by Demosthenes
[10] Now if that is what you want, if their practice accords with your ideas, we must just let them go their own way; but if you think that even at the eleventh hour you ought to put all this right, and reform what has been allowed to go too far, and has been disgracefully misdirected by these men, you must today avert your eyes from all such practices and give a righteous verdict.
[11] τὴν τὰ δίκαι᾽ ἀγαπῶσαν Εὐνομίαν περὶ πλείστου ποιησαμένους, ἣ πάσας καὶ πόλεις καὶ χώρας σῴζει: καὶ τὴν ἀπαραίτητον καὶ σεμνὴν Δίκην, ἣν ὁ τὰς ἁγιωτάτας ἡμῖν τελετὰς καταδείξας Ὀρφεὺς παρὰ τὸν τοῦ Διὸς θρόνον φησὶ καθημένην πάντα τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐφορᾶν, εἰς αὑτὸν ἕκαστον νομίσαντα βλέπειν οὕτω ψηφίζεσθαι, φυλαττόμενον καὶ προορώμενον μὴ καταισχῦναι ταύτην, ἧς ἐπώνυμός ἐστιν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος ὁ ἀεὶ δικάζειν λαχών, πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ πόλει καλὰ καὶ δίκαια καὶ συμφέροντα φυλάττων καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν παρακαταθήκην ἔνορκον εἰληφὼς παρὰ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς πολιτείας καὶ τῆς πατρίδος.
[11] You must magnify the Goddess of Order who loves what is right and preserves every city and every land; and before you cast your votes, each juryman must reflect that he is being watched by hallowed and inexorable Justice, who, as Orpheus, that prophet of our most sacred mysteries, tells us, sits beside the throne of Zeus and oversees all the works of men. Each must keep watch and ward lest he shame that goddess, from whom everyone that is chosen by lot derives his name of juror, because he has this day received a sacred trust from the laws, from the constitution, from the fatherland, — the duty of guarding all that is fair and right and beneficial in our city.
[12] ὡς εἰ μὴ τοῦτον ἕξετε τὸν τρόπον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῆς συνήθους εὐηθείας εἰσεληλυθότες καθεδεῖσθε, φοβοῦμαι μὴ τὸ πρᾶγμ᾽ εἰς τοὐναντίον περιστῇ καὶ δοκοῦντες ἡμεῖς Ἀριστογείτονος κατηγορεῖν ὑμῶν κατηγοροῦντες φανῶμεν: ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν μᾶλλον ἡμῶν δειξάντων τὴν τούτου πονηρίαν μηδὲν ὑμεῖς φροντίσητε, τοσούτῳ μείζων ἡ καθ᾽ ὑμῶν αἰσχύνη γενήσεται. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἱκανά.
[12] For if you do not cherish that temper, if you come here and take seats with your usual easy good nature, I am afraid that the case may be reversed, and that we who seem to accuse Aristogeiton may be found to be accusing you; for the more convincingly we prove his guilt without arousing your interest, the greater will be your shame. But enough of that subject!
[13] πάνυ δ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μετὰ πάσης οἰκειότητος ἐρῶ τἀληθῆ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ὁρῶν ὑμᾶς κατατάττοντάς με καὶ προχειριζομένους ἐπὶ τὴν τούτου κατηγορίαν, ἠχθόμην καὶ μὰ τὸν Δία καὶ πάντας θεοὺς οὐκ ἐβουλόμην. οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόουν ὅτι ὁ ποιήσας τι τοιοῦτον παρ᾽ ὑμῖν καὶ παθὼν ἀπέρχεται. εἰ δὲ μὴ τηλικοῦτον ὥστ᾽ εὐθὺς αἰσθέσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ποιῇ καὶ μὴ παύηται, ταχὺ γνώσεται. ὅμως δ᾽ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγούμην εἶναι πείθεσθαι τοῖς ὑμετέροις βουλήμασιν.
[13] Men of Athens, I shall certainly tell you the truth with the utmost frankness. When I saw you in the Assembly indicating and proposing me as the accuser of Aristogeiton, I was troubled, and I call Heaven to witness that I did not relish the task. For I was not unaware that he who plays such a part in your courts suffers for it in the end, not perhaps so as to feel it at once, but if he undertakes many such tasks and perseveres in them, his character will soon be recognized. I thought it, however, my duty to accede to your wishes.
