Delphi Complete Works of Demosthenes

by Demosthenes

  [143] But of all the astonishing features of Leptines’ law, what astonishes me most is his ignorance of the fact that just as a man who assigns heavy penalties for offences would be unlikely to have contemplated an offence himself, so one who abolishes the rewards for benefactions will not himself be likely to have contemplated a good deed. Now if, as is just possible, he did not know this, he will at once confess it by allowing you to repeal the law which embodies his own error, but if he shows himself obstinate and eager to ratify the law, I for one cannot praise him, though I refrain from censure.

  [144] μηδὲν οὖν φιλονίκει, Λεπτίνη, μηδὲ βιάζου τοιοῦτον δι᾽ οὗ μήτ᾽ αὐτὸς δόξεις βελτίων εἶναι μήθ᾽ οἱ πεισθέντες σοι, ἄλλως τε καὶ γεγενημένου σοι τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἀκινδύνου. διὰ γὰρ τὸ τελευτῆσαι Βάθιππον τὸν τουτουὶ πατέρ᾽ Ἀψεφίωνος, ὃς αὐτὸν ἔτ᾽ ὄνθ᾽ ὑπεύθυνον ἐγράψατο, ἐξῆλθον οἱ χρόνοι, καὶ νυνὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου πᾶς ἐσθ᾽ ὁ λόγος, τούτῳ δ᾽ οὐδείς ἐστι κίνδυνος.

  [144] Then be not stubborn, Leptines; do not insist on a course which will not add to your own reputation or that of your supporters, especially as this trial no longer endangers you. For owing to the death of the father of Apsephion here, Bathippus, who indicted Leptines when he was still liable, the legal period has elapsed, and now our whole concern is with the law, and its proposer runs no risk.

  [145] καίτοι καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἀκούω σε λέγειν, ὡς ἄρα τρεῖς σέ τινες γραψάμενοι πρότεροι τοῦδε οὐκ ἐπεξῆλθον. εἰ μὲν τοίνυν ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς λέγεις ὅτι σ᾽ οὐ κατέστησαν εἰς κίνδυνον, φιλοκινδυνότατος πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἶ: εἰ δὲ τεκμήριον ποιεῖ τοῦ τὰ δίκαι᾽ εἰρηκέναι, λίαν εὔηθες ποιεῖς. τί γὰρ εἵνεκα τούτου βελτίων ἔσθ᾽ ὁ νόμος, εἴ τις ἢ τετελεύτηκε τῶν γραψαμένων πρὶν εἰσελθεῖν, ἢ πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ σοῦ διεγράψατο, ἢ καὶ ὅλως ὑπὸ σοῦ παρεσκευάσθη; ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὐδὲ λέγειν καλόν.

  [145] I am told, however, that you assert that three distinct persons indicted you before Apsephion, but dropped the action. Well, if your complaint against them is that they did not endanger you, you must be fonder of danger than other people, but if you bring it forward as a proof of the justice of your proposals, you are doing a very silly thing. For how is your law improved by the fact that one of those who indicted you died before he could come into court, or was induced by you to drop the charge, or even was simply suborned by you? But I am ashamed even to suggest such things.

  [146] ᾕρηνται δὲ τῷ νόμῳ σύνδικοι καὶ μάλισθ᾽ οἱ δεινοὶ λέγειν ἄνδρες, Λεωδάμας Ἀχαρνεὺς καὶ Ἀριστοφῶν Ἁζηνιεὺς καὶ Κηφισόδοτος ἐκ Κεραμέων καὶ Δεινίας Ἑρχιεύς. ἃ δὴ πρὸς τούτους ὑπολαμβάνοιτ᾽ ἂν εἰκότως, ἀκούσατε, καὶ σκοπεῖτ᾽ ἂν ὑμῖν δίκαια φαίνηται. πρῶτον μὲν πρὸς Λεωδάμαντα. οὗτος ἐγράψατο τὴν Χαβρίου δωρειάν, ἐν ᾗ τοῦτ᾽ ἔνεστιν τὸ τῆς ἀτελείας τῶν ἐκείνῳ τι δοθέντων, καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰσελθὼν ἡττήθη:

  [146] There are advocates appointed to defend the law, and very able speakers they are; Leodamas of Acharnae, Aristophon of Hazenia, Cephisodotus of Ceramicus, and Dinias of Herchia. Let me tell you, then, how you may reasonably retort upon them, and do you consider whether the retort is fair. Take Leodamas first. It was he who impeached the grant to Chabrias, which included among other things the gift of immunity, and when his case came before you, he lost it.

