---
title: "Against Leocrates · Κατὰ Λεωκράτους"
author: "Lycurgus"
translator: "J. O. Burtt"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 3
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lycurgus-against-leocrates/2/
cite: "Lycurgus, tr. J. O. Burtt, Against Leocrates · Κατὰ Λεωκράτους, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lycurgus-against-leocrates/2/"
---

# Against Leocrates · Κατὰ Λεωκράτους

*Lycurgus, tr. J. O. Burtt*

Lycurgus prosecutes a man who fled Athens after Chaeronea, with long passages of poetry about duty to one’s country.

> Greek: ed. J. O. Burtt, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0034.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: J. O. Burtt, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0034.tlg001.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.

## 2. Sections 53–103

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

[¶0] 53. Moreover you condemned Autolycus and punished him because, though he himself had faced the dangers, he was charged with secretly sending his wife and sons away. Yet if you punished him when his only crime was that he had sent away persons useless for war, what should your verdict be on one who, though a man, did not pay his country the price of his nurture? The people also, who looked with horror upon what was taking place, decreed that those who were evading the danger which their country’s defence involved were liable for treason, meriting in their belief the extreme penalty.

> Greek: 53. καίτοι εἰ τὸν τοὺς ἀχρήστους εἰς τὸν πόλεμον ὑπεκθέσθαι αἰτίαν ἔχοντα ἐτιμωρήσασθε, τί δεῖ πάσχειν ὅστις ἀνὴρ ὢν οὐκ ἀπέδωκε τὰ τροφεῖα τῇ πατρίδι; ἔτι δὲ ὁ δῆμος δεινὸν ἡγησάμενος εἶναι τὸ γιγνόμενον ἐψηφίσατο ἐνόχους εἶναι τῇ προδοσίᾳ τοὺς φεύγοντας τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος κίνδυνον, ἀξίους εἶναι νομίζων τῆς ἐσχάτης τιμωρίας.

[¶1] 54. When therefore certain actions have been censured by the most impartial council and condemned by you who were the judges appointed by lot, when they have been recognized by the people as demanding the severest punishment, will you give a verdict which opposes all these views? If you do, you will be the most unconscionable of men and will have few indeed ready to risk themselves in your defence.

> Greek: 54. ἃ δὴ κατέγνωσται μὲν παρὰ τῷ δικαιοτάτῳ συνεδρίῳ, κατεψήφισται δʼ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν τῶν δικάζειν λαχόντων, ὁμολογεῖται δὲ παρὰ τῷ δήμῳ τῆς μεγίστης ἄξια εἶναι τιμωρίας, τούτοις ὑμεῖς ἐναντία ψηφιεῖσθε; πάντων ἄρʼ ἀνθρώπων ἔσεσθε ἀγνωμονέστατοι καὶ ἐλαχίστους ἕξετε τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν κινδυνεύοντας.

[¶2] 55. It is now clear, gentlemen, that Leocrates is liable under all the articles of the indictment. He will, I gather, try to mislead you by saying that it was merely as a merchant that he departed on this voyage and that the pursuance of this calling took him from his home to Rhodes. So if he says this, please take note how you may easily expose his lies. The first point is that men travelling as merchants do not leave by the postern on the beach; they embark inside the harbor with all their friends watching to see them off. Secondly, they go alone with their attendant slave, not with their mistress and her maids.

> Greek: 55. ὡς μὲν οὖν ἔνοχός ἐστι τοῖς εἰσηγγελμένοις ἅπασιν, ὦ ἄνδρες, Λεωκράτης φανερόν ἐστι· πυνθάνομαι δʼ αὐτὸν ἐπιχειρήσειν ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατᾶν λέγοντα, ὡς ἔμπορος ἐξέπλευσε καὶ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν ἐργασίαν ἀπεδήμησεν εἰς Ῥόδον. ἐὰν οὖν ταῦτα λέγῃ, ἐνθυμεῖσθʼ ᾧ ῥᾳδίως λήψεσθʼ αὐτὸν ψευδόμενον. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἀκτῆς κατὰ τὴν πυλίδα ἐμβαίνουσιν οἱ κατʼ ἐμπορίαν πλέοντες ἀλλʼ εἴσω τοῦ λιμένος, ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν φίλων ὁρώμενοι καὶ ἀποστελλόμενοι· ἔπειτα οὐ μετὰ τῆς ἑταίρας καὶ τῶν θεραπαινῶν ἀλλὰ μόνοι μετὰ παιδὸς τοῦ διακονοῦντος.

[¶3] 56. Besides, what need had this Athenian to stay five years in Megara as a merchant? What need had he to send for the sacred images of his family or to sell his house in Athens? The answer is that he had condemned himself as a traitor to his country, as a criminal who had greatly wronged us all. It would be incongruous indeed if you, with the decision in your power, were to dismiss this charge on which he was himself expecting punishment. But quite apart from these objections, we need not, I think, admit this line of defence.

> Greek: 56. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τί προσῆκεν ἐν Μεγάροις τὸν Ἀθηναῖον ὡς ἔμπορον πέντε ἔτη κατοικεῖν καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ τὰ πατρῷα μετακομίζεσθαι καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν ἐνθάδε πωλεῖν, εἰ μὴ κατεγνώκει τε αὑτοῦ προδεδωκέναι τὴν πατρίδα καὶ μεγάλα πάντας ἠδικηκέναι; ὃ καὶ πάντων γένοιτʼ ἂν ἀτοπώτατον, εἰ περὶ ὧν αὐτὸς προσεδόκα τεύξεσθαι τιμωρίας, ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς ἀπολύσαιτε κύριοι γενόμενοι τῆς ψήφου. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων οὐχ ἡγοῦμαι δεῖν ἀποδέχεσθαι ταύτην τὴν ἀπολογίαν.

[¶4] 57. For surely it is outrageous, when men abroad on business were hurrying to the city’s help, that Leocrates alone should sail away at such a time for purposes of trade, since no one would then have thought of adding to his wealth. Men’s only care was to preserve what they already had. I should like Leocrates to tell me what merchandise he could have brought us to render him more useful than he would have been, had he presented himself before the generals for enrollment and had resisted the invaders by fighting at your sides.

> Greek: 57. πῶς γὰρ οὐ δεινὸν τοὺς μὲν ἐπʼ ἐμπορίαν ἀποδημοῦντας σπεύδειν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς πόλεως βοήθειαν, τοῦτον δὲ μόνον ἐν τοῖς τότε καιροῖς καὶ κατʼ ἐργασίαν ἐκπλεῖν, ἡνίκα οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς προσκτήσασθαι οὐδὲν ἂν ἐζήτησεν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα μόνον διαφυλάξαι; ἡδέως δʼ ἂν αὐτοῦ πυθοίμην τίνʼ ἐμπορίαν εἰσάγων χρησιμώτερος ἐγένετο ἂν τῇ πόλει τοῦ παρασχεῖν τὸ σῶμα τάξαι τοῖς στρατηγοῖς καὶ τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἀμύνασθαι μεθʼ ὑμῶν μαχόμενος. ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδεμίαν ὁρῶ τηλικαύτην οὖσαν βοήθειαν.

[¶5] 58. Personally I know no help to equal this. He deserves your anger for this conduct and for his explanation too, since he has not hesitated to tell a blatant lie. For he never previously carried on this trade, being in fact a master smith; and subsequently, after his departure, he imported nothing to us from Megara, though he was away for six years without a break. Besides, he had, as it happens, an interest in the two per cent tax, which he would never have left to live abroad on business. So if he says a word about these matters, I do not doubt that you will stop him.

> Greek: 58. ἄξιον δʼ ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν ὀργίζεσθαι ταύτην, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον· φανερῶς γὰρ ψεύδεσθαι τετόλμηκεν. οὔτε γὰρ πρότερον οὐδεπώποτε ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ταύτης τῆς ἐργασίας, ἀλλʼ ἐκέκτητο χαλκοτύπους, οὔτε τότʼ ἐκπλεύσας οὐδὲν εἰσήγαγεν ἐκ Μεγάρων, ἓξ ἔτη συνεχῶς ἀποδημήσας. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ⟨τῆς⟩ πεντηκοστῆς μετέχων ἐτύγχανεν, ἣν οὐκ ἂν καταλιπὼν κατʼ ἐμπορίαν ἀπεδήμει. ὥστʼ ἂν μέν τι περὶ τούτων λέγῃ, οὐδʼ ὑμᾶς ἐπιτρέψειν αὐτῷ νομίζω.

[¶6] 59. He will perhaps in his impetuosity raise the argument, suggested to him by certain of his advocates, that he is not liable on a charge of treason, since he was not responsible for dockyards, gates or camps nor in fact for any of the city’s concerns. My own view is that those in charge of these positions could have betrayed a part of your defences only, whereas it was the whole city which Leocrates surrendered. Again, it is the living only whom men of their kind harm, but Leocrates has wronged the dead as well, depriving them of their ancestral rites.

