frag_1. … each man in private and in public life, and also in the law and in the oath which bids you give an equal hearing to the prosecution and to the defence.
frag_1. … ⟨καὶ ἰδίᾳ⟩ ἕκαστος καὶ κοι⟨νῇ⟩, ἔπειτα τῷ νό⟨μῳ⟩ καὶ τῷ ὅρκῳ, ὃς κε⟨λεύει⟩ ὑμᾶς ὁμοίως ⟨ἀκούειν⟩ τῶν τε κατη⟨γόρων καὶ τῶ⟩ν ἀπο⟨λογουμένων⟩ καὶ … τῇ κατηγορίᾳ χρῆσθαι, οὕτω καὶ ἐμὲ ἐᾶτε ὃν τρόπον προῄρημαι καὶ ὡς ἂν δύνωμαι ἀπολογεῖσθαι.
frag_2. … to conduct the prosecution, allow me also in the same way to follow out, so far as I am able, the line of defence which I have chosen. I must ask you all, while I am speaking, to refrain from interrupting me with: “Why are you telling us this?” And do not add anything of your own to the prosecution’s argument; rather attend to the defence … … nor is it true that the law, while allowing freedom to join in the prosecution of men on trial, denies the right to share in their defence.
frag_2. καὶ μηδεὶς ὑμῶν ἀπαντάτω μοι μεταξὺ λέγοντι, τί τοῦθʼ ἡμῖν λέγεις; μηδὲ προστίθετε τῇ κατηγορίᾳ παρʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν μηδέν, ἀλλὰ ⟨μᾶ⟩λλον τῇ ἀπολογίᾳ … ⟨οὐδ⟩ὲ ὁ νόμος συγκα⟨τηγο⟩ρεῖν μὲν τῷ βου⟨λομ⟩ένῳ κατὰ τῶν ⟨κριν⟩ομένων ἐξου⟨σίαν⟩ δίδωσι, συναπολογεῖσθαι δὲ κωλύει.
frag_3. I do not intend to waste words before coming to the point, and shall therefore proceed to the actual defence, after praying the gods to help me and bring me safely through the present trial and requesting you, gentlemen of the jury, first … … either the betrayal of dockyards, the burning of public buildings, or the seizure of the Acropolis …
frag_3. ἵνα δὲ μὴ πρὸ τοῦ πράγματος πο⟨λλ⟩ο⟨ὺς⟩ λόγους ἀναλ⟨ώσω⟩, ἐπʼ αὐτὴν τὴν ⟨ἀπολογ⟩ίαν πορεύσομαι, τοῖς μὲν θεοῖς εὐξάμενος βοηθῆσαί μοι καὶ σῶσαι ἐκ τοῦ παρόντος ἀγῶνος, ὑμᾶς δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐκεῖνο παραιτησάμενος, πρῶτον … … ἢ νεωρίων προδοσίαν ἢ ἀρχείων ἐμπυρισμὸν ἢ κατάληψιν ἄκρας …
frag_4. … Euphemus … first … when the husband died … of Phlya … from him … that the woman … he had left his wife with child, which did not entail any breach of the law. But if their interpretation of this story tallied with that given by Ariston in the impeachment, they should not surely have prevented the nearest relatives from ejecting Euphemus. They ought to have let them do so. Whereas now, by behaving as they did, they have by their own action furnished evidence that the charge against me is false. Besides, is it not strange that if anything had happened to the child at birth, or after, they would have adhered firmly to this will, in which … … nor is it possible for him to deny his own handwriting