[14] τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς ἐνδείξεως καὶ τῶν νόμων δίκαια αὐτόν, ὅπερ πεποίηκεν, Λυκοῦργον ἐρεῖν ἡγούμην, καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας τῆς πονηρίας τῆς τούτου τοῦτον ἑώρων προσκαλούμενον: ἃ δὲ καὶ λογίζεσθαι τοὺς ὑπὲρ πόλεως καὶ νόμων βουλευομένους προσήκει καὶ σκοπεῖσθαι δεῖ, ταῦτα προῃρούμην εἰπεῖν, καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ ταῦτα πορεύσομαι. δότε δ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δότε καὶ συγχωρήσατε μοι πρὸς Διός, ὡς πέφυκα καὶ προῄρημαι, περὶ τούτων διαλεχθῆναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς: καὶ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἄλλως δυναίμην.
[14] Now as regards the laying of the injunction and the legal points, I considered that Lycurgus would deal adequately with them; and I also saw that he was producing witnesses to the wickedness of the defendant. But I resolved to devote my speech to those points which ought always to be considered and examined by those who are deliberating in the interests of the State and of the laws; and I will now proceed to deal with those points. But do you, men of Athens, in Heaven’s name grant me the privilege of addressing you on these topics in the way that suits my natural bent and the scheme of my speech, for indeed I could not speak in any other way.
[15] ἅπας ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κἂν μεγάλην πόλιν οἰκῶσι κἂν μικράν, φύσει καὶ νόμοις διοικεῖται. τούτων δ᾽ ἡ μὲν φύσις ἐστὶν ἄτακτον καὶ κατ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἴδιον τοῦ ἔχοντος, οἱ δὲ νόμοι κοινὸν καὶ τεταγμένον καὶ ταὐτὸ πᾶσιν. ἡ μὲν οὖν φύσις, ἂν ᾖ πονηρά, πολλάκις φαῦλα βούλεται: διόπερ τοὺς τοιούτους ἐξαμαρτάνοντας εὑρήσετε.
[15] The whole life of men, Athenians, whether they dwell in a large state or a small one, is governed by nature and by the laws. Of these, nature is something irregular and incalculable, and peculiar to each individual; but the laws are something universal, definite, and the same for all. Now nature, if it be evil, often chooses wrong, and that is why you will find men of an evil nature committing errors.
[16] οἱ δὲ νόμοι τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ συμφέρον βούλονται, καὶ τοῦτο ζητοῦσιν, καὶ ἐπειδὰν εὑρεθῇ, κοινὸν τοῦτο πρόσταγμ᾽ ἀπεδείχθη, πᾶσιν ἴσον καὶ ὅμοιον, καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι νόμος. ᾧ πάντας πείθεσθαι προσήκει διὰ πολλά, καὶ μάλισθ᾽ ὅτι πᾶς ἐστι νόμος εὕρημα μὲν καὶ δῶρον θεῶν, δόγμα δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων φρονίμων, ἐπανόρθωμα δὲ τῶν ἑκουσίων καὶ ἀκουσίων ἁμαρτημάτων, πόλεως δὲ συνθήκη κοινή, καθ᾽ ἣν πᾶσι προσήκει ζῆν τοῖς ἐν τῇ πόλει.
[16] But the laws desire what is just and honorable and salutary; they seek for it, and when they find it, they set it forth as a general commandment, equal and identical for all. The law is that which all men ought to obey for many reasons, but above all because every law is an invention and gift of the gods, a tenet of wise men, a corrective of errors voluntary and involuntary, and a general covenant of the whole State, in accordance with which all men in that State ought to regulate their lives.
&nbs
p; [17] ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι νῦν Ἀριστογείτων τοῖς μὲν τῆς ἐνδείξεως δικαίοις ἅπασιν ἑάλωκεν, ἕτερος δ᾽ οὐδὲ εἷς ἔστιν ἀνεκτὸς αὐτῷ λόγος, περὶ τούτων ῥᾴδιον διδάξαι. δυοῖν γὰρ ὄντοιν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὧν ἕνεκα πάντες τίθενται οἱ νόμοι, τοῦ τε μηδένα μηδὲν ὃ μὴ δίκαιόν ἐστι ποιεῖν, καὶ τοῦ τοὺς παραβαίνοντας ταῦτα κολαζομένους βελτίους τοὺς ἄλλους ποιεῖν, ἀμφοτέροις τούτοις οὗτος ἔνοχος ὢν φανήσεται. ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ οἷς ἐξ ἀρχῆς παρέβη τοὺς νόμους, τὰ ὀφλήματ᾽ αὐτῷ γέγονεν: ἐπὶ δ᾽ οἷς οὐκ ἐμμένει τούτοις, νῦν ἐπὶ τὴν παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ἄγεται τιμωρίαν, ὥστε μηδεμίαν καταλείπεσθαι πρόφασιν δι᾽ ἣν ἄν τις αὐτὸν ἀφείη.
