1. I can find full excuse for you, gentlemen of the jury, if on hearing such statements and remembering past events you are equally incensed against all those who remained in the city. But I am surprised at my accusers: they neglect their own concerns to attend to those of others, and now, though they know for certain who are guilty of nothing and who have committed many offences, they seek to persuade you into holding this same opinion about us all.
1. ὑμῖν μὲν πολλὴν συγγνώμην ἔχω, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἀκούουσι τοιούτων λόγων καὶ ἀναμιμνῃσκομένοις τῶν γεγενημένων, ὁμοίως ἅπασιν ὀργίζεσθαι τοῖς ἐν ἄστει μείνασι· τῶν δὲ κατηγόρων θαυμάζω, οἳ ἀμελοῦντες τῶν οἰκείων τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιμέλονται, εἰ σαφῶς εἰδότες τοὺς μηδὲ ἀδικοῦντας καὶ τοὺς πολλὰ ἐξημαρτηκότας ζητοῦσι [κερδαίνειν ἢ] ὑμᾶς πείθειν περὶ ἁπάντων ἡμῶν τὴν γνώμην ταύτην ἔχειν.
2. Now, if they conceive that they have charged me with everything that the city has suffered at the hands of the Thirty, I consider them to be speakers of no ability; for they have not mentioned so much as a small fraction of what has been perpetrated by those men. But if their statements imply that I had any connection with those things, I shall prove that their words are nothing but lies, and that on my part I behaved as the best citizen in the Peiraeus would have done, if he had remained in the city.
2. εἰ μὲν οὖν οἴονται, ὅσα ὑπὸ τῶν τριάκοντα γεγένηται τῇ πόλει, ἐμοῦ κατηγορηκέναι, ἀδυνάτους αὐτοὺς ἡγοῦμαι λέγειν· οὐδὲ γὰρ πολλοστὸν μέρος τῶν ἐκείνοις πεπραγμένων εἰρήκασιν· εἰ δὲ ὡς ἐμοί τι προσῆκον περὶ αὐτῶν ποιοῦνται τοὺς λόγους, ἀποδείξω τούτους μὲν ἅπαντα ψευδομένους, ἐμαυτὸν δὲ τοιοῦτον ὄντα οἷόσπερ ἂν τῶν ἐκ Πειραιῶς ⟨ὁ⟩ βέλτιστος ἐν ἄστει μείνας ἐγένετο.
3. I beg you, gentlemen, not to share the views of the slander-mongers. Their business is to inculpate even those who have committed no offence, —for it is out of them especially that they would make money, —while yours is to allow an equal enjoyment of civic rights to those who have done no wrong; for in this way you will secure to the established constitution the greatest number of allies.
3. δέομαι δʼ ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν τοῖς συκοφάνταις. τούτων μὲν γὰρ ἔργον ἐστὶ καὶ τοὺς μηδὲν ἡμαρτηκότας εἰς αἰτίαν καθιστάναι (ἐκ τούτων γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα χρηματίζοιντο), ὑμέτερον δὲ τοῖς μηδὲν ἀδικοῦσιν ἐξ ἴσου τῆς πολιτείας μεταδιδόναι· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν τοῖς καθεστηκόσι πράγμασι πλείστους συμμάχους ἔχοιτε.
4. And I claim, gentlemen, if I am found to have been the cause of none of our disasters, but rather to have performed many services to the State with both my person and my purse, that at any rate I should have that support from you which is the just desert, not merely of those who have served you well, but also of those who have done you no wrong.
4. ἀξιῶ δέ ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐάνπερ φανῶ συμφορᾶς μὲν μηδεμιᾶς αἴτιος γεγενημένος, πολλὰ δὲ κἀγαθὰ εἰργασμένος τὴν πόλιν καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι, ταῦτα γοῦν μοι παρʼ ὑμῶν ὑπάρχειν, ὧν οὐ μόνον τοὺς εὖ πεποιηκότας ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντας τυγχάνειν δίκαιόν ἐστι. μέγα μὲν οὗν ἡγοῦμαί ⟨μοι⟩ τεκμήριον εἶναι, ὅτι, εἴπερ ἐδύναντο οἱ κατήγοροι ἰδίᾳ με ἀδικοῦντα ἐξελέγξαι, οὐκ ἂν τὰ τῶν τριάκοντα ἁμαρτήματα ἐμοῦ κατηγόρουν, οὐδʼ ἂν ᾤοντο χρῆναι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκείνοις πεπραγμένων ἑτέρους διαβάλλειν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας τιμωρεῖσθαι·
5. Now, I consider that I have a strong justification in the fact that, if my accusers were able to convict me of wrongdoing in private life, they would not charge me with the misdeeds of the Thirty: they would not see occasion to traduce others on the score of what those persons have perpetrated, but only to requite the actual wrongdoers. But in fact they conceive that your resentment against those men is sufficient to involve in their ruin those who have done no harm at all. I, however, hold that, just as it would be unfair, when some men have been the source of many benefits to the city, to let others carry off the reward of your honors or your thanks, so it is unreasonable, when some have continually done you harm, that their acts should bring reproach and slander upon those who have done no wrong. The city has enough enemies already existing, who count it a great gain to have people brought up on slanderous charges.