frag_4. … ὁ Εὔ⟨φημος⟩ … ⟨πρ⟩ῶτον … ⟨ἐπε⟩ιδὴ ἐτε⟨λεύτησεν ἐκ⟩εῖνος … ρος ὁ Φλυ⟨εύς,⟩ … ἐξ αὐτοῦ … … ὅτι ἡ γυνὴ … τον καὶ το … ατο ἐκεῖνος ⟨κυοῦ⟩σαν τὴν γυνα⟨ῖκα ἐξ⟩ αὑτοῦ καταλέ⟨λοιπε⟩ν, οὐ παρὰ τοὺς ν⟨όμο⟩υς γενόμενον. ⟨εἰ δʼ ὥς⟩περ Ἀρίστων ἐ⟨ν τῇ ε⟩ἰσαγγελίᾳ γρά⟨φει⟩, οὕτως ὑπέλα⟨βον τ⟩ὰ περὶ το⟨ύτων εἶν⟩αι, οὐκ ἔδει δήπ⟨ου αὐτ⟩οὺς κωλύειν ⟨τοὺς ἐγγυ⟩τάτω γένου⟨ς ἐξά⟩γειν τὸν Εὔφημον, ἀλλʼ ἐᾶν. νῦν δὲ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες ἔργῳ μεμαρτυρήκασιν αὐτοί, ὡς ψευδής ἐστιν ἡ αἰτία κατʼ ἐμοῦ. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις πῶς οὐκ ἄτοπον, εἰ μέν τι ἔπαθεν τὸ παιδίον ἢ γιγνόμενον ἢ καὶ ὕστερον, ταύταις ταῖς διαθήκαις ἰσχυρίζεσθαι ἂν αὐτούς, ἐν αἷς … … τὸν Εὔφη⟨μον⟩ … ἐκώλυε … ⟨παρέ⟩χοντα … ⟨μαρ⟩τυρίας … οὔτε γὰρ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα δυνατὸν ἀρνήσασθαι.
frag_4b. … to be sluggish … … and he had Ariston’s slaves in his works.
frag_4b. νωθρεύεσθαι Ἀρίστωνος δὲ ἀνδ⟨ρά⟩ποδα εἶχεν ἐν το⟨ῖς⟩ ἔργοις·
1. This fact he confirmed for you himself in court when Ariston was bringing an action against Archestratides.
1. καὶ ταῦτα αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ἐμαρτύρησεν ἐπὶ τοῦ δικας⟨τη⟩ρίου, ὅτʼ ἦν το⟨ύτ⟩ῳ ὁ ἀγὼν πρὸς Ἀ⟨ρχε⟩στρατίδην.
2. Let me explain the kind of method which this man Ariston employs. He issues a summons against everyone he meets, accusing and prosecuting those who do not give him money, but letting go all who are willing to pay. He gives the money to Theomnestus who takes it and buys slaves, providing Ariston with a livelihood, as is done for pirates, and paying him an obol a day for each slave, to enable him to continue permanently as a false informer.
2. τοιο⟨ῦτο⟩ γὰρ ἐστι τὸ Ἀρίστ⟨ωνος⟩ τουτουὶ πρᾶγμα· ⟨οὗ⟩τος προσκαλεῖται μὲν περιὼν πάντας ἀνθρώπους, τῶν δʼ ὅσοι μὲν ⟨ἂν⟩ μὴ διδῶσιν αὐ⟨τῷ⟩ ἀργύριον, κρίν⟨ει καὶ⟩ κατηγορεῖ, ὁπ⟨όσοι⟩ δʼ ἂν ἐθέλωσιν ⟨ἀπο⟩τίνειν, ἀφίησιν, ⟨τὸ⟩ δʼ ἀργύριον Θεο⟨μνή⟩στῳ δίδωσιν· ἐκ⟨εῖ⟩νος δὲ λαμβάνων ἀνδράποδα ἀγοράζει, καὶ παρέχει ὥσπερ τοῖς λῃσταῖς ἐπισιτισμόν, καὶ δίδωσι τούτῳ ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου τοῦ ἀνδραπόδου ὀβολὸν τῆς ἡμέρας, ὅπως ἂν ᾖ ἀθάνατος συκοφάντης.