[17] But that Aristogeiton has been convicted on all the heads of the information, and that he has not a single counter-argument worth considering, can be easily proved. For there are two objects, men of Athens, for which all laws are framed — to deter any man from doing what is wrong, and, by punishing the transgressor, to make the rest better men; and it will be shown that both these objects will be secured by the punishment of the defendant. For by his original transgressions he has incurred the due penalties, and for his refusal to acquiesce in them he is now brought into court to receive your punishment; so that no one has any excuse left for acquitting him.
[18] οὐδὲ γὰρ αὖ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἄρ᾽ ἐκ τούτων οὐδὲν ἡ πόλις βλάπτεται. ἐγὼ γάρ, ὅτι μὲν πάντ᾽ ἀπόλλυται τὰ τῆς πόλεως ὀφλήματα, εἰ τὰ τούτου σοφίσματα προσδέξεσθε, καὶ ὅτι, εἰ ἄρα δεῖ τινας ἐκ τῶν ὀφειλόντων ἀφιέναι, τοὺς ἐπιεικεστάτους καὶ βελτίστους καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἥκιστα δεινοῖς ὠφληκότας, τούτους ἀφιέναι δεῖ, οὐχὶ τὸν πονηρότατον καὶ πλεῖσθ᾽ ἡμαρτηκότα καὶ
[18] Nor is it possible to say, “After all, these things do no harm to the State.” I will not dwell on the fact that all the fines due to the State are lost, if you admit his sophistries, or that if we must forgive any of our debtors, it ought to be the most decent and respectable and those who have been fined on the least serious charges, not the greatest villain of all, who has committed most offences and incurred the most deserved fines on the most serious charges.
[19] δικαιότατ᾽ ὠφληκότα καὶ ἐπὶ δεινοτάτοις （τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο συκοφαντίας καὶ παρανομίας δεινότερον, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀμφοτέροις οὗτος ὤφληκεν;） καὶ ὅτι οὐδ᾽ εἰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀφίετε, οὐχὶ τῷ βιαζομένῳ δήπου συγχωρῆσαι προσήκει （ὕβρις γὰρ δὴ τοῦτό γε）, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐάσω: ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ πᾶς ὁ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τῶν νόμων κόσμος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, συνταράττεται καὶ διαφθείρεται τὸ κατὰ τοῦτον, καὶ τοῦτ᾽ οἶμαι σαφῶς ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξειν.
[19] For what could be more serious than chicanery and breach of the constitution, for both of which the defendant has been condemned? Nor will I urge that even if you let off all other offenders, it is surely wrong to give way to one who resorts to force, for that is surely an outrage. I waive such considerations as these; but I do think that I can clearly prove to you that the defendant’s example confounds and destroys all order in law and in government.
[20] λέξω δ᾽ οὔτε καινὸν οὔτε περιττὸν οὐδὲν οὔτ᾽ ἴδιον, ἀλλ᾽ ὃ πάντες ὑμεῖς ἴσθ᾽ ὁμοίως ἐμοί. εἰ γάρ τις ὑμῶν ἐξετάσαι βούλεται τί ποτ᾽ ἐστὶ τὸ αἴτιον καὶ τὸ ποιοῦν τὴν βουλὴν συλλέγεσθαι, τὸν δῆμον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀναβαίνειν, τὰ δικαστήρια πληροῦσθαι, τὰς ἕνας ἀρχὰς ταῖς νέαις ἑκούσας ὑπεξιέναι, καὶ πάντα δι᾽ ὧν ἡ πόλις οἰκεῖται καὶ σῴζεται γίγνεσθαι, τοὺς νόμους εὑρήσει τούτων αἰτίους καὶ τὸ τούτοις ἅπαντας πείθεσθαι, ἐπεὶ λυθέντων γε τούτων, καὶ ἑκάστῳ δοθείσης ἐξουσίας ὅ τι βούλεται ποιεῖν, οὐ μόνον ἡ πολιτεία οἴχεται, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὁ βίος ἡμῶν τοῦ τῶν θηρίων οὐδὲν ἂν διενέγκαι.
[20] I shall say nothing novel or extravagant or peculiar, but only what you all know to be true as well as I do. For if any of you cares to inquire what is the motive-power that calls together the Council, draws the people into the Assembly, fills the law-courts, makes the old officials resign readily to the new, and enables the whole life of the State to be carried on and preserved, he will find that it is the laws and the obedience that all men yield to the laws; since, if once they were done away with and every man were given licence to do as he liked, not only does the constitution vanish, but our life would not differ from that of the beasts of the field.
