---
title: "Against Philippides · Κατὰ Φιλιππίδου"
author: "Hyperides"
translator: "J. O. Burtt"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/hyperides-against-philippides/
cite: "Hyperides, tr. J. O. Burtt, Against Philippides · Κατὰ Φιλιππίδου. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/hyperides-against-philippides/"
---

# Against Philippides · Κατὰ Φιλιππίδου

*Hyperides, tr. J. O. Burtt*

Against a proposer of honours for Macedonian partisans.

> Greek: ed. J. O. Burtt, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0030.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: J. O. Burtt, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0030.tlg002.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 1–13](https://scriptura.si/works/hyperides-against-philippides/1.md)

## 1. Sections 1–13

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

[¶0] frag_1. … in a free city furthering the interests of tyrants … towards slavery … … was responsible for actions which did credit to the city and to Greece.

> Greek: frag_1. … ⟨ἐν⟩ ἐλευθέρᾳ πό⟨λει τὰ τ⟩οῖς τυράννοις ⟨συμφέρο⟩ντα πραττον⟨τ⟩ … ν εἰς δουλεία⟨ν⟩ … … καλῶ⟨ν πραγμάτων καὶ τῇ⟩ πόλε⟨ι κ⟩αὶ τοῖς Ἕλλης⟨ιν αἴτι⟩ος ἐγένετο.

[¶1] frag_6. Therefore both here and everywhere else he was paid the highest honors … rightly … … we must thank Alexander on account of those who died … but I think …

> Greek: frag_6. τοι⟨γαροῦν⟩ καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν κα⟨ὶ παρὰ⟩ το⟨ῖς⟩ ἄλλοις πᾶσιν ⟨τῶν μεγίς⟩των δωρεῶ⟨ν ἔτυχεν⟩ … ⟨δ⟩ικαίως … ⟨γ⟩ὰρ … ὑπὸ … δεῖ χάρι⟨ν ἡμᾶ⟩ς ἀ⟨ποδιδ⟩όναι Ἀλεξ⟨άνοδ⟩ρῳ ⟨διὰ τοὺ⟩ς τελευτή⟨σαντ⟩ας … ἐγὼ δὲ ⟨οἶμ⟩αι …

[¶2] frag_10. Moreover these men trample on the people in their misfortune, and for this reason they deserve your hatred far more. For just as human bodies need most care when they are sick, so it is with cities, which need most attention in times of misfortune. To these men?) only … … [Very fragmentary.] … each of them gives, one in Thebes, another in Tanagra … Or that they do not pray for the overthrow of all that is left in Greece, when they are deriving profits from the cities that are being destroyed?

> Greek: frag_10. … ἐκεῖνος. ἔπειθʼ ⟨οὗτοι⟩ ἐπεμβαίνουσιν τ⟨ῷ δή⟩μῳ ἐν ταῖς ἀτυχ⟨ίαις. διό⟩περ καὶ πολὺ μᾶ⟨λλον ἄξι⟩οί εἰσιν μισεῖσθ⟨αι. ὥς⟩περ γὰρ τὰ σώματ⟨α πλείς⟩της ἐπ⟨ιμ⟩ελείας ἐν ⟨ταῖς⟩ ἀρρως⟨τί⟩αις δεῖται, οὕτως καὶ ⟨αἱ⟩ πόλεις πλείστης θερ⟨απ⟩είας ἐν ταῖς ἀτυχίαις δ⟨έο⟩ντ⟨αι⟩. μόνοις δὲ τούτο⟨ις⟩ … ⟨δη⟩μοκρ⟨ατία. ἀφεὶς δὲ τὰ πολ⟩λὰ περὶ ⟨ὧν καὶ συνηγό⟩ρει Φιλί⟨ππῳ καὶ ἐστρα⟩τεύσατ⟨ο μετʼ ἐκείνου ἐπὶ⟩ τὴν χώ⟨ραν, ὅπερ μέγιστον,⟩ τοῦτο δ⟨ηλώσω⟩ … ⟨Φι⟩λιππο … ⟨ἐστρατεύ⟩σατο ἐφʼ ⟨ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς συμ⟩μάχους … ⟨ἀκρι⟩βῶς γε … … ⟨δί⟩δωσιν ἕκαστος αὐτῶν, ὁ μὲν ἐν Θήβαις, ὁ δʼ ἐν Τανάγρᾳ, ὁ δʼ ἐν τῇ ἐλευθε … ατα τῶν …

[¶3] frag_15b. Or that, while they wish you to spend your lives in fear and danger … Unimpressive in person on account of his thinness. … make accusations. And they make it clear that even when they were friends of the Lacedaemonians their speeches were prompted not by love for them but by hatred of Athens and a willingness to flatter those whose power at any time threatened you.