3. When considering the matter, gentlemen of the jury, we ought to begin with the charges which my accusers themselves brought against me at the outset in the Assembly. My relatives communicated the impeachment to me by letter, and also the charges which they made against me in the Assembly when they brought the impeachment in. Among these was recorded a statement of Lycurgus, who claimed to have been told by the relatives that during the wedding of Charippus to the woman I followed and tried to persuade her to reserve herself and have nothing to do with Charippus.
3. ἄξιον δʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, κἀκεῖθεν ἐξετάσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀφʼ ὧν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ τὸ πρῶτον αὐτοὶ εὐθὺς ᾐτιάσαντο. ἐμοὶ γὰρ ⟨οἱ⟩ οἰκεῖοι ἀπέστειλαν γράψαντες τήν τε εἰσαγγελίαν καὶ τὰς αἰτίας ἃς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ᾐτιάσαντό με, ὅτε τὴν εἰσαγγελί⟨αν⟩ ἐδίδοσαν, ἐν α⟨ἷς ἦ⟩ν γεγραμμένον ὅτι Λυκοῦργος λέγ⟨ει⟩, φάσκω⟨ν τ⟩ῶν ⟨ο⟩ἰκ⟨είω⟩ν ἀκ⟨ηκ⟩οέναι, ὡς ἐγὼ παρακολουθῶν, ὅτε Χάριππος ἐγάμει τὴν γυναῖκα, παρεκελευόμην αὐτῇ ὅπως μὴ πλησιάσει Χαρίππῳ ἀλλὰ διαφυλάξει αὑτήν.
4. Let me now repeat to you the answer which I gave to the relatives and also to my own relations directly I arrived, namely this. If these accusations are true, I agree to having done all the other things set down in the impeachment. But they are false, as is surely obvious to everyone.
4. ἐγὼ δὲ ἃ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιτηδείου⟨ς καὶ⟩ πρὸς τοὺς ο⟨ἰκείους⟩ τοὺς ἐμαυτ⟨οῦ εὐθὺς⟩ ἥκων ἔλεγ⟨ον, κ⟩αὶ νῦν πρὸς ὑμ⟨ᾶς λέ⟩γω, ὅτι, εἰ ἔστιν τ⟨αῦ⟩τα ἀληθῆ, ὁμολ⟨ογ⟩ῶ καὶ τἆλλα πάν⟨τα π⟩εποιηκέναι τὰ ⟨ἐν τῇ⟩ εἰσαγγελίᾳ γε⟨γραμ⟩μένα. ὅτι δὲ ⟨ψευδῆ⟩ ἐστιν, ῥᾴδιον ⟨οἶμαι⟩ εἶναι ἅπασι⟨ν ἰδεῖν⟩. τίς γὰρ οὕτω⟨ς ἐστὶ⟩ τῶν ἐν τῇ π⟨όλει⟩ ἀλόγιστος, ὅς⟨τις ἂν⟩ πιστεύσαι τού⟨τοις τοῖς⟩ λόγοις;
5. For who is there in Athens so uncritical as to believe these allegations? There must have been attenders, gentlemen of the jury, with the carriage that conveyed the bride: first a muleteer and a guide, and then her escort of boys, and also Dioxippus. For he was in attendance, too, since she was a widow being given away in marriage.
5. ἀνάγ⟨κη γάρ⟩, ὦ ἄνδρες δικ⟨ασταί,⟩ πρῶτον μὲν ὀρεωκόμον καὶ προηγητὴν ἀκολουθε⟨ῖν⟩ τῷ ζεύγει, ὃ ἦγεν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἔπειτα δὲ παῖδας τοὺς προπέμποντας αὐτὴν ἀκολουθεῖν καὶ Διώξιππον· καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ἠκολούθει διὰ τὸ χήραν ἐκδίδοσθαι αὐτήν.
6. Was I then so utterly senseless, do you think, that with all those other people in the procession, as well as Dioxippus and Euphraeus his fellow-wrestler, both acknowledged to be the strongest men in Greece, I had the impudence to pass such comments on a free woman, in the hearing of everyone, and was not afraid of being strangled on the spot? Would anyone have listened to such remarks about his sister as these men accuse me of having made, without killing the speaker?
