Speeches, addresses, etc., Greek -- Translations into English
9. He reached such a degree of depravity, and he had so little respect
for you and so much fear of the enemy, and he had so great a wish to join
the cavalry and cared so little for the laws that he disregarded the
risk, and was willed to be fined and have his property confiscated and be
liable to all these existing penalties, rather than to take up his
position in the ranks with the citizens and be a hoplite. 10. And others
who never served in the infantry and who were formerly in the cavalry and
did great damage to the enemy never dared mount their horses through fear
of you and the law; for they laid their plans, not as if the state would
perish, but would be secure and prosperous, and would exact punishment of
wrong-doers. But Alcibiades dared mount, neither through goodwill to the
state, nor because he had been a knight, nor understanding (cavalry
drill), nor having passed your examinations, (supposing) that the state
would be unable to exact penalty of offenders.
11. It is necessary to remember that, if it is possible to do whatever
one wishes, there is no use in having laws, nor for you to be impaneled,
nor for Strategi to be chosen. And I wonder, gentlemen of the jury, if
any one claims if a man, enrolled in the first rank, on the approach of
the enemy, is found in the second, that he should be condemned for
cowardice, but that if one, enrolled among the hoplites, appears among
the cavalry, he should be pardoned. 12. Now, gentlemen of the jury, I
think you are drawn, not only for punishing offenders, but that you may
make other offenders more discreet. If now you punish, only obscure
persons, no one will become better, for none will know whom you have
condemned; but if you punish conspicuous offenders, all will hear of it,
and in consequence of their examples the citizens will become better. 13.
If now you condemn this fellow, not only will those in the city hear of
it, but your allies and enemies will learn of it, and they will more
highly esteem the state, if they see you are aroused against such
offenses, and that those who offend against discipline in war have no
pardon. 14. Remember too, gentlemen of the jury, that there are some
soldiers who chance to be exhausted, and some who lack resources, and
some who would gladly serve (if they could) remain in towns, and others
who wish to look out for their own affairs at home, others who would have
liked to serve as light-armed soldiers and others in the cavalry; (15)
and yet you do not venture to leave the ranks nor choose what pleases
yourselves, but you fear the laws of the state more than the risk before
the enemy. Bearing these things in mind, it is now necessary to cast your
vote, and make it evident to all, that those Athenians who are unwilling
to fight with the enemy will be punished by you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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