---
title: "Against Philocrates · Κατὰ Φιλοκράτους ἐπίλογος"
author: "Lysias"
translator: "W. R. M. Lamb"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 1
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lysias-against-philocrates/1/
cite: "Lysias, tr. W. R. M. Lamb, Against Philocrates · Κατὰ Φιλοκράτους ἐπίλογος, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lysias-against-philocrates/1/"
---

# Against Philocrates · Κατὰ Φιλοκράτους ἐπίλογος

*Lysias, tr. W. R. M. Lamb*

Ergocles’ treasurer accused of hiding his money.

> Greek: ed. W.R.M. Lamb, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0540.tlg029, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: W. R. M. Lamb, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0540.tlg029.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.

## 1. Sections 1–14

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

[¶0] 1. In this action, gentlemen of the jury, we have had more default of accusers than I expected. There were many persons who made threats and declared that they would accuse Philocrates; but not one of them is forthcoming at the moment. This fact, in my opinion, is a signal proof that the terms of the writ are correct. For if the defendant were not in possession of a great part of Ergocles money, he would not be so successful in getting rid of his accusers.

> Greek: 1. ὁ μὲν ἀγὼν οὗτος, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐρημότερος γεγένηται ἢ ἐγὼ προσεδόκων. πολλοὶ γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ ἀπειλοῦντες καὶ οἱ φάσκοντες Φιλοκράτους κατηγορήσειν· ὧν οὐδεὶς νυνὶ φαίνεται. ὃ κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ οὐδενὸς ἔλαττον εἶναι τεκμήριον τῆς ἀπογραφῆς ὅτι ἀληθὴς οὖσα τυγχάνει· εἰ γὰρ μὴ πολλὰ τῶν Ἐργοκλέους εἶχε χρημάτων, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως οἷός τʼ ἦν ἀπαλλάξαι τοὺς κατηγόρους.

[¶1] 2. But I expect, gentlemen, that you are all aware that the reason why you voted for the death-sentence upon Ergocles was because his misappropriation of public funds had procured him a fortune of more than thirty talents. Of that money not a sign is to be found in the city. Yet whither should we turn, where are we to look, for the money? For if it cannot be found in the hands of his relatives and the persons with whom he was most intimately associated, we shall have a hard task to discover it in the hands of his enemies.

> Greek: 2. ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, πάντας ὑμᾶς ἡγοῦμαι εἰδέναι ὅτι Ἐργοκλέους διὰ τοῦτο ὑμεῖς θάνατον κατεχειροτονήσατε, ὅτι κακῶς διαθεὶς τὰ τῆς πόλεως πλέον ἢ τριάκοντα ταλάντων οὐσίαν ἐκτήσατο. καὶ τούτων τῶν χρημάτων οὐδὲν ἐν τῇ πόλει φαίνεται. καίτοι ποῖ χρὴ τραπέσθαι ἢ ποῦ ζητῆσαι τὰ χρήματα; εἰ γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς κηδεσταῖς καὶ οἷς ἐκεῖνος οἰκειότατʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐχρῆτο μὴ φανήσεται, χαλεπῶς παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς εὑρεθήσεται.

[¶2] 3. And whom did Ergocles value more than Philocrates, or with what man alive had he more intimate relations? Did he not pick him from amongst your infantry for service abroad, and make him his purser, and finally appoint him to equip a warship?

> Greek: 3. τίνα δὲ Ἐργοκλῆς περὶ πλείονος Φιλοκράτους ἐποιεῖτο, ἢ πρὸς τίνʼ ἀνθρώπων διέκειτο οἰκειότερον; οὐ τῶν μὲν ὑμετέρων ὁπλιτῶν αὐτὸν ἐξήγαγε, τῶν δʼ αὑτοῦ χρημάτων ταμίαν ἐποίησε, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον τριήραρχον αὐτὸν κατέστησε;

[¶3] 4. How very strange that, whereas men of property lament that they have to equip warships, this man, who was previously possessed of nothing, at that time volunteered this public service! So it was not to penalize him that he appointed him to equip a warship, but to let him profit by it and also keep guard over his own funds, since he had nobody whom he could trust above this man.

> Greek: 4. καίτοι δεινὸν εἰ οἱ μὲν τὰς οὐσίας ἔχοντες ὀλοφύρονται τριηραρχοῦντες, οὗτος δὲ οὐδὲν πρότερον κεκτημένος ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ ἐθελοντὴς ὑπέστη ταύτην τὴν λῃτουργίαν. οὐκοῦν δὴ οὐχ ὡς ζημιωθησόμενον αὐτὸν τριήραρχον κατέστησεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ὠφεληθησόμενον καὶ φυλάξοντα τὰ αὑτοῦ χρήματα, οὐκ ἔχων ὅτῳ χρὴ μᾶλλον τούτου πιστεῦσαι. ἡγοῦμαι δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, Φιλοκράτει δύο εἶναι καὶ μόνας ἀπολογίας·

[¶4] 5. I conceive, gentlemen of the jury, that Philocrates can defend himself in two ways, and in two only: he must prove either that Ergocles’ money is held by others; or that he was put to death unjustly, having embezzled none of your property, and having taken no bribes. If he can do neither of these things, I say that his condemnation is decided, and also that, if you are indignant with those who take money from other people, you ought not to pardon those who are in possession of your own.