5. νῦν δὲ νομίζουσι τὴν πρὸς ἐκείνους ὀργὴν ἱκανὴν εἶναι καὶ τοὺς μηδὲν κακὸν εἰργασμένους ἀπολέσαι. ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ἡγοῦμαι δίκαιον εἶναι οὔτε εἴ τινες τῇ πόλει πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν αἴτιοι γεγένηνται, ἄλλους τινὰς ὑπὲρ τούτων τιμὴν ἢ χάριν κομίσασθαι παρʼ ὑμῶν, οὔτʼ εἴ τινες πολλὰ κακὰ εἰργασμένοι εἰσίν, εἰκότως ἂν διʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντας ὀνείδους καὶ διαβολῆς τυγχάνειν· ἱκανοὶ γὰρ οἱ ὑπάρχοντες ἐχθροὶ τῇ πόλει καὶ μέγα κέρδος νομίζοντες εἶναι τοὺς ἀδίκως ἐν ταῖς διαβολαῖς καθεστηκότας.
7. I will now try to explain to you who of the citizens are inclined, in my view, to court oligarchy, and who democracy. This will serve as a basis both for your decision and for the defence that I shall offer for myself; for I shall make it evident that neither under the democracy nor under the oligarchy has my conduct suggested any inclination to be disloyal to your people.
7. πειράσομαι δʼ ὑμᾶς διδάξαι, οὓς ἡγοῦμαι τῶν πολιτῶν προσήκειν ὀλιγαρχίας ἐπιθυμεῖν καὶ ⟨οὓς⟩ δημοκρατίας. ἐκ τούτου γὰρ καὶ ὑμεῖς γνώσεσθε, κἀγὼ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιήσομαι, ἀποφαίνων ὡς οὔτε ἐξ ὧν ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ οὔτε ἐξ ὧν ἐν ὀλιγαρχίᾳ πεποίηκα, οὐδέν μοι προσῆκον κακόνουν εἶναι τῷ πλήθει τῷ ὑμετέρῳ.
8. Now, first of all, you should reflect that no human being is naturally either an oligarch or a democrat: whatever constitution a man finds advantageous to himself, he is eager to see that one established; so it largely depends on you whether the present system finds an abundance of supporters. That this is the truth, you will have no difficulty in deducing from the events of the past.
8. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἐνθυμηθῆναι χρὴ ὅτι οὐδείς ἐστιν ἀνθρώπων φύσει οὔτε ὀλιγαρχικὸς οὔτε δημοκρατικός, ἀλλʼ ἥτις ἄν ἑκάστῳ πολιτεία συμφέρῃ, ταύτην προθυμεῖται καθεστάναι· ὥστε οὐκ ἐλάχιστον ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστι μέρος ὡς πλείστους ἐπιθυμεῖν τῶν παρόντων νυνὶ πραγμάτων. καὶ ταῦτα ὅτι οὕτως ἔχει, οὐ χαλεπῶς ἐκ τῶν πρότερον γεγενημένων μαθήσεσθε.
9. For consider, gentlemen of the jury, how many times the leaders of both governments changed sides. Did not Phrynichus, Peisander and their fellow demagogues, when they had committed many offences against you, proceed, in fear of the requital that they deserved, to establish the first oligarchy? And did not many of the Four Hundred, again, join in the return of the Peiraeus party, while some, on the other hand, who had helped in the expulsion of the Four Hundred, actually appeared among the Thirty? Some, too, of those who had enlisted for Eleusis marched out with you to besiege their own comrades!
9. σκέψασθε γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοὺς προστάντας ἀμφοτέρων ⟨τῶν⟩ πολιτειῶν, ὁσάκις δὴ μετεβάλοντο. οὐ Φρύνιχος μὲν καὶ Πείσανδρος καὶ οἱ μετʼ ἐκείνων δημαγωγοί, ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐξήμαρτον, τὰς περὶ τούτων δείσαντες τιμωρίας τὴν προτέραν ὀλιγαρχίαν κατέστησαν, πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν τετρακοσίων μετὰ τῶν ἐκ Πειραιῶς συγκατῆλθον, ἔνιοι δὲ τῶν ἐκείνους ἐκβαλόντων αὐτοὶ αὖθις τῶν τριάκοντα ἐγένοντο; εἰσὶ δὲ οἵτινες τῶν Ἐλευσῖνάδε ἀπογραψαμένων, ἐξελθόντες μεθʼ ὑμῶν, ἐπολιόρκουν τοὺς μεθʼ αὑτῶν.
10. There is thus no difficulty in concluding, gentlemen, that the questions dividing men are concerned, not with politics, but with their personal advantage. You should therefore apply this test in the probation of your citizens: examine their use of the citizenship under the democracy, and inquire whether they stood to benefit by a change in the government. In this way you will most justly form your decision upon them.
