1. It has been the case, gentlemen of the jury, that some men coming up for trial appeared guilty, and yet by showing the valor of their ancestors and their own services have obtained pardon from you. As you accept this from defendants, if they show they have performed any service to the state, I beg you also to listen to the prosecution, if they make evident the baseness of the defendant. 2. It would take too long to tell you that the father of Nicomachus was a public slave, and what sort of a life this man led when a young man, and what age he was when he was enrolled in his phratria; but while he was copyist of the laws, who does not know how he injured the state? For when he was commanded to transcribe the laws of Solon in four months, he made himself the lawgiver instead of Solon, and instead of four months he gave himself the office for six years, and while taking pay daily, he wrote some laws, and erased some. 3. He brought matters to such a pass that we had the laws dealt out to us by his hand, and plaintiffs and defendants quoted opposing laws in the courts, both claiming they derived them from Nicomachus. And although the Archons fined him and summoned him to court, he would not hand over the laws, and the city got into the greatest difficulties before he was deposed from his office and rendered the account of what he had done. 4. And as he paid no penalty for that, what sort of an office has he now established for himself? He who has written for four years when he could have finished in thirty days? Then, though it was defined from what he was to copy, he took matters into his own hands, and while having so much in charge, he was the only official who did not render an account. 5. But others give in an account of their office according to the Prytany, but you, Nicomachus, did not think it necessary to send in yours for four years, but you think you alone of all the citizens can hold office for a long time, and not hand in an account, nor obey decrees, nor consider the laws, but here you write, and there you erase, and have reached such a pitch of arrogance as to think the property of the state is yours, although, you are the state's slave. 6. Now it is necessary, gentlemen of the jury, for you to bear in mind who the ancestors of Nicomachus were, and how ungratefully he has treated you contrary to law, and to punish him, and as you did not exact the penalty for each offense, now punish him for them all. 7. And perhaps, gentlemen of the jury, since he cannot defend himself, he will try to slander me. It is only then I think you will believe what he says about me when in giving my defense I shall be unable to prove his. But if he tries to speak as (he did) in the Boule, you will be told I was one of the Four Hundred. From the talk of these men, the Four Hundred will become more than a thousand. For slanderers bring this up against men who were children at that time, and those who were out of the city. 8.