> Greek: 59. ἥξει δʼ ἴσως ἐπʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν λόγον φερόμενος, ὃν αὐτῷ συμβεβουλεύκασί τινες τῶν συνηγόρων, ὡς οὐκ ἔνοχός ἐστι τῇ προδοσίᾳ· οὔτε γὰρ νεωρίων κύριος οὔτε πυλῶν οὔτε στρατοπέδων οὔθʼ ὅλως τῶν τῆς πόλεως οὐδενός. ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγοῦμαι τοὺς μὲν τούτων κυρίους μέρος ἄν τι προδοῦναι τῆς ὑμετέρας δυνάμεως, τουτονὶ δʼ ὅλην ἔκδοτον ποιῆσαι τὴν πόλιν. ἔτι δʼ οἱ μὲν τοὺς ζῶντας μόνον ἀδικοῦσι προδιδόντες, οὗτος δὲ καὶ τοὺς τετελευτηκότας [καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ἱερά,] τῶν πατρῴων νομίμων ἀποστερῶν.

[¶7] 60. Had the city been betrayed by them it would have been inhabited though enslaved, but left as this man left it, it would have been deserted. Moreover, after suffering hardships cities may well expect to see a change to better times, but with complete destruction even the hopes common to every city are taken from them. A man, if he but lives, has still a prospect of change from evil fortunes, but at his death there perishes with him every means by which prosperity could come. And so it is with cities; their misfortune reaches its limit when they are destroyed.

> Greek: 60. καὶ ὑπὸ μὲν ἐκείνων προδοθεῖσαν οἰκεῖσθαι ἂν συνέβαινε δούλην οὖσαν τὴν πόλιν, ὃν δὲ τρόπον οὗτος ἐξέλιπεν, ἀοίκητον ἂν γενέσθαι. ἔτι δʼ ἐκ μὲν τοῦ κακῶς πράττειν τὰς πόλεις μεταβολῆς τυχεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον εἰκός ἐστιν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ παντάπασι γενέσθαι ἀναστάτους καὶ τῶν κοινῶν ἐλπίδων στερηθῆναι. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ ζῶντι μὲν ἐλπὶς ἐκ τοῦ κακῶς πρᾶξαι μεταπεσεῖν, τελευτήσαντι δὲ συναναιρεῖται πάντα διʼ ὧν ἄν τις εὐδαιμονήσειεν, οὕτω καὶ περὶ τὰς πόλεις συμβαίνει πέρας ἔχειν τὴν ἀτυχίαν, ὅταν ἀνάστατοι γένωνται.

[¶8] 61. Indeed, the plain fact is that for a city destruction is like death. Let us take the clearest illustration. Our city was enslaved in earlier times by the tyrants and later by the Thirty, when the walls were demolished by the Spartans. Yet we were freed from both these evils and the Greeks approved us as the guardians of their welfare.

> Greek: 61. εἰ γὰρ δεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἰπεῖν, πόλεώς ἐστι θάνατος ἀνάστατον γενέσθαι. τεκμήριον δὲ μέγιστον· ἡμῶν γὰρ ἡ πόλις τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν ὑπὸ τῶν τυράννων κατεδουλώθη, τὸ δʼ ὕστερον ὑπὸ τῶν τριάκοντα, καὶ ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων τὰ τείχη καθῃρέθη· καὶ ἐκ τούτων ὅμως ἀμφοτέρων ἠλευθερώθημεν καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων εὐδαιμονίας ἠξιώθημεν προστάται γενέσθαι.

[¶9] 62. Not so with any city which has ever been destroyed. First, though it is to quote a rather early case, remember Troy. Who has not heard how, after being the greatest city of her time and ruling the whole of Asia, she was deserted for ever when once the Greeks had razed her? Think of Messene too, established again as a city five hundred years after from men of indiscriminate origin.

> Greek: 62. ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὅσαι πώποτʼ ἀνάστατοι γεγόνασι. τοῦτο μὲν γάρ, εἰ καὶ παλαιότερον εἰπεῖν ἐστι, τὴν Τροίαν τίς οὐκ ἀκήκοεν ὅτι μεγίστη γεγενημένη τῶν τότε πόλεων καὶ πάσης ἐπάρξασα τῆς Ἀσίας, ὡς ἅπαξ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων κατεσκάφη, τὸν αἰῶνα ἀοίκητός ἐστι; τοῦτο δὲ Μεσσήνην πεντακοσίοις ἔτεσιν ὕστερον ἐκ τῶν τυχόντων ἀνθρώπων συνοικισθεῖσαν;

[¶10] 63. Perhaps one of his advocates will dare to belittle the offence and say that none of these misfortunes could have resulted from the action of one man. They are not ashamed to make before you the kind of plea for which they deserve to die. For if they admit that he deserted his country, once they have granted this, let them leave it to you to determine the seriousness of the offence; and even if he has committed none of these crimes, surely it is madness to say that this one man could cause no harm.

> Greek: 63. ἴσως οὖν τῶν συνηγόρων αὐτῷ τολμήσει τις εἰπεῖν, μικρὸν τὸ πρᾶγμα ποιῶν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἂν παρʼ ἕνα ἄνθρωπον ἐγένετο τούτων· καὶ οὐκ αἰσχύνονται τοιαύτην ἀπολογίαν ποιούμενοι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐφʼ ᾗ δικαίως ἂν ἀποθάνοιεν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὁμολογοῦσι τὴν πατρίδα αὐτὸν ἐκλιπεῖν, τοῦτο συγχωρήσαντες ὑμᾶς ἐώντων διαγνῶναι περὶ τοῦ μεγέθους· εἰ δʼ ὅλως μηδὲν τούτων πεποίηκεν, οὐ μανία δή που τοῦτο λέγειν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἂν γένοιτο παρὰ τοῦτον;

[¶11] 64. Personally, gentlemen, I think the opposite is true: the safety of the city rested with this man. For the city’s life continues only if each one guards her by personally doing his duty and if a man neglects his duty in a single aspect, he has, unwittingly, neglected it entirely. But it is easy, gentlemen, to ascertain the truth by referring to the attitude of the early lawgivers.

> Greek: 64. ἡγοῦμαι δʼ ἔγωγε, ὦ ἄνδρες, τοὐναντίον τούτοις, παρὰ τοῦτον εἶναι τῇ πόλει τὴν σωτηρίαν. ἡ γὰρ πόλις οἰκεῖται κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἑκάστου μοῖραν φυλαττομένη· ὅταν οὖν ταύτην ἐφʼ ἑνός τις παρίδῃ, λέληθεν ἑαυτὸν ἐφʼ ἁπάντων τοῦτο πεποιηκώς. καίτοι ῥᾴδιόν ἐστιν, ὦ ἄνδρες, πρὸς τὰς τῶν ἀρχαίων νομοθετῶν διανοίας ἀποβλέψαντας τὴν ἀλήθειαν εὑρεῖν.

[¶12] 65. It was not their way, when prescribing the death penalty for the thief who stole a hundred talents, to approve a punishment less severe for one who took ten drachmas. Again with sacrilege: for a great offence they inflicted death, and for a small one too they had no milder punishment. They did not differentiate between him who killed a slave and him who killed a free man, by fining one and outlawing the other.

> Greek: 65. ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ οὐ τῷ μὲν ἑκατὸν τάλαντα κλέψαντι θάνατον ἔταξαν, τῷ δὲ δέκα δραχμὰς ἔλαττον ἐπιτίμιον· οὐδὲ τὸν μὲν μεγάλα ἱεροσυλήσαντα ἀπέκτεινον, τὸν δὲ μικρὰ ἐλάττονι τιμωρίᾳ ἐκόλαζον· οὐδὲ τὸν μὲν οἰκέτην ἀποκτείναντα ἀργυρίῳ ἐζημίουν, τὸν δὲ ἐλεύθερον εἶργον τῶν νόμων ἀλλʼ ὁμοίως ἐπὶ πᾶσι καὶ τοῖς ἐλαχίστοις παρανομήμασι θάνατον ὥρισαν εἶναι τὴν ζημίαν.

[¶13] 66. For all breaches of the law alike, however small, they fixed upon the death penalty, making no special allowances, in their assessment of the magnitude of crimes, for the individual circumstances of each. On one point only they insisted: was the crime such that, if it became more widespread, it would do serious harm to society? And it is absurd to face this question in any other way. Just imagine, gentlemen. Suppose someone had entered the Metroon and erased one law and then excused himself on the grounds that the city was not endangered by the loss of just this one. Would you not have killed him? I think you would have been justified in doing so, at least if you intended to save the other laws.

> Greek: 66. οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἀπέβλεπε τοῦ γεγενημένου πράγματος, οὐδʼ ἐντεῦθεν τὸ μέγεθος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐλάμβανον, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ ἐσκόπουν τοῦτο, εἰ πέφυκε τὸ ἀδίκημα τοῦτο ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐλθὸν μέγα βλάπτειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον ἄλλως πως περὶ τούτου ἐξετάζειν. φέρε γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, εἴ τις ἕνα νόμον εἰς τὸ Μητρῷον ἐλθὼν ἐξαλείψειεν, εἶτʼ ἀπολογοῖτο ὡς οὐδὲν παρὰ τοῦτον τῇ πόλει ἐστίν, ἆρʼ οὐκ ἂν ἀπεκτείνατʼ αὐτόν; ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι δικαίως, εἴπερ ἐμέλλετε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους σῴζειν.