  [147] οἱ νόμοι δ᾽ οὐκ ἐῶσι δὶς πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν οὔτε δίκας οὔτ᾽ εὐθύνας οὔτε διαδικασίαν οὔτ᾽ ἄλλο τοιοῦτ᾽ οὐδὲν εἶναι. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων ἀτοπώτατον ἂν πάντων συμβαίη, εἰ τότε μὲν τὰ Χαβρίου παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ἔργα μεῖζον ἴσχυε τῶν Λεωδάμαντος λόγων, ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταῦτά θ᾽ ὑπάρχει καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων εὐεργετῶν προσγέγονεν, τηνικαῦτα σύμπαντα ταῦτ᾽ ἀσθενέστερα τῶν τούτου λόγων γένοιτο.

  [147] Now the laws forbid the same man to be tried twice on the same issue, be it a civil action, a scrutiny, a contested claim, or anything else of the sort. But quite apart from all this, it would be a most absurd result if on the first occasion the services of Chabrias outweighed the arguments of Leodamas, but when to his services were added those of all the other benefactors, then the combined effect should be weaker than the arguments.

  [148] καὶ μὴν πρός γ᾽ Ἀριστοφῶντα πολλὰ καὶ δίκαι᾽ ἂν ἔχειν εἰπεῖν οἶμαι. οὗτος εὕρετο τὴν δωρειὰν παρ᾽ ὑμῖν, ἐν ᾗ τοῦτ᾽ ἐνῆν. καὶ οὐ τοῦτ᾽ ἐπιτιμῶ: δεῖ γὰρ ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν εἶναι διδόναι τὰ ὑμέτερ᾽ αὐτῶν οἷς ἂν βούλησθε. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνό γ᾽ οὐχὶ δίκαιον εἶναί φημι, τὸ ὅτε μὲν τούτῳ ταῦτ᾽ ἔμελλεν ὑπάρχειν λαβόντι, μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι δεινόν, ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἑτέροις δέδοται, τηνικαῦτ᾽ ἀγανακτεῖν καὶ πείθειν ὑμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι.

  [148] To Aristophon I think I could raise many sound objections. He obtained his grant, which included immunity, by your votes. I find no fault with that, for it is right that you should have it in your power to bestow what is yours on anyone you please. But I do suggest that it is unfair that he should raise no objection when he was going to receive it himself, but when it has been given to others, he should take offence and urge you to withdraw it.

  [149] καὶ μὴν καὶ Γελάρχῳ πέντε τάλαντ᾽ ἀποδοῦναι γέγραφ᾽ οὗτος ὡς παρασχόντι τοῖς ἐν Πειραιεῖ τοῦ δήμου, καὶ καλῶς ἐποίει. μὴ τοίνυν ἃ μὲν ἦν ἀμάρτυρα, ταῦτ᾽ ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ δήμου προφάσει διὰ σοῦ δεδόσθω, ὧν δ᾽ αὐτὸς ὁ δῆμος μαρτυρίας ἔστησεν ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀναγράψας καὶ πάντες συνίσασιν, ταῦτ᾽ ἀφελέσθαι παραίνει: μηδ᾽ αὑτὸς φαίνου τά τ᾽ ὀφειλόμεν᾽ ὡς ἀποδοῦναι δεῖ γράφων, καὶ ἅ τις παρὰ τοῦ δήμου κεκόμισται, ταῦτ᾽ ἀφελέσθαι παραινῶν.

  [149] Moreover it was Aristophon who proposed to pay Gelarchus five talents for sums advanced to the democrats in the Piraeus; and he was right. Then, my friend, if you recommended the repayment of unattested sums on the ground of service done to the people, you must not advise the revocation of grants for services which the people themselves attested by inscriptions in the temples, and which are indeed known to all men. You must not exhibit yourself as at the same time proposing that debts ought to be paid, and urging that a man should be deprived of what he has won at the hands of the people.

  [150] καὶ μὴν πρός γε Κηφισόδοτον τοσοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἴποιμι. οὗτός ἐστιν οὐδενὸς ἧττον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν λεγόντων δεινὸς εἰπεῖν. πολὺ τοίνυν κάλλιον τῇ δεινότητι ταύτῃ χρῆσθαι ἐπ�
� τὸ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ὑμᾶς κολάζειν ἢ τοὺς ἀγαθοῦ τινὸς αἰτίους ἀδικεῖν. εἰ γὰρ ἀπεχθάνεσθαί τισι δεῖ, τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι τὸν δῆμον, οὐ τοῖς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσιν ἔγωγε νομίζω δεῖν.