10. οὔκουν χαλεπὸν γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὅτι οὐ περὶ πολιτείας εἰσὶν αἱ πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαφοραί, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἰδίᾳ συμφερόντων ἑκάστῳ. ὑμᾶς οὖν χρὴ ἐκ τούτων δοκιμάζειν τοὺς πολίτας, σκοποῦντας μὲν ὅπως ἦσαν ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πεπολιτευμένοι, ζητοῦντας δὲ εἴ τις αὐτοῖς ἐγίγνετο ὠφέλεια τῶν πραγμάτων μεταπεσόντων· οὕτως γὰρ ἂν δικαιοτάτην ⟨τὴν⟩ κρίσιν περὶ αὐτῶν ποιοῖσθε.
11. Now, in my opinion, all those who had been disfranchised under the democracy, or deprived of their property, or subjected to any other misfortune of the sort, were bound to desire a different system, in the hope that the change would be some benefit to themselves. But in the case of those who have done the people many good services, and never a single hurt, and who deserve your grateful favors instead of punishment for what they have achieved, it is not fair to harbor the slanders aimed at them, not even if all who have charge of public affairs allege that they favor oligarchy.
11. ἐγὼ τοίνυν ἡγοῦμαι, ὅσοι μὲν ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ ἄτιμοι ἦσαν ⟨εὐθύνας δεδωκότες⟩ ἢ τῶν ὄντων ἀπεστερημένοι ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ συμφορᾷ τοιαύτῃ κεχρημένοι, προσήκειν αὐτοῖς ἑτέρας ἐπιθυμεῖν πολιτείας, ἐλπίζοντας τὴν μεταβολὴν ὠφέλειάν τινα αὑτοῖς ἔσεσθαι· ὅσοι δὲ τὸν δῆμον πολλὰ κἀγαθὰ εἰργασμένοι εἰσί, κακὸν δὲ μηδὲν πώποτε, ὀφείλεται δὲ αὐτοῖς χάριν κομίσασθαι παρʼ ὑμῶν μᾶλλον ἢ δοῦναι δίκην τῶν πεπραγμένων, οὐκ ἄξιον τὰς κατὰ τούτων ἀποδέχεσθαι διαβολάς, οὐδʼ ἐὰν πάντες οἱ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττοντες ὀλιγαρχικοὺς αὐτοὺς φάσκωσιν εἶναι.
12. Now I, gentlemen of the jury, never suffered any misfortune during that time, either private or public, which could lead me, through eagerness to be relieved of present ills, to court a change in our system. I have equipped a warship five times, fought in four sea-battles, contributed to many war levies, and performed my other public services as amply as any citizen.
12. ἐμοὶ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὔτʼ ἰδίᾳ οὔτε δημοσίᾳ συμφορὰ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ οὐδεμία πώποτε ἐγένετο, ἀνθʼ ἧστινος ἂν προθυμούμενος τῶν παρόντων κακῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἑτέρων ἐπεθύμουν πραγμάτων. τετριηράρχηκά τε γὰρ πεντάκις, καὶ τετράκις νεναυμάχηκα, καὶ εἰσφορὰς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πολλὰς εἰσενήνοχα, καὶ τἆλλα λελῃτούργηκα οὐδενὸς χεῖρον τῶν πολιτῶν.
13. But my purpose in spending more than was enjoined upon me by the city was to raise myself the higher in your opinion, so that if any misfortune should chance to befall me I might defend myself on better terms. Of all this credit I was deprived under the oligarchy; for instead of regarding those who had bestowed some benefit on the people as worthy recipients of their favors, they placed in positions of honor the men who had done you most harm, as though this were a pledge by which they held us bound. You ought all to reflect on those facts and refuse to believe the statements of these men: you should rather judge each person by the record of his actions.
13. καίτοι διὰ τοῦτο πλείω τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως προσταττομένων ἐδαπανώμην, ἵνα καὶ βελτίων ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νομιζοίμην, καὶ εἴ πού μοί τις συμφορὰ γένοιτο, ἄμεινον ἀγωνιζοίμην. ὧν ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ ἁπάντων ἀπεστερούμην· οὐ γὰρ τοὺς τῷ πλήθει ἀγαθοῦ τινος αἰτίους γεγενημένους χάριτος παρʼ αὑτῶν ἠξίουν τυγχάνειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς πλεῖστα κακὰ ὑμᾶς εἰργασμένους εἰς τὰς τιμὰς καθίστασαν, ὡς ταύτην παρʼ ἡμῶν πίστιν εἰληφότες. ἃ χρὴ πάντας ἐνθυμουμένους μὴ τοῖς τούτων λόγοις πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ [καὶ] ἐκ τῶν ἔργων σκοπεῖν ἃ ἑκάστῳ τυγχάνει πεπραγμένα.
