by Demosthenes
[10] To prove that I am stating the truth to you in this, the clerk shall read you the depositions covering these matters, those of the persons who at that time collected the military supplies and of the despatching board; also the record of the pay which I gave out every month to the rowers and the marines, receiving from the generals subsistence-money alone, except pay for two months only in a period of a year and five months also a list of the sailors who were hired, and how much money each of them received; to the end that from this evidence you may know how generous I was and why the defendant was unwilling to take over the ship from me when the term of my trierarchy had expired.” Depositions”
[11] ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν οὐ ψεύδομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς περὶ ὧν εἶπον, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τῶν μαρτυριῶν ἀναγιγνωσκομένων ἀκηκόατε. ἔτι δὲ περὶ ὧν μέλλω λέγειν, ἅπαντές μοι ὁμολογήσετε ὅτι ἀληθῆ ἐστιν. τριήρους γὰρ ὁμολογεῖται κατάλυσις εἶναι, πρῶτον μέν, ἐὰν μὴ μισθόν τις διδῷ, δεύτερον δέ, ἐὰν εἰς τὸν Πειραιᾶ μεταξὺ καταπλεύσῃ: ἀπόλειψίς τε γὰρ πλείστη γίγνεται, οἵ τε παραμένοντες τῶν ναυτῶν οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν πάλιν ἐμβαίνειν, ἐὰν μή τις αὐτοῖς ἕτερον ἀργύριον διδῷ ὥστε τὰ οἰκεῖα διοικήσασθαι. ἃ ἐμοὶ ἀμφότερα συνέβη, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὥστε πολυτελεστέραν μοι γενέσθαι τὴν τριηραρχίαν.
[11] The proof, then, that I am uttering no falsehoods in regard to the matters which I have mentioned, you have learned, men of the jury, from the reading of the depositions. But, further, you will all agree with me that what I am about to say is true. It is admitted that the usefulness of a ship is done away with, first, if the men are not paid, and secondly, if she put into the Peiraeus before her expedition is finished; for in that case there is a great deal of desertion, and those of the sailors who remain are unwilling to embark again, unless additional money is given them for their household expenses. Both of these things happened to me, men of the jury, so that my trierarchy became the more costly.
[12] καὶ γὰρ μισθὸν οὐδένα λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ ὀκτὼ μηνῶν, κατέπλευσα τοὺς πρέσβεις ἄγων διὰ τὸ ἄριστά μοι πλεῖν τὴν ναῦν, καὶ ἐνθένδε πάλιν, προσταχθέν μοι ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου Μένωνα τὸν στρατηγὸν ἄγειν εἰς Ἑλλήσποντον ἀντὶ Αὐτοκλέους ἀποχειροτονηθέντος, ᾠχόμην ἀναγόμενος διὰ τάχους. καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ἀπολιπόντων μὲν ναυτῶν ἑτέρους ἐμισθωσάμην ναύτας, δωρεὰς καὶ προδόσεις αὐτοῖς διδοὺς μεγάλας, τοῖς δὲ παραμείνασι τῶν ἀρχαίων ναυτῶν ἔδωκά τι εἰς διοίκησιν τῶν οἰκείων καταλιπεῖν πρὸς ᾧ πρότερον εἶχον, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν τὴν παροῦσαν χρείαν,
[12] For I received no pay from the general for the space of eight months, and I sailed home to Peiraeus with the ambassadors because my ship was the fastest sailer, and again, when I was ordered by the people to take Menon the general to the Hellespont to replace Autocles, who had been removed from his command, I set sail on short notice from Athens. In the place of the seamen who had deserted I hired others, giving them large bonuses and advance payments, and I gave to those of the original sailors who stayed with me something to leave behind for the maintenance of their households in addition to what they had before;
[13] ὡς ἀναγκαία ἦν ἑκάστῳ, ἀπορῶν δὲ αὐτὸς ὡς μὰ τὸν Δία καὶ τὸν Ἀπόλλω οὐδεὶς ἄν μοι πιστεύσειεν, ὅστις μὴ ἀληθῶς παρηκολούθηκε τοῖς ἐμοῖς πράγμασιν. ὑποθεὶς δὲ τὸ χωρίον Θρασυλόχῳ καὶ Ἀρχένεῳ, καὶ δανεισάμενος τριάκοντα μνᾶς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ διαδοὺς τοῖς ναύταις, ᾠχόμην ἀναγόμενος, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐλλείποι τῷ δήμῳ ὧν προσέταξε τὸ κατ᾽ ἐμέ. καὶ ὁ δῆμος ἀκούσας ταῦτα ἐπῄνεσέν τέ με, καὶ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον εἰς τὸ πρυτανεῖον ἐκάλεσεν. καὶ ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσεται τὴν μαρτυρίαν καὶ τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ τοῦ δήμου.”Μαρτυρία”“Ψήφισμα”
[13] for I was well aware of the need they felt, and how it pressed upon each one, and I was myself embarrassed for funds as, by Zeus and Apollo, no one could believe, who had not accurately followed the course of my affairs. However, I mortgaged my farm to Thrasylochus and Archeneüs, and having borrowed thirty minae from them and distributed the money among the crew, I put to sea, that no part of the people’s orders might fail to be carried out, as far as it depended on me. And the people, hearing of this, gave me a vote of thanks, and invited me to dine in the Prytaneum.