[¶14] 67. The same applies here: you must punish this man with death if you intend to make the other citizens better, oblivious of the fact that he is only one. You must consider the act. There are not many like him. In my opinion we have our good fortune to thank for that; but Leocrates, I think, deserves a more severe punishment on this account, since he alone of his fellow citizens sought safety for himself rather than for the city.

> Greek: 67. τὸν αὐτὸν τοίνυν τρόπον κολαστέον ἐστὶ τοῦτον, εἰ μέλλετε τοὺς ἄλλους πολίτας βελτίους ποιήσειν· καὶ οὐ τοῦτο λογιεῖσθε, εἰ εἷς ἐστι μόνος ἅνθρωπος, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸ πρᾶγμα. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι τὸ μὴ πολλοὺς τοιούτους γενέσθαι ἡμέτερον εὐτύχημα εἶναι, τοῦτον μέντοι διὰ τοῦτο μείζονος τιμωρίας ἄξιον εἶναι τυχεῖν, ὅτι μόνος τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν οὐ κοινὴν ἀλλʼ ἰδίαν τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐζήτησεν.

[¶15] 68. Nothing angers me so much, gentlemen, as to hear some person among his supporters saying that to have left the city is not treason, since your ancestors once left it when they crossed to Salamis during their war with Xerxes: a critic so senseless and contemptuous of you that he has presumed to confuse the most honorable action with the most base.

> Greek: 68. ἀγανακτῶ δὲ μάλιστα, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἐπειδὰν ἀκούσω τῶν μετὰ τούτου τινὸς λέγοντος ὡς οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο προδιδόναι, εἴ τις ᾤχετο ἐκ τῆς πόλεως· καὶ γὰρ οἱ πρόγονοί ποθʼ ὑμῶν τὴν πόλιν καταλιπόντες, ὅτε πρὸς Ξέρξην ἐπολέμουν, εἰς Σαλαμῖνα διέβησαν. καὶ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἀνόητος καὶ παντάπασιν ὑμῶν καταπεφρονηκὼς ὥστε τὸ κάλλιστον τῶν ἔργων πρὸς τὸ αἴσχιστον συμβαλεῖν ἠξίωσε.

[¶16] 69. For where have men not proclaimed the valor of those heroes? Who is so grudging, who so completely without spirit, that he would not wish to have shared in their exploits? They did not desert Athens; they simply changed the scene, making an honorable decision in the face of the growing menace.

> Greek: 69. ποῦ γὰρ οὐ περιβόητος ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἡ ἀρετὴ γέγονε; τίς δʼ οὕτως ἢ φθονερός ἐστιν ἢ παντάπασιν ἀφιλότιμος, ὃς οὐκ ἂν εὔξαιτο τῶν ἐκείνοις πεπραγμένων μετασχεῖν; οὐ γὰρ τὴν πόλιν ἐξέλιπον ἀλλὰ τὸν τόπον μετήλλαξαν, πρὸς τὸν ἐπιόντα κίνδυνον καλῶς βουλευσάμενοι.

[¶17] 70. Eteonicus the Spartan, Adimantus the Corinthian and the Aeginetan fleet intended, under cover of night, to seek safety for themselves. Our ancestors, though they were being deserted by all the Greeks, forcibly liberated themselves and the others too by making them assist at Salamis in the naval battle against the Persians, and so triumphed unaided over both enemy and ally, in a way appropriate to each, conferring a favor upon one and defeating the other in battle. A fit comparison indeed to make with the man who escapes from his country on a four days’ voyage to Rhodes!

> Greek: 70. Ἐτεόνικος μὲν γὰρ ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος καὶ Ἀδείμαντος ὁ Κορίνθιος καὶ τὸ Αἰγινητῶν ναυτικὸν ὑπὸ νύκτα τὴν σωτηρίαν αὑτοῖς ἔμελλον πορίζεσθαι· ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι δʼ οἱ πρόγονοι ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν Ἑλλήνων βίᾳ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἠλευθέρωσαν, ἀναγκάσαντες ἐν Σαλαμῖνι μεθʼ αὑτῶν πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους ναυμαχεῖν. μόνοι δʼ ἀμφοτέρων περιγεγόνασι, καὶ τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τῶν συμμάχων, ὡς ἑκατέρων προσῆκε, τοὺς μὲν εὐεργετοῦντες, τοὺς δὲ μαχόμενοι νικῶντες. ἆρά γʼ ὅμοιοι τῷ φεύγοντι τὴν πατρίδα τεττάρων ἡμερῶν πλοῦν εἰς Ῥόδον;

[¶18] 71. Do you imagine that any one of those heroes would have been ready to condone such an act? Would they not have stoned to death one who was disgracing their valor? At least they all loved their country so much that they nearly stoned to death Alexander, the envoy from Xerxes, formerly their friend, because he demanded earth and water. If they thought it right to exact vengeance for a speech, are we to believe that they would not have visited with severe punishment a man who in fact delivered his country into the hands of the enemy?

> Greek: 71. ἦ που ταχέως ἂν ἠνέσχετό τις ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν τοιοῦτον ἔργον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν κατέλευσαν τὸν καταισχύνοντα τὴν αὑτῶν ἀριστείαν. οὕτω γοῦν ἐφίλουν τὴν πατρίδα πάντες ὥστε τὸν παρὰ Ξέρξου πρεσβευτὴν Ἀλέξανδρον, φίλον ὄντα αὐτοῖς πρότερον, ὅτι γῆν καὶ ὕδωρ ᾔτησε, μικροῦ δεῖν κατέλευσαν. ὅπου δὲ καὶ τοῦ λόγου τιμωρίαν ἠξίουν λαμβάνειν, ἦ που τὸν ἔργῳ παραδόντα τὴν πόλιν ὑποχείριον τοῖς πολεμίοις οὐ μεγάλαις ἂν ζημίαις ἐκόλασαν.

[¶19] 72. It was because they held such beliefs as these that for ninety years they were leaders of the Greeks. They ravaged Phoenicia and Cilicia, triumphed by land and sea at the Eurymedon, captured a hundred barbarian triremes and sailed round the whole of Asia wasting it.

> Greek: 72. τοιγαροῦν τοιαύταις χρώμενοι γνώμαις, ἐνενήκοντα μὲν ἔτη τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἡγεμόνες κατέστησαν, Φοινίκην δὲ καὶ Κιλικίαν ἐπόρθησαν, ἐπʼ Εὐρυμέδοντι δὲ καὶ πεζομαχοῦντες καὶ ναυμαχοῦντες ἐνίκησαν, ἑκατὸν δὲ τριήρεις τῶν βαρβάρων αἰχμαλώτους ἔλαβον, ἅπασαν δὲ τὴν Ἀσίαν κακῶς ποιοῦντες περιέπλευσαν.

[¶20] 73. And to crown their victory: not content with erecting the trophy in Salamis, they fixed for the Persian the boundaries necessary for Greek freedom and prevented his overstepping them, making an agreement that he should not sail his warships between the Cyaneae and Phaselis and that the Greeks should be free not only if they lived in Europe but in Asia too.

> Greek: 73. καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς νίκης, οὐ τὸ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι τρόπαιον ἀγαπήσαντες ἔστησαν, ἀλλʼ ὅρους τοῖς βαρβάροις πήξαντες τοὺς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς Ἑλλάδος, καὶ τούτους κωλύσαντες ὑπερβαίνειν, συνθήκας ἐποιήσαντο, μακρῷ μὲν πλοίῳ μὴ πλεῖν ἐντὸς Κυανέων καὶ Φασήλιδος, τοὺς δʼ Ἕλληνας αὐτονόμους εἶναι, μὴ μόνον τοὺς τὴν Εὐρώπην ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τὴν Ἀσίαν κατοικοῦντας.

[¶21] 74. Do you think that if they had all adopted the attitude of Leocrates and fled, any of these glorious things would have been done or that you would still be living in this country? Then, gentlemen, as you praise and honor brave men so too you must hate and punish cowards, and particularly Leocrates who showed no fear or respect towards you.

> Greek: 74. καίτοι οἴεσθʼ ἄν, εἰ τῇ Λεωκράτους διανοίᾳ χρησάμενοι πάντες ἔφυγον, τούτων ἄν τι γενέσθαι τῶν καλῶν ἔργων, ἢ ταύτην ἂν ἔτι τὴν χώραν κατοικεῖν ὑμᾶς; χρὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὥσπερ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἐπαινεῖτε καὶ τιμᾶτε, οὕτω καὶ τοὺς κακοὺς μισεῖν τε καὶ κολάζειν, ἄλλως τε καὶ Λεωκράτην, ὃς οὔτε ἔδεισεν οὔτε ᾐσχύνθη ὑμᾶς.

