§13.31.1οὐκ ἔστιν οὖν τούτοις δίκαιος ἀποκείμενος ἔλεος· αὐτοὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἀκληρημάτων ἀνῃρήκασι.
Therefore, there is no just mercy laid up for these men; for they themselves have destroyed it in the case of their own misfortunes.
ποῦ γὰρ ἄξιον τούτοις καταφυγεῖν;
For where is it fitting for these men to flee for refuge?
πρὸς θεούς, ὧν τὰς πατρίους τιμὰς ἀφελέσθαι προείλοντο;
To the gods, whose ancestral honors they chose to take away?
πρὸς ἀνθρώπους, οὓς δουλωσόμενοι παρεγένοντο;
To men, whom they came to enslave?
Δήμητρα καὶ Κόρην καὶ τὰ τούτων ἐπικαλοῦνται μυστήρια, τὴν ἱερὰν αὐτῶν νῆσον πεπορθηκότες;
Do they call upon Demeter and Kore and their mysteries, after having ravaged their sacred island?
§13.31.2ναί, ἀλλʼ οὐκ αἴτιον τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Ἀθηναίων, ἀλλʼ Ἀλκιβιάδης ὁ ταῦτα συμβουλεύσας.
Yes, but someone will say the multitude of the Athenians is not to blame, but Alcibiades who advised these things.
ἀλλʼ εὑρήσομεν τοὺς συμβούλους κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον στοχαζομένους τῆς τῶν ἀκουόντων βουλήσεως, ὥσθʼ ὁ χειροτονῶν τῷ ῥήτορι λόγον οἰκεῖον ὑποβάλλει τῆς ἑαυτοῦ προαιρέσεως.
But we shall find that advisers for the most part aim at the will of their audience, so that he who votes suggests to the orator a speech suited to his own choice.
οὐ γὰρ ὁ λέγων κύριος τοῦ πλήθους, ἀλλʼ ὁ δῆμος ἐθίζει τὸν ῥήτορα τὰ βέλτιστα λέγειν χρηστὰ βουλευόμενος.
For the speaker is not master of the multitude, but the people, by planning good things, accustoms the orator to say the best things.
§13.31.3εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν ἀνήκεστα συγγνώμην δώσομεν, ἐὰν εἰς τοὺς συμβούλους τὴν αἰτίαν ἀναφέρωσιν, εὐχερῆ τοῖς πονηροῖς τὴν ἀπολογίαν παρεξόμεθα.
And if we grant pardon for irreparable wrongs to those who commit them, whenever they refer the blame to their advisers, we shall provide an easy defense for the wicked.
ἁπλῶς δὲ πάντων ἐστὶν ἀδικώτατον τῶν μὲν εὐεργεσιῶν μὴ τοὺς συμβούλους, ἀλλὰ τὸν δῆμον ἀπολαμβάνειν τὰς χάριτας παρὰ τῶν εὖ παθόντων, τῶν δʼ ἀδικημάτων ἐπὶ τοὺς ῥήτορας μεταφέρειν τὴν τιμωρίαν.
Simply, it is the most unjust of all things, on the one hand, that not the advisers but the people should receive gratitude for benefits from those who have been well treated, and on the other hand, to transfer the punishment for misdeeds onto the orators.
§13.31.4καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτόν τινες ἐξεστήκασι τῶν λογισμῶν, ὥστʼ Ἀλκιβιάδην, εἰς ὃν τὴν ἐξουσίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, φασὶ δεῖν τιμωρεῖσθαι, τοὺς δʼ αἰχμαλώτους ἀγομένους ἐπὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν τιμωρίαν ἀφεῖναι, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνδείξασθαι, διότι τὴν δικαίαν μισοπονηρίαν οὐκ ἔσχηκεν ὁ δῆμος τῶν Συρακοσίων.
And to such an extent have some people lost their senses, that they say we must punish Alcibiades, over whom we have no power, but release the prisoners who are being led to their fitting punishment, and show to all that the people of the Syracusans does not possess a righteous hatred of wickedness.
§13.31.5εἰ δὲ καὶ κατʼ ἀλήθειαν αἴτιοι γεγόνασιν οἱ σύμβουλοι τοῦ πολέμου, μεμφέσθω τὸ μὲν πλῆθος τοῖς ῥήτορσιν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐξηπάτησαν, ὑμεῖς δὲ δικαίως μετελεύσεσθε τὸ πλῆθος ὑπὲρ ὧν ἠδίκησθε.
But even if in truth the advisers have been the cause of the war, let the multitude blame the orators for the things in which they were deceived, but you will justly prosecute the multitude for the things in which you were wronged.
καθόλου δʼ εἰ μὲν ἐπιστάμενοι σαφῶς ἠδίκησαν, διʼ αὐτὴν τὴν προαίρεσιν ἄξιοι τιμωρίας, εἰ δʼ εἰκῇ βουλευσάμενοι τὸν πόλεμον ἐξήνεγκαν, οὐδʼ ὣς αὐτοὺς ἀφετέον, ἵνα μὴ σχεδιάζειν ἐν τοῖς τῶν ἄλλων βίοις ἐθισθῶσιν.
And in general, if they did wrong knowingly, they are worthy of punishment because of that very choice; but if they brought war by planning recklessly, not even so should they be released, so that they may not become accustomed to acting at random in the lives of others.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιόν ἐστι τὴν Ἀθηναίων ἄγνοιαν Συρακοσίοις φέρειν ἀπώλειαν, οὐδʼ ἐν οἷς τὸ πραχθὲν ἀνήκεστόν ἐστιν, ἐν τούτοις ἀπολογίαν ὑπολείπεσθαι τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι.
For it is not just that the ignorance of the Athenians should bring destruction to the Syracusans, nor, in matters where what has been done is irreparable, should a defense be left to those who sin.