To prove that I am speaking the truth in this, the clerk shall read you the deposition dealing with these facts, and the decree of the people.” Deposition ““ Decree”
[14] ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν εἰς Ἑλλήσποντον ἤλθομεν, καὶ ὅ τε χρόνος ἐξεληλύθει μοι τῆς τριηραρχίας, καὶ μισθὸς οὐκ ἀπεδόθη τοῖς στρατιώταις ἀλλ᾽ ἢ δυοῖν μηνοῖν, ἕτερός τε στρατηγὸς ἧκεν Τιμόμαχος, καὶ οὗτος διαδόχους οὐκ ἄγων ἐπὶ τὰς ναῦς, ἀθυμήσαντές μοι πολλοὶ τοῦ πληρώματος ᾤχοντο ἀπολιπόντες τὴν ναῦν, οἱ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον στρατευσόμενοι, οἱ δὲ εἰς τὰς Θασίων καὶ Μαρωνιτῶν ναῦς, μισθῷ μεγάλῳ πεισθέντες καὶ ἀργύριον πολὺ προλαβόντες καὶ ὑπὸ πολλῶν αὖ τῷ λόγῳ ἐξηπατημένοι,
[14] Then, when we came to the Hellespont, and the term of my trierarchy had expired, and no pay had been given to the soldiers except for two months when another general, Timomachus, had come — though even he brought to the fleet no new trierarchs to relieve those in service, — many of my crew became discouraged and went off, deserting the ship, some to the mainland to take military service, and some to the fleet of the Thasians, and Maronites, won over by the promise of high pay and receiving substantial sums in advance.
[15] καὶ τὰ μὲν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐξανηλωμένα ἤδη ὁρῶντες, τὰ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἀμελῆ, τὰ δὲ τῶν συμμάχων ἄπορα, τὰ δὲ τῶν στρατηγῶν ἄπιστα, καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἐξήκοντα τῆς τριηραρχίας καὶ τὸν πλοῦν οὐκέτ᾽ ὄντα οἴκαδε, οὐδὲ διάδοχον ἥκοντα ἐπὶ τὴν ναῦν, παρ᾽ οὗ ἄν τις ἠξίωσεν ὠφεληθῆναι. ὅσῳ γὰρ φιλοτιμούμενος ἄμεινον ἐπληρωσάμην τὴν ναῦν ἐρετῶν ἀγαθῶν, τοσούτῳ μοι πλείστη ἀπόλειψις ἐγένετο τῶν ἄλλων τριηράρχων.
[15] They saw also that my resources were by now exhausted, that the state was neglectful of them, that our allies were in need, and the generals not to be depended on, and that they had been deceived by the words of many of them; and they knew that the term of my trierarchy had expired and that their voyage was not to be homeward and that no successor had arrived to take command from whom they could expect any relief. For the more ambitious I had been to man my ship with good rowers, by so much was the deserti
on from me greater than from the other trierarchs.
[16] τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοις, εἰ μή τι ἄλλο, οἵ γε ἐκ καταλόγου ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ναῦν παρέμενον τηροῦντες τὴν οἴκαδε σωτηρίαν, ὁπότε αὐτοὺς ἀφήσει ὁ στρατηγός: οἱ δ᾽ ἐμοὶ ναῦται πιστεύοντες αὑτοῖς ἐπὶ τῷ δύνασθαι ἐλαύνειν, ὅπου ἔμελλον ἀργύριον πάλιν πλεῖστον λήψεσθαι, ἐνταῦθ᾽ ἀπῇσαν, ἡγούμενοι τὴν ἐν τῷ παρόντι εὐπορίαν κρείττω εἶναι αὑτοῖς τοῦ μέλλοντος φόβου, εἴ ποτε ληφθείησαν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ.