6. εἶτʼ ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο ἀπονοίας ἦλθον, ὥστε ἄλλων τε τοσούτων ἀνθρώπων συνακολουθούντων καὶ Διωξίππου καὶ Εὐφραίου τοῦ προσγυμναστοῦ αὐτοῦ, οἳ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὁμολογουμένως ἰσχυρότατοί εἰσιν, οὔ⟨τ⟩ʼ ᾐσχυνόμην τοιούτους λόγους λέγων περὶ γυναικὸς ἐλευθέρας πάντων ἀκουόντων, ⟨οὔτʼ⟩ ἐδεδίειν μὴ πα⟨ραχρ⟩ῆμα ἀπόλωμαι ⟨πνι⟩γόμενος; τίς ⟨γὰρ⟩ ἂν ἠνέσχετο ⟨τοι⟩αῦτα περὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ ἀδελφ⟨ῆς ἀκού⟩ων οἷά με ο⟨ὗτοι αἰτι⟩ῶνται εἰρηκ⟨έναι καὶ οὐ⟩κ ἂν ἀπέ⟨κτεινε τὸν⟩ λέγοντα;
7. And to crown it all, as I said just now, are we to conclude that Charippus was so completely obtuse that he was still prepared to marry her, although in the first place she said beforehand, according to their story, that she was pledged to me and in the second place he heard me encouraging her to keep the promises she had made? Do you think that the mad Orestes, or Margites, the greatest fool of all time, would act like that?
7. ⟨τὸ δὲ κεφ⟩άλαιον ἁπ⟨άντων, ὡς⟩ καὶ μικρῷ ⟨πρότερο⟩ν εἶπον, εἰς ⟨τοῦτο ἀν⟩αισθησίας ὁ Χ⟨άριππ⟩ος, ὡς ἔοικεν, ⟨ἦλθε⟩ν, ὥστε πρότ⟨ερον⟩ μέν, ὥς φασιν, ⟨τῆς γυν⟩αικὸς προλε⟨γούσης⟩ ὅτι συνομωμο⟨κυῖα εἴ⟩η πρὸς ἐμέ, πά⟨λιν δ⟩ὲ ἀκούων ἐμο⟨ῦ παρα⟩κελευμένο⟨υ αὐτῇ⟩ ὅπως ἐμμ⟨είνειεν⟩ τοῖς ὅρκοις οἷ⟨ς ὤμο⟩σεν, ἐλάμβανε ⟨τὴν⟩ γυναῖκα; καὶ ταῦ⟨τα δο⟩κεῖ ἂν ὑμῖν ἢ ⟨Ὀρέστης⟩ ἐκεῖνος ὁ μαινόμενος ποιῆσαι ἢ Μαργίτης ὁ πάντ⟨ων⟩ ἀβελτερώτατος;
8. But then, in my opinion, gentlemen of the jury, the prosecutors in a trial have many advantages over the defendants. For them the case involves no risk, and so they are free to talk and lie to their heart’s content, while the men on trial are afraid and so forget to mention a great deal, even of what they have really done.
8. ⟨ἀλ⟩λʼ οἶμαι, ὦ ἄνδρε⟨ς δι⟩κασταί, πολλὰ πλεονεκτοῦσιν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν οἱ κατήγοροι τῶν φευγόντων· οἱ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ ἀκίνδυνον αὐτοῖς εἶναι τὸν ἀγῶνα ῥᾳδίως ὅ τι ἂν βούλωνται λέγουσι καὶ καταψεύδονται, οἱ δὲ κρινόμενοι διὰ τὸν φόβον πολλὰ καὶ τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτοῖς εἰπεῖν ἐπιλανθάνονται.