[21] τί γὰρ ἂν τοῦτον αὐτὸν οἴεσθε ποιεῖν λυθέντων τῶν νόμων, ὃς ὄντων κυρίων τοιοῦτός ἐστιν; ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οἱ νόμοι μετὰ τοὺς θεοὺς ὁμολογοῦνται σῴζειν τὴν πόλιν, δεῖ πάντας ὑμᾶς τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ καθῆσθ᾽ ἐράνου πληρωταί, τὸν μὲν πειθόμενον τούτοις ὡς φέροντα τὴν τῆς σωτηρίας φορὰν πλήρη τῇ πατρίδι τιμᾶν καὶ ἐπαινεῖν, τὸν δ᾽ ἀπειθοῦντα κολάζειν.
[21] You see what the defendant is, when the laws are in force: what do you think he would do, if the laws were done away with? Since then it is admitted that, next after the gods, the laws preserve the State, it is the duty of all of you to act just as if you were sitting here making up a contribution to your club. If a man obeys the laws, respect and commend him for paying his contribution in full to the welfare of his fatherland; if he disobeys them, punish him.
[22] ἔρανος γάρ ἐστιν πολιτικὸς καὶ κοινὸς πάνθ᾽ ὅσα, ταξάντων τῶν νόμων, ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ποιεῖ. ὃν ὁ λείπων, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πολλὰ καὶ καλὰ καὶ σεμνὰ καὶ μεγάλ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀφαιρεῖται καὶ διαφθείρει τὸ καθ᾽ αὑτόν.
[22] For everything done at the bidding of the laws is a contribution made to the State and the community. Whoever leaves it unpaid, men of Athens, is depriving you of many great, honorable, and glorious benefits, which he is destroying to the best of his ability.
[23] ὧν ἓν ἢ δύ᾽ ἐρῶ παραδείγματος ἕνεκα, τὰ γνωριμώτατα. τὸ τὴν βουλὴν τοὺς πεντακοσίους ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσθενοῦς τοιαυτησὶ κιγκλίδος τῶν ἀπορρήτων κυρίαν εἶναι, καὶ μὴ τοὺς ἰδιώτας ἐπεισιέναι: τὸ τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλήν, ὅταν ἐν τῇ βασιλείῳ στοᾷ καθεζομένη περισχοινίσηται, κατὰ πολλὴν ἡσυχίαν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῆς εἶναι, καὶ ἅπαντας ἐκποδὼν ἀποχωρεῖν: τὸ τὰς ἀρχὰς ἁπάσας, ὅσας οἱ λαχόντες ἄρχ
ουσιν ὑμῶν, ἅμα τῷ τὸν ὑπηρέτην εἰπεῖν ‘μετάστητ᾽ ἔξω’ τῶν νόμων κρατεῖν ἐφ᾽ οἷς εἰσεπέμφθησαν, καὶ μηδὲ τοὺς ἀσελγεστάτους βιάζεσθαι: ἄλλα μυρία.
[23] One or two of these benefits I will name for the sake of example, choosing the best known.
The Council of the Five Hundred, thanks to this barrier, frail as it is, is master of its own secrets, and no private citizen can enter it. The Council of the Areopagus, when it sits roped off in the King’s Portico, enjoys complete freedom from disturbance, and all men hold aloof.
[24] πάντα γὰρ τὰ σεμνὰ καὶ καλὰ καὶ δι᾽ ὧν ἡ πόλις κοσμεῖται καὶ σῴζεται, ἡ σωφροσύνη, ἡ πρὸς τοὺς γονέας καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὑμῶν παρὰ τῶν νέων αἰσχύνη, ἡ εὐταξία, τῇ τῶν νόμων προσθήκῃ τῶν αἰσχρῶν περίεστιν, τῆς ἀναισχυντίας, τῆς θρασύτητος, τῆς ἀναιδείας. ἰταμὸν γὰρ ἡ πονηρία καὶ τολμηρὸν καὶ πλεονεκτικόν, καὶ τοὐναντίον ἡ καλοκαγαθία ἡσύχιον καὶ ὀκνηρὸν καὶ βραδὺ καὶ δεινὸν ἐλαττωθῆναι. τοὺς νόμους οὖν δεῖ τηρεῖν καὶ τούτους ἰσχυροὺς ποιεῖν τοὺς ἀεὶ δικάζοντας ὑμῶν: μετὰ γὰρ τούτων οἱ χρηστοὶ τῶν πονηρῶν περίεισιν.