Delphi Complete Works of Demosthenes

by Demosthenes

  [2] καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατήρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ᾧπερ πάντα πειθόμενος πεποίηκα, πρὸς ἅπαντας ὠδύρετο τοὺς γνωρίμους, εἰ παραλιπὼν ἐγὼ τὸν καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ διὰ τὸ τὸν πατέρα ζῆν ἔξεστί μοι τοῦτον ἀμύνασθαι, τὴν ἀπειρίαν καὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν προφασιζόμενος αὐτὸν μὲν περιόψομαι πάντων ἀπεστερημένον, Θεοκρίνην δὲ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους γραφὰς γραφόμενον καὶ συκοφαντοῦντα πολλοὺς τῶν πολιτῶν, οὐκ ἐξὸν αὐτῷ.

  [2] For my father, men of the jury, whose wishes have guided me in all that I have done, declared to all his acquaintances what a misfortune it would be if I should let slip the time in which, thanks to his being still alive, I have the right to avenge myself on this man, and should make an excuse of my inexperience and my youth, and so look idly on while my father has been deprived of everything, and while Theocrines continues to write indictments contrary to the laws and to harass many citizens with baseless and malicious actions, when he has no right to do so.

  [3] δέομαι οὖν ὑμῶν ἁπάντων, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἱκετεύω μετ᾽ εὐνοίας ἀκοῦσαί μου, πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι τῷ πατρὶ βοηθῶν καὶ πειθόμενος ἀγωνίζομαι, ἔπειθ᾽ ὅτι καὶ νέος ὢν καὶ ἄπειρος, ὥστ᾽ ἀγαπητὸν εἶναί μοι, ἐὰν ὑπαρξάσης τῆς παρ᾽ ὑμῶν εὐνοίας δυνηθῶ δηλῶσαι τὰ πεπραγμένα τούτῳ:

  [3] I, therefore, beg you all, men of Athens, and beseech you to listen to me with goodwill, first, because I am engaging in this contest to help my father and in obedience to his wishes; and secondly, because I am both young and without experience, so that I must count myself fortunate if, because your goodwill is at hand to help me, I shall be able to show what this fellow has done;

  [4] πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ὅτι, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, προδέδομαι （τὰ γὰρ ἀληθῆ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρήσεται） ὑπ᾽ ἀνθρώπων, οἳ πιστευθέντες ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τοῦτον ἔχθραν, καὶ πυθόμενοι τὰ πράγματα καὶ φήσαντες ἐμοὶ συναγωνιεῖσθαι, ἐγκαταλελοίπασι νυνί με καὶ διαλέλυνται πρὸς τοῦτον ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς πράγμασιν, ὥστε μοι μηδὲ τὸν συνεροῦντ᾽ εἶναι, ἐὰν μή τις ἄρα τῶν οἰκείων βοηθήσῃ.

  [4] and in addition to these reasons, since I, men of the jury, have been betrayed （for the truth shall be told you） by persons in whom I trusted because of their enmity to the defendant, men who after hearing the facts and promising to stand by me, have now left me in the lurch, and have come to terms with the defendant in this suit of mine; so that I shall have no one even as a fellow-pleader, unless someone from among my own kinsmen shall come to my aid.

  [5] πολλαῖς μὲν οὖν ἐνδείξεσιν ἦν ἔνοχος οὑτοσί, καὶ ἅπαντας τοὺς περὶ ταῦτα νόμους ἐφαίνετο παραβεβηκώς: καινότατον δὲ τῶν ἔργων τῶν τούτου τὴν περὶ τὸ πλοῖον φάσιν ηὑρίσκομεν γεγονυῖαν, διόπερ ταῦτα γράψας εἰς τὴν ἔνδειξιν ἔδωκεν ὁ πατήρ μοι. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τὸν νόμον ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσεται τὸν περὶ τῶν φαινόντων καὶ οὐκ ἐπεξιόντων, ἀλλὰ διαλυομένων παρὰ τοὺς νόμους （ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ οἶμαι προσήκειν μοι τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιήσασθαι τοῦ λόγου）, εἶτα τὴν φάσιν αὐτὴν ἣν οὗτος ἐποιήσατο κατὰ τοῦ Μίκωνος. λέγε.”Νόμος”

  [5] This man was liable to many criminal informations, and has transgressed all the laws which bear upon these matters; but the most unheard of among his acts we found to be the denunciation which he lodged concerning the merchant ship; so that my father put this at the head of the criminal information which he gave me. First, then, the clerk shall read to you the law regarding those who lodge denunciations and do not carry them through, but compromise in defiance of the laws. For it is with this, I think, that I ought to begin my speech. Then will follow the denunciation itself which the defendant lodged against Micon.