[¶22] 75. Consider too what your traditional views have been in this respect and what your present feelings are. It is as well that I should remind you though you know already. For by Athena, in the ancient laws and in the principles of those who drew them up in the beginning we have indeed a panegyric on the city. You have but to observe them to do right and all men will respect you as worthy of her.

> Greek: 75. καίτοι ὑμεῖς τίνα τρόπον νενομίκατε περὶ τούτων καὶ πῶς ἔχετε ταῖς διανοίαις, θεωρήσατε. ἄξιον γὰρ ὅμως καίπερ πρὸς εἰδότας διελθεῖν· ἐγκώμιον γὰρ νὴ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν εἰσι τῆς πόλεως οἱ παλαιοὶ νόμοι καὶ τὰ ἔθη τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ταῦτα κατασκευασάντων, οἷς ἂν προσέχητε, τὰ δίκαια ποιήσετε καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις σεμνοὶ καὶ ἄξιοι τῆς πόλεως δόξετʼ εἶναι.

[¶23] 76. There is an oath which you take, sworn by all citizens when, as ephebi, they are enrolled on the register of the deme, not to disgrace your sacred arms, not to desert your post in the ranks, but to defend your country and to hand it on better than you found it. If Leocrates has sworn this oath he has clearly perjured himself and, quite apart from wronging you, has behaved impiously towards the god. But if he has not sworn it, it becomes immediately plain that he has been playing tricks in the hope of evading his duty; and for this you would be justified in punishing him, on your own and Heaven’s behalf.

> Greek: 76. ὑμῖν γὰρ ἔστιν ὅρκος, ὃν ὀμνύουσι πάντες οἱ πολῖται, ἐπειδὰν εἰς τὸ ληξιαρχικὸν γραμματεῖον ἐγγραφῶσι καὶ ἔφηβοι γένωνται, μήτε τὰ ἱερὰ ὅπλα καταισχυνεῖν μήτε τὴν τάξιν λείψειν, ἀμυνεῖν δὲ τῇ πατρίδι καὶ ἀμείνω παραδώσειν. ὃν εἰ μὲν ὀμώμοκε Λεωκράτης, φανερῶς ἐπιώρκηκε, καὶ οὐ μόνον ὑμᾶς ἠδίκηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ θεῖον ἠσέβηκεν. εἰ δὲ μὴ ὀμώμοκεν εὐθὺς δῆλός ἐστι παρασκευασάμενος ⟨ὡς⟩ οὐδὲν ποιήσων τῶν δεόντων, ἀνθʼ ὧν δικαίως ἂν αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν θεῶν τιμωρήσαισθε.

[¶24] 77. I want you to hear the oath. Read, clerk. The Oath.— I will not bring dishonor an my sacred arms nor will I abandon my comrade wherever I shall be stationed. I will defend the rights of gods and men and will not leave my country smaller, when I die, but greater and better, so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all. I will respect the rulers of the time duly and the existing ordinances duly and all others which may be established in the future. And if anyone seeks to destroy the ordinances I will oppose him so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all. I will honor the cults of my fathers. Witnesses to this shall be the gods Agraulus, Hestia, Enyo, Enyalius, Ares, Athena the Warrior, Zeus, Thallo, Auxo, Hegemone, Heracles, and the boundaries of my native land, wheat, barley, vines, olive-trees, fig-trees.... It is a fine and solemn oath, gentlemen; an oath which Leocrates has broken in all that he has done. How could a man be more impious or a greater traitor to his country? How could he disgrace his arms more than by refusing to take them up and resist the enemy? Is there any doubt that a man has deserted the soldier at his side and left his post, if he did not even offer his person for enlistment?

> Greek: 77. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ ὅρκου. λέγε, γραμματεῦ.
Ὅρκος. —⟨Οὐκ αἰσχυνῶ τὰ ἱερὰ ὅπλα, οὐδὲ λείψω τὸν παραστάτην ὅπου ἂν στοιχήσω· ἀμυνῶ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἱερῶν καὶ ὁσίων καὶ οὐκ ἐλάττω παραδώσω τὴν πατρίδα, πλείω δὲ καὶ ἀρείω κατά τε ἐμαυτὸν καὶ μετὰ ἁπάντων, καὶ εὐηκοήσω τῶν ἀεὶ κραινόντων ἐμφρόνως. καὶ τῶν θεσμῶν τῶν ἱδρυμένων καὶ οὓς ἂν τὸ λοιπὸν ἱδρύσωνται ἐμφρόνως· ἐὰν δέ τις ἀναιρεῖ, οὐκ ἐπιτρέψω κατά τε ἐμαυτὸν καὶ μετὰ πάντων, καὶ τιμήσω ἱερὰ τὰ πάτρια. ἴστορες θεοὶ Ἄγραυλος, Ἑστία, Ἐνυώ, Ἐνυάλιος, Ἄρης καὶ Ἀθηνᾶ Ἀρεία, Ζεύς, Θαλλώ, Αὐξώ, Ἡγεμόνη, Ἡρακλῆς, ὅροι τῆς πατρίδος, πυροί, κριθαί, ἄμπελοι, ἐλάαι, συκαῖ … ⟩ καλός γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ ὅσιος ὁ ὅρκος. παρὰ τοῦτον τοίνυν ἅπαντα πεποίηκε Λεωκράτης. καίτοι πῶς ἂν ἄνθρωπος γένοιτο ἀνοσιώτερος ἢ μᾶλλον προδότης τῆς πατρίδος; τίνα δʼ ἂν τρόπον ὅπλα καταισχύνειέ τις μᾶλλον ἢ εἰ λαβεῖν μὴ θέλοι καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀμύνασθαι; πῶς δʼ οὐ καὶ τὸν παραστάτην καὶ τὴν τάξιν λέλοιπεν ὁ μηδὲ τάξαι τὸ σῶμα παρασχών;

[¶25] 78. How could anyone have defended the rights of men and gods who did not face a single danger? What greater treachery could he have shown towards his country, which, for all that he has done to save it, is left at the mercy of the enemy? Then will you not kill this man who is answerable for every crime? If not, whom will you punish? Those guilty of only one such act? It will be easy then to commit serious offences among you, if you show that the smaller ones arouse your anger more.

> Greek: 78. ποῦ δʼ ὑπὲρ ὁσίων καὶ ἱερῶν ἤμυνεν ἂν ὁ μηδένα κίνδυνον ὑπομείνας; τίνι δʼ ἂν τὴν πατρίδα προὔδωκε μείζονι προδοσίᾳ; τὸ γὰρ τούτου μέρος ἐκλελειμμένη τοῖς πολεμίοις ὑποχείριός ἐστιν. εἶτα τοῦτον οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖτε τὸν ἁπάσαις ταῖς ἀδικίαις ἔνοχον ὄντα; τίνας οὖν τιμωρήσεσθε; τοὺς ἕν τι τούτων ἡμαρτηκότας; ῥᾴδιον ἔσται παρʼ ὑμῖν ἄρα μεγάλα ἀδικεῖν, εἰ φανεῖσθε ἐπὶ τοῖς μικροῖς μᾶλλον ὀργιζόμενοι.

[¶26] 79. There is a further point which you should notice, gentlemen. The power which keeps our democracy together is the oath. For there are three things of which the state is built up: the archon, the juryman and the private citizen. Each of these gives this oath as a pledge, and rightly so. For human beings have often been deceived. Many criminals evade them, escaping the dangers of the moment, yes, and even remaining unpunished for these crimes for the remainder of their lives. But the gods no one who broke his oath would deceive. No one would escape their vengeance. If the perjured man does not suffer himself, at least his children and all his family are overtaken by dire misfortunes.

> Greek: 79. καὶ μήν, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ τοῦθʼ ὑμᾶς δεῖ μαθεῖν, ὅτι τὸ συνέχον τὴν δημοκρατίαν ὅρκος ἐστί. τρία γάρ ἐστιν ἐξ ὧν ἡ πολιτεία συνέστηκεν, ὁ ἄρχων, ὁ δικαστής, ὁ ἰδιώτης. τούτων τοίνυν ἕκαστος ταύτην πίστιν δίδωσιν, εἰκότως· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπους πολλοὶ ἤδη ἐξαπατήσαντες καὶ διαλαθόντες οὐ μόνον τῶν παρόντων κινδύνων ἀπελύθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον ἀθῷοι τῶν ἀδικημάτων τούτων εἰσί· τοὺς δὲ θεοὺς οὔτʼ ἂν ἐπιορκήσας τις λάθοι οὔτʼ ἂν ἐκφύγοι τὴν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν τιμωρίαν, ἀλλʼ εἰ μὴ αὐτός, οἱ παῖδές γε καὶ τὸ γένος ἅπαν τὸ τοῦ ἐπιορκήσαντος μεγάλοις ἀτυχήμασι περιπίπτει.