> Greek: frag_15b. … ⟨ἀ⟩παλλαγέντα; ἢ οὐκ εὔχεσθαι κα⟨ὶ τ⟩ἆλλα πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ ⟨Ἑλ⟩λάδι ἀνατραπῆναι, οἵ γʼ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀναιρουμένων πόλεων ἀπαρχὰς ⟨λα⟩μ⟨βά⟩νουσιν; καὶ ὑμ⟨ᾶς μὲν ἀ⟩εὶ βούλεσθαι ἐν φ⟨όβῳ καὶ⟩ κινδύνοις εἶν⟨αι⟩ … εὐτελὴς τὸ σῶμα διὰ λεπτότητα. κατηγορίας ποιοῦνται, καὶ φανερὸν ποιοῦσιν ὅτι οὐδὲ τότε φίλοι ὄντες Λακεδαιμονίων ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων ἔλεγον, ἀλλὰ τὴν πόλιν μισοῦντες καὶ τοὺς ἰσχύοντας ἀ⟨εὶ⟩ καθʼ ὑμῶν θεραπεύοντες.

[¶4] 2. And when the power recently shifted from them to Philip they then chose to flatter him and Democrates of Aphidna who never leaves their sides … makes jokes on the city’s misfortunes, abusing you in the market place by day and then coming at evening to dine at your table. And yet you, Democrates, are the one person who has no right to say a single hard word against the state, for two reasons:

> Greek: 2. ἐπεὶ δὲ νῦν ἡ ἐκείνων δύναμις εἰς ⟨τοῦτ⟩ον μετέστη, τότε ⟨δ⟩ὴ ⟨κο⟩λακεύειν προείλον⟨το· κ⟩αὶ Δημοκράτη⟨ς αὐτ⟩οῖς ὁ Ἀφιδναῖος ⟨ἀεὶ παρ⟩ακαθήμενος καὶ … ον ἱστὰς γελωτοπ⟨οιεῖ ἐ⟩πὶ τοῖς τῆς πόλεω⟨ς ἀ⟩τυχήμασιν, καὶ λο⟨ιδορεῖ⟩θʼ ὑμῖν μεθʼ ἡμέρα⟨ν ἐν τ⟩ῇ ἀγορᾷ, εἰς ἑσπέρα⟨ν δὲ δε⟩ιπν⟨ή⟩σων ὡς ὑμ⟨ᾶς ἔ⟩ρχεται. καίτοι, ὦ Δημ⟨όκρα⟩τες, μόνῳ σοι οὐκ ⟨ἔνι λέγ⟩ειν περὶ τοῦ δήμου ⟨φλα⟩ῦρον οὐδέν·

[¶5] 3. first because you needed no one but yourself to show you that the city is grateful to her benefactors, you who now enjoy the honors for services which other men once rendered; and secondly because the people drew up a law forbidding anyone to speak ill of Harmodius and Aristogeiton or sing disparaging songs about them. It is therefore scandalous that, though the people saw fit to prevent even a drunken man from abusing your ancestors, you should be speaking ill of the state even when you are sober.

> Greek: 3. διὰ τί; ⟨ὅτι πρ⟩ῶτον μὲν οὐ παρʼ ἑτέρου σʼ ἔδει μαθεῖν ὅτι ὁ δῆμος χάριτας ἀποδίδωσιν τοῖς εὐεργέταις, ἀλλὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἕτεροι εὐεργέτησαν νῦν τὰς τιμὰς κομίζει. ἔπειθʼ ὅτι ἐν νόμῳ γράψας ὁ δῆμος ἀπεῖπεν μήτε λέγειν ἐξεῖναι ⟨μηδενὶ⟩ κακῶς Ἁρμόδιον καὶ Ἀρ⟨ις⟩τογείτονα, μήτʼ ᾆσα⟨ι ἐ⟩πὶ τὰ κακίονα. ᾗ κ⟨αὶ⟩ δεινόν ἐστιν ⟨ε⟩ἰ τοὺς μὲν σοὺς προγόνους ὁ δῆμος οὐδὲ μεθυσθέντι ᾤετο δεῖν ἐξεῖναι κακῶς εἰπεῖν, σὺ δὲ νήφων τὸν δῆμον κακ⟨ῶς⟩ λέγεις.

