[5] — evidently being ashamed to remember such stuff — introducing numerous changes and rearrangements by way of betterment, while others possibly do so unconsciously through not remembering very well. And so one no longer buys my wisdom from the market in abundant supply at an obol, as somebody has it, but instead one merely stoops and plucks it from the ground. One might almost say, therefore, that my speeches have had much the same fate as the pottery of Tenedos; for while all who sail that way put on board pottery from there, yet no one finds it easy to get it across in sound condition; but many crack or smash it, and ere they are aware they have naught but shards.
THE FORTY-THIRD DISCOURSE: A POLITICAL ADDRESS IN HIS NATIVE CITY
ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΗΙ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΙ.
THE FORTY-THIRD DISCOURSE: A POLITICAL ADDRESS IN HIS NATIVE CITY
This Discourse, like the one preceding, is merely a prelude to a longer speech. As the title indicates, this prelude deals with political problems. In his concluding sentences Dio enumerates the separate counts in what he calls his κρυφαία τις γραφή, but various clues sprinkled here and there prove the scene to have been, not the courtroom, but a town meeting. However, Dio is on the defensive, if not against a formal indictment, still against slanders spread by an anonymous person, who appears to have been the tool and lackey of an official whom Dio labels ἡγεμόνα πονηρόν. This official Arnim identifies with that Julius Bassus whose conduct as proconsul of Bithynia figures largely in the correspondence of Pliny. If we may believe Dio (§ 11), that conduct would seem to deserve the name tyranny which he applies to it, but in the trial itself (A.D. 103 or 104) the only count on which Bassus was condemned was that of accepting bribes. It is assumed that the acts enumerated by Dio were held at Rome to have been in line with his official duty.
However, in the performance of that duty, Bassus seems to have found an all too zealous henchman in the person whom Dio pillories. The turbulence and unrest that characterized Bithynia as a whole at just this period undoubtedly gave an unscrupulous man, such as he appears to have been, ample opportunity both to satisfy personal grudges and to line his pocket. Dio’s own reputation and connexions protected him against direct attack, but his foe seems to have tried covertly to undermine his reputation and thus to remove him from the scene as a champion of the common people, who were the man’s natural victims. Dio had an unusual sympathy for the disfranchised and under-privileged (cf. Or. .- and Or. .-). It has been suggested that in the present instance he had displayed that sympathy by using his personal influence with Bassus during his consulship. If so, the malice of Dio’s unnamed foe is understandable.
We have observed already that at the close of his remarks Dio professes to report certain charges on which he is to be tried. It is plain from the final sentence that these charges were to be aired in the argument to which our Discourse forms the prelude. However, Arnim points out that they really apply, not to Dio, but to his antagonist. Therefore, although we do not know clearly the business before the assembly which Dio is addressing, it may have concerned the attitude of Prusa toward the approaching trial of Bassus at Rome (cf. § 11). Possibly the journey which Dio says he must make (§ 8) is a journey to Rome for the purpose of influencing Trajan against Bassus, and Dio may have wished to carry with him some official message from Prusa.
[1] Λυδῷ, φασί, πράγματα οὐκ ἦν, ὁ δὲ ἐξελθὼν ἐπρίατο. οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν Λυδὸς δικαίως πράγματα εἶχεν αὐτὸς ἐπιθυμήσας, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιθυμῶν πράγματα ἔχω δἰ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων ἀδυνάτων καὶ φθονερῶν ἢ ὅτι δοκῶ στέργειν ὑμᾶς καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ πεποίηκα τὴν πατρίδα, ταῖς πρώταις ἴσην αὐτὴν ἀποδείξας
The Forty-third Discourse: A Political Address in his Native City
According to the fable, a Lydian had no troubles, but he went out and bought some. Very well, the Lydian deserved to have troubles, seeing that he himself desired them; as for myself, on the other hand, although I have no desire for troubles, I have them because of ineffectual, envious fellows for no other reason than that I am thought to be fond of you, and because I have already done some good turns to my native city, having raised it to the level of the leading cities in the matter of distinction, and, God willing, shall do it other good turns in the future.