[¶27] 80. It was for this reason, gentlemen of the jury, that all the Greeks exchanged this pledge at Plataea, before taking up their posts to fight against the power of Xerxes. The formula was not their own but borrowed from the oath which is traditional among you. It would be well for you to hear it; for though the events of that time are ancient history now we can discern clearly enough, in these recorded words, the courage of our forbears. Please read the oath.

> Greek: 80. διόπερ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ταύτην πίστιν ἔδοσαν αὑτοῖς ἐν Πλαταιαῖς πάντες οἱ Ἕλληνες, ὅτʼ ἔμελλον παραταξάμενοι μάχεσθαι πρὸς τὴν Ξέρξου δύναμιν, οὐ παρʼ αὑτῶν εὑρόντες, ἀλλὰ μιμησάμενοι τὸν παρʼ ὑμῖν εἰθισμένον ὅρκον. ὃν ἄξιόν ἐστιν ἀκοῦσαι· καὶ γὰρ παλαιῶν ὄντων τῶν τότε πεπραγμένων ὅμως ἱκανῶς ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἰδεῖν τὴν ἐκείνων ἀρετήν. καί μοι ἀναγίγνωσκε αὐτόν.

[¶28] 81. The Oath.—I will not hold life dearer than freedom nor will I abandon my leaders whether they are alive or dead. I will bury all allies killed in the battle. If I conquer the barbarians in war I will not destroy any of the cities which have fought for Greece but I will consecrate a tenth of all those which sided with the barbarian. I will not rebuild a single one of the shrines which the barbarians have burnt and razed but will allow them to remain for future generations as a memorial of the barbarians’ impiety.

> Greek: 81. Ὅρκος. —Οὐ ποιήσομαι περὶ πλείονος τὸ ζῆν τῆς ἐλευθερίας οὐδʼ ἐγκαταλείψω τοὺς ἡγεμόνας οὔτε ζῶντας οὔτε ἀποθανόντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐν τῇ μάχῃ τελευτήσαντας τῶν συμμάχων ἅπαντας θάψω. καὶ κρατήσας τῷ πολέμῳ τοὺς βαρβάρους τῶν μὲν μαχεσαμένων ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἑλλάδος πόλεων οὐδεμίαν ἀνάστατον ποιήσω, τὰς δὲ τὰ τοῦ βαρβάρου προελομένας ἁπάσας δεκατεύσω. καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν τῶν ἐμπρησθέντων καὶ καταβληθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων οὐδὲν ἀνοικοδομήσω παντάπασιν, ἀλλʼ ὑπόμνημα τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις ἐάσω καταλείπεσθαι τῆς τῶν βαρβάρων ἀσεβείας.

[¶29] 82. They stood by this oath so firmly, gentlemen, that they had the favor of the gods on their side to help them; and, though all the Greeks proved courageous in the hour of danger, your city won the most renown. Your ancestors faced death to save the city from shame; nothing could then be worse than for you to pardon those who have disgraced her and allowed our national glory, won through many hardships, to perish by the wickedness of men like this.

> Greek: 82. οὕτω τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες, σφόδρα ἐνέμειναν ἐν τούτῳ πάντες ὥστε καὶ τὴν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν εὔνοιαν μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν ἔσχον βοηθόν, καὶ πάντων ⟨τῶν⟩ Ἑλλήνων ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν γενομένων πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, μάλιστα ἡ πόλις ὑμῶν εὐδοκίμησεν. ὃ καὶ πάντων ἂν εἴη δεινότατον, τοὺς μὲν προγόνους ὑμῶν ἀποθνῄσκειν τολμᾶν ὥστε μὴ τὴν πόλιν ἀδοξεῖν, ὑμᾶς δὲ μὴ κολάζειν τοὺς καταισχύναντας αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ περιορᾶν τὴν κοινὴν καὶ μετὰ πολλῶν πόνων συνειλεγμένην εὔκλειαν, ταύτην διὰ τὴν τῶν τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν πονηρίαν καταλυομένην.

[¶30] 83. Consider, gentlemen: you are the only Greeks for whom it is impossible to ignore any of these crimes. Let me remind you of a few past episodes; and if you take them as examples you will reach a better verdict in the present case and in others also. The greatest virtue of your city is that she has set the Greeks an example of noble conduct. In age she surpasses every city, and in valor too our ancestors have no less surpassed their fellows.

> Greek: 83. καίτοι, ὦ ἄνδρες, μόνοις ὑμῖν τῶν Ἑλλήνων οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τούτων περιιδεῖν. βούλομαι δὲ μικρὰ τῶν παλαιῶν ὑμῖν διελθεῖν, οἷς παραδείγμασι χρώμενοι καὶ περὶ τούτων καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων βέλτιον βουλεύσεσθε. τοῦτο γὰρ ἔχει μέγιστον ἡ πόλις ὑμῶν ἀγαθόν, ὅτι τῶν καλῶν ἔργων παράδειγμα τοῖς Ἕλλησι γέγονεν· ὅσον γὰρ τῷ χρόνῳ πασῶν ἐστιν ἀρχαιοτάτη, τοσοῦτον οἱ πρόγονοι ἡμῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων ἀρετῇ διενηνόχασιν.

[¶31] 84. Remember the reign of Codrus. The Peloponnesians, whose crops had failed at home, decided to march against our city and, expelling our ancestors, to divide the land amongst themselves. They sent first to Delphi and asked the god if they were going to capture Athens, and when he replied that they would take the city so long as they did not kill Codrus, the king of the Athenians, they marched out against Athens.

> Greek: 84. ἐπὶ Κόδρου γὰρ βασιλεύοντος Πελοποννησίοις γενομένης ἀφορίας κατὰ τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν ἔδοξε στρατεύειν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμῶν τοὺς προγόνους ἐξαναστήσαντας κατανείμασθαι τὴν χώραν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν εἰς Δελφοὺς ἀποστείλαντες τὸν θεὸν ἐπηρώτων εἰ λήψονται τὰς Ἀθήνας· ἀνελόντος δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτοῖς ὅτι τὴν πόλιν αἱρήσουσιν ἂν μὴ τὸν βασιλέα τὸν Ἀθηναίων Κόδρον ἀποκτείνωσιν, ἐστράτευον ἐπὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας.

[¶32] 85. But a Delphian Cleomantis, learning of the oracle, secretly told the Athenians. Such, it seems, was the goodwill which our ancestors always inspired even among aliens. And when the Pelopannesians invaded Attica, what did our ancestors do, gentlemen of the jury? They did not desert their country and retire as Leocrates did, nor surrender to the enemy the land that reared them and its temples. No. Though they were few in number, shut inside the walls, they endured the hardships of a siege to preserve their country.

> Greek: 85. Κλεόμαντις δὲ τῶν Δελφῶν τις πυθόμενος τὸ χρηστήριον διʼ ἀπορρήτων ἐξήγγειλε τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις· οὕτως οἱ πρόγονοι ἡμῶν, ὡς ἔοικε, καὶ τοὺς ἔξωθεν ἀνθρώπους εὔνους ἔχοντες διετέλουν. ἐμβαλόντων δὲ τῶν Πελοποννησίων εἰς τὴν Ἀττικήν, τί ποιοῦσιν οἱ πρόγονοι ἡμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί; οὐ καταλιπόντες τὴν χώραν ὥσπερ Δεωκράτης ᾤχοντο οὐδʼ ἔκδοτον τὴν θρεψαμένην καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις παρέδοσαν, ἀλλʼ ὀλίγοι ὄντες κατακλῃσθέντες ἐπολιορκοῦντο καὶ διεκαρτέρουν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα.

[¶33] 86. And such was the nobility, gentlemen, of those kings of old that they preferred to die for the safety of their subjects rather than to purchase life by the adoption of another country. That at least is true of Codrus, who, they say, told the Athenians to note the time of his death and, taking a beggar’s clothes to deceive the enemy, slipped out by the gates and began to collect firewood in front of the town. When two men from the camp approached him and inquired about conditions in the city he killed one of them with a blow of his sickle.

> Greek: 86. καὶ οὕτως ἦσαν, ὦ ἄνδρες, γενναῖοι οἱ τότε βασιλεύοντες ὥστε προῃροῦντο ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἀρχομένων σωτηρίας μᾶλλον ἢ ζῶντες ἑτέραν μεταλλάξαι χώραν. φασὶ γοῦν τὸν Κόδρον παραγγείλαντα τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις προσέχειν ὅταν τελευτήσῃ τὸν βίον, λαβόντα πτωχικὴν στολὴν ὅπως ἂν ἀπατήσῃ τοὺς πολεμίους, κατὰ τὰς πύλας ὑποδύντα φρύγανα συλλέγειν πρὸ τῆς πόλεως, προσελθόντων δʼ αὐτῷ δυοῖν ἀνδρῶν ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πυνθανομένων, τὸν ἕτερον αὐτῶν ἀποκτεῖναι τῷ δρεπάνω παίσαντα τὸν δὲ περιλελειμμένον, παροξυνθέντα τῷ Κόδρῳ καὶ νομίσαντα πτωχὸν εἶναι, σπασάμενον τὸ ξίφος ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν Κόδρον.