14. For I, gentlemen, was not one of the Four Hundred: I challenge anyone who wishes amongst my accusers to come forward and convict me of this. Neither, again, will anyone prove that, when the Thirty were established, I sat on the Council or held any office. Surely, if I chose not to hold office when I could have done so, I deserve to be honored by you today. If, on their part, the men who were in power at that time preferred not to give me a place in the government, could I find a more signal proof than this of the falsehood of my accusers?
14. ἐγὼ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὔτε [ἐπὶ] τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐγενόμην· ἢ τῶν κατηγόρων ὁ βουλόμενος παρελθὼν ἐλεγξάτω· οὐ τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἐπειδὴ οἱ τριάκοντα κατέστησαν, οὐδείς με ἀποδείξει οὔτε βουλεύσαντα οὔτε ἀρχὴν οὐδεμίαν ἄρξαντα. καίτοι εἰ μὲν ἐξόν μοι ἄρχειν μὴ ἐβουλόμην, ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νυνὶ τιμᾶσθαι δίκαιός εἰμι· εἰ δὲ οἱ τότε δυνάμενοι μὴ ἠξίουν μοι μεταδιδόναι τῶν πραγμάτων, πῶς ἂν φανερώτερον ἢ οὕτως ψευδομένους ἀποδείξαιμι τοὺς κατηγόρους;
15. Furthermore, gentlemen of the jury, you ought also to take account of the rest of my conduct. For amid the misfortunes of the city my behavior was such that, if everyone had been of one mind with me, not one of you would have experience of a single misfortune. I had no hand during the oligarchy, you will find, either in the arrest of anybody, or in taking vengeance upon any of my enemies, or in conferring a favor on any of my friends, —and in that there is nothing to wonder at, for at that time it was difficult to confer favors, though an act of mischief was easy for anyone who wished.
15. ἔτι τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπραγμένων ἄξιον σκέψασθαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ τοιοῦτον ἐμαυτὸν ἐν ταῖς τῆς πόλεως συμφοραῖς παρέσχον ὥστε, εἰ πάντες τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔσχον ἐμοί, μηδένα ἂν ὑμῶν μηδεμιᾷ χρῆσθαι συμφορᾷ. ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ οὔτε ἀπαχθεὶς οὐδεὶς φανήσεται, οὔτε τῶν ἐχθρῶν οὐδεὶς τετιμωρημένος, οὔτε τῶν φίλων εὖ πεπονθώς (καὶ τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἄξιον θαυμάζειν·
16. Again, you will find that I did not place the name of a single Athenian on the black list, or obtain a decree of arbitration against anyone, or enrich myself by means of your misfortunes. Yet surely, if you are incensed against the authors of your past troubles, it is reasonable that those who have done no mischief should stand the higher in your opinion.
16. εὖ μὲν γὰρ ποιεῖν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ χαλεπὸν ἦν, ἐξαμαρτάνειν δὲ τῷ βουλομένῳ ῥᾴδιον). οὐ τοίνυν οὐδʼ εἰς τὸν κατάλογον Ἀθηναίων καταλέξας οὐδένα φανήσομαι, οὐδὲ δίαιταν καταδιαιτησάμενος οὐδενός, οὐδὲ πλουσιώτερος ἐκ τῶν ὑμετέρων γεγονὼς συμφορῶν. καίτοι εἰ τοῖς τῶν γεγενημένων κακῶν αἰτίοις ὀργίζεσθε, εἰκὸς καὶ τοὺς μηδὲν ἡμαρτηκότας βελτίους ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νομίζεσθαι. καὶ μὲν δή, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μεγίστην ἡγοῦμαι περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πίστιν δεδωκέναι.
17. And indeed, gentlemen of the jury, I consider that I have given the democracy the strongest pledge of my attachment. For if I did no mischief at that time, when ample licence for it was allowed, surely I shall now make every effort to be a good citizen in the full knowledge that, if I am guilty of wrong, I shall incur immediate punishment. But in fact I have continually held to this resolve, —under an oligarchy, not to covet the property of others, and under a democracy, to spend my own upon you with zeal.
17. ὅστις γὰρ τότε οὐδὲν ἐξήμαρτον οὕτω πολλῆς δεδομένης ἐξουσίας, ἦ που νῦν σφόδρα προθυμηθήσομαι χρηστὸς εἶναι, εὖ εἰδὼς ὅτι, ἐὰν ἀδικῶ, παραχρῆμα δώσω δίκην. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοιαύτην διὰ τέλους γνώμην ἔχω, ὥστε ἐν ὀλιγαρχίᾳ μὲν μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ δὲ τὰ ὄντα προθύμως εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀναλίσκειν.
18. I consider, gentlemen, that you would not be justified in hating those who have suffered nothing under the oligarchy, when you can indulge your wrath against those who have done your people mischief; or in regarding as enemies those who did not go into exile instead of those who expelled you, or those who were anxious to save their own property instead of those who stripped others of theirs, or those who stayed in the city with a view to their own safety instead of those who took part in the government for the purpose of destroying others. If you think it your duty to destroy the men whom they passed over, not one of the citizens will be left to us.