[16] For the others had this advantage at any rate, that the sailors who had come to their ships drawn from the official lists, stayed with them in order to make sure of their return home when the general should discharge them; whereas mine, trusting in their skill as able rowers, went off wherever they were likely to be re-employed at the highest wages, thinking more of their gain for the immediate present than of the danger impending over them, if they should ever be caught by me.
[17] τοιούτων τοίνυν μοι τῶν πραγμάτων συμβεβηκότων, καὶ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ ἅμα Τιμομάχου προστάξαντος πλεῖν ἐφ᾽ Ἱερὸν ἐπὶ τὴν παραπομπὴν τοῦ σίτου καὶ μισθὸν οὐ διδόντος, εἰσαγγελθέντων δὲ ὅτι Βυζάντιοι καὶ Καλχηδόνιοι πάλιν κατάγουσι τὰ πλοῖα καὶ ἀναγκάζουσι τὸν σῖτον ἐξαιρεῖσθαι, δανεισάμενος ἐγὼ ἀργύριον παρ᾽ Ἀρχεδήμου μὲν τοῦ Ἀναφλυστίου πεντεκαίδεκα μνᾶς ἐπίτοκον, ὀκτακοσίας δὲ δραχμὰς παρὰ Νικίππου τοῦ ναυκλήρου ναυτικὸν ἀνειλόμην, ὃς ἔτυχεν ὢν ἐν Σηστῷ, ἐπόγδοον, σωθέντος δὲ τοῦ πλοίου Ἀθήναζε ἀποδοῦναι αὐτὸ καὶ τοὺς τόκους,
[17] Consequently when my affairs were in the condition which I have described, and at the same time I was ordered by the general, Timomachus, to sail to Hieron to convoy the grain, though he provided no pay （word had been brought that the Byzantines and the Calchedonians were again bringing the ships into port and forcing them to unload their grain）, I borrowed money from Archidemus of Anaphlystus, fifteen minae at interest, and I secured from Nicippus, the shipowner, who happened to be in Sestus, eight hundred drachmae, as a maritime loan at 12 1/2 per cent, on condition that I should pay him principal and interest when the ship should get safely back to Athens.
[18] καὶ πέμψας Εὐκτήμονα τὸν πεντηκόνταρχον εἰς Λάμψακον, δοὺς αὐτῷ ἀργύριον καὶ γράμματα πρὸς τοὺς ξένους τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐμοῦ, ἐκέλευσά μοι αὐτὸν ναύτας μισθώσασθαι ὡς ἂν δύνηται ἀρίστους: αὐτὸς δ᾽ ὑπομείνας ἐν Σηστῷ τοῖς τε παραμείνασι τῶν ἀρχαίων ναυτῶν ἔδωκά τι, ὅσον εἶχον, ἐπειδή μοι ὁ χρόνος ἐξῆκεν τῆς τριηραρχίας, καὶ ἑτέρους ναύτας ἐντελομίσθους προσέλαβον, ἐν ὅσῳ ὁ στρατηγὸς τὸν ἀνάπλουν τὸν ἐφ᾽ Ἱερὸν παρεσκευάζετο.
[18] Further, I sent Euctemon, the pentecontarch, to Lampsacus, giving him money and letters to friends of my father, and bade him hire for me the best sailors he could. I myself stayed in Sestus and gave some money — all I had — to the old sailors who stayed with me, since the term of my trierarchy had expired, and I secured also some other sailors at full pay, while the general was making ready for his voyage to Hieron.
[19] ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ὅ τε Εὐκτήμων ἧκεν ἐκ τῆς Λαμψάκου ἄγων τοὺς ναύτας οὓς ἐμισθώσατο, καὶ ὁ στρατηγὸς παρήγγειλεν ἀνάγεσθαι, τῷ μὲν Εὐκτήμονι ἀσθενῆσαι ἐξαίφνης συνέβη, καὶ πάνυ πονηρῶς διετέθη: τούτῳ μὲν οὖν ἀποδοὺς τὸν μισθὸν καὶ ἐφόδια προσθεὶς ἀπέπεμψα οἴκαδε: αὐτὸς δὲ πεντηκόνταρχον ἕτερον λαβὼν ἀνηγόμην ἐπὶ τὴν παραπομπὴν τοῦ σίτου, καὶ ἐκεῖ περιέμεινα πέντε καὶ τετταράκοντα ἡμέρας, ἕως ὁ ἔκπλους τῶν πλοίων τῶν μετ᾽ ἀρκτοῦρον ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου ἐγένετο.
[19] But when Euctemon came back from Lampsacus, bringing the sailors whom he had hired, and the general gave the word for us to put to sea, it happened that Euctemon suddenly fell sick, and was in a very serious condition. I, therefore, gave him his pay, adding money for his journey, and sent him home; while I secured another pentecontarch and put out to sea to convoy the grain, and I stayed there forty-five days, until the vessels sailed out from Pontus after the rising of Arcturus.
