§7.40.1οὐ λανθάνει μὲν ἡμᾶς, ὦ βουλή, τὸ συμβησόμενον, ὅτι διʼ αἰτίας ἐσόμεθα παρὰ τῷ δήμῳ τῆς εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀφίξεως ἕνεκα, καὶ κατήγορον ἕξομεν τοῦ προβουλεύματος ἄνδρα τὴν αὐτὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντα ἡμῖν, ὃς οὐκ ᾤετο δεῖν, ἃ δίδωσιν ἡμῖν ὁ νόμος, ταῦτα παρʼ ὑμῶν αἰτεῖν, οὐδʼ ἐν εὐεργεσίας μέρει τὸ δίκαιον λαμβάνειν.
It does not escape us, senators, what is going to happen—namely, that we shall be blamed by the people because of our coming to you, and that we shall have as an accuser of our preliminary decree a man who holds the same power as we, who did not think it right to ask of you what the law gives us, nor to receive justice in the form of a favor.
κίνδυνον δʼ οὐ τὸν ἐλάχιστον ἀναρρίψομεν εἰς δίκην ὑπαχθέντες, ἀλλʼ ὡς αὐτόμολοι καὶ προδόται καταγνωσθέντες τὰ αἴσχιστα πεισόμεθα.
And we shall run no small risk when we are brought to trial; on the contrary, having been condemned as deserters and traitors, we shall suffer the most shameful things.
§7.40.2ἀλλὰ καίπερ ἐπιστάμενοι ταῦτα, ὅμως ὑπεμείναμεν εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν τῷ τε δικαίῳ πεποιθότες καὶ τοῖς ὅρκοις ἐπιτρέψαντες, οἷς ὀμόσαντες οἴσετε τὰς γνώμας.
Yet, though we knew these things, we nevertheless submitted to come before you, because we trusted in justice and committed ourselves to the oaths by which you will give your votes after swearing.
φαῦλοι μὲν οὖν ἡμεῖς γʼ ὡς περὶ τηλικούτων καὶ τοσούτων λέγειν καὶ πολὺ τοῦ προσήκοντος ἐνδεέστεροι, τὰ δὲ πράγματα οὐ φαῦλα, ὑπὲρ ὧν λέξομεν.
We, indeed, are insignificant and far too inadequate to speak about such great and numerous matters; but the things concerning which we shall speak are not insignificant.
τούτοις οὖν προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἐὰν ὑμῖν δόξῃ δίκαιά τε καὶ συμφέροντα τῷ κοινῷ, προσθήσω δʼ ὅτι καὶ ἀναγκαῖα, συγχωρήσατε ἡμῖν αὐτῶν τυχεῖν ἑκόντες.
Pay attention, therefore, to these things, and if they seem to you to be just and advantageous to the public—and I will add, also necessary—grant us to obtain them willingly.