§1πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ συνειδὼς Σίμωνι, ὦ βουλή, οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ αὐτὸν εἰς τοσοῦτον τόλμης ἡγησάμην ἀφικέσθαι, ὥστε ὑπὲρ ὧν αὐτὸν ἔδει δοῦναι δίκην, ὑπὲρ τούτων ὡς ἀδικούμενον ἔγκλημα ποιήσασθαι καὶ οὕτω μέγαν καὶ σεμνὸν ὅρκον διομοσάμενον εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν.
Knowing many terrible things about Simon, members of the Council, I would never have thought he would reach such a pitch of audacity as to bring a charge as if he were the injured party, concerning matters for which he himself ought to pay the penalty, and to come before you after swearing so solemn and grand an oath.
§2εἰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι τινὲς ἔμελλον περὶ ἐμοῦ διαγνώσεσθαι, σφόδρα ἂν ἐφοβούμην τὸν κίνδυνον, ὁρῶν ὅτι καὶ παρασκευαὶ καὶ τύχαι ἐνίοτε τοιαῦται γίγνονται, ὥστε πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ γνώμην ἀποβαίνειν τοῖς κινδυνεύουσιν· εἰς ὑμᾶς δʼ εἰσελθὼν ἐλπίζω τῶν δικαίων τεύξεσθαι.
If, indeed, any others were going to decide my case, I would have feared the danger exceedingly, seeing that both preparations and chance sometimes turn out in such a way that many things turn out contrary to expectation for those in danger; but having come before you, I hope to obtain justice.
§3μάλιστα δʼ ἀγανακτῶ, ὦ βουλή, ὅτι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων εἰπεῖν ἀναγκασθήσομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐγὼ αἰσχυνόμενος, εἰ μέλλοιεν πολλοί μοι συνείσεσθαι, ἠνεσχόμην ἀδικούμενος.
But I am most of all vexed, members of the Council, because I shall be compelled to speak to you about affairs concerning which I, out of shame, lest many should know of my conduct, submitted to being wronged.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ Σίμων με εἰς τοιαύτην ἀνάγκην κατέστησεν, οὐδὲν ἀποκρυψάμενος ἅπαντα διηγήσομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὰ πεπραγμένα.
But since Simon has placed me in such a necessity, I will relate to you all that has been done, concealing nothing.
ἀξιῶ δέ, §4ὦ βουλή, εἰ μὲν ἀδικῶ, μηδεμιᾶς συγγνώμης τυγχάνειν· ἐὰν δὲ περὶ τούτων ἀποδείξω ὡς οὐκ ἔνοχός εἰμι οἷς Σίμων διωμόσατο, ἄλλως δὲ ὑμῖν φαίνωμαι παρὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ἀνοητότερον πρὸς τὸ μειράκιον διατεθείς, αἰτοῦμαι ὑμᾶς μηδέν με χείρω νομίζειν, εἰδότας ὅτι ἐπιθυμῆσαι μὲν ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις ἔνεστιν, οὗτος δὲ βέλτιστος ἂν εἴη καὶ σωφρονέστατος, ὅστις κοσμιώτατα τὰς συμφορὰς φέρειν δύναται.
And I request, members of the Council, that if I am in the wrong, I should meet with no pardon; but if I prove concerning these matters that I am not guilty of what Simon swore to, but otherwise I appear to you to have been disposed toward the youth rather foolishly for my age, I beg you not to think any the worse of me, knowing that desire is in all men, and that he would be the best and most self-controlled who is able to bear his misfortunes most decently.
οἷς ἅπασιν ἐμποδὼν ἐμοὶ γεγένηται Σίμων οὑτοσί, ὡς ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξω.
In all of these things, this Simon here has stood in my way, as I shall demonstrate to you.
§5ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἐπεθυμήσαμεν, ὦ βουλή, Θεοδότου, Πλαταϊκοῦ μειρακίου, καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν εὖ ποιῶν αὐτὸν ἠξίουν εἶναί μοι φίλον, οὗτος δὲ ὑβρίζων καὶ παρανομῶν ᾤετο ἀναγκάσειν αὐτὸν ποιεῖν ὅ τι βούλοιτο.
For we desired, members of the Council, Theodotus, a Plataean youth; and while I, by doing him kindness, claimed the right to have him as my friend, this man, by insulting and lawless behavior, thought to force him to do whatever he wished.
ὅσα μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνος κακὰ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πέπονθε, πολὺ ἂν ἔργον εἴη λέγειν· ὅσα δὲ εἰς ἐμὲ αὐτὸν ἐξημάρτηκεν, §6ἡγοῦμαι ταῦθʼ ὑμῖν προσήκειν ἀκοῦσαι.
Now, all the wrongs that the youth suffered from him would be a long story to tell; but all the offenses he has committed against myself, I think it is fitting for you to hear.
πυθόμενος γὰρ ὅτι τὸ μειράκιον ἦν παρʼ ἐμοί, ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν ἐμὴν νύκτωρ μεθύων, ἐκκόψας τὰς θύρας εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γυναικωνῖτιν, ἔνδον οὐσῶν τῆς τε ἀδελφῆς τῆς ἐμῆς καὶ τῶν ἀδελφιδῶν, αἳ οὕτω κοσμίως βεβιώκασιν ὥστε καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων ὁρώμεναι αἰσχύνεσθαι.