9. Also, accusers, speaking first, do not confine themselves to putting the just arguments which support their case, but trump up baseless slanders about the accused and so deprive them of the means of defence. The latter are thus affected in one of two ways. Either they defend themselves against the extraneous charges and fall short in the relevant parts of their defence, or else they forget the accusations which have just been made, and so leave the jury with the impression that these are true.
9. ἔπειτα οἱ μὲν ἐπειδὰν πρότερον λόγον λάβωσιν, οὐ μόνον ἃ ἔχουσιν αὐτοὶ δίκαια περὶ τοῦ πράγματος λέγουσιν, ἀλλὰ συσκευάσαντες λοιδορίας ψευδεῖς κατὰ τῶν κρινομένων ἐξιστᾶσιν τῆς ἀπολογίας· ὥστε συμβαίνειν αὐτοῖς δυοῖν τὸ ἕτερον, ἢ περὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν διαβολῶν ἀπο⟨λογου⟩μένοις τῆς ⟨περὶ το⟩ῦ πράγματος ⟨ἀπολογία⟩ς ἀπολελ⟨εῖφθαι, ἢ⟩ μὴ μεμνη⟨μένοις⟩ τῶν προκ⟨ατηγορηθ⟩έντων, ο⟨ἴησι⟩ν καταλείπ⟨ειν παρ⟩ὰ τοῖς δικαστ⟨αῖς ὅτι⟩ ἀληθῆ ἐστιν ⟨τὰ εἰρ⟩ημένα.
10. In addition to this the accusers create a prejudice against the advocates for the defence and distort the case of the accused himself; which is what Ariston here attempted to do, when speaking for the prosecution, since he does not even allow me to benefit from those who come forward to help me intending to share in my defence. What reason is there why they should not? Is it not right that men on trial should be supported by their relatives and friends? Or is there any custom in the city more democratic than that which permits citizens capable of public-speaking to assist those who are incapable when they are in trouble?
10. πρὸς δ⟨ὲ τού⟩τοις τούς τε μέ⟨λλοντα⟩ς βοηθεῖν το⟨ῖς φεύγ⟩ουσι προδιαβ⟨άλλ⟩ουσι καὶ αὐτοῦ το⟨ῦ κριν⟩ομένου τὴν ⟨ἀπολο⟩γίαν διαστρ⟨έφουσιν⟩· οἷον καὶ Ἀ⟨ρίστων⟩ οὑτοσὶ ἐνεχεί⟨ρησε ποιῆ⟩σαι ἐν τῇ κα⟨τηγορίᾳ, ὃς⟩ οὐδʼ ἀπολ⟨αύειν δίδω⟩σι τῶν ἀ⟨ναβαινόν⟩των ὑπὲ⟨ρ ἐμοῦ καὶ⟩ συναπολ⟨ογησομέ⟩νων. δι⟨ὰ τί δʼ οὗτοι⟩ μὴ ἀπο⟨λογῶνται;⟩ πότερʼ οὐ δ⟨ίκαιόν ἐ⟩στι τοῖς κρινομένοις τοὺς οἰκείους καὶ τοὺς φίλους βοηθεῖν; ἢ ἔστιν τι τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει τούτου δημοτικώτερον, τοῦ τοὺς δυναμένους εἰπεῖν τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις τῶν πολιτῶν κινδυνεύουσι βοηθεῖν;
11. But you, Ariston, have not merely discussed my advocates; you even determine my own arguments and tell the jury what they must listen to, what line of defence they must prescribe for me, and what they must not tolerate. Surely it is most unfair that after conducting the prosecution as you wanted you should rob me of my defence, because you know already the honest answers I can offer to your lies.