[¶34] 87. The survivor, it is said, enraged with Codrus and thinking him a beggar drew his sword and killed him. Then the Athenians sent a herald and asked to have their king given over for burial, telling the enemy the whole truth and the Peloponnesians restored the body but retreated, aware that it was no longer open to them to secure the country. To Cleomantis of Delphi the city made a grant of maintenance in the Prytaneum for himself and his descendants for ever.

> Greek: 87. τούτων δὲ γενομένων οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι κήρυκα πέμψαντες ἠξίουν δοῦναι τὸν βασιλέα θάψαι, λέγοντες αὐτοῖς ἅπασαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν· οἱ δὲ Πελοποννήσιοι τοῦτον μὲν ἀπέδοσαν, γνόντες δʼ ὡς οὐκέτι δυνατὸν αὐτοῖς τὴν χώραν κατασχεῖν ἀπεχώρησαν. τῷ δὲ Κλεομάντει τῷ Δελφῷ ἡ πόλις αὐτῷ τε καὶ ἐκγόνοις ἐν πρυτανείῳ ἀίδιον σίτησιν ἔδοσαν.

[¶35] 88. Is there any resemblance between Leocrates’ love for his country and the love of those ancient kings who preferred to die for her and outwit the foe, giving their own life in exchange for the people’s safety? It is for this reason that they and only they have given the land their name and received honors like the gods, as is their due. For they were entitled, even after death, to a share in the country which they so zealously preserved.

> Greek: 88. ἆρά γʼ ὁμοίως ἐφίλουν τὴν πατρίδα Λεωκράτει οἱ τότε βασιλεύοντες, οἵ γε προῃροῦντο τοὺς πολεμίους ἐξαπατῶντες ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ψυχὴν ἀντὶ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας ἀντικαταλλάττεσθαι; τοιγαροῦν μονώτατοι ἐπώνυμοι τῆς χώρας εἰσὶν ἰσοθέων τιμῶν τετυχηκότες, εἰκότως· ὑπὲρ ἧς γὰρ οὕτω σφόδρα ἐσπούδαζον, δικαίως ταύτης καὶ τεθνεῶτες ἐκληρονόμουν.

[¶36] 89. But Leocrates, whether alive or dead, would have no claim to a portion in it; he of all men deserves to be cast out from the country which he abandoned to the enemy by his flight. For it is unfitting that the same ground should cover heroes and the most cowardly of mankind.

> Greek: 89. ἀλλὰ Λεωκράτης οὔτε ζῶν οὔτε τεθνεὼς δικαίως ἂν αὐτῆς μετάσχοι, μονώτατος ⟨δʼ⟩ ἂν προσηκόντως ἐξορισθείη τῆς χώρας, ἣν ἐγκαταλιπὼν τοῖς πολεμίοις ᾤχετο· οὐδὲ γὰρ καλὸν τὴν αὐτὴν καλύπτειν τοὺς τῇ ἀρετῇ διαφέροντας καὶ τὸν κάκιστον πάντων ἀνθρώπων.

[¶37] 90. Yet he contended (and perhaps he will say this to you now also) that he would not have faced this trial if he had been conscious of committing a crime like this. As if all thieves and temple-robbers did not use this argument! It is an argument which goes to prove their shamelessness rather than the fact of their innocence. That is not the point at issue; we need the assurance that he did not sail, that he did not leave the city or settle at Megara.

> Greek: 90. καίτοι γʼ ἐπεχείρησεν εἰπεῖν, ὃ καὶ νῦν ἴσως ἐρεῖ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὡς οὐκ ἄν ποτε ὑπέμεινε τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον συνειδὼς ἑαυτῷ τοιοῦτόν τι διαπεπραγμένῳ· ὥσπερ οὐ πάντας καὶ τοὺς κλέπτοντας καὶ ἱεροσυλοῦντας τούτῳ τῷ τεκμηρίῳ χρωμένους. οὐ γὰρ τοῦ πράγματός ἐστι σημεῖον ὡς οὐ πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀναιδείας ἣν ἔχουσιν. οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο δεῖ λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐκ ἐξέπλευσεν, οὐδὲ τὴν πόλιν ἐγκατέλιπεν, οὐδʼ ἐν Μεγάροις κατῴκησε· ταῦτά ἐστι τεκμήρια τοῦ πράγματος, ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἐλθεῖν τοῦτον, οἶμαι θεόν τινα αὐτὸν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἀγαγεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν, ἵνʼ ἐπειδὴ τὸν εὐκλεᾶ κίνδυνον ἔφυγε, τοῦ ἀκλεοῦς καὶ ἀδόξου θανάτου τύχοι, καὶ οὓς προὔδωκε, τούτοις ὑποχείριον αὑτὸν καταστήσειεν.

[¶38] 91. These are the facts by which the truth can be established. As for his appearance in court: surely some god brought him specially for punishment, so that, after shirking an honorable danger, he might meet a death of disgrace and shame and place himself at the mercy of the men he betrayed. If misfortune befalls him in some other place it is hardly clear if this is the crime for which he is being punished. But here, among the men whom he betrayed, it is obvious that his own transgressions of the law have brought upon him this reward. For the first step taken by the gods in the case of wicked men is to unhinge their reason; and personally I value as the utterance of an oracle these lines, composed by ancient poets and handed down to posterity:
When gods in anger seek a mortal’s harm,
First they deprive him of his sanity,
And fashion of his mind a baser instrument,
That he may have no knowledge when he errs.

> Greek: 91. ἑτέρωθι μὲν γὰρ ἀτυχῶν οὔπω δῆλον εἰ διὰ ταῦτα δίκην δίδωσιν ἐνταῦθα δὲ παρʼ οἷς προὔδωκε φανερόν ἐστιν ὅτι τῶν αὑτοῦ παρανομημάτων ὑπέχει ταύτην τὴν τιμωρίαν. οἱ γὰρ θεοὶ οὐδὲν πρότερον ποιοῦσιν ἢ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν διάνοιαν παράγουσι· καὶ μοι δοκοῦσι τῶν ἀρχαίων τινὲς ποιητῶν ὥσπερ χρησμοὺς γράψαντες τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις τάδε τὰ ἰαμβεῖα καταλιπεῖν·
ὅταν γὰρ ὀργὴ δαιμόνων βλάπτῃ τινά,
τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ πρῶτον, ἐξαφαιρεῖται φρενῶν
τὸν νοῦν τὸν ἐσθλόν, εἰς δὲ τὴν χείρω τρέπει
γνώμην, ἵνʼ εἰδῇ μηδὲν ὧν ἁμαρτάνει.

[¶39] 93. Who does not know the fate of Callistratus, which the older among you remember and the younger have heard recounted, the man condemned to death by the city? How he fled and later, hearing from the god at Delphi that if he returned to Athens he would have fair treatment by the laws, came back and taking refuge at the altar of the twelve gods was none the less put to death by the state, and rightly so, for “fair treatment by the laws” is, in the case of wrongdoers, punishment. And thus the god too acted rightly in allowing those who had been wronged to punish the offender. For it would be an unseemly thing if revelations made to good men were the same as those vouchsafed to malefactors.

> Greek: 93. τίς γὰρ οὐ μέμνηται τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἢ τῶν νεωτέρων οὐκ ἀκήκοε Καλλίστρατον, οὗ θάνατον ἡ πόλις κατέγνω, τοῦτον φυγόντα καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐν Δελφοῖς ἀκούσαντα ὅτι ἂν ἔλθῃ Ἀθήναζε τεύξεται τῶν νόμων, ἀφικόμενον καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν τῶν δώδεκα θεῶν καταφυγόντα, καὶ οὐδὲν ἧττον ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀποθανόντα; δικαίως· τὸ γὰρ τῶν νόμων τοῖς ἠδικηκόσι τυχεῖν τιμωρία ἐστίν. ὁ δέ γε θεὸς ὀρθῶς ἀπέδωκε τοῖς ἠδικημένοις κολάσαι τὸν αἴτιον· δεινὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη, εἰ ταὐτὰ σημεῖα τοῖς εὐσεβέσι καὶ τοῖς κακούργοις φαίνοιτο.

[¶40] 94. It is my belief, gentlemen, that the guidance of the gods presides over all human affairs and more especially, as is to be expected, over our duty towards our parents, towards the dead and towards the gods themselves. For in our dealings with those to whom we owe our being, at whose hands we have enjoyed the greatest benefits, it is the utmost sacrilege that we should fail, not merely to do our duty, but even to dedicate our lives to their service.

> Greek: 94. ἡγοῦμαι δʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες, τὴν τῶν θεῶν ἐπιμέλειαν πάσας μὲν τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας πράξεις ἐπισκοπεῖν, μάλιστα δὲ τὴν περὶ τοὺς γονέας καὶ τοὺς τετελευτηκότας καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὑτοὺς εὐσέβειαν, εἰκότως· παρʼ ὧν γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ ζῆν εἰλήφαμεν καὶ πλεῖστα ἀγαθὰ πεπόνθαμεν, εἰς τούτους μὴ ὅτι ἁμαρτεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ εὐεργετοῦντας τὸν αὑτῶν βίον καταναλῶσαι μέγιστον ἀσέβημά ἐστι.