  [150] Next, I have this much to say to Cephisodotus. As an orator, men of Athens, he is inferior to none. Then it would be far more honorable to use his talents for the chastisement of evil-doers than for the injury of those who deserve well. If he must make enemies, I suggest that they should be those who injure the people, not those who benefit them.

  [151] πρὸς τοίνυν Δεινίαν: οὗτος ἴσως ἐρεῖ τριηραρχίας αὑτοῦ καὶ λῃτουργίας. ἐγὼ δ᾽, εἰ πολλοῦ τῇ πόλει Δεινίας ἄξιον αὑτὸν παρέσχηκεν, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ νὴ τοὺς θεούς, μᾶλλον ἂν παραινέσαιμ᾽ αὑτῷ τινὰ τιμὴν ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦν δοῦναι ἢ τὰς ἑτέροις πρότερον δοθείσας ἀφελέσθαι κελεύειν: πολὺ γὰρ βελτίονος ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἐφ᾽ οἷς αὐτὸς εὖ πεποίηκεν ἀξιοῦν τιμᾶσθαι ἢ ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἕτεροι ποιήσαντες ἐτιμήθησαν φθονεῖν.

  [151] Then as to Dinias. Perhaps he will tell you of the war-galleys he has equipped and of his other public services. For my part, though Dinias has proved himself a valuable servant of the public, as I sincerely believe, I would urge him rather to claim from you some reward for himself than to tell you to take back rewards previously given to others; for a man gives a surer proof of excellence by claiming a reward for his own services than by grudging others the rewards they have received for theirs.

  [152] ὃ δὲ δὴ μέγιστον ἁπάντων καὶ κοινὸν ὑπάρχει κατὰ πάντων τῶν συνδίκων: τούτων πολλάκις εἷς ἕκαστος πρότερόν τισι πράγμασι σύνδικος γέγονεν. ἔστι δὲ καὶ μάλ᾽ ἔχων νόμος ὑμῖν καλῶς, οὐκ ἐπὶ τούτοις τεθείς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ τὸ πρᾶγμ᾽ ὥσπερ ἐργασία τισὶν ᾖ καὶ συκοφαντία, μὴ ἐξεῖναι ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου χειροτονηθέντα πλεῖν ἢ ἅπαξ συνδικῆσαι.

  [152] But the most effective retort is one which applies to all the commissioners alike. Each one of them has often before served as commissioner for some business or other. Now you have a very sound law — not, of course, directed against these men, but framed to prevent any commissioner from using his opportunity for profit or blackmail — that no one, elected by the people, be permitted to serve as commissioner more than once.

  [153] τοὺς δὴ συνεροῦντας νόμῳ καὶ διδάξοντας ὑμᾶς ὡς ἐπιτήδειός ἐστιν, αὐτοὺς τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι νόμοις δεῖ πειθομένους φαίνεσθαι: εἰ δὲ μή, γελοῖον νόμῳ μὲν συνδικεῖν, νόμον δ᾽ αὐτοὺς παραβαίνειν ἕτερον. ἀνάγνωθι λαβὼν τὸν νόμον αὐτοῖς ὃν λέγω.”Νόμος”

  οὗτος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ παλαιός ἐσθ᾽ ὁ νόμος καὶ καλῶς ἔχων, ὃν ἐὰν σωφρονῶσι φυλάξονται παραβαίνειν οὗτοι.

  [153] Surely those who are going to advocate a law and urge its necessity ought to show themselves ready to obey existing laws; otherwise it is absurd for them to defend one law as commissioners and violate another themselves. Take and read the law which I cite.” Law”

  That, Athenians, is both an old and a sound law, which the commissioners will be careful not to violate, if they are wise.

  [154] ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἔτι μικρὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπὼν καταβήσομαι. ἔστι γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάντας μὲν τοὺς νόμους ὑμῖν, ὡς ἐγὼ νομίζω, σπουδαστέον ὡς κάλλιστ᾽ ἔχειν, μάλιστα δὲ τούτους δι᾽ ὧν ἢ μικρὰν ἢ μεγάλην ἔστ᾽ εἶναι τὴν πόλιν. εἰσὶ δ᾽ οὗτοι τίνες; οἵ τε τοῖς ἀγαθόν τι ποιοῦσι τὰς τιμὰς διδόντες καὶ οἱ τοῖς τἀναντία πράττουσι τὰς τιμωρίας. εἰ γὰρ ἅπαντες ὡς ἀληθῶς τὰς ἐν τοῖς νόμοις ζημίας φοβούμενοι τοῦ κακόν τι ποιεῖν ἀποσταῖεν, καὶ πάντες τὰς ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις δωρειὰς ζηλώσαντες ἃ χρὴ πράττειν προέλοιντο, τί κωλύει μεγίστην εἶναι τὴν πόλιν καὶ πάντας χρηστοὺς καὶ μηδέν᾽ εἶναι πονηρόν;

  [154] I have still a few things to say to you before I sit down. For you ought, in my opinion, men of Athens, to be anxious for the utmost possible efficiency of our laws, but especially of those on which depends the strength or weakness of our State. And which are they? They are those which assign rewards to those who do good and punishments to those who do evil. For in truth, if from fear of legal penalties all men shunned wrongdoing, and if from ambition for the rewards of good service all chose the path of duty, what prevents our city from being great and all our citizens honest, with not a rogue among them?