[2] τιμῆς ἕνεκα, τὸ δὲ ποιήσω θεοῦ διδόντος. καὶ τοῦτο εἶπον οὐκ ἀλαζονευόμενος ἄλλως, ῾αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἴστε οὐδεπώποτε ὑπὲρ τούτων μνησθέντα με ἐν τοσούτοις λόγοις, οὓς εἴρηκα ἐν ὑμῖν̓ ἀλλ̓ ἀμυνόμενος τοὺς ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῖν βασκαίνοντας, ἵνα, ἐὰν μὲν δυνατὸν ᾖ, διαρραγῶσιν, ὃ τῇ πόλει πάσῃ βέλτιστόν ἐστιν: εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλ̓ οὖν ὀδυνηθῶσιν. ὅτι δὲ οἱ αὐτοὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ ἀηδῶς ἔχουσι καὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοὶ μάρτυρές ἐστε, ἐὰν θέλητε μεμνῆσθαι καὶ τῶν φιλούντων ὑμᾶς καὶ τῶν μισούντων. καίτοι ἐπιεικέστερον ἐμοὶ χρῶνται ἢ ὑμῖν. ἐμοῦ μὲν γὰρ ἐνθάδε κατηγοροῦσιν, ὑμῶν δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος. ἐὰν οὖν Ἑλληνικοῖς, ὥσπερ εἴωθα, φαίνωμαι
[2] And I have said this, not as a bit of idle boasting — for you know yourselves that I have never referred to these services of mine in all the many speeches I have delivered in your hearing — but rather in self-defence against those who eye with malice you and me, in order that, if such a thing is possible, they may burst with rage — which from the standpoint of the city as a whole is the best thing that could happen — or else that they may at least suffer pain. But that the same persons dislike me as dislike the city you yourselves can testify, if you care to recollect both those who love and those who hate you. And yet they treat me more fairly than they treat you; for they accuse me here, whereas they accuse you from the witness-box.
[3] παραδείγμασι χρώμενος, μὴ καταγελάσητε. οὐ γὰρ καταφρονῶ τῆς πατρίδος, οὐδὲ ἀδυνάτους ὑμᾶς νομίζω αὐτοὺς συνιέναι τὰ τοιαῦτα, οὐδὲ ἀπαίδευτον νομίζω οὔτε τὸν δῆμον οὔτε τὴν βουλήν. μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ὑμᾶς βούλομαι τὸ ἦθος Ἑλληνικὸν ἔχειν καὶ μήτε ἀχαρίστους μήτε ἀξυνέτους εἶναι: εἰ δὲ μή, λόγων γε τοιούτων ἀκούειν οὐ χεῖρόν ἐστιν, ἐξ ὧν μοι δοκεῖτε καὶ τοῖς ἤθεσιν ἀμείνους ἂν
[3] Now if I am seen to employ illustrations from Greek history, as is my habit, don’t jeer at me. For I am not showing scorn for my fatherland, nor do I suppose you to be incapable of understanding such matters for yourselves, nor do I regard either Assembly or Council as ignorant. Therefore, I desire most of all that you should have the character which is Greek and be neither ungrateful nor unintelligent; but if that is asking too much, it is at least not a bad plan to listen to words which, in my opinion, might improve your character.
[4] γενέσθαι. τί δὴ οὖν τὸ παράδειγμα; ἦν τις ἄνθρωπος ἐν Θήβαις Ἐπαμεινώνδας λεγόμενος: οὗτος ἐφίλει τὴν πατρίδα πάντων μάλιστα: καιρῶν δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος, οἷοι τότε ἦσαν, πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα [p. 64] εὐεργέτησεν. ἀντὶ γὰρ δειλῶν καὶ ἀδυνάτων καὶ ἄλλοις ὑπακουόντων πρωτεύειν ἐποίησεν ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀντιποιεῖσθαι. τότ�
� μὲν γὰρ ταῦτα ἦν δυνατά, νῦν δ̓ ἕτεροι γεγόνασιν οἱ καιροί: πλὴν τά γε τῆς εὐνοίας καὶ τῆς προθυμίας ἀεί ποτε ὅμοια. οἱ γὰρ προδόται καὶ συκοφάνται καὶ πάντα πράττοντες κατὰ τῶν πολιτῶν καὶ τότε ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι: καὶ μὴν φιλοῦντες τὰς πατρίδας καὶ τοὺς πολίτας τοὺς αὑτῶν μηδὲν κακὸν πάσχειν ἐθέλοντες καὶ τὰς πατρίδας αὔξειν φιλοτιμούμενοι τότε μὲν πολλοὶ καὶ μεγάλα πράττοντες καὶ ἐλάττω ποιεῖν ἀγαθὰ
[4] Very well then, what is my illustration? there was a certain man in Thebes called Epaminondas; he loved his country above all else; and, seizing such opportunities as existed at that period, he performed for it many great services. For, instead of the craven, helpless, subservient people they had been, he made them foremost among the Greeks and contenders for leadership. For in those days these things were possible, whereas to-day the times are different — though of course goodwill and devotion are always the same. For the breed of traitors and informers and persons who do anything to harm their fellow citizens existed in the cities even then; moreover, while patriots and men who do not wish their fellow citizens to suffer any harm and who are ambitious to exalt their country were plentiful then and performed mighty deeds, they are fewer now and not able to perform as many noble deeds.