11. σὺ δὲ οὐ μόνον περὶ τῶν συνηγόρων τοὺς λόγους πεποίησαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν τὴν ἐμὴν διατάττεις· καὶ παραγγέλλεις τοῖς δικασταῖς περὶ ὧν δεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀκούειν ⟨καὶ⟩ κελεύειν με ἀπολογεῖσθαι, καὶ περὶ ὧν μὴ ἐᾶν λέγειν. καὶ τοῦτο πῶς καλῶς ἔχει, σὲ μὲν ὅπως ἠβούλου τὴν κατηγορίαν ποιήσασθαι, προειδότα δὲ ἃ ἔχω ἐγὼ δίκαια λέγειν πρὸς τὰ παρὰ σοῦ ἐψευσμένα, ὑφαιρεῖσθαί μου τὴν ἀπολογίαν;
12. And you accuse me in the impeachment of undermining the democracy by breaking the laws; but you override every law yourself, by presenting an impeachment in a case where the laws require a public charge before the Thesmothetae. Your object was to run no risk in bringing in the action and also to have the opportunity of writing tragic phrases in the impeachment, such as you have written now, protesting that I am making many women grow old unmarried in their homes and many live illegally with men unsuited for them.
12. καὶ ἐμὲ μὲν αἰτιᾷ ἐν τῇ εἰσαγγελίᾳ καταλύειν τὸν δῆμον παραβαίν⟨ον⟩τα τοὺς νόμους, αὐ⟨τὸς⟩ δʼ ὑπερπηδής⟨ας ἅπ⟩αντας τοὺς ν⟨όμο⟩υς εἰσαγγελία⟨ν δέδ⟩ωκας ὑπὲρ ὧν ⟨γρα⟩φαὶ πρὸς τοὺς θες⟨μοθ⟩έτας ἐκ τῶν νό⟨μων⟩ εἰσίν, ἵνα π⟨ρῶτον μ⟩ὲν ἀκίνδ⟨υνος εἰς⟩ίῃς εἰς τὸ⟨ν ἀγῶνα,⟩ ἔπε⟨ιτ⟩α ἐξ⟨ῇ σοι τραγ⟩ῳδίας γρ⟨άψαι εἰς τὴ⟩ν εἰσαγγελ⟨ίαν οἵας⟩περ νῦν γέγρ⟨αφας, ὅς μʼ⟩ αἰτιᾷ ὅτι ⟨πολλὰς μὲν γ⟩υνα⟨ῖκας ποιῶ⟩ ἀγάμ⟨ους ἔνδον κα⟩ταγηρ⟨άσκειν, πολλ⟩ὰς δὲ ς⟨υνοικεῖν ο⟩ἷς οὐ προσήκει παρὰ τοὺς νόμους.
13. The fact is that you can instance no other woman in the city whom I have wronged in this way, and as for the subject of your present charge, what view did you take of her? Was she right to live with Charippus, an Athenian citizen who was her husband; or was she growing old unmarried in her home, she who was married at once, as soon as Euphemus supplied a talent of silver as a dowry, obviously with no ulterior motive but simply out of kindness?
13. οὐκοῦν ἄλλην μὲν οὐδεμίαν τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει γυναῖκα ἔχεις εἰπεῖν, ᾗτινι ἐγὼ τούτων αἴτιός εἰμι, περὶ ἧς δὲ νῦν τὴν κατηγορίαν πεποίησαι, πότερα ᾤου προσήκειν συνοικεῖν ἐκδεδομένην Χαρίππῳ, ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν, ἢ ἀνέκδοτον ἔνδον καταγηράσκειν, ἣ εὐθὺς ἐξεδόθη τάλαντον ἀργυρίου προσθέντος αὐτῇ Εὐφήμου, δηλονότι οὐ διὰ πονηρίαν, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἐπιείκειαν;
14. So Ariston may say whatever he pleases, gentlemen of the jury, and invent lies against me, but surely your verdict upon me must be based, not on the slanders of the prosecutor, but on a review of the whole of my life. No one in the city, whether good or bad, can deceive the community in which you live. Indeed the most reliable testimonial of character which a man can have is his past career, especially in refuting charges like the present.