  Read.” Law”

  [6] ὁ νόμος οὑτοσί, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῖς προαιρουμένοις ἢ γράφεσθαι γραφὰς ἢ φαίνειν ἢ ἄλλο τι ποιεῖν τῶν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τούτῳ γεγραμμένων προλέγει διαρρήδην, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἕκαστόν ἐστιν τούτων ποιητέον. ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἠκούσατε ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου, ἐὰν ἐπεξιών τις μὴ μεταλάβῃ τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῶν ψήφων, χιλίας ἀποτίνειν, κἂν μὴ ἐπεξίῃ γ᾽, ὦ Θεοκρίνη, χιλίας ἑτέρας, ἵνα μήτε συκοφαντῇ μηδείς, μήτε ἄδειαν ἔχων ἐργολαβῇ καὶ καθυφιῇ τὰ τῆς πόλεως. φημὶ δὴ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν ἔνδειξιν ἔνοχον εἶναι Θεοκρίνην τῷ φήναντα Μίκωνα Χολλῄδην μὴ ἐπεξελθεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀργύριον λαβόντα ἀποδόσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα.

  [6] This law, men of the jury, expressly prescribes for those who undertake either to prefer indictments or lodge denunciations or do any other of the acts specified in the law, the conditions under which each one of these things is to be done. These are, as you have heard from the law itself, that, if a man prosecutes and does not receive the fifth part of the votes, he shall pay a fine of a thousand drachmae, and if he does not prosecute, Theocrines, he shall pay another thousand, to the end that no one may bring forward baseless charges, or with impunity make profit for himself or compromise the interests of the state.

  I declare, then, that in accordance with this criminal information Theocrines is liable for having denounced Micon of Cholleidae, and then having accepted money and sold the case instead of prosecuting it.

  [7] καὶ τοῦτο ἀποδείξω σαφῶς, ὡς ἐγὼ νομίζω. καίτοι Θεοκρίνης γε, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ οἱ μετὰ τούτου οὐδὲν ὅ τι οὐ πεποιήκασι προσιόντες τοῖς μάρτυσι καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀπειλοῦντες αὐτοῖς, τὰ δὲ πείθοντες μὴ μαρτυρεῖν. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐὰν ὑμεῖς βούλησθε τὰ δίκαια βοηθεῖν μοι, καὶ κελεύητε αὐτούς, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναγκάζοντος ἐμοῦ συναναγκάζητε, ἤτοι μαρτυρεῖν ἢ ἐξόμνυσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἐᾶτε λόγους λέγειν, εὑρεθήσεται τἀληθές. λέγε οὖν πρῶτον μὲν τὴν φάσιν, εἶτα τὰς μαρτυρίας.”Φάσις”

  [7] I believe that I shall prove this clearly. And yet, men of the jury, Theocrines and his clique have gone to all lengths in tampering with the witnesses, and trying to induce them by threats and by bribes not to give testimony. Nevertheless, if you will give me the aid which you are bound to give, and will bid them, or rather join with me in compelling them, either to testify, or to disclaim knowledge under oath, and will not allow them to talk at random, the truth will be brought to light.

  Read, then, first the denunciation and then the depositions.” Denunciation”

  [8] ταύτην τὴν φάσιν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἔδωκεν μὲν οὑτοσὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν Μίκωνα, ἔλαβεν δὲ ὁ γ�
�αμματεὺς ὁ τῶν τοῦ ἐμπορίου ἐπιμελητῶν, Εὐθύφημος. ἐξέκειτο δὲ πολὺν χρόνον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ συνεδρίου ἡ φάσις, ἕως λαβὼν ἀργύριον οὗτος εἴασε διαγραφῆναι καλούντων αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἀνάκρισιν τῶν ἀρχόντων. ὅτι δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, πρῶτον μὲν κάλει ὃς ἐγραμμάτευε τῇ ἀρχῇ, Εὐθύφημον.”Μαρτυρία”

  [8] This denunciation, men of the jury, was lodged by the defendant after he had cited Micon to appear. It was received by Euthyphemus, the secretary of the overseers of the port, and was exposed to public view for a long time in front of the meeting-place of the board, until this fellow was bribed to allow it to be crossed out, just when the magistrates were summoning him for the preliminary hearing.