[20] ἀφικόμενος δὲ εἰς Σηστὸν ἐγὼ μὲν ᾤμην οἴκαδε καταπλεύσεσθαι, τοῦ τε χρόνου μοι ἐξήκοντος καὶ ἐπιτετριηραρχημένων ἤδη μοι δυοῖν μηνοῖν καὶ διαδόχου οὐχ ἥκοντος ἐπὶ τὴν ναῦν: ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς Τιμόμαχος, ἀφικομένων ὡς αὐτὸν πρέσβεων Μαρωνιτῶν καὶ δεομένων αὑτοῖς τὰ πλοῖα παραπέμψαι τὰ σιτηγά, προσέταξεν ἡμῖν τοῖς τριηράρχοις ἀναδησαμένοις τὰ πλοῖα ἕλκειν εἰς Μαρώνειαν, πλοῦν καὶ πολὺν καὶ πελάγιον.
[20] When I arrived at Sestus, I expected to sail for home, as my term of service had expired, and I had already served two months beyond it and no successor had arrived to take over the ship. The general, Timomachus, however, — for an embassy from the Maronites had come to him, begging him to convoy their grain ships — ordered us trierarchs to make cables fast to the ships and tow them to Maroneia — a long voyage across the open sea.
[21] καὶ ταῦθ᾽ ὑμῖν διὰ τοῦτο ἅπαντα διηγησάμην ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἵνα εἰδῆτε ὅσα ἀνηλωκὼς αὐτὸς καὶ ἡλίκης μοι γεγενημένης τῆς λῃτουργίας ὕστερον ὅσα ἀναλώματα ὑπὲρ τούτου ἀνήλωσα ἐπιτριηραρχῶν, οὐχ ἥκοντος τούτου ἐπὶ τὴν ναῦν, καὶ κινδύνους ὅσους ἐκινδύνευσα αὐτὸς πρός τε χειμῶνα καὶ πρὸς πολεμίους. μετὰ γὰρ τὴν παραπομπὴν τῶν πλοίων τὴν εἰς Μαρώνειαν καὶ τὴν ἄφιξιν τὴν εἰς Θάσον, ἀφικόμενος παρέπεμπε πάλιν ὁ Τιμόμαχος μετὰ τῶν Θασίων εἰς τὴν Στρύμην σῖτον καὶ πελταστάς, ὡς παραληψόμενος αὐτὸς τὸ χωρίον.
[21] I have told all these facts to you from the beginning, that you may know how much I have myself expended and how burdensome my service as trierarch has been to me, and all the expenses which I subsequently bore in the interest of the defendant by serving beyond my term, since he did not come to take over the ship, and all the dangers I myself incurred from storms and from the enemy. For after we had convoyed the ships to Maroneia, and had arrived at Thasos, Timomachus came and undertook again in conjunction with the Thasians to convoy grain and a body of peltasts to Strymê, with the intention of taking the place himself.
[22] παραταξαμένων δὲ Μαρωνιτῶν ἡμῖν ταῖς ναυσὶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ χωρίου τούτου καὶ μελλόντων ναυμαχήσειν, καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἀπειρ
ηκότων, πλοῦν πολὺν πεπλευκότων καὶ πλοῖα ἑλκόντων ἐκ Θάσου εἰς Στρύμην, ἔτι δὲ χειμῶνος ὄντος καὶ τοῦ χωρίου ἀλιμένου, καὶ ἐκβῆναι οὐκ ὂν οὐδὲ δειπνοποιήσασθαι πολεμίας τῆς χώρας οὔσης καὶ περικαθημένων κύκλῳ τὸ τεῖχος καὶ ξένων μισθοφόρων καὶ βαρβάρων προσοίκων, ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἐπ᾽ ἀγκύρας ἀποσαλεύειν τὴν νύκτα μετεώρους, ἀσίτους καὶ ἀγρύπνους, φυλαττομένους μὴ τῆς νυκτὸς ἡμῖν ἐπιθῶνται αἱ Μαρωνιτῶν τριήρεις.
[22] However, the Maronites arrayed their ships against us in defence of the place, and offered battle, and our men were tired out with their long voyage and from towing the ships from Thasos to Strymê besides, it was stormy, and the place offered no harbor, and it was impossible to go ashore and get a meal, for the country was hostile, and all around the wall bands of mercenaries and barbarians from the neighborhood lay encamped; so we were forced to ride at anchor all night long in the open sea without food and without sleep, keeping watch lest the ships of the Maronites should attack us in the night.