14. τούτῳ μὲν οὖν ἔξεστιν, ⟨ὦ⟩ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ λέγειν ὅ τι ἂν βούληται καὶ καταψεύδεσθαι, ὑμᾶς δʼ οἶμαι δεῖν οὐκ ἐκ τῶν τοῦ κατηγόρου διαβολῶν περὶ ἐμοῦ δικάζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ βίου ὃν βεβίωκα ἐξετάσαντας. λαθεῖν γὰρ τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ὑμέτερον οὐκ ἔνι οὔτε πονηρὸν ὄντα οὐδένα τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει οὔτε ἐπιεικῆ, ἀλλʼ ὁ παρεληλυθὼς χρόνος μάρτυς ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ τοῦ τρόπου ἀκριβέστατος, ἄλλως τε δὴ καὶ περὶ τούτων τῶν αἰτιῶν οἵα αὕτη ⟨ἐστ⟩ίν.
15. Where the crime is one which can be committed at any time during a man’s life it should be considered in the light of the particular accusation made. But adultery is a practice which no man can begin after fifty. Either he has been a loose-liver for a long lime—and let these men prove that that is true of me—or else the charge may be presumed false.
15. ὅσα μὲν γὰρ ⟨τῶ⟩ν ἀδικημάτων ⟨ἐν ἁ⟩πάσῃ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ ⟨τῇ⟩ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ⟨ἐνδέ⟩χεται ἀδικῆ⟨σαι, τα⟩ῦτα μὲν δεῖ ⟨σκοπεῖ⟩ν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ⟨ἐγκλή⟩ματος οὗ ἂν ⟨ἔχῃ τις· μο⟩ιχεύειν ⟨δʼ οὐκ ἐνδέ⟩χεται ἀπὸ ⟨πεντήκο⟩ντα ἐτῶν ⟨ἄνθρωπον⟩ ἀλλʼ ἢ πά⟨λαι τοιοῦτ⟩ός ἐστιν, ὃ δειξάτωσαν οὗτοι, ἢ ψευδῆ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰκὸς εἶναι.
16. Now I, gentlemen of the jury, have lived with you in Athens all my life. I have never been subjected to any discreditable charge, nor have I brought an accusation against another citizen. I have not been defendant or prosecutor in any lawsuit, but have always been a keen horsebreeder, consistently overtaxing my strength and my resources. I have been crowned for bravery by the order of knights and by my colleagues in office.
16. ἐγὼ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μεθʼ ὑμῶν διατρίβων ἐν τῇ πόλει τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, οὔτε αἰτίαν πονηρὰν οὐδεμίαν πώποτʼ ἔλαβον, οὔτʼ ἔγκλημά μοι πρὸς οὐδένα τῶν πολιτῶν γέγονεν, οὐδὲ πέφευγα δίκην οὐδεμίαν, οὐδʼ ἕτερον δεδίωχα, ἱπποτροφῶν δὲ διατετέλεκα φιλοτίμως τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον παρὰ δύναμιν καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν οὐσίαν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ. ἐστεφάνωμαι δʼ ὑπό τε τῶν ἱππέων πάντων ἀνδραγαθίας ἕνεκα, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν συναρχόντων.
17. For you appointed me, gentlemen of the jury, first as Phylarch and later as Cavalry Leader at Lemnos. I held the command there for two years, the only cavalry leader who has ever done so, and prolonged my stay for a third, as I did not wish, in exacting the pay for the horsemen rashly, to burden citizens in financial straits.
17. ὑμεῖς γάρ με, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, πρῶτον μὲν φύλαρχον ἐχειροτονήσατε, ἔπειτα εἰς Λῆμνον ἵππαρχον· καὶ ἦρξα μὲν αὐτόθι δύʼ ἔτη τῶν πώποθʼ ἱππαρχηκότων μόνος, προσκατέμεινα δὲ αὐτόθι τὸν τρίτον ἐνιαυτόν, οὐ βουλόμενος πολίτας ἄνδρας ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν εἰσπράττειν τὸν μισθὸν τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν ἀπόρως διακειμένους.