18. ἡγοῦμαι δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὐκ ἂν δικαίως ὑμᾶς μισεῖν τοὺς ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ μηδὲν πεπονθότας κακόν, ἐξὸν ὀργίζεσθαι τοῖς εἰς τὸ πλῆθος ἐξημαρτηκόσιν, οὐδὲ τοὺς μὴ φυγόντας ἐχθροὺς νομίζειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὑμᾶς ἐκβαλόντας, οὐδὲ τοὺς προθυμουμένους τὰ ἑαυτῶν σῶσαι, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀφῃρημένους, οὐδὲ οἳ τῆς σφετέρας αὐτῶν σωτηρίας ἕνεκα ἔμειναν ἐν τῷ ἄστει, ἀλλʼ οἵτινες ἑτέρους ἀπολέσαι βουλόμενοι μετέσχον τῶν πραγμάτων. εἰ δὲ οἴεσθε χρῆναι, οὓς ἐκεῖνοι παρέλιπον ἀδικοῦντες, ὑμεῖς ἀπολέσαι, οὐδεὶς τῶν πολιτῶν ὑπολειφθήσεται.
19. You ought also to take account of this further point, gentlemen of the jury: you are all aware that under the previous democracy there were many in the ministry who robbed the Treasury; while some accepted bribes at your expense, and others by malicious informations estranged your allies. Now, if the Thirty had kept their punishments for these cases, you would have held them yourselves to be honest men: but when in fact you found them deliberately oppressing the people because of the offences of those persons, you were indignant; for you considered it monstrous that the crimes of the few should be spread over the whole city.
19. σκοπεῖν δὲ χρὴ καὶ ἐκ τῶνδε, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. πάντες γὰρ ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ δημοκρατίᾳ τῶν τὰ τῆς πόλεως πραττόντων πολλοὶ μὲν τὰ δημόσια ἔκλεπτον, ἔνιοι δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑμετέροις ἐδωροδόκουν, οἱ δὲ συκοφαντοῦντες τοὺς συμμάχους ἀφίστασαν. καὶ εἰ μὲν οἱ τριάκοντα τούτους μόνους ἐτιμωροῦντο, ἄνδρας ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ὑμεῖς ἂν αὐτοὺς ἡγεῖσθε· νῦν δέ, ὅτε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκείνοις ἡμαρτημένων τὸ πλῆθος κακῶς ποιεῖν ἠξίουν, ἠγανακτεῖτε, ἡγούμενοι δεινὸν εἶναι τὰ τῶν ὀλίγων ἀδικήματα πάσῃ τῇ πόλει κοινὰ γίγνεσθαι.
20. It is not right, therefore, that you should resort to those offences which you saw them committing, or regard those deeds, which you deemed unjust when done to you, as just when you do them to others. No: let your feeling towards us after your restoration be the same as you had towards yourselves in your exile; for by this means you will produce the utmost harmony amongst us, the power of the city will be at its highest, and you will vote for what will be most distressing to your enemies.
20. οὐ τοίνυν ἄξιον χρῆσθαι τούτοις, οἷς ἐκείνους ἑωρᾶτε ἐξαμαρτάνοντας, οὐδὲ ἃ πάσχοντες ἄδικα ἐνομίζετε πάσχειν, ὅταν ἑτέρους ποιῆτε, δίκαια ἡγεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν αὐτὴν κατελθόντες περὶ ἡμῶν γνώμην ἔχετε, ἥνπερ φεύγοντες περὶ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν εἴχετε· ἐκ τούτων γὰρ καὶ ὁμόνοιαν πλείστην ποιήσετε, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἔσται μεγίστη, καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀνιαρότατα ψηφιεῖσθε.
21. And you should reflect, gentlemen, on the events that have occurred under the Thirty, in order that the errors of your enemies may lead you to take better counsel on your own affairs. For as often as you heard that the people in the city were all of one mind, you had but slight hopes of your return, judging that our concord was the worst of signs for your exile:
21. ἐνθυμηθῆναι δὲ χρή, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τῶν τριάκοντα γεγενημένων, ἵνα τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἁμαρτήματα ἄμεινον ὑμᾶς ποιήσῃ περὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων αὐτῶν βουλεύσασθαι. ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἀκούοιτε τοὺς ἐν ἄστει τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν, μικρὰς ἐλπίδας εἴχετε τῆς καθόδου, ἡγούμενοι τὴν ἡμετέραν ὁμόνοιαν μέγιστον κακὸν εἶναι τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ φυγῇ·
22. but as soon as you had tidings that the Three Thousand were divided by faction, that the rest of the citizens had been publicly banned from the city, that the Thirty were not all of one mind, and that those who had fears for you outnumbered those who were making war on you, you immediately began to look forward to your return and the punishment of your enemies. For it was your prayer to the gods that those men should do the things that you saw them doing, since you believed that the villainy of the Thirty would be far more useful for your salvation than the resources of the exiles for your return.
22. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπυνθάνεσθε τοὺς μὲν τρισχιλίους στασιάζοντας, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους πολίτας ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως ἐκκεκηρυγμένους, τοὺς δὲ τριάκοντα μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχοντας, πλείους δʼ ὄντας τοὺς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν δεδιότας ἢ τοὺς ὑμῖν πολεμοῦντας, τότʼ ἤδη καὶ κατιέναι προσεδοκᾶτε καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν λήψεσθαι δίκην. ταῦτα γὰρ τοῖς θεοῖς ηὔχεσθε, ἅπερ ἐκείνους ἑωρᾶτε ποιοῦντας, ἡγούμενοι διὰ τὴν τῶν τριάκοντα πονηρίαν πολὺ μᾶλλον σωθήσεσθαι ἢ διὰ τὴν τῶν φευγόντων δύναμιν κατιέναι.
23. You ought therefore, gentlemen, to take the events of the past as your example in resolving on the future course of things, and to account those men the best democrats who, desiring your concord, abide by their oaths and covenants, because they hold this to be the most effective safeguard of the city and the severest punishment of her enemies. For nothing could be more vexatious to them than to learn that we are taking part in the government and to perceive at the same time that the citizens are behaving as though they had never had any fault to find with each other.
23. χρὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῖς πρότερον γεγενημένοις παραδείγμασι χρωμένους βουλεύεσθαι περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἔσεσθαι, καὶ τούτους ἡγεῖσθαι δημοτικωτάτους, οἵτινες ὁμονοεῖν ὑμᾶς βουλόμενοι τοῖς ὅρκοις καὶ ταῖς συνθήκαις ἐμμένουσι, νομίζοντες καὶ τῆς πόλεως ταύτην ἱκανωτάτην εἶναι σωτηρίαν καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μεγίστην τιμωρίαν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν εἴη αὐτοῖς χαλεπώτερον τούτων, ἢ πυνθάνεσθαι μὲν ἡμᾶς μετέχοντας τῶν πραγμάτων, αἰσθάνεσθαι δὲ οὕτως διακειμένους τοὺς πολίτας ὥσπερ μηδενὸς ἐγκλήματος πρὸς ἀλλήλους γεγενημένου.
24. And you should know, gentlemen, that the exiles desire to see the greatest possible number of their fellow citizens not merely slandered but disfranchised; since they hope that the men who are wronged by you will be their allies, and they would gladly have the venal informers standing high in your esteem and influential in the city. For they judge the villainy of those creatures to be their own safeguard.
24. χρὴ δὲ εἰδέναι, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὅτι οἱ φεύγοντες τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν ὡς πλείστους καὶ διαβεβλῆσθαι καὶ ἠτιμῶσθαι βούλονται, ἐλπίζοντες τοὺς ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἀδικουμένους ἑαυτοῖς ἔσεσθαι συμμάχους, τοὺς δὲ συκοφάντας εὐδοκιμεῖν δέξαιντʼ ἂν παρʼ ὑμῖν καὶ μέγα δύνασθαι ἐν τῇ πόλει· τὴν γὰρ τούτων πονηρίαν ἑαυτῶν ἡγοῦνται σωτηρίαν.
25. You will do well to remember also the events that followed the rule of the Four Hundred; for you will fully realize that the measures advised by these men have never brought you any advantage, while those that I recommend have always profited both parties in the State. You know that Epigenes, Demophanes and Cleisthenes, while reaping their personal gains from the city’s misfortunes, have inflicted the heaviest losses on the public weal.
25. ἄξιον δὲ μνησθῆναι ⟨καὶ⟩ τῶν μετὰ τοὺς τετρακοσίους πραγμάτων· εὖ γὰρ εἴσεσθε ὅτι, ἃ μὲν οὗτοι συμβουλεύουσιν, οὐδεπώποτε ὑμῖν ἐλυσιτέλησεν, ἃ δʼ ἐγὼ παραινῶ, ἀμφοτέραις ἀεὶ ταῖς πολιτείαις συμφέρει. ἴστε γὰρ Ἐπιγένη καὶ Δημοφάνη καὶ Κλεισθένη ἰδίᾳ μὲν καρπωσαμένους τὰς τῆς πόλεως συμφοράς, δημοσίᾳ δὲ ὄντας μεγίστων κακῶν αἰτίους.
26. For they prevailed on you to condemn several men to death without trial, to confiscate unjustly the property of many more, and to banish and disfranchise other citizens; since they were capable of taking money for the release of offenders, and of appearing before you to effect the ruin of the innocent. They did not stop until they had involved the city in seditions and the gravest disasters, while raising themselves from poverty to wealth.