> Greek: 5. προσήκειν γὰρ αὐτῷ ἀποδεῖξαι ἢ ἑτέρους ἔχοντας τὰ Ἐργοκλέους χρήματα, ἢ ἀδίκως ἀπολωλότα ἐκεῖνον καὶ οὐδὲν ὑφῃρημένον τῶν ὑμετέρων οὐδὲ δεδωροδοκηκότα· εἰ δὲ τούτων μηδέτερον ποιήσει, δεδόχθαι καταψηφίζεσθαι, καὶ μὴ τοῖς μὲν παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων λαμβάνουσιν ὀργίζεσθαι, τοῖς δὲ τὰ ὑμέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἔχουσι συγγνώμην ἔχειν.

[¶5] 6. Who in Athens does not know that three talents were deposited for the speakers in aid of Ergocles, if they should succeed in saving him? When they saw your wrath intent on vengeance, they kept quiet and did not dare to expose themselves. Philocrates, when at first he failed to recover this money from them, said that he would inform against them in public.

> Greek: 6. τίς δʼ οὐκ οἶδεν Ἀθηναίων τρία τάλαντα περὶ Ἐργοκλέους μεσεγγυηθέντα τοῖς λέγουσιν, εἰ δύναιντο αὐτὸν σῶσαι [καὶ μὴ κατηγορεῖν]; οἳ ἐπειδὴ ἑώρων τὴν ὑμετέραν ὀργὴν τιμωρεῖσθαι βουλομένην, ἡσυχίαν ἦγον καὶ οὐκ ἐτόλμων σφᾶς αὐτοὺς φανεροὺς ποιῆσαι. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οὗτος οὐ κομιζόμενος παρʼ αὐτῶν τὰ χρήματα μηνύσειν ἔφη τῇ πόλει·

[¶6] 7. But when he had both got the money back and obtained control of the rest of the man’s property, he had the audacity to procure witnesses who would support him by testifying that he was the bitterest enemy on earth to Ergocles. Yet can you imagine, gentlemen, that he would have been so utterly insane as to volunteer to equip a warship while Thrasybulus was in command and Ergocles was on bad terms with him? How could he have come more swiftly by his ruin, or have exposed himself more to maltreatment?

> Greek: 7. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἀπείληφε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐκείνου κύριος γεγένηται, εἰς τοῦτο τόλμης ἐλήλυθεν, ὥστε μάρτυρας πεπόρισται οἳ μαρτυρήσουσιν αὐτῷ ὡς ἦν ἔχθιστος ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων Ἐργοκλεῖ. καίτοι οἴεσθʼ ἂν αὐτόν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, εἰς τοῦτο μανίας ἀφικέσθαι, ὥστε Θρασυβούλου στρατηγοῦντος καὶ Ἐργοκλέους αὐτῷ διαφερομένου ἐθελοντὴν ὑποστῆναι τριήραρχον; πῶς γὰρ ἂν θᾶττον ἀπώλετο, ἢ πῶς ἂν μᾶλλον ἐπηρεάζετο;

[¶7] 8. Well now, enough has been said on those matters: but I call upon you to vindicate yourselves and to be much more prompt to punish the guilty than to feel pity for those who are keeping the property of the State. He will relinquish nothing that belongs to him, but only restore what is your own; and a much larger amount will be left over for him.

> Greek: 8. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων ἱκανὰ τὰ εἰρημένα· ἐγὼ δʼ ὑμᾶς ἀξιῶ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι, καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας τιμωρεῖσθαι ἢ τοὺς τὰ τῆς πόλεως ἔχοντας ἐλεινοὺς ἡγεῖσθαι. οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν αὑτοῦ καταθήσει, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὑμέτερα ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀποδώσει, καὶ πολλῷ πλείω αὐτῷ τούτων περιέσται.

[¶8] 9. And indeed it would be strange, gentlemen of the jury, that you should be incensed with those who are unable to pay their contributions to the special levies from their own means, and should confiscate their estates on the ground of default, but yet should decline to punish those who are keeping your own property, when you are not only to be deprived of your money but also to be more sorely troubled by their enmity.

