§8.31.1ἴθι δή μοι, Μηνύκιε, ἀπόκριναι, πότερα καὶ τῇ βουλῇ τῆς τιμωρίας ἄξιος ἐφάνην εἶναι, ὅτι τὰ κράτιστα ἐπολιτευόμην τε καὶ ἔπραττον, ἢ τῷ δήμῳ μόνῳ;
Come now, Minucius, answer me: did I appear to be worthy of punishment to the senate as well, because I pursued and executed the best policies, or to the people alone?
εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἅπασι ταὐτὰ ἐδόκει τότε καὶ πάντες με ἀπηλάσατε, φανερὸν ὅτι πάντες οἱ ταῦτα βουληθέντες ἀρετὴν μισεῖτε, καὶ τόπος οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐν τῇ πόλει δεχόμενος καλοκαγαθίαν·
For if the same seemed true to all at that time and you all banished me, it is clear that all of you who wished for this hate virtue, and there is no place in the city that receives nobility of character.
εἰ δὲ βιασθεῖσα ἡ βουλὴ συνεχώρησε τῷ δήμῳ καὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῆς ἀνάγκης ἦν, οὐ γνώμης, ὁμολογεῖτε δήπου πονηροκρατεῖσθαι καὶ μηδενὸς εἶναι τὴν βουλὴν ὧν ἂν προέληται κυρίαν.
But if the senate, being forced, yielded to the people, and its action was of necessity, not of judgment, you surely admit that the state is ruled by the wicked, and that the senate is master of nothing that it might choose.
§8.31.2ἔπειτʼ εἰς τοιαύτην ἀξιοῦτέ με κατελθεῖν πόλιν, ἐν ᾗ τὸ κρεῖττον μέρος ὑπὸ τοῦ χείρονος ἄρχεται;
Then, do you expect me to return to such a city, in which the better part is ruled by the worse?
πολλὴν ἄρα κατεγνώκατέ μου μανίαν.
You have indeed pronounced great madness upon me.
φέρε, καὶ δὴ πέπεισμαι καὶ διαλυσάμενος τὸν πόλεμον, ὥσπερ ἀξιοῦτε, κατελήλυθα, τίς ἡ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἔσται μου διάνοια καὶ τίνα βίον ζήσομαι;
Come, suppose for a moment that I have been persuaded and, having ended the war as you request, have returned; what will be my state of mind after this, and what kind of life shall I lead?
πότερα τἀσφαλὲς καὶ ἀκίνδυνον αἱρούμενος ἀρχάς τε καὶ τιμὰς καὶ τἆλλα ἀγαθά, ὧν ἄξιον ἐμαυτὸν ἡγοῦμαι, μετιὼν θεραπεύειν ὑπομενῶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὴν τούτων ἐξουσίαν ὄχλον;
Choosing a safe and danger-free path, while seeking offices, honors, and other goods of which I deem myself worthy, shall I submit to flattering the mob which has the power over these things?
πονηρὸς ἄρα ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ γενήσομαι, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔσται μοι τῆς προτέρας ἀρετῆς ὄφελος.
I shall then become bad instead of good, and my former virtue will be of no benefit to me.
§8.31.3ἀλλʼ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἤθεσι μένων καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν προαίρεσιν τῆς πολιτείας φυλάττων ἐναντιώσομαι τοῖς μὴ ταὐτὰ προαιρουμένοις;
Or, remaining in the same character and preserving the same political policy, shall I oppose those who do not choose the same?
εἶτα οὐ πρόδηλον, ὅτι πολεμήσει μοι πάλιν ὁ δῆμος καὶ δίκας ἑτέρας πάλιν ἀξιώσει λαμβάνειν, τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ πρῶτον ἔγκλημα ποιούμενος, ὅτι τῆς καθόδου διʼ ἐκείνου τυχὼν οὐ τὰ πρὸς ἡδονὴν αὐτῷ πολιτεύομαι;
Then is it not obvious that the people will wage war against me again and will demand to exact punishment from me once more, making this very thing their first charge, namely that, having obtained my return through them, I do not govern to their pleasure?
οὐκ ἔνεστʼ ἄλλως εἰπεῖν.
It cannot be said otherwise.
§8.31.4ἔπειτʼ ἀναφανήσεταί τις ἕτερος Ἰκιλίῳ παραπλήσιος ἢ Δεκίῳ θρασὺς δημαγωγός, ὃς αἰτιάσεταί με διιστάναι τοὺς πολίτας ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων ἢ κατὰ τοῦ δήμου πράττειν ἐπιβουλὴν ἢ προδιδόναι τοῖς πολεμίοις τὴν πόλιν ἢ τυραννίδι, ὥσπερ καὶ Δέκιος ᾐτιάσατο, ἐπιχειρεῖν ἢ ἄλλο ἀδικεῖν, ὁτιδήποτʼ ἂν αὐτῷ
Furthermore, some other bold demagogue, similar to Icilius or Decius, will appear, who will accuse me of dividing the citizens from one another, or of plotting against the people, or of betraying the city to the enemies, or of attempting tyranny, just as Decius accused me, or of doing some other injustice, whatever may appear to him.
§8.31.5φανῇ· οὐ γὰρ ἀπορήσει τὸ μισοῦν αἰτίας.
For hatred will not lack pretexts.
ἥξει τε πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐγκλήμασι καὶ ταυτὶ φερόμενα οὐκ εἰς μακράν, ὅσα ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πέπρακταί μοι τούτῳ, ὅτι χώραν ὑμῶν τέτμηκα καὶ λείαν ἀπελήλακα καὶ πόλεις ἀφῄρημαι καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀμυνομένους τοὺς μὲν πεφόνευκα, τοὺς δὲ τοῖς πολεμίοις παραδέδωκα.
And in addition to the other charges, these things also will soon be brought up against me, namely all that I have done in this war: that I have ravaged your land, driven off plunder, taken away cities, and of those who defended themselves for these things, some I have slain, and others I have delivered to the enemies.
ταῦτʼ ἐὰν οἱ κατήγοροι λέγωσι, τί φήσω πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀπολογούμενος ἢ τίνι βοηθείᾳ χρήσομαι;
If the accusers say these things, what shall I say in my defense to them, or what help shall I employ?