26. ἐνίων μὲν γὰρ ἔπεισαν ὑμᾶς ἀκρίτων θάνατον καταψηφίσασθαι, πολλῶν δὲ ἀδίκως δημεῦσαι τὰς οὐσίας, τοὺς δʼ ἐξελάσαι καὶ ἀτιμῶσαι τῶν πολιτῶν· τοιοῦτοι γὰρ ἦσαν ὥστε τοὺς μὲν ἡμαρτηκότας ἀργύριον λαμβάνοντες ἀφιέναι, τοὺς δὲ μηδὲν ἠδικηκότας εἰς ὑμᾶς εἰσιόντες ἀπολλύναι. καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἐπαύσαντο, ἕως τὴν μὲν πόλιν εἰς στάσεις καὶ τὰς μεγίστας συμφορὰς κατέστησαν, αὐτοὶ δʼ ἐκ πενήτων πλούσιοι ἐγένοντο.
27. But your temper moved you to welcome back the exiles, to reinstate the disfranchised in their rights, and to bind yourselves by oaths to concord with the rest. At the end of it all, you would have been more pleased to punish those who traded in slander under the democracy than those who held office under the oligarchy. And with good reason, gentlemen: for it is manifest now to all that the unjust acts of rulers in an oligarchy produce democracy, whereas the trade of slanderers in the democracy has twice led to the establishment of oligarchy. It is not right, therefore, to hearken many times to the counsels of men whose advice has not even once resulted in your profit.
27. ὑμεῖς δὲ οὕτως διετέθητε ὥστε τοὺς μὲν φεύγοντας κατεδέξασθε, τοὺς δʼ ἀτίμους ἐπιτίμους ἐποιήσατε, τοῖς δʼ ἄλλοις περὶ ὁμονοίας ὅρκους ὤμνυτε· τελευτῶντες δὲ ἥδιον ἂν τοὺς ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ συκοφαντοῦντας ἐτιμωρήσασθε ἢ τοὺς ἄρξαντας ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ. καὶ εἰκότως, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί· πᾶσι γὰρ ἤδη φανερόν ἐστιν ὅτι διὰ τοὺς μὲν ἀδίκως πολιτευομένους ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ δημοκρατία γίγνεται, διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ συκοφαντοῦντας ὀλιγαρχία δὶς κατέστη. ὥστε οὐκ ἄξιον τούτοις πολλάκις χρῆσθαι συμβούλοις, οἷς οὐδὲ ἅπαξ ἐλυσιτέλησε πιθομένοις.
28. And you should consider that, in the Peiraeus party, those who are in highest repute, who have run the greatest risk, and who have rendered you the most services, had often before exhorted your people to abide by their oaths and covenants, since they held this to be the bulwark of democracy: for they felt that it would give the party of the town immunity from the consequences of the past, and the party of the Peiraeus an assurance of the most lasting permanence of the constitution.
28. σκέψασθαι δὲ χρὴ ὅτι καὶ τῶν ἐκ Πειραιῶς οἱ μεγίστην δόξαν ἔχοντες καὶ μάλιστα κεκινδυνευκότες καὶ πλεῖστα ὑμᾶς ἀγαθὰ εἰργασμένοι πολλάκις ἤδη τῷ ὑμετέρῳ πλήθει διεκελεύσαντο τοῖς ὅρκοις καὶ ταῖς συνθήκαις ἐμμένειν, ἡγούμενοι ταύτην δημοκρατίας εἶναι φυλακήν· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἄστεως ὑπὲρ τῶν παρεληλυθότων ἄδειαν ποιήσειν, τοῖς δʼ ἐκ Πειραιῶς οὕτως πλεῖστον ⟨ἂν⟩ χρόνον τὴν πολιτείαν παραμεῖναι.
29. For these are the men whom you would be far more justified in trusting than those who, as exiles, owed their deliverance to others and, now that they have returned, are taking up the slanderer’s trade. In my opinion, gentlemen of the jury, those among our people remaining in the city who shared my views have clearly proved, both under oligarchy and under democracy, what manner of citizens they are.
29. οἷς ὑμεῖς πολὺ ἂν δικαιότερον πιστεύοιτε ἢ τούτοις, οἳ φεύγοντες μὲν διʼ ἑτέρους ἐσώθησαν, κατελθόντες δὲ συκοφαντεῖν ἐπιχειροῦσιν. ἡγοῦμαι δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοὺς μὲν τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχοντας ἐμοὶ τῶν ἐν ἄστει μεινάντων φανεροὺς γεγενῆσθαι καὶ ἐν ὀλιγαρχίᾳ καὶ ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ, ὁποῖοί τινές εἰσι πολῖται·
30. But the men who give us good cause to wonder what they would have done if they had been allowed to join the Thirty are the men who now, in a democracy, imitate those rulers; who have made a rapid advance from poverty to wealth, and who hold a number of offices without rendering an account of any; who instead of concord have created mutual suspicion, and who have declared war instead of peace; and who have caused us to be distrusted by the Greeks.
30. τούτων δʼ ἄξιον θαυμάζειν, ὅ τι ἂν ἐποίησαν, εἴ τις αὐτοὺς εἴασε τῶν τριάκοντα γενέσθαι, οἳ νῦν δημοκρατίας οὔσης ταὐτὰ ἐκείνοις πράττουσι, καὶ ταχέως μὲν ἐκ πενήτων πλούσιοι γεγένηνται, πολλὰς δὲ ἀρχὰς ἄρχοντες οὐδεμιᾶς εὐθύνην διδόασιν, ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ μὲν ὁμονοίας ὑποψίαν πρὸς ἀλλήλους πεποιήκασιν, ἀντὶ δὲ εἰρήνης πόλεμον κατηγγέλκασι, διὰ τούτους δὲ ἄπιστοι τοῖς Ἕλλησι γεγενήμεθα.
