοῦτον δʼ ὑμῖν ἀποκτεῖναι παραδούσης, αὐτοὶ τοῖς πᾶσι συμφέρουσιν ἐναντιωθῆτε, ἀλλὰ μετοιωνίσασθε τὰς τῆς πόλεως πράξεις, εἰς τούτους τοὺς ἡγεμόνας τὰς ἀποτυχίας τρέψαντες.
30. Against what occasion will you reserve Demosthenes in the belief that he will prove useful to you? Could any one of you, or of the bystanders, say what public or private affairs he has not ruined by his contact with them? After gaining access to the home of Aristarchus and planning with him the death of Nicodemus which they contrived, an affair of which you all know the details, did he not banish Aristarchus on the most shameful charges? And did not Aristarchus find in Demosthenes such a friend as to make him think that this was some evil spirit which had visited him and the originator of all his misfortunes?
30. εἰς ποῖον γὰρ καιρὸν ἀποθήσεσθε τοῦτον ὑπολαβόντες χρήσιμον ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἔσεσθαι; ἔχοι τις ἂν εἰπεῖν ἢ ὑμῶν ἢ τῶν περιεστηκότων, εἰς ποῖα οὗτος πράγματα εἰσελθὼν ἢ ἴδια ἢ κοινὰ οὐκ ἀνατέτροφεν; οὐκ εἰς μὲν τὴν Ἀριστάρχου οἰκίαν εἰσελθών, βουλεύσας μετʼ ἐκείνου τὸν Νικοδήμῳ θάνατον κατασκευασθέντα, ὃν ἴστε πάντες, ἐξέβαλε τὸν Ἀρίσταρχον ἐπὶ ταῖς αἰσχίσταις αἰτίαις; καὶ τοιούτῳ φίλῳ Δημοσθένει ἐχρήσατο, ὥστε δαίμονα αὐτῷ τοῦτον καὶ τῶν γεγενημένων συμφορῶν ἡγεμόνα νομίσαι προσελθεῖν;
31. Is it not true that once this man began to advise the city, and would he had never done so,—I shall pass over his private affairs, for time does not permit me to speak at length,—absolutely no good has befallen it; indeed not only the city but the whole of Greece has been involved in dangers, misfortunes, and dishonor? Is it not true that he has had many opportunities while speaking to you and yet let slip every opportunity to help you? On those occasions when a patriot with any regard for the city would have chosen to make some move, this demagogue, who will presently say that he has been of service to you, was so far from showing signs of action that he even infected with his own ill-luck the men who were doing something to further your interests.
31. οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῷ δήμῳ συμβουλεύειν ἤρξατο, ὡς μήποτε ὤφελεν — ἀφήσω γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἴδια· ὁ γὰρ χρόνος οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται μακρολογεῖν —, ἀγαθὸν μὲν ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν οὐδὲν γέγονε τῇ πόλει, ἐν κινδύνοις δὲ καὶ κακοῖς καὶ ἀδοξίᾳ πᾶσʼ ἡ Ἑλλάς, οὐ μόνον ἡ πόλις, καθέστηκε; καί, πλείστοις καιροῖς ἐν ταῖς δημηγορίαις χρώμενος, ἅπαντας ἀφῆκε τοὺς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καιρούς; καὶ ἐν οἷς τις ἂν φιλόπολις ἀνὴρ καὶ κηδεμὼν προείλετό τι πρᾶξαι, τοσοῦτον ἐδέησεν ὁ δημαγωγὸς καὶ χρήσιμος αὐτίκα φήσων ὑμῖν γεγενῆσθαι πρᾶξίν τινα προφέρειν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς πράττοντας ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τι τῆς αὑτοῦ τύχης ἀνέπλησεν.
32. Charidemus set out to visit the Persian King, wishing to do you some practical service apart from mere talking, and anxious at his own peril to win safety for you and every Greek. Demosthenes went round the market making speeches and associating himself with the project. So completely did fortune wreck this plan that it turned out in just the opposite way to what was expected.
