§12ἔτι δʼ, ὦ βουλή, οὐδεὶς ἂν ἀποδεῖξαι περὶ ἐμοῦ δύναιτο οὔτε δίκην αἰσχρὰν οὔτε γραφὴν οὔτε εἰσαγγελίαν γεγενημένην·
Furthermore, men of the Council, no one could prove that either a shameful private suit, a public prosecution, or an impeachment has ever been brought against me; and yet you often see others involved in such contests.
καίτοι ἑτέρους ὁρᾶτε πολλάκις εἰς τοιούτους ἀγῶνας καθεστηκότας. πρὸς τοίνυν τὰς στρατείας καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους τοὺς πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους σκέψασθε οἷον ἐμαυτὸν παρέχω τῇ πόλει.
Look, then, at how I present myself to the city with respect to military campaigns and dangers against the enemy.
§13πρῶτον μὲν γάρ, ὅτε τὴν συμμαχίαν ἐποιήσασθε πρὸς Βοιωτοὺς καὶ εἰς Ἁλίαρτον ἔδει βοηθεῖν, ὑπὸ Ὀρθοβούλου κατειλεγμένος ἱππεύειν, ἐπειδὴ πάντας ἑώρων τοῖς μὲν ἱππεύουσιν ἀσφάλειαν εἶναι δεῖν νομίζοντας, τοῖς δʼ ὁπλίταις κίνδυνον ἡγουμένους, ἑτέρων ἀναβάντων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀδοκιμάστων παρὰ τὸν νόμον ἐγὼ προσελθὼν ἔφην τῷ Ὀρθοβούλῳ ἐξαλεῖψαί με ἐκ τοῦ καταλόγου, ἡγούμενος αἰσχρὸν εἶναι τοῦ πλήθους μέλλοντος κινδυνεύειν ἄδειαν ἐμαυτῷ παρασκευάσαντα στρατεύεσθαι.
For first, when you made the alliance with the Boeotians and it was necessary to bring aid to Haliartus, having been enrolled by Orthobulus to serve in the cavalry, when I saw that everyone thought that there ought to be safety for those serving in the cavalry but considered it a danger for the hoplites, while others were mounting horses without being approved, contrary to the law, I went up and told Orthobulus to erase me from the roll, believing it was shameful to campaign after securing safety for myself when the multitude was about to face danger.
καί μοι ἀνάβηθι, Ὀρθόβουλε.
Step up for me, Orthobulus.
§14Μάρτυρες
συλλεγέντων τοίνυν τῶν δημοτῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐξόδου, εἰδὼς αὐτῶν ἐνίους πολίτας μὲν χρηστοὺς ὄντας καὶ προθύμους, ἐφοδίων δὲ ἀποροῦντας, εἶπον ὅτι χρὴ τοὺς ἔχοντας παρέχειν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς ἀπόρως διακειμένοις.
Witnesses Then, when the demesmen were assembled before the departure, knowing that some of them were good and eager citizens but lacked travel expenses, I said that those who had means ought to provide necessities for those in difficult circumstances.
καὶ οὐ μόνον τοῦτο συνεβούλευον τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκα δυοῖν ἀνδροῖν τριάκοντα δραχμὰς ἑκατέρῳ, οὐχ ὡς πολλὰ κεκτημένος, ἀλλʼ ἵνα παράδειγμα τοῦτο τοῖς ἄλλοις γένηται.
And I not only advised others to do this, but I myself also gave thirty drachmae to each of two men, not because I possessed much, but so that this might become an example to the others.
καί μοι ἀνάβητε.
Step up for me.
§15Μάρτυρες
μετὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν, ὦ βουλή, εἰς Κόρινθον ἐξόδου γενομένης καὶ πάντων προειδότων ὅτι δεήσει κινδυνεύειν, ἑτέρων ἀναδυομένων ἐγὼ διεπραξάμην ὥστε τῆς πρώτης τεταγμένος μάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις·
Witnesses After this, men of the Council, when an expedition to Corinth took place and everyone foresaw that it would be necessary to face danger, while others were hanging back, I arranged to be stationed in the front line to fight the enemy.
καὶ μάλιστα τῆς ἡμετέρας φυλῆς δυστυχησάσης, καὶ πλείστων ἐναποθανόντων ὕστερος ἀνεχώρησα τοῦ σεμνοῦ Στειριῶς τοῦ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις δειλίαν ὠνειδικότος.
And when our tribe was particularly unfortunate and most of them died on the field, I retreated later than the solemn man of Steiria who reproached all men with cowardice.
§16καὶ οὐ πολλαῖς ἡμέραις ὕστερον μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν Κορίνθῳ χωρίων ἰσχυρῶν κατειλημμένων, ὥστε τοὺς πολεμίους μὴ δύνασθαι παριέναι, Ἀγησιλάου δʼ εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν ἐμβαλόντος ψηφισαμένων τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀποχωρίσαι τάξεις αἵτινες βοηθήσουσι, φοβουμένων ἁπάντων (εἰκότως, ὦ βουλή· δεινὸν γὰρ ἦν ἀγαπητῶς ὀλίγῳ πρότερον σεσωσμένους ἐφʼ ἕτερον κίνδυνον ἰέναι) προσελθὼν ἐγὼ τὸν ταξίαρχον ἐκέλευον ἀκληρωτὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν τάξιν πέμπειν.
