§24ἐκ τούτων καὶ Μέλητός μοι ἐπέθετο καὶ Ἄνυτος καὶ Λύκων, Μέλητος μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν ποιητῶν ἀχθόμενος, Ἄνυτος δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν δημιουργῶν καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν, Λύκων δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ῥητόρων·
From among these, Meletus also attacked me, as did Anytus and Lycon; Meletus being vexed on behalf of the poets, Anytus on behalf of the artisans and the politicians, and Lycon on behalf of the rhetoricians.
ὥστε, ὅπερ ἀρχόμενος ἐγὼ ἔλεγον, θαυμάζοιμʼ ἂν εἰ οἷός τʼ εἴην ἐγὼ ὑμῶν ταύτην τὴν διαβολὴν ἐξελέσθαι ἐν οὕτως ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ οὕτω πολλὴν γεγονυῖαν.
So that, as I said at the beginning, I should be surprised if I were able to rid you of this slander in so short a time, which has grown to be so great.
ταῦτʼ ἔστιν ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τἀληθῆ, καὶ ὑμᾶς οὔτε μέγα οὔτε μικρὸν ἀποκρυψάμενος ἐγὼ λέγω οὐδʼ ὑποστειλάμενος.
This is the truth for you, men of Athens, and I speak without hiding anything from you, whether great or small, and without holding anything back.
καίτοι οἶδα σχεδὸν ὅτι αὐτοῖς τούτοις ἀπεχθάνομαι, ὃ καὶ τεκμήριον ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγω καὶ ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ διαβολὴ ἡ ἐμὴ καὶ τὰ αἴτια ταῦτά ἐστιν.
And yet I know well enough that I make myself hated by these very things, which is also a proof that I speak the truth, and that this is the slander against me, and these are the causes.
καὶ ἐάντε νῦν ἐάντε αὖθις ζητήσητε ταῦτα, οὕτως εὑρήσετε.
And whether you investigate these things now or later, you will find it to be so.
περὶ μὲν οὖν ὧν οἱ πρῶτοί μου κατήγοροι κατηγόρουν αὕτη ἔστω ἱκανὴ ἀπολογία πρὸς ὑμᾶς·
As for the charges which my first accusers brought against me, let this be a sufficient defense before you.
πρὸς δὲ Μέλητον τὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ φιλόπολιν, ὥς φησι, καὶ τοὺς ὑστέρους μετὰ ταῦτα πειράσομαι ἀπολογήσασθαι.
Next, I shall try to defend myself against Meletus, that 'good and patriotic man,' as he says, and those who came after.
αὖθις γὰρ δή, ὥσπερ ἑτέρων τούτων ὄντων κατηγόρων, λάβωμεν αὖ τὴν τούτων ἀντωμοσίαν.
For once more, since these are different accusers, let us take up their sworn deposition in turn.
ἔχει δέ πως ὧδε· Σωκράτη φησὶν ἀδικεῖν τούς τε νέους διαφθείροντα καὶ θεοὺς οὓς ἡ πόλις νομίζει οὐ νομίζοντα, ἕτερα δὲ δαιμόνια καινά.
It is somewhat as follows: it says that Socrates does injustice by corrupting the youth, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other strange spiritual things.
τὸ μὲν δὴ ἔγκλημα τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· τούτου δὲ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος ἓν ἕκαστον ἐξετάσωμεν.
The charge indeed is of this kind; let us examine each part of this charge.
φησὶ γὰρ δὴ τοὺς νέους ἀδικεῖν με διαφθείροντα.
For he says indeed that I do injustice by corrupting the youth.
ἐγὼ δέ γε, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἀδικεῖν φημι Μέλητον, ὅτι σπουδῇ χαριεντίζεται, ῥᾳδίως εἰς ἀγῶνα καθιστὰς ἀνθρώπους, περὶ πραγμάτων προσποιούμενος σπουδάζειν καὶ κήδεσθαι ὧν οὐδὲν τούτῳ πώποτε ἐμέλησεν·
But I, men of Athens, say that Meletus does injustice, because he plays in earnest, easily bringing men to trial, pretending to care for and be concerned about things for which he has never cared at all.
ὡς δὲ τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει, πειράσομαι καὶ ὑμῖν ἐπιδεῖξαι.
And that this is so, I shall try to show you also.
καί μοι δεῦρο, ὦ Μέλητε, εἰπέ· ἄλλο τι ἢ περὶ πλείστου ποιῇ ὅπως ὡς βέλτιστοι οἱ νεώτεροι ἔσονται;
Socrates: Come here, Meletus, and tell me: is it not the case that you care most of all that the youth shall be as good as possible?
ἔγωγε.
Meletus: I do.
ἴθι δή νυν εἰπὲ τούτοις, τίς αὐτοὺς βελτίους ποιεῖ;
Socrates: Come then, tell these men, who makes them better?
δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι οἶσθα, μέλον γέ σοι.
For it is clear that you know, since it is a care to you.
τὸν μὲν γὰρ διαφθείροντα ἐξευρών, ὡς φῄς, ἐμέ, εἰσάγεις τουτοισὶ καὶ κατηγορεῖς·
For having found the one who corrupts them, as you say—me—you bring me before these men and accuse me.
τὸν δὲ δὴ βελτίους ποιοῦντα ἴθι εἰπὲ καὶ μήνυσον αὐτοῖς τίς ἐστιν. —ὁρᾷς, ὦ Μέλητε, ὅτι σιγᾷς καὶ οὐκ ἔχεις εἰπεῖν;
But come, tell them and point out to them who it is that makes them better. —Do you see, Meletus, that you are silent and have nothing to say?
καίτοι οὐκ αἰσχρόν σοι δοκεῖ εἶναι καὶ ἱκανὸν τεκμήριον οὗ δὴ ἐγὼ λέγω, ὅτι σοι οὐδὲν μεμέληκεν;
And yet does it not seem shameful to you, and a sufficient proof of what I say, that you have not cared at all?
ἀλλʼ εἰπέ, ὠγαθέ, τίς αὐτοὺς ἀμείνους ποιεῖ;
But tell me, my good man, who makes them better?
οἱ νόμοι.
Meletus: The laws.
ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτο ἐρωτῶ, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλὰ τίς ἄνθρωπος, ὅστις πρῶτον καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο οἶδε, τοὺς νόμους;
Socrates: But I am not asking this, most excellent man, but what person, who first of all knows this very thing, the laws?
οὗτοι, ὦ Σώκρατες, οἱ δικασταί.
Meletus: These men, Socrates, the jurymen.
πῶς λέγεις, ὦ Μέλητε;
Socrates: How do you mean, Meletus?
οἵδε τοὺς νέους παιδεύειν οἷοί τέ εἰσι καὶ βελτίους ποιοῦσιν;
Are these men able to educate the youth and make them better?
μάλιστα.
Meletus: Yes, indeed.
πότερον ἅπαντες, ἢ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν, οἱ δʼ οὔ;
Socrates: All of them, or some of them, and others not?
ἅπαντες.
Meletus: All of them.
εὖ γε νὴ τὴν Ἥραν λέγεις καὶ πολλὴν ἀφθονίαν τῶν ὠφελούντων.
Socrates: Well said, by Hera, and you speak of a great abundance of those who are helpful.