[¶6] 4. I have a few more points to make, gentlemen of the jury, and after summing up my argument will leave the platform. The case in which you are going to vote is an indictment for the proposing of illegal measures and the decree under consideration is one congratulating presidents. Presidents should observe the law during their period of office. These men have broken it. As evidence for both these facts you heard the actual laws read.

> Greek: 4. ⟨Βρ⟩αχέα δʼ ἔτι πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπών, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ⟨καὶ⟩ ἀναλογισάμενος, κα⟨ταβ⟩ήσομαι. γραφὴ πα⟨ρα⟩νόμων ἐστὶν ὑπὲρ ⟨ἧς τ⟩ὴν ψῆφον μέλλετε ⟨φέρ⟩ειν. τὸ δὲ ψήφισμα τὸ κρινόμενον ἔπαινος προέδρων. ὅτι δὲ προσήκει τοὺς προέδρους κατὰ τοὺς νόμους προεδρεύειν, οὗτοι δὲ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους προηδρεύκασιν, αὐτῶν τῶν νόμων ἠκούετε ἀναγιγνωσκομένων.

[¶7] 5. The sequel now rests with you. For you will make it plain whether you are going to punish the proposers of illegal measures or whether you intend to grant those honors, which till now have been paid to your benefactors, to presidents whose conduct is not lawful; and that too when you have sworn to observe the laws in giving your vote. There is, however, one argument open to them, namely that the people were compelled to pass the votes of honor. Even this cannot possibly mislead you; for it cannot be said that we were under any compulsion to crown the presidents.

> Greek: 5. τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη ἐστὶν παρʼ ὑμῖν· δείξετε γὰρ πότερα τοὺς παράνομα γράφοντας τ⟨ιμ⟩ωρήσεσθε, ἢ τὰς τοῖς εὐε⟨ργέ⟩ταις ἀποδεδειγμένας ⟨τι⟩μὰς ταύτας δώσετε ⟨το⟩ῖς ἐναντία τοῖς νόμοι⟨ς πρ⟩οεδρεύουσιν, καὶ ταῦτα ὀμωμοκότες κατὰ τοὺς νόμους ψηφιεῖσθαι. ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐξαπατηθῆναι ὑμῖν ἔνεστιν ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν, ἂν φῶσιν ἀναγκαῖα εἶνα⟨ι τ⟩ῷ δήμῳ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἐπ⟨αίν⟩ων ψηφίζεσθαι· το⟨ὺς γ⟩ὰρ προέδρους οὐκ ἔνεστιν εἰπεῖν ὡς ἀνάγκη τις ἦν στεφανῶσαι.

[¶8] 6. Moreover the defendant has himself made your decision easy, since he stated in writing his reasons for crowning them. They had, he said, been just towards the Athenian people and observed the laws during their office. That is a statement for which you must now summon him to answer. And you, Philippides, show us that what you assumed about the presidents in your decree is true and you will be acquitted.

> Greek: 6. πρὸ⟨ς δ⟩ὲ τούτοις αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ο⟨ὗ⟩τος ῥᾳδίαν πεποίηκ⟨εν⟩ τὴν γνῶσιν· ἔγραψεν γ⟨ὰρ⟩ ὧν ἕνεκα ἐστεφάνω⟨σε⟩ν τοὺς προέδρους, δι⟨κα⟩ιοσύνης τε τῆς εἰς τὸν δ⟨ῆμ⟩ον τὸν Ἀθηναίων κα⟨ὶ δι⟩ότι κατὰ τοὺς νόμο⟨υς π⟩ροηδρεύκασιν. ἐπὶ δ⟨ὴ τ⟩αῦτʼ ἄγετʼ αὐτὸν ἀπολ⟨ογη⟩σόμενον, καὶ σύ, ὦ Φ⟨ιλι⟩ππίδη, δείξας ἀληθῆ εἶναι τὰ περὶ τῶν προέδρων, ἃ ὑπέθου ἐν τῷ ψηφ⟨ίς⟩ματι, ἀπόφευγε.

[¶9] 7. But if you think that your usual vulgarity and joking will secure your pardon in court or win from these men any indulgence or sympathy to which you are not entitled, you are a fool and very far from the mark. You see, you laid up popularity for yourself, not in Athens, but elsewhere. You thought fit to cringe before those whom the people feared rather than before the men who now have power to save you.

