Speeches, addresses, etc., Greek -- Translations into English
8. When misfortune came to the state, members of the Boule,--I will
mention this only as far as is necessary,--this man was drafted from the
city by the Thirty with the rest of the citizens and for a time lived
outside, but when the party from Phyle marched on the Piraeus, and men
from the country as well as those in exile joined forces either in the
town or at the Piraeus, and brought what aid each could to his country,
this man took just the opposite course from the rest of the citizens. 9.
For he packed up his possessions and went into a country not his own, and
paid the alien's tax in Oropos and lived under a patron, preferring to be
an alien there rather than be a citizen with us. Then, not like some of
the citizens who changed parties when they saw the men from Phyle were
successful in their attempts, did he claim to share in their successes,
but he wished to come after all was over rather than come with them and
unite in what was for the common advantage of the state. For he did not
come to the Piraeus, nor offer himself to you to be appointed for
military duty. 10. And while he dared betray us in our success, what
would he have done, if we had been unsuccessful? Those who did not share
in the risk to the state through some personal misfortune, should be
excused, for such failure is involuntary; (11) but those who pursued this
course of action on purpose are not to be pardoned, for they did so, not
through misfortune but by design. And it is agreed by all men that for
the same trespasses we should be most of all angry at those who are
perfectly able not to commit a wrong, but excuse those who are poor or
infirm, because we consider they sin involuntarily. 12. But this man
should have no excuse; for he is neither a cripple and so unable to work,
as you see, nor (unable) to contribute money as if poor, as I shall show.
How should not a man be hated with reason by you if he put the same
energy into being wicked that he might have used aiding you? 13. And you
will not incur the hatred of any of the citizens by rejecting this man;
for he evidently betrayed not one party, but both, so that it appears he
is not liked either by the city party,--for he did not consent to go
into danger with them--nor by those who took the Piraeus,--for he would
not move with them. 14. If then any of the citizens are left over who had
the same experiences as his, let him claim to legislate in their company,
if they ever,--which Heaven forbid,--take the state.
So that he took up his residence in Oropos under a patron and gained
sufficient property, and neither took arms in the town nor in the
Piraeus, that you may know that these first things which I affirm are
true, hear the witnesses.
WITNESSES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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