  [155] ὁ τοίνυν νόμος οὗτος ὁ Λεπτίνου, οὐ μόνον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτ᾽ ἀδικεῖ, ὅτι τὰς τιμὰς ἀναιρῶν τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ἀχρεῖον τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τοῖς φιλοτιμεῖσθαι βουλομένοις καθίστησιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ παρανομίας δόξαν αἰσχίστην τῇ πόλει καταλείπει. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθ᾽ ὅτι τῶν τὰ δεινόταθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀδικούντων ἓν ἑκάστῳ τίμημ᾽ ὑπάρχει διὰ τὸν νόμον, ὃς διαρρήδην λέγει ‘μηδὲ ὡς χρὴ τίμημ᾽ ὑπάρχειν ἐπὶ κρίσει πλέον ἢ ἕν, ὁπότερον ἂν τὸ δικαστήριον τιμήσῃ, παθεῖν ἢ ἀποτεῖσαι: ἀμφότερα δὲ μὴ ἐξέστω.’

  [155] Now the law of Leptines, Athenians, does harm not only by abolishing the rewards of good service and so rendering fruitless the good intentions of those who are ambitious for honor, but also by leaving our city under the serious reproach of imbecility. For you are of course aware that for each grave offence a single penalty is provided by the law, which says explicitly that “at any trial there shall be not more than one assessment of penalty, whichever the court imposes, whether a personal punishment or a fine, but not both.”

  [156] ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ οὗτος ἐχρήσατο τούτῳ τῷ μέτρῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις ἀπαιτήσῃ χάριν ὑμᾶς, ‘ἄτιμος ἔστω’ φησὶ ‘καὶ ἡ οὐσία δημοσία ἔστω.’ δύο τιμήματα ταῦτα. ‘εἶναι δὲ καὶ ἐνδείξεις καὶ ἀπαγωγάς: ἐὰν δ᾽ ἁλῷ, ἔνοχος ἔστω τῷ νόμῳ ὃς κεῖται, ἐάν τις ὀφείλων ἄρχῃ τῷ δημοσίῳ.’ θάνατον λέγει: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνῳ τοὐπιτίμιον. οὐκοῦν τρία τιμήματα ταῦτα. πῶς οὖν οὐ σχέτλιον καὶ δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ χαλεπώτερον εἶναι παρ᾽ ὑμῖν δόξει χάριν εὖ ποιήσαντ᾽ ἀπαιτεῖν ἢ τὰ δεινότατ᾽ ἐργαζόμενον ληφθῆναι;

  [156] But Leptines has used a different measure and says that if anyone claims a return from you, “he shall be disfranchised, and his property shall be confiscated.” There you have two penalties. “The process shall be by laying information or by summary arrest; and if he be con
victed, he shall be liable under the law which provides for the case of a man holding office while in debt to the treasury.” Death is what he means, for such is the punishment in that case. Why, here are three penalties! Is it not monstrously hard, Athenians, if it proves more serious in your courts to ask for a return for good service than to be convicted of some heinous crime?

  [157] αἰσχρός, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ κακῶς ἔχων ὁ νόμος, καὶ ὅμοιος φθόνῳ τινὶ καὶ φιλονικίᾳ καὶ — τὸ λοιπὸν ἐῶ: τοιούτοις δέ τισιν προσέοιχ᾽ ὁ γράφων χρῆσθαι. ὑμῖν δ᾽ οὐχὶ πρέπει τὰ τοιαῦτα μιμεῖσθαι, οὐδ᾽ ἀνάξια φαίνεσθαι φρονοῦντας ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. φέρε γὰρ πρὸς Διός, τί μάλιστ᾽ ἂν ἀπευξαίμεθα πάντες, καὶ τί μάλιστ᾽ ἐν ἅπασι διεσπούδασται τοῖς νόμοις; ὅπως μὴ γενήσονται οἱ περὶ ἀλλήλους φόνοι, περὶ ὧν ἐξαίρετος ἡ βουλὴ φύλαξ ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ τέτακται.