On the Scrutiny of Evandros

​that the one who established the law concerning scrutinies enacted it not least for the sake of those who had ruled under the oligarchy, thinking it dreadful if those through whom the democracy was overthrown should rule again under this very constitution, and become masters of the laws and the city, which they had previously taken over and ravaged so shamefully and terribly. Therefore, it is not right to treat the scrutiny with neglect, nor to fail to care for it by thinking it a small matter, but rather to guard it; for it is in each person ruling justly that both the constitution and the rest of your multitude are preserved. ​And indeed, if he were now being scrutinized to become a councillor, and his name had been inscribed on the tablets as having served in the cavalry under the Thirty, you would have rejected him even without an accuser. But now, when he is shown not only to have served in the cavalry, nor merely to have been a councillor, but also to have committed wrongs against the multitude, would you not act absurdly if you do not appear to hold the same opinion concerning him?

​And indeed, if he had been approved to serve as a councillor, being one of the five hundred, he would have served with the others for only a year, so that even if he wished to commit any wrong during this time, he would easily have been prevented by the others. But being deemed worthy of this office, he will rule by himself, and along with the Council of the Areopagus, he will be master of the greatest matters for all time.

​Therefore, it is fitting for you to conduct a more rigorous scrutiny for this office than for the other offices. Otherwise, how do you think the rest of the citizens will feel when they realize that this man, who ought to pay the penalty for his wrongs, has been deemed worthy of such an office by you? And when they see him judging trials for homicide, when he himself ought to have been tried by the Council of the Areopagus? And when, in addition to this, they see him crowned and become the master over heiresses and orphans, for some of whom he himself is the cause of their orphanhood?

​Do you not think they will feel bitter and hold you responsible for them, when they recall those times in which many of them were dragged off to prison and perished without trial at the hands of these men, and were forced to flee their own country? And let them bear this further in mind, that this very same man has been the cause of both Leodamas being rejected and this man being approved, by becoming the accuser of the former and preparing to defend the latter—a man who, how is he disposed toward the city, and of how many evils has he been the cause for it?

​Or if you are persuaded, how do you think you will be defamed? For at that time, they thought you rejected Leodamas because you were angry; but if you approve this man, they will well know that you have not used a just judgment concerning him. For them, this is a contest against you, but for you, it is against the whole city, which is now watching to see what opinion you will hold concerning it.

​And let no one of you think that I am accusing Evander to gratify Leodamas because he happens to be a friend, but rather that I am looking out for you and the city. It is easy to learn this from the matter itself. For it is to Leodamas’ advantage that this man be approved, since in this way you will be most defamed, and will seem to establish oligarchic men in office instead of democratic ones. But for you, it is to reject this man, for you will seem to have rejected that other one justly; whereas if you do not reject this one either, you will not seem to have rejected that one justly either.