Greek Texts & Translations

Read the stelê. ^noteStele

58.57Regarding the laws, then, and the case before you I do not know what need there is to say more; for, I take it, you have been adequately informed. It is my purpose, after begging justice at your hands for my father and myself, to come down from the platform and trouble you no further. I felt, men of the jury, that it was my duty to come to my father's aid, and I thought that this course was just; so I lodged this criminal information, as I told you at the outset, 58.58although I knew well that those who wished to calumniate me would find words which would fling reproach upon my youth, while others would praise me and hold that I was acting wisely in seeking to take vengeance on the enemy of my father. However, I knew that, while the effect on my hearers would be as fortune might determine, I was none the less in duty bound to carry out the command laid upon me by my father, especially as it was a just one. 58.59For when, pray, should I come to his aid? Should it not be now, when the opportunity of avenging him in accordance with the laws is open to me, when I myself share in my father's misfortune, and he has been left desolate? This is precisely what has now come about. For, in addition to our other misfortunes, men of the jury, this too has befallen us: everybody urges us on, expresses sympathy for what has happened, says that we have been outrageously treated, and that the defendant is liable to the criminal information; yet no one of those who say these things is willing to cooperate with us or declares his readiness openly to incur the enmity of Theocrines. So true is it that with some people the love of right is not strong enough to lead them to speak out frankly. 58.60And, men of the jury, while many misfortunes have befallen us in a short period of time because of this fellow Theocrines, no one of them is more grievous than the present one, that, namely, my father, to whom the wrong was done and who could set forth to you the cruel and illegal acts of Theocrines, must keep silent (for the laws so bid), and I, who am unequal to all these tasks, must I do the talking; and whereas other youths of my age are aided by their fathers, my father now rests his hopes on me.

58.61Seeing, then, that we are engaged in so unequal a contest, we beg you all to come to our aid and to make it clear to all men that, whether a boy or an old man, or one of any age, comes before you in accordance with the laws, he will obtain complete justice. The honorable course for you, men of the jury, is, not to put the laws or your own selves in the power of those who speak, but to keep the speakers in your power, and to make a distinction between those who speak well and lucidly, and those who speak what is just; for it is concerning justice that you have sworn to cast your votes. 58.62For no man surely will persuade you that there will be any lack of politicians like the defendant, or that the state will be less well administered because of that. Indeed the opposite is the case, as I hear from men older than myself. For they tell us that the state fared best when men of moderation and restraint were in public life. Would one find Theocrines and his fellows to be good counsellors? No; they say not a word in the assembly, but get money by indicting those who do speak there. 58.63And this is an extraordinary thing: they make their living by pettifoggery, yet they say they get nothing from the state, and, while they possessed nothing before coming to you, now that they are well-to-do they do not even feel grateful to you, but go about saying that the people are fickle and surly and thankless, as if you prospered because of these men, and not they because of the people! But after all it is natural for them to say this, when they see how easy-going you are. For you have never punished any one of them in the way his wickedness deserves, but you put up with their saying that the safety of the democracy comes from those who bring indictments and baseless actions; than whom no more pernicious class exists. 58.64For in what could anyone find these people useful to the state? They punish wrongdoers, it will be said, and through them the number of wrongdoers is lessened. Not so, men of the jury; it is even increased; for those who are minded to do evil, knowing that a portion of their gains must be given to these men, of necessity determine to exact more from the rest, that they may have enough to spend, not only upon themselves, but upon these men as well. 58.65Against all others who in their wrongdoing work harm upon those who come into contact with them men may protect themselves, some by setting a guard over their household effects, others by staying at home at night, so as to suffer no harm, and again, by taking precautions in one way or another men can guard against the plots of those who wish to work them harm; but against pettifoggers like this man—whither can one go to win security from them? The things which are a means of escape from other crimes are the stock-in-trade of these men—the laws, that is, the courts, witnesses, assemblies. It is here that they show their strength, counting as friends those who offer them money, and the quiet and wealthy people as their foes.