And not many days after this, when strong positions in Corinth had been occupied so that the enemy could not pass, and Agesilaus had invaded Boeotia, when the commanders voted to detach regiments to go to the aid, everyone being afraid (and naturally, men of the Council; for it was a terrible thing for those who had been saved with difficulty a short time before to go into another danger), I went up and urged the taxiarch to send our regiment without casting lots.
§17ὥστʼ εἴ τινες ὑμῶν ὀργίζονται τοῖς τὰ μὲν τῆς πόλεως ἀξιοῦσι πράττειν, ἐκ δὲ τῶν κινδύνων ἀποδιδράσκουσιν, οὐκ ἂν δικαίως περὶ ἐμοῦ τὴν γνώμην ταύτην ἔχοιεν· οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὰ προσταττόμενα ταττόμενα ἐποίουν προθύμως, ἀλλὰ καὶ κινδυνεύειν ἐτόλμων.
So if any of you are angry with those who demand to manage the affairs of the city but run away from dangers, they would not justly hold this opinion about me; for I not only eagerly did what was commanded, but also dared to face danger.
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐποίουν οὐχ ὡς οὐ δεινὸν ἡγούμενος εἶναι Λακεδαιμονίοις μάχεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἵνα, εἴ ποτε ἀδίκως εἰς κίνδυνον καθισταίμην, διὰ ταῦτα βελτίων ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νομιζόμενος ἁπάντων τῶν δικαίων τυγχάνοιμι.
And I did this not because I thought it was not a terrible thing to fight the Lacedaemonians, but so that, if ever I should be unjustly brought into danger, I might obtain all my rights by being considered a better man by you because of these things.
καί μοι ἀνάβητε τούτων μάρτυρες.
Step up for me, witnesses of these facts.
§18Μάρτυρες
τῶν τοίνυν ἄλλων στρατειῶν καὶ φρουρῶν οὐδεμιᾶς ἀπελείφθην πώποτε, ἀλλὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον διατετέλεκα μετὰ τῶν πρώτων μὲν τὰς ἐξόδους ποιούμενος, μετὰ τῶν τελευταίων δὲ ἀναχωρῶν·
Witnesses Thus, I was never left behind from any other campaign or guard duty, but throughout the whole time I have continued to make departures with the first and to retreat with the last.
καίτοι χρὴ τοὺς φιλοτίμως καὶ κοσμίως πολιτευομένους ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων σκοπεῖν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἴ τις κομᾷ, διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖν· τὰ μὲν γὰρ τοιαῦτα ἐπιτηδεύματα οὔτε τοὺς ἰδιώτας οὔτε τὸ κοινὸν τῆς πόλεως βλάπτει, ἐκ δὲ τῶν κινδυνεύειν ἐθελόντων πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους ἅπαντες ὑμεῖς ὠφελεῖσθε.
And yet, it is necessary to judge those who live as citizens with ambition and order from such things, and not to hate someone just because he wears his hair long; for such practices harm neither private individuals nor the common state, but from those who are willing to face danger against the enemy, all of you are benefited.
§19ὥστε οὐκ ἄξιον ἀπʼ ὄψεως, ὦ βουλή, οὔτε φιλεῖν οὔτε μισεῖν οὐδένα, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων σκοπεῖν· πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ μικρὸν διαλεγόμενοι καὶ κοσμίως ἀμπεχόμενοι μεγάλων κακῶν αἴτιοι γεγόνασιν, ἕτεροι δὲ τῶν τοιούτων ἀμελοῦντες πολλὰ κἀγαθὰ ὑμᾶς εἰσιν εἰργασμένοι.
Therefore, men of the Council, it is not proper either to love or to hate anyone from his appearance, but to examine him from his deeds; for many who speak softly and dress orderly have been the cause of great evils, while others who neglect such things have performed many good services for you.
§20ἤδη δέ τινων ᾐσθόμην, ὦ βουλή, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἀχθομένων μοι, ὅτι νεώτερος ὢν ἐπεχείρησα λέγειν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ.
And indeed, men of the Council, I have already noticed some who are annoyed with me for this very reason, that being rather young, I have attempted to speak in the assembly.
ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἠναγκάσθην ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ πραγμάτων δημηγορῆσαι, ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ ἐμαυτῷ δοκῶ φιλοτιμότερον διατεθῆναι τοῦ δέοντος, ἅμα μὲν τῶν προγόνων ἐνθυμούμενος, ὅτι οὐδὲν πέπαυνται τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττοντες, §21ἅμα δὲ ὑμᾶς ὁρῶν (τὰ γὰρ ἀληθῆ χρὴ λέγειν) τοὺς τοιούτους μόνους τινὸς ἀξίους νομίζοντας εἶναι, ὥστε ὁρῶν ὑμᾶς ταύτην τὴν γνώμην ἔχοντας τίς οὐκ ἂν ἐπαρθείη πράττειν καὶ λέγειν ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως;
But I was first forced to speak in public on behalf of my own affairs; later, however, I also seem to me to have been more ambitiously disposed than was necessary, at the same time remembering my ancestors, that they never ceased to manage the affairs of the city, and at the same time seeing that you (for the truth must be spoken) consider only such men to be worthy of any account, so that seeing you holding this opinion, who would not be incited to act and speak on behalf of the city?
ἔτι δὲ τί ἂν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἄχθοισθε;
And furthermore, why should you be annoyed with such men?
οὐ γὰρ ἕτεροι περὶ αὐτῶν κριταί εἰσιν, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς.
For no others are the judges concerning them, but you.