[¶41] 95. Let me take an illustration. There is a story that in Sicily,—the tale, though half a legend, will, for the younger ones among you, be well worth the hearing,—a stream of fire burst forth from Etna. This stream, so the story goes, flowing over the countryside, drew near a certain city of the Sicilians. Most men, thinking of their own safety, took to flight; but one of the youths, seeing that his father, now advanced in years, could not escape and was being overtaken by the fire, lifted him up and carried him.

> Greek: 95. λέγεται γοῦν ἐν Σικελίᾳ (εἰ γὰρ καὶ μυθωδέστερόν ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ ἁρμόσει καὶ ὑμῖν ἅπασι τοῖς νεωτέροις ἀκοῦσαι) ἐκ τῆς Αἴτνης ῥύακα πυρὸς γενέσθαι· τοῦτον δὲ ῥεῖν φασιν ἐπί ⟨τε⟩ τὴν ἄλλην χώραν, καὶ δὴ καὶ πρὸς πόλιν τινὰ τῶν ἐκεῖ κατοικουμένων. τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἄλλους ὁρμῆσαι πρὸς φυγὴν τὴν αὑτῶν σωτηρίαν ζητοῦντας, ἕνα δέ τινα τῶν νεωτέρων, ὁρῶντα τὸν πατέρα πρεσβύτερον ὄντα καὶ οὐχὶ δυνάμενον ἀποχωρεῖν ἀλλὰ ἐγκαταλαμβανόμενον, ἀράμενον φέρειν.

[¶42] 96. Hindered no doubt by the additional weight of his burden, he too was overtaken. And now let us observe the mercy shown by God towards good men. For we are told that the fire spread round that spot in a ring and only those two men were saved, so that the place is still called the Place of the Pious, while those who had fled in haste, leaving their parents to their fate, were all consumed.

> Greek: 96. φορτίου δʼ οἶμαι προσγενομένου καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγκατελήφθη. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ ἄξιον θεωρῆσαι τὸ θεῖον, ὅτι τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς εὐμενῶς ἔχει. λέγεται γὰρ κύκλῳ τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον περιρρυῆναι τὸ πῦρ καὶ σωθῆναι τούτους μόνους, ἀφʼ ὧν καὶ τὸ χωρίον ἔτι καὶ νῦν προσαγορεύεσθαι τῶν εὐσεβῶν χῶρον· τοὺς δὲ ταχεῖαν τὴν ἀποχώρησιν ποιησαμένους καὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν γονέας ἐγκαταλιπόντας ἅπαντας ἀπολέσθαι.

[¶43] 97. You too, therefore, following that divine example, should punish with one accord this man who spared no pains to show himself in all respects the greatest criminal, depriving the gods of their traditional cults, abandoning his parents to the enemy and denying the dead their dues.

> Greek: 97. ὥστε καὶ ὑμᾶς δεῖν τὴν παρὰ ⟨τῶν⟩ θεῶν ἔχοντας μαρτυρίαν ὁμογνωμόνως τοῦτον κολάζειν, τὸν ἅπασι τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀδικήμασιν ἔνοχον ὄντα κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ μέρος. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ θεοὺς τὰς πατρίους τιμὰς ἀπεστέρησε, τοὺς δὲ γονέας τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐγκατάλιπε, τοὺς δὲ τετελευτηκότας τῶν νομίμων οὐκ εἴασε τυχεῖν.

[¶44] 98. Here is another story, gentlemen. Again I shall be speaking of our ancestors, since it is only right that you should hear of the deeds in which they took a pride and give them your approval. The tradition is that Eumolpus, the son of Poseidon and Chione, came with the Thracians to claim this country during the reign of Erechtheus who was married to Praxithea, the daughter of Cephisus.

> Greek: 98. καίτοι σκέψασθε, ὦ ἄνδρες· οὐ γὰρ ἀποστήσομαι τῶν παλαιῶν· ἐφʼ οἷς γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ποιοῦντες ἐφιλοτιμοῦντο, ταῦτα δικαίως ἂν ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες ἀποδέχοισθε. φασὶ γὰρ Εὔμολπον τὸν Ποσειδῶνος καὶ Χιόνης μετὰ Θρᾳκῶν ἐλθεῖν τῆς χώρας ταύτης ἀμφισβητοῦντα, τυχεῖν δὲ κατʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους βασιλεύοντα Ἐρεχθέα, γυναῖκα ἔχοντα Πραξιθέαν τὴν Κηφισοῦ θυγατέρα.

[¶45] 99. As a large army was about to invade their country, he went to Delphi and asked the god by what means he could assure a victory over the enemy. The god’s answer to him was that if he sacrificed his daughter before the two sides engaged he would defeat the enemy and, submitting to the god, he did this and drove the invaders from the country.

> Greek: 99. μεγάλου δὲ στρατοπέδου μέλλοντος αὐτοῖς εἰσβάλλειν εἰς τὴν χώραν, εἰς Δελφοὺς ἰὼν ἠρώτα τὸν θεὸν τί ποιῶν ἂν νίκην λάβοι παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων. χρήσαντος δʼ αὐτῷ τοῦ θεοῦ, τὴν θυγατέρα εἰ θύσειε πρὸ τοῦ συμβαλεῖν τὼ στρατοπέδω, κρατήσειν τῶν πολεμίων, ὁ δὲ τῷ θεῷ πειθόμενος τοῦτʼ ἔπραξε, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιστρατευομένους ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἐξέβαλε.

[¶46] 100. We have therefore good reason to thank Euripides, because, apart from his other merits as a poet, he chose this subject for a play, believing that in the conduct of those people the citizens would have a fine example which they could keep before them and so implant in their hearts a love of their country. You must hear the iambic lines, gentlemen of the jury, which, in the play, are spoken by the mother of the girl. You will find in them a greatness of spirit and a nobility worthy of Athens and a daughter of Cephisus.
Speech from Euripides
He wins men’s hearts who with a ready hand
Confers his favors; he who in the doing
Delays and falters is less generous.
But I consent to give my child to die
For many reasons: first there is no state
I count more worthy to accept my gift
Than Athens, peopled by no alien race.
For we are of this soil, while other towns,
Formed as by hazard in a game of draughts,
Take their inhabitants from diverse parts.
He who adopts a city, having left
Some other town, resembles a bad peg
Fixed into wood of better quality,
A citizen in name but not in fact.
And secondly: it is that we may guard
Our country and the altars of the gods
That we get children for ourselves at all.
This city, though it bears a single name,
Holds many people in it. Should I then
Destroy all these, when it is in my power
To give one girl to die on their behalf?
The mere ability to count, and tell
The greater from the less, convinces me
That this, the ruin of one person’s home,
Is of less consequence and brings less grief
Than would result if the whole city fell.
If I had sons at home instead of girls,
When hostile flames beset the city’s walls,
Should I not send them forth into the fight,
Though fearing for them? May my children then
Fight also, vie with men, and not become
Mere shapes of vanity within the state.
And yet, when mothers send their sons to war
With tears, they often daunt them as they leave.
I hate the women who above all else
Prefer their sons to live and put this thought
Before their honor, urging cowardice.
But if they fall in battle they obtain
A common grave and glory which they share
With many others; whereas she, my child,
By dying for this city will attain
A garland destined solely for herself.
And she will save her mother and you too
And both her sisters. Is it right to scorn
Honors like these? Except in nature’s way
This girl whom I shall give for sacrifice
To save her native land is not my own.
And if the city falls, what further chance
Shall I have left me to enjoy my child?
So far as rests with me, all shall be saved.
Let others rule in Athens; I will be
Her savior, and without my wish no man
Shall harm what most concerns our common good,
The ancient laws our fathers handed down.
Eumolpus and his slavish Thracian train
Shall set no trident in our midst or deck
It round with garlands, where the olive tree
And Gorgon’s golden head have been revered;
Nor shall Athena meet with utter scorn.
Come, citizens, and use my travail’s fruit
To save yourselves and conquer, knowing well
That I could never hesitate to save
This city for the sake of one poor life.
My country, were the love of all your sons
As great as mine! You could not suffer ill,
And we possessing you would live secure.