For having learned that the youth was at my house, he came to my home by night, drunk, broke open the doors, and burst into the women's quarters, where my sister and nieces were, who have lived so decently that they feel shame even when seen by their own relatives.
§7οὗτος τοίνυν εἰς τοῦτο ἦλθεν ὕβρεως ὥστʼ οὐ πρότερον ἠθέλησεν ἀπελθεῖν, πρὶν αὐτὸν ἡγούμενοι δεινὰ ποιεῖν οἱ παραγενόμενοι καὶ οἱ μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐλθόντες, ἐπὶ παῖδας κόρας καὶ ὀρφανὰς εἰσιόντα, ἐξήλασαν βίᾳ.
This man, then, reached such a pitch of insolence that he refused to leave until those who were present and those who had come with him, thinking he was doing a terrible thing by intruding upon maiden and orphan girls, drove him out by force.
καὶ τοσούτου ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ μεταμελῆσαι τῶν ὑβρισμένων, ὥστε ἐξευρὼν οὗ ἐδειπνοῦμεν ἀτοπώτατον πρᾶγμα καὶ ἀπιστότατον ἐποίησεν, εἰ μή τις εἰδείη τὴν τούτου μανίαν.
And so far was he from repenting of his outrages, that having found out where we were dining, he did a most extraordinary and unbelievable thing, unless indeed one knew his madness.
§8ἐκκαλέσας γάρ με ἔνδοθεν, ἐπειδὴ τάχιστα ἐξῆλθον, εὐθύς με τύπτειν ἐπεχείρησεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτὸν ἠμυνάμην, ἐκστὰς ἔβαλλέ με λίθοις.
For having called me out from inside, as soon as I came out, he immediately attempted to strike me; and when I defended myself against him, he stood back and pelted me with stones.
καὶ ἐμοῦ μὲν ἁμαρτάνει, Ἀριστοκρίτου δέ, ὃς παρʼ ἐμὲ ἦλθε μετʼ αὐτοῦ, βαλὼν λίθῳ συντρίβει τὸ μέτωπον.
He missed me, but hitting Aristocritus, who had come to my house with him, with a stone, he smashed his forehead.
§9ἐγὼ τοίνυν, ὦ βουλή, ἡγούμενος μὲν δεινὰ πάσχειν, αἰσχυνόμενος δέ, ὅπερ ἤδη καὶ πρότερον εἶπον, τῇ συμφορᾷ, ἠνειχόμην, καὶ μᾶλλον ᾑρούμην μὴ λαβεῖν τούτων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων δίκην ἢ δόξαι τοῖς πολίταις ἀνόητος εἶναι, εἰδὼς ὅτι τῇ μὲν τούτου πονηρίᾳ πρέποντα ἔσται τὰ πεπραγμένα, ἐμοῦ δὲ πολλοὶ καταγελάσονται τοιαῦτα πάσχοντος τῶν φθονεῖν εἰθισμένων, ἐάν τις ἐν τῇ πόλει προθυμῆται χρηστὸς εἶναι.
I, then, members of the Council, although I considered that I was suffering terrible things, yet being ashamed of my misfortune, as I have said before, I put up with it, and preferred not to take satisfaction for these offenses rather than to appear foolish to the citizens, knowing that though these actions would be suited to his wickedness, many of those who are accustomed to feel envy if anyone strives to be a good citizen in the city would laugh at me for suffering such things.
§10οὕτω δὲ σφόδρα ἠπορούμην ὅ τι χρησαίμην, ὦ βουλή, τῇ τούτου παρανομίᾳ, ὥστε ἔδοξέ μοι κράτιστον εἶναι ἀποδημῆσαι.
And I was so extremely at a loss, members of the Council, as to how to deal with his lawless behavior, that it seemed best to me to go abroad.
λαβὼν δὴ τὸ μειράκιον (ἅπαντα γὰρ δεῖ τἀληθῆ λέγειν) ᾠχόμην ἐκ τῆς πόλεως.
So taking the youth—for one must tell the whole truth—I departed from the city.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ ᾤμην ἱκανὸν εἶναι τὸν χρόνον Σίμωνι ἐπιλαθέσθαι μὲν τοῦ νεανίσκου, μεταμελῆσαι δὲ τῶν πρότερον ἡμαρτημένων, §11ἀφικνοῦμαι πάλιν.
But when I thought that sufficient time had elapsed for Simon to forget the young man and to repent of his former offenses, I returned.
κἀγὼ μὲν ᾠχόμην εἰς Πειραιᾶ, οὗτος δʼ αἰσθόμενος εὐθέως ἥκοντα τὸν Θεόδοτον καὶ διατρίβοντα παρὰ Λυσιμάχῳ, ὃς ᾤκει πλησίον τῆς οἰκίας ἧς οὗτος ἐμεμίσθωτο, παρεκάλεσέ τινας τῶν τούτου ἐπιτηδείων.
And while I went off to Piraeus, this man, immediately perceiving that Theodotus had arrived and was staying with Lysimachus, who lived near the house which this man had rented, called together some of his associates.
καὶ οὗτοι μὲν ἠρίστων καὶ ἔπινον, φύλακας δὲ κατέστησαν ἐπὶ τοῦ τέγους, ἵνʼ, ὁπότε ἐξέλθοι τὸ μειράκιον,
And while they were having lunch and drinking, they stationed lookouts on the roof, so that, whenever the youth should come out,