§1πολλοί μοι προσεληλύθασιν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, θαυμάζοντες ὅτι ἐγὼ τῶν σιτοπωλῶν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ κατηγόρουν, καὶ λέγοντες ὅτι ὑμεῖς, εἰ ὡς μάλιστα αὐτοὺς ἀδικεῖν ἡγεῖσθε, οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ τοὺς περὶ τούτων λόγους ποιουμένους συκοφαντεῖν νομίζετε.
Many people have come to me, gentlemen of the jury, expressing surprise that I accused the corn-dealers in the Council, and saying that you, even if you believe them to be guilty in the highest degree, nevertheless regard those who make speeches about them as sycophants.
ὅθεν οὖν ἠνάγκασμαι κατηγορεῖν αὐτῶν, περὶ τούτων πρῶτον εἰπεῖν βούλομαι.
Therefore, I wish first to explain the reasons why I have been compelled to accuse them.
§2ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ πρυτάνεις ἀπέδοσαν εἰς τὴν βουλὴν περὶ αὐτῶν, οὕτως ὠργίσθησαν αὐτοῖς, ὥστε ἔλεγόν τινες τῶν ῥητόρων ὡς ἀκρίτους αὐτοὺς χρὴ τοῖς ἕνδεκα παραδοῦναι θανάτῳ ζημιῶσαι.
For when the prytaneis referred their case to the Council, they were so angry with them that some of the orators said that they ought to be handed over to the Eleven without trial and punished with death.
ἡγούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ δεινὸν εἶναι τοιαῦτα ἐθίζεσθαι ποιεῖν τὴν βουλήν, ἀναστὰς εἶπον ὅτι μοι δοκοίη κρίνειν τοὺς σιτοπώλας κατὰ τὸν νόμον, νομίζων, εἰ μέν εἰσιν ἄξια θανάτου εἰργασμένοι, ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡμῶν γνώσεσθαι τὰ δίκαια, εἰ δὲ μηδὲν ἀδικοῦσιν, οὐ δεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀκρίτους ἀπολωλέναι.
But I, thinking it a terrible thing that the Council should become accustomed to act in such a manner, stood up and said that in my opinion the corn-dealers should be tried according to the law, believing that if they had committed acts worthy of death, you would determine what is just no less than we, whereas if they were guilty of no wrong, they ought not to be destroyed without a trial.
πεισθείσης δὲ τῆς βουλῆς ταῦτα, §3διαβάλλειν ἐπεχείρουν με λέγοντες ὡς ἐγὼ σωτηρίας ἕνεκα τῆς τῶν σιτοπωλῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐποιούμην.
When the Council had been persuaded of this, they attempted to slander me, saying that I had made these speeches for the sake of saving the corn-dealers.
πρὸς μὲν οὖν βουλήν, ὅτʼ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἡ κρίσις, ἔργῳ ἀπελογησάμην· τῶν γὰρ ἄλλων ἡσυχίαν ἀγόντων ἀναστὰς αὐτῶν κατηγόρουν, καὶ πᾶσι φανερὸν ἐποίησα ὅτι οὐχ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔλεγον, ἀλλὰ τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις ἐβοήθουν.
Now, before the Council, when their trial was pending, I defended myself by my actions; for while the others kept quiet, I stood up and accused them, making it clear to everyone that I was not speaking on their behalf, but was supporting the established laws.
§4ἠρξάμην μὲν οὖν τούτων ἕνεκα, δεδιὼς τὰς αἰτίας· αἰσχρὸν δʼ ἡγοῦμαι πρότερον παύσασθαι, πρὶν ἂν ὑμεῖς περὶ αὐτῶν ὅ τι ἂν βούλησθε ψηφίσησθε.
Thus, I began this affair for these reasons, fearing their accusations; but I think it disgraceful to stop before you have voted concerning them whatever you wish.
§5καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἀνάβητε.
And first, step up here.
εἰπὲ σὺ ἐμοί, μέτοικος εἶ;
Tell me, are you a resident alien?
ναί.
Yes.
μετοικεῖς δὲ πότερον ὡς πεισόμενος τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς τῆς πόλεως, ἢ ὡς ποιήσων ὅ τι ἂν βούλῃ;
Do you reside here in order to obey the laws of the city, or to do whatever you please?
ὡς πεισόμενος.
To obey them.
ἄλλο τι οὖν ἢ ἀξιοῖς ἀποθανεῖν, εἴ τι πεποίηκας παρὰ τοὺς νόμους, ἐφʼ οἷς θάνατος ἡ ζημία;
Do you then agree that you deserve to die, if you have done anything contrary to the laws for which death is the penalty?
ἔγωγε·
I do.