> Greek: 9. καὶ γὰρ ἂν καὶ δεινὸν εἴη, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, εἰ τοῖς μὲν μὴ δυναμένοις τὰ σφέτερʼ αὐτῶν εἰσφέρειν ὀργίζοισθε καὶ τὰς οὐσίας αὐτῶν ὡς ἀδικούντων δημεύοιτε, τοὺς δὲ τὰ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχοντας μὴ τιμωροῖσθε, ἀλλὰ τῶν τε χρημάτων ἀποστεροῖσθε καὶ τούτους χαλεπωτέρους ἐχθροὺς ἔχοιτε.

[¶9] 10. For as long as they are conscious of keeping your property they will never desist from their malignity towards you, since they will believe that only the calamities of the city can relieve them of their embarrassments.

> Greek: 10. ἕως γὰρ ἂν τὰ ὑμέτερα ἔχοντες σφίσιν αὐτοῖς συνειδῶσιν, οὐδέποτε ὑμῖν παύσονται κακονοοῦντες, νομίζοντες τὰς τῆς πόλεως δυστυχίας μόνας ἀπαλλαγὴν εἶναι τῶν πρὸς αὐτοὺς πραγμάτων.

[¶10] 11. I consider, gentlemen of the jury, that the issue involved in his case ought to be not merely one of money, but that his life also should be at stake. For it would be a strange thing, when those who connive with the thieves in a private larceny are to be subject to the same penalty, that this man, conniving with Ergocles in a theft of the city’s property and receiving bribes at your expense, should not incur the same punishment, but should win the fortune left by his accomplice as a prize for his own wickedness. These men deserve your wrath, gentlemen of the jury.

> Greek: 11. ἡγοῦμαι δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὐ μόνον περὶ χρημάτων αὐτῷ προσήκειν ἀγωνίζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ σώματος κινδυνεύειν. καὶ γὰρ ἂν καὶ δεινὸν εἴη, εἰ οἱ μὲν τὰ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν ἀπολλύμενα τοῖς κλέπταις συνειδότες τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐνέχοιντο, οὗτος δὲ τὰ τῆς πόλεως Ἐργοκλεῖ συνειδὼς κλέπτοντι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑμετέροις δωροδοκοῦντι μὴ τῆς αὐτῆς τιμωρίας τυγχάνοι, ἀλλὰ ἆθλα λάβοι τὴν ὑπʼ ἐκείνου καταλειφθεῖσαν οὐσίαν ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πονηρίας. ἄξιοι δʼ ὑμῖν εἰσιν ὀργῆς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί.

[¶11] 12. For when Ergocles was on his trial, they went about among the people saying that they had bribed five hundred of the Peiraeus party and sixteen hundred of the party of the city. They professed to rely on their money rather than to fear the results of their own misdeeds.

> Greek: 12. οὗτοι γάρ, ὅτε Ἐργοκλῆς ἐκρίνετο, ἐν τῷ δήμῳ περιιόντες ἔλεγον ὡς πεντακόσιοι μὲν αὐτοῖς εἴησαν ἐκ τοῦ Πειραιῶς δεδεκασμένοι, ἑξακόσιοι δὲ καὶ χίλιοι ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως· μᾶλλον δὲ προσεποιοῦντο πιστεύειν τοῖς χρήμασιν ἢ δεδιέναι τὰ αὑτῶν ἁμαρτήματα.

[¶12] 13. Well, in that case you plainly showed them,—and if you are well advised you will make it clear likewise to all men today,—that there is no sum of money large enough to deflect you from the punishment of those whom you may take in the act of wrongdoing, and that by no means will you permit them to pillage and steal your property with impunity.

> Greek: 13. ἐκεῖ μὲν οὖν ἐπεδείξατε αὐτοῖς, ἐὰν δὲ εὖ φρονῆτε, καὶ νυνὶ τοῦτο φανερὸν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ποιήσετε, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοσαῦτα χρήματα ἃ ὑμᾶς, οὓς ἂν λαμβάνητε ἀδικοῦντας, ἀποτρέψει τιμωρεῖσθαι, καὶ μηδεμίαν αὐτοῖς ἄδειαν δώσετε τὰ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν διαρπάζουσι καὶ κλέπτουσιν.

[¶13] 14. This, then, is the counsel that I give you. You all understand that Ergocles sailed out to make money, not to gain credit with you, and that this man and no other is keeping his money. So if you are prudent you will recover what is your own.

> Greek: 14. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ὑμῖν παραινῶ. πάντες γὰρ ἐπίστασθε ὅτι Ἐργοκλῆς χρηματιούμενος ἀλλʼ οὐ πρὸς ὑμᾶς φιλοτιμησόμενος ἐξέπλευσε, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἔχει τὰ χρήματα ἢ οὗτος. ἐὰν οὖν σωφρονῆτε, τὰ ὑμέτερʼ αὐτῶν κομιεῖσθε.