  To prove that these statements of mine are true, call first Euthyphemus, who was secretary of the board.” Deposition”

  [9] λέγε δὴ καὶ τὴν τῶν ἰδόντων ἐκκειμένην τὴν φάσιν μαρτυρίαν. λέγε.”Μαρτυρία”

  κάλει δὲ καὶ τοὺς τοῦ ἐμπορίου ἐπιμελητάς, καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν Μίκων᾽ οὗ ἔφηνε τὸ πλοῖον: καὶ τὰς μαρτυρίας ἀναγίγνωσκε.”Μαρτυρίαι”

  [9] Now read the deposition of those who saw the denunciation exposed to view.” Deposition”

  Call now also the overseers of the port and Micon himself, against whose ship Theocrines lodged the denunciation; and read their depositions.” Depositions”

  [10] ὡς μὲν τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἔφηνε Θεοκρίνης τὸ τοῦ Μίκωνος πλοῖον, καὶ ὡς ἐξέκειτο πολὺν χρόνον ἡ φάσις, καὶ ὡς εἰς τὴν ἀνάκρισιν καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπήκουσεν οὐδ᾽ ἐπεξῆλθεν, ἀκηκόατε μαρτυρούντων τούτων οὓς εἰδέναι μάλιστα προσήκει. ὅτι δ᾽ οὐ ταῖς χιλίαις μόνον ἔνοχός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπαγωγῇ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὅσα κελεύει πάσχειν ὁ νόμος οὑτοσὶ τὸν συκοφαντοῦντα τοὺς ἐμπόρους καὶ τοὺς ναυκλήρους, ῥᾳδίως ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου γνώσεσθε.

  [10] Therefore, men of the jury, that Theocrines did lodge a denunciation against the ship of Micon, and that the denunciation was exposed for a long time to public view, and again that, when summoned to the preliminary hearing, he did not answer, nor did he prosecute the case, you have heard from witnesses who were in the best position to know the truth. And that he is liable, not to the fine of a thousand drachmae merely, but also to arrest and to the other punishments which the law declares shall be inflicted upon anyone who prefers baseless charges against merchants and ship-owners, you will readily learn from the law itself.

  [11] βουλόμενος γὰρ ὁ τὸν νόμον τιθεὶς μήτε τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας τῶν ἐμπόρων ἀθῴους εἶναι, μήτε τοὺς ἄλλους πράγματ᾽ ἔχειν, ἁπλῶς ἀπεῖπε τοῖς τοιούτοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων μὴ φαίνειν, εἰ μὴ πιστεύει τις αὑτῷ δείξειν ἐν ὑμῖν γεγενημένα περὶ ὧν ποιεῖται τὴν φάσιν: ἐὰν δέ τις παρὰ ταῦτα ποιῇ τῶν συκοφαντούντων, ἔνδειξιν αὐτῶν εἶναι καὶ ἀπαγωγήν. μᾶλλον δὲ λέγε τὸν νόμον αὐτόν: πολὺ γὰρ ἐμοῦ σαφέστερον διδάξει.”Νόμος”

  [11] For the proposer of this law, in his desire that those of the merchants who were guilty of wrongdoing should not go unpunished, and that those who were innocent should not be annoyed, absolutely forbade a person of this sort to make denunciations unless he were confident that he could prove in your court that the things charged in his denunciation had actually taken place; but that if any one of those who bring baseless charges should transgress this law, he should be liable to criminal information and arrest.

  However, read them the law itself; for it will explain the matter more clearly than I can do.” Law”

  [12] ἀκούετε τοῦ νόμου ἃ κελεύει πάσχειν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τὸν συκοφάντην. οὐκοῦν εἰ μέν τι πεποιηκότα τούτων ὧν ἔγραψεν ἐν τῇ φάσει Θεοκρίνης πεποιηκέναι τὸν Μίκωνα, καθυφεῖκε τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ διαλέλυται πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀδικεῖ πάντας ὑμᾶς καὶ δικαίως ὀφείλει τὰς χιλίας. εἰ δὲ πλεύσαντα αὐτὸν δικαίως οἷ προσῆκεν （ἔστω γὰρ ὁπότερον οὗτος βούλεται） φαίνει καὶ προσκαλεῖται, συκοφαντεῖ τοὺς ναυκλήρους, καὶ τὸν νόμον οὐ μόνον τὸν πρότερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἀρτίως ἀναγνωσθέντα παραβέβηκεν, καὶ καταμεμαρτύρηκεν αὑτοῦ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς μήτε λέγειν μήτε πράττειν.