32. ἀπῆρε Χαρίδημος πρὸς τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα, χρήσιμος ὑμῖν οὐ λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἔργοις βουλόμενος γενέσθαι, καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις τοῖς αὑτοῦ κινδύνοις ὑμῖν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἕλλησι βουλόμενος τὴν σωτηρίαν παρασκευάσαι· περιιὼν οὗτος κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐλογοποίει καὶ τῶν πραττομένων εἰσεποίει κοινωνὸν αὑτόν· οὕτω κατέστρεψεν ἡ τύχη ταῦτα ὥστʼ ἐναντία γενέσθαι τοῖς προσδοκωμένοις.
33. Ephialtes put to sea. Admittedly he hated Demosthenes but he was compelled to have a partner in public affairs. Fortune robbed the city of this man too. Euthydicus elected to work for the people. Demosthenes claimed to be his friend. He too was lost. Do not these facts, which you see and know better than I do, give you cause for thought? Do they not make you weigh up your future prospects in the light of the past and reflect in your own minds that this man is of no use except to our enemies, against the interests of the city …?
33. ἐξέπλευσεν Ἐφιάλτης, μισῶν μὲν τοῦτον, ἀναγκαζόμενος δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων κοινωνεῖν· ἀφείλετο καὶ τοῦτον ἡ τύχη τῆς πόλεως. Εὐθύδικος προῃρεῖτο τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου πράξεις· ἔφη τούτῳ Δημοσθένης φίλος εἶναι· ⟨καὶ⟩ οὗτος ἀπώλετο. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς ὁρῶντες καὶ ἐπιστάμενοι πολὺ βέλτιον ἢ ἐγὼ οὐ λογίζεσθε, οὐ σκοπεῖσθε πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτούς, τεκμαιρόμενοι τὰ μέλλοντα ἐκ τῶν γεγενημένων, ὅτι οὐδὲν οὗτος χρήσιμος ἀλλʼ ἢ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς κατὰ τῆς πόλεως …;
34. … to raise such another force as we had in the time of Agis, when the Spartans took the field together and Achaeans and men of Elis were taking their part in the campaign with ten thousand mercenaries also; when Alexander was in India, according to report, and the whole of Greece, owing to the traitors in every city, was dissatisfied with the existing state of things and hoped for some release from the misfortunes that beset her. In that hour,—for I need not dwell on other crises,— what was the behavior of this Demosthenes who had the power to give advice and make proposals, who will shortly tell you that he hates our present circumstances?
34. … συστῆσαι κατασκευὴν ἑτέραν οἵα ἐπʼ Ἄγιδος ἐγένετο, ὅτε Λακεδαιμόνιοι μὲν ἅπαντες ἐξεστράτευσαν, Ἀχαιοὶ δὲ καὶ Ἠλεῖοι τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκοινώνουν, ὑπῆρχον δὲ ξένοι μύριοι, Ἀλέξανδρος δʼ, ὡς οἱ λέγοντες, ἐν Ἰνδοῖς ἦν, ἡ δʼ Ἑλλὰς ἅπασα διὰ τοὺς ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν πόλεων προδότας ἀχθομένη τοῖς παροῦσι πράγμασιν ἠσμένει μεταβολήν τινα τῶν κακῶν τῶν περιεστηκότων.
35. On these matters, Demosthenes, did you offer any proposal, any advice? Did you contribute money? Were you of the smallest value to the men safeguarding us all? Not the least; you went round suborning speechwriters. He wrote a letter at home, defiling the city's honor, and walked about dangling it from his finger ends, living in luxury during the city's misfortunes, travelling down the road to the Piraeus in a litter and reproaching the needy for their poverty.
35. τί οὖν; ἐν τούτοις τοῖς καιροῖς Δημοσθένης τίς ἦν, ὁ τοῦ συμβουλεῦσαι καὶ γράψαι κύριος καὶ φήσων αὐτίκα δὴ μισεῖν τὰ καθεστῶτα πράγματα; ἐῶ γὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους κινδύνους. ἔγραψάς τι περὶ τούτων [κινδύνων]; συνεβούλευσας; ἐπόρισας χρήματα; μικρόν τι χρήσιμος ἐγένου τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας πράττουσιν; οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν, ἀλλὰ περιῄεις κατασκευάζων λογοποιούς, καὶ παρʼ αὑτῷ γράφων ἐπιστολήν, καὶ καταισχύνων τὴν τῆς πόλεως δόξαν, ἐκ τῶν δακτύλων ἀναψάμενος περιεπορεύετο, τρυφῶν ἐν τοῖς τῆς πόλεως κακοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ φορείου κατακομιζόμενος τὴν εἰς Πειραιᾶ ὁδόν, καὶ τὰς τῶν πενήτων ἀπορίας ὀνειδίζων.