> Greek: 7. εἰ δʼ ο⟨ἴει⟩ κορδακίζων καὶ γελ⟨ωτ⟩οποιῶν, ὅπερ ποι⟨εῖν⟩ εἴωθας, ἐπὶ τῶν δικαστη⟨ρί⟩ων ἀποφεύξεσθαι, ε⟨ὐήθ⟩ης εἶ, ἢ παρὰ τούτ⟨ο⟩ις συγγνώμην ἢ ἔ⟨λεόν⟩ τινα παρὰ τὸ δίκαι⟨ον ὑπ⟩άρ⟨χ⟩ειν. πολλοῦ γε δ⟨εῖ. οὐ γ⟩ὰρ ἀπέθου σαυτῷ εὔνοιαν παρὰ τῷ δήμῳ, ἀλλʼ ἑτέρωθι, οὐδὲ τοὺς σῶσαί σε δυναμένους ᾤου δεῖν κολακεύειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τῷ δήμῳ φοβεροὺς ὄντας.

[¶10] 8. You have concluded that one person will be immortal, yet you sentenced to death a city as old as ours, never realizing the simple fact that no tyrant has yet risen from the dead, while many cities, though utterly destroyed, have come again to power. You and your party took no account of the history of the Thirty or of the city’s triumph over her assailants from without and those within her walls who joined in the attack upon her. It was well known that you were all watching the city’s fortunes, waiting for the chance to say or do something against the people.

> Greek: 8. καὶ ἓν μὲν σῶμα ἀθάνατον ὑπ⟨είλη⟩φας ἔσεσθαι, πόλεως δὲ τηλικαύτης θάνατον κατέγνως, οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνο συνιδών, ὅτι τῶν μὲν τυράννων οὐδεὶς πώποτε τελευτήσας ἀνεβίωσεν, πόλεις δὲ πολλαὶ ἄρδην ἀναιρεθεῖσαι πάλιν ἴσχυσαν. οὐδὲ τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν τριάκοντα ἐλογίσασθε, οὐδʼ ὡς καὶ τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων καὶ τῶν ἔνδοθεν συνεπιθεμένων αὐτῇ περιεγένετο, ἀλλὰ φανεροὶ ἐγένεσθε καιροφυλακοῦντες τὴν πόλιν εἴ ποτε δοθήσεται ἐξουσία λέγειν τι ἢ πράττειν κατὰ τοῦ δήμου.

[¶11] 9. Will you dare then presently to mention opportunities, when the opportunities you sought were for the city’s ruin? Have you brought your children with you into court, Philippides? Are you going to bring them soon on to the platform and so claim pity from the jury? You have no right to pity. When others felt compassion for the city’s misfortunes, you and your like were exulting over her. They had resolved to save Greece in a spirit which ill deserved the fate they met. But you, who are unjustly bringing Athens into the depths of shame, deserve the punishment you are now about.to suffer.

> Greek: 9. εἶτα περὶ καιρῶν αὐτίκα δὴ τολμήσετε λέγειν τοὺς κατὰ τῆς πόλεως καιροὺς [οὐ] παραφυλάξαντες; καὶ τὰ παιδία ἥκεις ἔχων εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον, καὶ ἀναβιβάσας αὐτίκα δὴ ἀξιώσεις ὑπὸ τούτων ἐλεεῖσθαι; ἀλλʼ οὐ δίκαιον· ὅτε γὰρ ἡ πόλις ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ᾠκτείρετο διὰ τὰ συμβάν⟨τα⟩, τόθʼ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἐξυβρίζετο. καίτοι οὗτοι μὲν τὴν Ἑλλάδα σῴζειν προελόμενοι ἀνάξια τῶν φρονημάτων ἔπασχον, σὺ δὲ τὴν πόλιν εἰς τὰς ἐσχάτας αἰσχύνας ἀδίκως καθιστὰς νυνὶ δικαίως τιμωρίας τεύξῃ.

[¶12] 10. Why should you spare this man, gentlemen? Because he is a democrat? Why, you are well aware that he has chosen to be the slave of tyrants and is ready on the other hand to give the people orders. Would it be because he is a good man? No; for you twice condemned him as a criminal. True, you may say, but he is useful. Granted; but if you use a man whom you are known to have condemned as wicked, it will appear either that your judgements are wrong or that you welcome wicked men. It is not therefore right to take upon yourselves this man’s misdeeds. On the contrary: the transgressor must be punished.