[5] δυνάμενοι. ὁ δ̓ οὖν Ἐπαμεινώνδας ἐκεῖνος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνομοίων ἐμισεῖτο καί τινες ἦσαν οἱ διαβάλλοντες αὐτόν, ὁ δὲ δῆμος, ὡς ἂν δῆμος, ἠγνόει καὶ ἀνεπείθετο. καί ποτε τῶν ἀπεγνωσμένων τις καὶ ἀτίμων καὶ ὅτε ἐδούλευεν ἡ πόλις καὶ ἐτυραννεῖτο πάντα κατ̓ αὐτῆς πεποιηκὼς ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τὸν Ἐπαμεινώνδαν ἐλοιδόρει, καὶ πολλὰ καὶ χαλεπὰ ἔλεγε: πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ψευδόμενος οὐχ ὅ,τι ἀληθὲς εἴπῃ ζητεῖ, μηδέν γε ἀληθὲς λέγειν δυνάμενος, ἀλλ̓ εἴ τι χαλεπόν. καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπαναστὰς περὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων οὐκ εἶπεν οὐδ̓ ἀπελογήθη πρὸς οὐδέν, μόνον δὲ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, τῇ δ̓ αὑτοῦ φωνῇ βοιωτιάζων Ἀλλά τοι Δαμάτηρ, ἔφη, κεχολωμένα γένοιτο. οἱ δὲ Θηβαῖοι ἀκούσαντες ἥσθησαν καὶ ἐγέλασαν εἰκότως, ἀναμνησθέντες οἶμαι τῆς ἐκείνου πρὸς τὸν δῆμον εὐνοίας καὶ τοῦ λοιδοροῦντος
[5] However that may be, the famous Epaminondas was hated by those who were not like him, and there were some who maligned him, and the common people — as common people will — did not understand and were misled. And on one occasion one of the desperate, disfranchised group, a fellow who had done any and every thing to harm the city when it was in slavery and ruled by a dictator, abused Epaminondas in town meeting and said many harsh things — for every man who is a liar seeks to discover, not what he can say that is true, being unable to say anything that is true, but rather something offensive. Now when Epaminondas himself in turn took the floor, he did not speak regarding the other matters, nor did he defend himself against a single charge, but he merely said to his accuser, speaking in his own Boeotian dialect, “May Damater be wroth wi’ ye!” But the Thebans on hearing that were delighted and burst into laughter, as well they might, recalling, I suspect, the friendliness of Epaminondas toward the people and the scurvy conduct of the man who was trying to vilify him.
[6] τῆς συκοφαντίας. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν εἴ τις λέγοι πρὸς ἐμὲ ἀνάξιον ἐμοῦ εἴτε ἄντικρυς εἴτε καὶ μετὰ σχήματος, ἵνα δοκῇ ῥήτωρ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ὢν εὐσχήμων αὐτός, ἀποκρινοῦμαι αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ Ἐπαμεινώνδου ἀπόκρισιν. εὖ δ̓ ἴστε ὅτι ταῦτα ποιοῦσι καὶ λέγουσι βαρυνόμενοι τὴν ἐμὴν ἐπιδημίαν δἰ ἄλλο μὲν οὐδέν: οὔτε γὰρ ἐνεδρεύω τινὰ τῶν πολιτῶν οὔτ̓ ἀργύριον λαμβάνω παρά τινος οὔτε δασμολογεῖν ἕτοιμός εἰμι τὴν χώραν τὴν ὑμετέραν οὔτ̓ ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ φαίνομαί τινι ὀχληρός: οὐ γάρ εἰμι ῥήτωρ: οὐδὲ εἶπον [p. 65] ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου δυστυχοῦς, ὃν ἐκώλυσα ὑπὸ τῶν συγγενῶν καὶ τῶν ἐπιτρόπων διασπασθῆναι, πρότερον μὲν αὐτοῦ τὰ γράμματα ὑφῃρημένων καὶ πολλὰ τῆς οὐσίας διηρπακότων,
[6] Accordingly, if a certain person should say to me something I do not deserve, whether in plain terms or in figurative language to win renown as an orator — though his own figure is far from comely — I shall use toward him the reply of Epaminondas.