18. During that time no one there brought an action against me, either private or public. In fact I was crowned three times by the inhabitants of Hephaestia and as many times more by those of Myrine. These facts should satisfy you, in the present trial, that the charges against me are false. No man can be good in Lemnos if he is bad in Athens, and you had no poor opinion of me when you dispatched me there and made me responsible for two of your own cities.
18. καὶ ἐν τούτῳ μοι τῷ χρόνῳ ἔγκλημα μὲν οὐδεὶς τῶν ἐκεῖ ἐνεκάλεσεν οὔτε ἰδίᾳ οὔτε δημοσίᾳ, στεφάνοις δὲ τρισὶν ἐστεφανώθην ὑπὸ τοῦ δ⟨ήμ⟩ου τοῦ ἐν Ἡφαις⟨τί⟩ᾳ καὶ ἑτέροις ὑ⟨πὸ⟩ τοῦ ἐν Μυρίνῃ· ἃ ⟨χρ⟩ὴ τεκμήρια ὑμῖν ε⟨ἶν⟩αι εἰς τοῦτον τὸν ἀγῶνα, ὡς ψευδεῖς κατʼ ἐμοῦ ⟨αἱ⟩ αἰτίαι εἰσίν. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε τὸν Ἀθήνησι πονηρὸν ἐν Λήμνῳ χρηστὸν εἶναι, οὐδʼ ὑμεῖς ὡς τοιοῦτον ὄντα με ἀπεστέλλετε ἐκεῖσε, παρακατατιθέμενοι δύο πόλεις τῶν ὑμετέρων αὐτῶν.
19. Well, gentlemen of the jury, you have heard virtually all that I had to say in my own defence. The prosecutor, who is an experienced speaker and used to frequent litigation, summoned advocates to help him in unjustly ruining a citizen. So I too am asking you, most earnestly, for your authority to summon my advocates in this important case, and I beg you to give a sympathetic hearing to any of my relatives or friends who can help me.
19. ὅσα μὲν οὖν ἐγὼ εἶχον, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ εἰπεῖν, σχεδὸν ἀκηκόατε. ἐπ⟨ει⟩δὴ δὲ ὁ κατήγορος οὐκ ἀπείρως ἔχων τοῦ λέγειν, εἰωθὼς δὲ πολλάκις ἀγωνίζεσθαι, ἐκάλει συνηγόρους τοὺς συναπολοῦντάς τινα τῶν πολιτῶν ἀδίκως, δέομαι ὑμῶν καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ ἀντιβολῶ κελεῦσαι κἀμὲ καλέσαι τοὺς συνεροῦντας ἐμοὶ ὑπὲρ τηλικούτου ἀγῶνος, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι εὐνοικῶς, εἴ τίς μοι ἔχει τῶν οἰκείων ἢ τῶν φίλων βοηθῆσαι, πολίτῃ μὲν ὄντι ὑμετέρῳ, ἰδιώτῃ δὲ καὶ οὐκ εἰωθότι λέγειν, ἀγωνιζομένῳ δὲ καὶ κινδυνεύοντι οὐ μόνον περὶ θανάτου, ἐλάχιστον γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστιν τοῖς ὀρθῶς λογιζομένοις, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐξορισθῆναι καὶ ἀποθανόντα μηδὲ ἐν τῇ πατρίδι ταφῆναι.
20. I am a fellow-citizen of yours, an amateur unused to speaking, on trial now with the risk not only of losing my life—a minor consideration to men with a proper sense of values—but also of being cast out after death, without even the prospect of a grave in my own country. So if you will give the word, gentlemen of the jury, I will call an advocate. Will you please come up, Theophilus, and say what you can in my defence? The jury ask you to do so.
20. ἐὰν οὖν κελεύητε, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καλῶ τινα βοηθήσοντα. ἀνάβηθί μοι, Θεόφιλε, καὶ σύνειπε ὅ τι ἔχεις· κελεύουσιν οἱ δικασταί.