> Greek: 100. διὸ καὶ δικαίως ἄν τις Εὐριπίδην ἐπαινέσειεν, ὅτι τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ὢν ἀγαθὸς ποιητὴς καὶ τοῦτον τὸν μῦθον προείλετο ποιῆσαι, ἡγούμενος κάλλιστον ἂν γενέσθαι τοῖς πολίταις παράδειγμα τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις, πρὸς ἃς ἀποβλέποντας καὶ θεωροῦντας συνεθίζεσθαι ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὸ τὴν πατρίδα φιλεῖν. ἄξιον δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ τῶν ἰαμβείων ἀκοῦσαι, ἃ πεποίηκε λέγουσαν τὴν μητέρα τῆς παιδός. ὄψεσθε γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς μεγαλοψυχίαν καὶ γενναιότητα ἀξίαν καὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τοῦ γενέσθαι Κηφισοῦ θυγατέρα.
Ῥῆσις Εὐριπίδου
τὰς χάριτας ὅστις εὐγενῶς χαρίζεται,
ἥδιον ἐν βροτοῖσιν· οἳ δὲ δρῶσι μέν,
χρόνῳ δὲ δρῶσι, δυσγενέστερον …
ἐγὼ δὲ δώσω τὴν ἐμὴν παῖδα κτανεῖν.
λογίζομαι δὲ πολλά· πρῶτα μὲν πόλιν
οὐκ ἄν τινʼ ἄλλην τῆσδε βελτίω λαβεῖν·
ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν λεὼς οὐκ ἐπακτὸς ἄλλοθεν,
αὐτόχθονες δʼ ἔφυμεν· αἱ δʼ ἄλλαι πόλεις
πεσσῶν ὁμοίαις διαφοραῖς ἐκτισμέναι
ἄλλαι παρʼ ἄλλων εἰσὶν εἰσαγώγιμοι.
ὅστις δʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλης πόλεος οἰκήσῃ πόλιν,
ἁρμὸς πονηρὸς ὥσπερ ἐν ξύλῳ παγείς,
λόγῳ πολίτης ἐστί, τοῖς δʼ ἔργοισιν οὔ.
ἔπειτα τέκνα τοῦδʼ ἕκατι τίκτομεν,
ὡς θεῶν τε βωμοὺς πατρίδα τε ῥυώμεθα.
πόλεως δʼ ἁπάσης τοὔνομʼ ἕν, πολλοὶ δέ νιν
ναίουσι· τούτους πῶς διαφθεῖραί με χρή,
ἐξὸν πρὸ πάντων μίαν ὑπερδοῦναι θανεῖν;
εἴπερ γὰρ ἀριθμὸν οἶδα καὶ τοὐλάσσονος
τὸ μεῖζον οὑνὸς οἶκος οὐ πλεῖον σθένει
πταίσας ἁπάσης πόλεος, οὐδʼ ἴσον φέρει.
εἰ δʼ ἦν ἐν οἴκοις ἀντὶ θηλειῶν στάχυς
ἄρσην, πόλιν δὲ πολεμία κατεῖχε φλόξ,
οὐκ ἄν νιν ἐξέπεμπον εἰς μάχην δορός,
θάνατον προταρβοῦσʼ; ἀλλʼ. ἔμοιγʼ εἴη τέκνα,
⟨ἃ⟩ καὶ μάχοιτο καὶ μετʼ ἀνδράσιν πρέποι,
μὴ σχήματʼ ἄλλως ἐν πόλει πεφυκότα.
τὰ μητέρων δὲ δάκρυʼ ὅταν πέμπῃ τέκνα,
πολλοὺς ἐθήλυνʼ εἰς μάχην ὁρμωμένους.
μισῶ γυναῖκας αἵτινες πρὸ τοῦ καλοῦ
ζῆν παῖδας εἵλοντʼ ἢ παρῄνεσαν κακά.
καὶ μὴν θανόντες γʼ ἐν μάχῃ πολλῶν μέτα
τύμβον τε κοινὸν ἔλαχον εὔκλειάν τʼ ἴσην·
τῇ μιῇ δὲ παιδὶ στέφανος εἷς μιᾷ μόνῃ
πόλεως θανούσῃ τῆσδʼ ὕπερ δοθήσεται.
καὶ τὴν τεκοῦσαν καὶ σὲ δύο θʼ ὁμοσπόρω
σώσει· τί τούτων οὐχὶ δέξασθαι καλόν;
τὴν οὐκ ἐμὴν πλὴν ⟨ἢ⟩ φύσει δώσω κόρην
θῦσαι πρὸ γαίας. εἰ γὰρ αἱρεθήσεται
πόλις, τί παίδων τῶν ἐμῶν μέτεστί μοι;
οὐκοῦν ἅπαντα τοὔν γʼ ἐμοὶ σωθήσεται·
ἄρξουσιν ἄλλοι, τήνδʼ ἐγὼ σώσω πόλιν.
ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὗ τὸ πλεῖστον ἐν κοινῷ μέρος,
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ἑκούσης τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ἄτερ,
προγόνων παλαιὰ θέσμιʼ ὅστις ἐκβαλεῖ·
οὐδʼ ἀντʼ ἐλάας χρυσέας τε Γοργόνος
τρίαιναν ὀρθὴν στᾶσαν ἐν πόλεως βάθροις
Εὔμολπος οὐδὲ Θρῇξ ἀναστέψει λεὼς
στεφάνοισι, Παλλὰς δʼ οὐδαμοῦ τιμήσεται.
χρῆσθʼ, ὦ πολῖται, τοῖς ἐμοῖς λοχεύμασιν,
σῴζεσθε, νικᾶτʼ· ἀντὶ γὰρ ψυχῆς μιᾶς
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ τήνδʼ ἐγὼ σώσω πόλιν.
ὦ πατρίς, εἴθε πάντες οἳ ναίουσί σε
οὕτω φιλοῖεν ὡς ἐγώ· καὶ ῥᾳδίως
οἰκοῖμεν ἄν σε, κοὐδὲν ἂν πάσχοις κακόν.

[¶47] 101. On these verses, gentlemen, your fathers were brought up. All women are by nature fond of children, but this one Euripides portrayed as loving her country more than her offspring and made it clear that, if women bring themselves to act like this, men should show towards their country a devotion which cannot be surpassed, not forsake it and flee, as Leocrates did, nor disgrace it before the whole of Greece.

> Greek: 101. ταῦτα, ὦ ἄνδρες, τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν ἐπαίδευε. φύσει γὰρ οὐσῶν φιλοτέκνων πασῶν τῶν γυναικῶν, ταύτην ἐποίησε τὴν πατρίδα μᾶλλον τῶν παίδων φιλοῦσαν, ἐνδεικνύμενος ὅτι εἴπερ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῦτο τολμήσουσι ποιεῖν, τούς γʼ ἄνδρας ἀνυπέρβλητόν τινα δεῖ τὴν εὔνοιαν ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἔχειν, καὶ μὴ φεύγειν αὐτὴν ἐγκαταλιπόντας μηδὲ καταισχύνειν πρὸς ἅπαντας τοὺς Ἕλληνας, ὥσπερ Λεωκράτης.

[¶48] 102. I want also to recommend Homer to you. In your fathers’ eyes he was a poet of such worth that they passed a law that every four years at the Panathenaea he alone of all the poets should have his works recited; and thus they showed the Greeks their admiration for the noblest deeds. They were right to do so. Laws are too brief to give instruction: they merely state the things that must be done; but poets, depicting life itself, select the noblest actions and so through argument and demonstration convert men’s hearts.

> Greek: 102. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμῖν καὶ τὸν Ὅμηρον παρασχέσθαι ἐπαινῶν. οὕτω γὰρ ὑπέλαβον ὑμῶν οἱ πατέρες σπουδαῖον εἶναι ποιητὴν ὥστε νόμον ἔθεντο καθʼ ἑκάστην πεντετηρίδα τῶν Παναθηναίων μόνου τῶν ἄλλων ποιητῶν ῥαψῳδεῖσθαι τὰ ἔπη, ἐπίδειξιν ποιούμενοι πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας ὅτι τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν ἔργων προῃροῦντο. εἰκότως· οἱ μὲν γὰρ νόμοι διὰ τὴν συντομίαν οὐ διδάσκουσιν ἀλλʼ ἐπιτάττουσιν ἃ δεῖ ποιεῖν, οἱ δὲ ποιηταὶ μιμούμενοι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον, τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν ἔργων ἐκλεξάμενοι, μετὰ λόγου καὶ ἀποδείξεως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους συμπείθουσιν.

[¶49] 103. Thus Hector, while exhorting the Trojans to defend their country, speaks these words:
Fight on unresting by the ships; and if some meet their fate
By wound of dart, or battling hand to hand, then let them die.
To fall in combat for your country’s sake is no disgrace;
For wife and child will live unharmed, and home and plot last on,
If once the Achaeans leave and sail their ships to their own land.

> Greek: 103. Ἕκτωρ γὰρ τοῖς Τρωσὶ παρακελευόμενος ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος τάδʼ εἴρηκεν·
ἀλλὰ μάχεσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶ διαμπερές. ὃς δέ κεν ὑμέων
βλήμενος ἠὲ τυπεὶς θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ,
τεθνάτω. οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀμυνομένῳ περὶ πάτρης
τεθνάμεν· ἀλλʼ ἄλοχός τε σόη καὶ νήπια τέκνα,
καὶ κλῆρος καὶ οἶκος ἀκήρατος, εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ
οἴχωνται σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.