> Greek: 10. διὰ τί γὰρ ⟨ἂν⟩ τούτου φείσαισθε; πότερα διότι δημοτικός ἐστιν; ἀλλὰ ἴστʼ αὐτὸν τοῖς μὲν τυράννοις δουλεύειν προελόμενον, τῷ δὲ δήμῳ προστάττειν ἀξιοῦντα. ἀλλʼ ὅτι χρηστός; ἀλλὰ δὶς αὐτοῦ ἀ⟨δικί⟩αν κατέγνωτε. ναί, ἀ⟨λλ⟩ὰ χρήσιμος· ἀλλʼ εἰ χρής⟨ες⟩θε τῷ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ὁμολ⟨ογ⟩ουμένως πονηρῷ ⟨κρ⟩ιθέντι, ἢ κρίνειν κακῶς δόξετε ἢ πονηρῶν ⟨ἀν⟩θρώπων ἐπιθυμ⟨εῖν. ο⟩ὐκοῦν οὐκ ἄξιον τὰ ⟨τούτ⟩ου ἀδικήματα αὐτ⟨οὺς ἀν⟩αδέχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ⟨τ⟩ιμωρεῖ⟨σθ⟩αι τὸν ἀδικοῦν⟨τα⟩.

[¶13] 11. And if anyone comes forward with the plea that he has twice before been convicted for illegal proposals and that therefore you should acquit him, please do just the opposite, and that for two reasons. In the first place it is a piece of good fortune, when a man is known to have proposed illegal measures, that you should catch him coming up for trial a third time. He is not a good man and need not be spared as such. Indeed you should rid yourselves of him as quickly as you can, since he has twice already proved his character to you.

> Greek: 11. καὶ ἂ⟨ν⟩ ἄρα λέγῃ τις ἀναβὰς ὡς δὶς ἥλωκεν πρότερον παρανόμων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φῇ δεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀποψηφίσασθαι, τοὐναντίον ποιεῖτε κατʼ ἀμφότερα. πρῶτον μὲν ὅ⟨τι ε⟩ὐτύχημά ἐστιν τὸν ὁμολογουμένως τὰ παράνομα γράφοντα τὸ τρίτον κρινόμενον λαβεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ἀγαθοῦ τινος φείδεσθαι προσήκει τούτου, ἀλλὰ τὴν ταχίστην ἀπηλλάχθαι, ὅς γε τοῦ τρόπου δὶς ἤδη ἐν ὑμῖν βάσανον δέδωκεν.

[¶14] 12. And secondly, compare the case of false witness. If people have been twice convicted of this, you have allowed them to refrain from giving evidence a third time, even of events at which they have themselves been present, so that, if anyone is disfranchised, responsibility shall rest, not on the people, but on the man himself, for continuing to bear false witness. Similarly men convicted of illegal proposals need not bring forward proposals in future. If they do they are clearly actuated by some private motive. So that people of this type deserve punishment, not pity.

> Greek: 12. ἔπειτα δέ, ὥσπερ τοῖς τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων δὶς ἡλωκόσιν δεδώκατε ὑμεῖς τὸ τρίτον μὴ μαρτυρεῖν μηδʼ οἷς ἂν παραγένωνται, ἵνα μηδενὶ τῶν πολιτῶν ᾖ τὸ ὑμέτερον πλῆθος αἴτιον τοῦ ἠτιμῶσθαι, ἀλλʼ αὐ⟨τὸ⟩ς α⟨ὑ⟩τῷ, ἂν μὴ παύηται τὰ ψευδῆ μαρτυρῶν, οὕτω καὶ τοῖς ἡλωκόσι παρανόμων ἔξεστιν μηκέτι γράφειν, εἰ δὲ μή, δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι ἰδίου τινὸς ἕνεκα τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν· ὥστε οὐκ οἴκτου οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἄξιοί εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ τιμωρίας.

[¶15] 13. I do not wish to speak too long after setting myself as a limit an amphora of water in the clock; so the clerk will read you the indictment again. And now bear in mind the accusations and the laws which you heard read and bring in a verdict that will be just and also expedient for yourselves.

> Greek: 13. ἵνα δὲ μὴ προθέμενος πρὸς ἀμφορέα ὕδατος εἰπεῖν μακρολογῶ, ὁ μὲν γραμματεὺς ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσεται τὴν γραφὴν πάλιν· ὑμεῖς δὲ τῶν τε κατηγορημένων μεμνημένοι καὶ τῶν νόμων ἀκούσαντες ἀναγιγνωσκομένων, τά τε δίκαια καὶ τὰ συμφέροντα ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ψηφίζεσθε.