36. Is this man then going to prove useful to you on future occasions, when he has let slip every opportunity in the past? By our lady Athena and Zeus the Savior, I could wish that the enemies of Athens had lighted upon counsellors and leaders like him and never better.
36. εἶθʼ οὗτος εἰς τοὺς μέλλοντας ὑμῖν καιροὺς ἔσται χρήσιμος, παραβεβηκὼς ἅπαντας τοὺς παρεληλυθότας; τοιούτων, ὦ δέσποινʼ Ἀθηνᾶ καὶ Ζεῦ σῶτερ, συμβούλων καὶ ἡγεμόνων ὤφελον τυχεῖν οἱ πολεμήσαντες τῇ πόλει, καὶ μηδεπώποτε βελτιόνων.
37. Let me remind you, gentlemen, of the conduct of your forbears, who, at a time when many grave perils beset the city, faced danger in the interests of the people, in a manner worthy of their country and their well-earned reputation, as befitted free men. Time does not permit me to deal with those figures of the past, Aristides and Themistocles: the men who built the city's walls and carried up to the Acropolis the tribute paid by the willing and even eager Greeks.
37. οὐκ ἀναμνήσεσθε, ὦ ἄνδρες, τὰς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων πράξεις; οἳ μεγάλων καὶ πολλῶν κινδύνων καταλαμβανόντων τὴν πόλιν ἀξίως τῆς πατρίδος καὶ τῆς αὐτῶν ἐλευθερίας καὶ τῆς δόξης τῆς δικαίας ὑπὲρ τῶν τοῦ δημοσίου συμφερόντων ἐκινδύνευσαν; ὧν τοὺς μὲν ἀρχαίους ἐκείνους μακρὸν ἂν εἴη λέγειν, Ἀριστείδην καὶ Θεμιστοκλέα, τοὺς ὀρθώσαντας τὰ τείχη τῆς πόλεως καὶ τοὺς φόρους εἰς ἀκρόπολιν ἀνενεγκόντας παρʼ ἑκόντων καὶ βουλομένων τῶν Ἑλλήνων·
38. But you will recall what was done, shortly before our own time, by Cephalus the orator, Thrason of Herchia, Eleus and Phormisius and other fine men, some of whom are still alive today. Some of them, when the Cadmea was garrisoned by Spartans, assisted the exiles who returned to Thebes and at their own risk set free a neighboring city, long enslaved.
38. ἀλλὰ ταυτὶ τὰ μικρὸν πρὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἡλικίας γεγενημένα ὑπὸ Κεφάλου τοῦ ῥήτορος καὶ Θράσωνος τοῦ Ἑρχιέως καὶ Ἠλείου ⟨καὶ⟩ Φορμισίου καὶ ἑτέρων ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὧν ἐνίων ἔτι καὶ νῦν ζῇ τὰ σώματα. τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν φρουρουμένης ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων τῆς Καδμείας βοηθήσαντες τοῖς εἰς Θήβας κατιοῦσι τῶν φυγάδων τοῖς ἰδίοις κινδύνοις ἠλευθέρωσαν πόλιν ἀστυγείτονα καὶ πολὺν χρόνον δουλεύουσαν, οἱ δὲ πείσαντος ἐξελθεῖν ὑμῶν τοὺς προγόνους Κεφάλου τοῦ τὸ ψήφισμα γράψαντος, ὃς οὐ καταπλαγεὶς τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων δύναμιν, οὐδὲ λογισάμενος ὅτι τὸ κινδυνεύειν καὶ τὸ γράφειν ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως ἐπισφαλές ἐστιν, ἔγραψεν ἐξιέναι βοηθήσοντας Ἀθηναίους τοῖς κατειληφόσι τῶν φυγάδων Θήβας·