  [12] You hear, men of the jury, the penalties which the laws ordain for the one who brings baseless charges. Well then, if Micon has done any of the acts which Theocrines in his denunciation charged him with doing, and Theocrines has compromised the matter and come to terms with the man, he is guilty of a crime against you all, and would justly be fined a thousand drachmae. But if Micon sailed to a port to which he might legitimately sail （let the defendant choose either alternative）, and Theocrines none the less denounces and summons him, he is bringing a baseless charge against the ship-owners, and has violated not only the former law, but also the one just read, and has convicted himself of dishonesty both in his words and in his actions.

  [13] τίς γὰρ ἂν παρεὶς τὸ δικαίως πράττοντα λαβεῖν τὸ μέρος τῶν χρημάτων κατὰ τὸν νόμον, διαλυσάμενος ἐβουλήθη μικρὰ κερδᾶναι καὶ τούτοις ἔνοχον αὑτὸν καταστῆσαι τοῖς νόμοις, ἐξόν, ὅπερ ἀρτίως εἶπον, τὰ ἡμίσεα τῶν φανθέντων λαβεῖν; οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μὴ οὐ συνειδὼς ἑαυτῷ συκοφαντοῦντι.

  [13] For what man would have desisted from an honest course of action by which he would have received the share of the money which the law allows, and have rather chosen to make a trifling gain by a compromise and render himself amenable to these laws, when, as I said just now, he might have received half the sum involved in the denunciation? No man in the world would have done so, men of the jury, unless he were conscious that he was bringing baseless and malicious charges.

  [14] δύο μὲν τοίνυν οὗτοι νόμοι εἰσὶν οὓς παραβέβηκεν ὁ τοὺς ἄλλους παρανόμων γραφόμενος: ἕτερον δὲ τρίτον, ὃς ὁμοίως κελεύει κατά τε τῶν ὀφειλόντων τῷ δημοσίῳ τὰς ἐνδείξεις τὸν βουλόμενον ποιεῖσθαι τῶν πολιτῶν, καὶ ἐάν τις ὀφείλῃ τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ ἢ τῶν ἄλλων θεῶν ἢ τῶν ἐπωνύμων τῳ. ὃ φανήσεται οὗτος, ὀφείλων καὶ οὐκ ἐκτετεικὼς ἑπτακοσίας δραχμάς, ἃς ὦφλεν ἐν ταῖς εὐθύναις τῷ ἐπωνύμῳ τῆς αὑτοῦ φυλῆς. καί μοι λέγε τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ τοῦ νόμου.”Νόμος”

  [14] These are two laws, then, which this man, who indicts others for illegal acts, has himself violated. There is a third law also, which enacts that any one of the citizens who pleases may lodge criminal informations against those who owe money to the treasury, or if any
man is indebted to Athena or to any one of the rest of the gods, or of the eponymous heroes. In this class the defendant will be shown to belong; for he owes, and has not paid, seven hundred drachmae, which he was condemned at the audit to pay to the eponymus of his tribe.

  Read that part of the law.” Law”

  [15] ἐπίσχες. ἀκούεις, οὑτοσί, τί λέγει; ‘ἢ τῶν ἐπωνύμων τῳ’. λέγε δὴ τὴν τῶν φυλετῶν μαρτυρίαν.”Μαρτυρία”

  ταχύ γ᾽ ἂν οὗτος, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἀνθρώπων ὀλίγων φροντίσειεν ἢ τῶν τὸν πλεῖστον τοῦ χρόνου πλεόντων, ὥσπερ ὁ Μίκων, ὅστις τοὺς φυλέτας παρόντας οὔτ᾽ ἔδεισεν οὔτ᾽ ᾐσχύνθη, τοῦτο μὲν οὕτως αὐτῶν τὰ κοινὰ διοικήσας ὥστ᾽ ἐκείνους κλοπὴν αὐτοῦ καταγνῶναι, τοῦτο δὲ ὀφλὼν καὶ τοὺς νόμους ἀκριβῶς εἰδὼς ὅτι κωλύουσιν αὐτὸν γράφεσθαι γραφὰς ἕως ἂν ἐκτείσῃ, βιαζόμενος καὶ νομίζων δεῖν τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους τοὺς ὀφείλοντας μηδενὸς μετέχειν τῶν κοινῶν, αὑτὸν δὲ κρείττω τῶν νόμων εἶναι.