31. Authors of all these troubles and of many more besides, and differing no whit from the Thirty, —save that the latter pursued the same ends as theirs during an oligarchy, while these men follow their example in a democracy, —they yet make it their business to maltreat in this light fashion any person they may wish, as though everyone else were guilty, and they had proved themselves men of the highest virtue.
31. καὶ τοσούτων κακῶν καὶ ἑτέρων πολλῶν ὄντες αἴτιοι, καὶ οὐδὲν διαφέροντες τῶν τριάκοντα πλὴν ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ὀλιγαρχίας οὔσης ἐπεθύμουν ὧνπερ οὗτοι, οὗτοι δὲ καὶ δημοκρατίας τῶν αὐτῶν ὧνπερ ἐκεῖνοι, ὅμως οἴονται χρῆναι οὕτως ῥᾳδίως ὃν ἂν βούλωνται κακῶς ποιεῖν, ὥσπερ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἀδικούντων, ἄριστοι δὲ ἄνδρες αὐτοὶ γεγενημένοι (καὶ τούτων μὲν οὐκ ἄξιον θαυμάζειν, ὑμῶν δέ, ὅτι οἴεσθε μὲν δημοκρατίαν εἶναι, γίγνεται δὲ ὅ τι ἂν οὗτοι βούλωνται, καὶ δίκην διδόασιν οὐχ οἱ τὸ ὑμέτερον πλῆθος ἀδικοῦντες, ἀλλʼ οἱ τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν μὴ διδόντες).
32. (Nay, it is not so much they who give cause for wonder as you, who suppose that there is a democracy, whereas things are done just as they please, and punishment falls, not on those who have injured your people, but on those who refuse to yield their own possessions.) And they would sooner have the city diminished than raised to greatness and freedom by others:
32. καὶ δέξαιντʼ ἂν μικρὰν εἶναι τὴν πόλιν μᾶλλον ἢ διʼ ἄλλους μεγάλην καὶ ἐλευθέραν, ἡγούμενοι νῦν μὲν διὰ τοὺς ἐκ Πειραιῶς κινδύνους αὑτοῖς ἐξεῖναι ποιεῖν ὅ τι ἂν βούλωνται, ἐὰν δʼ ὕστερον ὑμῖν διʼ ἑτέρων σωτήρια γένηται, αὐτοὶ μὲν καταλύσεσθαι, ἐκείνους δὲ μεῖζον δυνήσεσθαι·
33. they consider that their perils in the Peiraeus give them licence now to do just as they please, while, if later on you obtain deliverance through others, they themselves will be swept away, and those others will be advanced in power. So they combine to obstruct any efforts that others may make for your benefit. But their purpose is readily detected by any observer: for they are not anxious to hide themselves, but are rather ashamed not to be reputed villains; while you partly see the mischief for yourselves, and partly hear it from many other persons. As for us, gentlemen, we consider that you are bound by your duty towards all the citizens to abide by your covenants and your oaths: nevertheless, when we see justice done upon the authors of your troubles, we remember your former experiences, and condone you; but when you show yourselves openly chastising the innocent along with the guilty, by the same vote you will be involving us all in suspicion. …
33. ὥστε τὸ αὐτὸ πάντες ἐμποδών εἰσιν, ἐάν τι διʼ ἄλλων ἀγαθὸν ὑμῖν φαίνηται. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν οὐ χαλεπὸν τῷ βουλομένῳ κατανοῆσαι· αὐτοί τε γὰρ οὐκ ἐπιθυμοῦσι λανθάνειν, ἀλλʼ αἰσχύνονται μὴ δοκοῦντες εἶναι πονηροί, ὑμεῖς τε τὰ μὲν αὐτοὶ ὁρᾶτε τὰ δʼ ἑτέρων πολλῶν ἀκούετε. ἡμεῖς δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, δίκαιον μὲν ἡγούμεθʼ εἶναι πρὸς πάντας ὑμᾶς τοὺς πολίτας ταῖς συνθήκαις καὶ τοῖς ὅρκοις ἐμμένειν, ὅμως δέ, ὅταν μὲν ἴδωμεν τοὺς τῶν κακῶν αἰτίους δίκην διδόντας, τῶν τότε περὶ ὑμᾶς γεγενημένων μεμνημένοι συγγνώμην ἔχομεν, ὅταν δὲ φανεροὶ γένησθε τοὺς μηδὲν αἰτίους ἐξ ἴσου τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι τιμωρούμενοι, τῇ αὐτῇ ψήφῳ ἡμᾶς εἰς ὑπο⟨ψίαν καταστήσετε⟩ …