But rest assured that they do and say these things because they are irked at my presence here in Prusa, and for no other reason; for I do not lie in wait for any of the citizens, nor do I take pay from anybody, nor do I stand ready to levy tribute on your country, nor do I make myself a nuisance to anyone in the market-place — for I am no orator — nor have I defended anyone in court, save one luckless fellow alone whom I saved from being torn to pieces by his kinsmen and guardians, after they had first stolen his documents and pillaged much of his estate and afterwards tried by false witness to ruin him;
[7] ὕστερον δὲ καταψευδομαρτυρούντων: ἄλλην δὲ οὐδεμίαν εἴρηκα δίκην, ὥστε δἰ οὐδὲν οὐδενὶ βαρύς εἰμι. ἀλλ̓ ἵνα, ἐάν ποτε γένηται καιρὸς οἷον εὔχονταί τινες, ὅμοιος τῷ πρότερον, οἷος οὐκ ἔσται: πλὴν εἰ γένοιτο, ἵνα μὴ παρῶ τῷ δήμῳ μηδὲ ἕξουσιν οἱ συκοφαντούμενοι τὸν παραιτούμενον ἢ συναλγοῦντα. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δυσκόλως ἐμὲ φέρει τις ἐπιδημοῦντα. καὶ γὰρ εἰ πλείους ἦσαν, ὥσπερ εἰσίν, οὐδεὶς ἐμοῦ φήσει μᾶλλον. ἐγὼ δὲ ἔχω παρρησίαν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὅσην οὐδείς. τῆς μὲν γὰρ εὐτυχίας τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ παρεχώρησα
[7] but I have spoken in no other case at law, so that I am in no respect offensive to any one. No, it is with the purpose that in case a crisis ever arises such as certain persons pray for, a crisis similar to that earlier one — the kind that is not going to arise — but supposing that it should, the purpose is, I say, to prevent my being present to aid the commons, and to insure that the victims of blackmail shall not even have any one to intercede for them or to express sympathy for them; that, I repeat, is why a certain person is incensed that I am here in Prusa. For if there were several to assume that rôle — as indeed there are — no one would speak more readily than I; and I can speak to you more frankly than any one else. The reason is that I have both sacrificed for you my own good fortune and also shared with you your ill fortune.
[8] ὑμῖν, τῆς δὲ δυστυχίας τῆς ὑμετέρας μετέλαβον. καὶ νῦν δεῖ με ἀποδημεῖν, οὐχ ὡς πρότερον ἀλύπως, πάντων με ἀγαπώντων καὶ θαυμαζόντων, ἀλλὰ μετ̓ ἔχθρας τινῶν: ἐπεὶ αὐτός γε οὐδὲν ἔπαθον κακόν: οὐ γὰρ πώποτ̓ ἐμὰς βοῦς ἤλασαν οὐδὲ μὲν ἵππους. οὐ μέντοι θαυμάζω τὰ παρόντα πράγματα: ἐπεὶ καὶ Σωκρά�
�ης ἐκεῖνος, οὗ μέμνημαι πολλάκις, ἐν μὲν τῇ τυραννίδι τῶν τριάκοντα ἔπραττε πάντα ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου καὶ τῶν κακῶν οὐδενὸς ἐκοινώνησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πεμφθεὶς ὑπ̓ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ Λέοντα τὸν Σαλαμίνιον οὐχ ὑπήκουσε, καὶ τοῖς τυράννοις ἄντικρυς ἐλοιδορεῖτο, λέγων ὁμοίους εἶναι τοῖς πονηροῖς βουκόλοις, οἳ παραλαβόντες ἰσχυρὰς
[8] And now I must leave my country, not, as on that other occasion, without repining, attended as I then was by the affection and admiration of all, but rather attended by the enmity of some; since I myself have suffered no harm,
For never did they lift my cows or mares.
However, I am not surprised at my present troubles; since even the famous Socrates, whom I have often mentioned, during the tyranny of the Thirty did everything in behalf of the people and took no part in the crimes of that régime, but, when ordered by the Thirty to fetch Leon of Salamis, he refused to obey, and he openly reviled the tyrants, saying they were like wicked herdsmen, who, having received the cows when strong and numerous, make them few and weaker;
[9] τὰς βοῦς καὶ πολλάς, ὀλίγας καὶ ἀσθενεστέρας ποιοῦσιν. ἀλλ̓ ὅμως ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου, δἰ ὃν ἐκινδύνευεν, ὕστερον εὖ πράττοντος διαβληθεὶς ὑπὸ συκοφαντῶν τινων ἀπέθανεν. ἦν δὲ ὁ κατήγορος Μέλητος, βδελυρὸς ἄνθρωπος καὶ συκοφάντης. Ἀδικεῖ, φησί, Σωκράτης, τοὺς νέους διαφθείρων καὶ οὓς μὲν ἡ πόλις θεοὺς τιμᾷ μὴ τιμῶν, ἕτερα δὲ εἰσάγων καινὰ δαιμόνια: σχεδὸν αὐτὰ [p. 66]
Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom Page 318