ἀπόκριναι δή μοι, εἰ ὁμολογεῖς πλείω σῖτον συμπρίασθαι πεντήκοντα φορμῶν, ὧν ὁ νόμος ἐξεῖναι κελεύει.
Now answer me, do you admit that you bought up more than fifty phormoi of corn, which is the limit the law allows?
ἐγὼ τῶν ἀρχόντων κελευόντων συνεπριάμην.
I bought it on the orders of the magistrates.
§6ἐὰν μὲν τοίνυν ἀποδείξῃ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὡς ἔστι νόμος ὃς κελεύει τοὺς σιτοπώλας συνωνεῖσθαι τὸν σῖτον, ἐὰν οἱ ἄρχοντες κελεύωσιν, ἀποψηφίσασθε· εἰ δὲ μή, δίκαιον ὑμᾶς καταψηφίσασθαι.
Now, gentlemen of the jury, if he shows that there is a law commanding the corn-dealers to buy up corn if the magistrates order them to do so, acquit him; but if not, it is just for you to condemn him.
ἡμεῖς γὰρ ὑμῖν παρεσχόμεθα τὸν νόμον, ὃς ἀπαγορεύει μηδένα τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει πλείω σῖτον πεντήκοντα φορμῶν συνωνεῖσθαι.
For we have presented to you the law which forbids anyone in the city to buy up more than fifty phormoi of corn.
§7χρῆν μὲν τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἱκανὴν εἶναι ταύτην τὴν κατηγορίαν, ἐπειδὴ οὗτος μὲν ὁμολογεῖ συμπρίασθαι, ὁ δὲ νόμος ἀπαγορεύων φαίνεται, ὑμεῖς δὲ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους ὀμωμόκατε ψηφιεῖσθαι· ὅμως δʼ ἵνα πεισθῆτε ὅτι καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων ψεύδονται, ἀνάγκη καὶ μακρότερον εἰπεῖν περὶ αὐτῶν.
Therefore, gentlemen of the jury, this accusation ought to have been sufficient, since this man admits that he bought it, while the law clearly forbids it, and you have sworn to vote according to the laws; nevertheless, so that you may be convinced that they are lying also against the magistrates, it is necessary to speak at greater length about them.
§8ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὗτοι τὴν αἰτίαν εἰς ἐκείνους ἀνέφερον, παρακαλέσαντες τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἠρωτῶμεν.
For when they referred the blame to them, we summoned the magistrates and questioned them.
καὶ οἱ μὲν δύο οὐδὲν ἔφασαν εἰδέναι τοῦ πράγματος, Ἄνυτος δʼ ἔλεγεν ὡς τοῦ προτέρου χειμῶνος, ἐπειδὴ τίμιος ἦν ὁ σῖτος, τούτων ὑπερβαλλόντων ἀλλήλους καὶ πρὸς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς μαχομένων συμβουλεύσειεν αὐτοῖς παύσασθαι φιλονικοῦσιν, ἡγούμενος συμφέρειν ὑμῖν τοῖς παρὰ τούτων ὠνουμένοις ὡς ἀξιώτατον τούτους πρίασθαι· δεῖν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ὀβολῷ μόνον πωλεῖν τιμιώτερον.
Two of them said they knew nothing of the matter, but Anytus said that in the previous winter, when corn was dear, as these men were outbidding one another and fighting among themselves, he advised them to stop their rivalry, thinking it was beneficial to you who buy from them that these men should purchase it as cheaply as possible; for they were required to sell it only an obol dearer.
§9ὡς τοίνυν οὐ συμπριαμένους καταθέσθαι ἐκέλευεν αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀλλήλοις ἀντωνεῖσθαι συνεβούλευεν, αὐτὸν ὑμῖν Ἄνυτον μάρτυρα παρέξομαι. Μαρτυρία
καὶ οὗτος μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς προτέρας βουλῆς τούτους εἶπε τοὺς λόγους, οὗτοι δʼ ἐπὶ τῆσδε συνωνούμενοι φαίνονται.
To prove, therefore, that he did not order them to buy up and store the corn, but advised them not to bid against one another, I will produce Anytus himself as a witness for you. [Witness Testimony] And Anytus made these statements during the term of the previous Council, whereas these men are shown to have bought it up during the term of the present Council.
§10ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν οὐχ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων κελευσθέντες συνεπρίαντο τὸν σῖτον, ἀκηκόατε· ἡγοῦμαι δʼ, ἐὰν ὡς μάλιστα περὶ τούτων ἀληθῆ λέγωσιν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν αὐτοὺς ἀπολογήσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τούτων κατηγορήσειν·
Now, you have heard that they did not buy up the corn because they were ordered to do so by the magistrates; and I think that, even if they speak the absolute truth on this matter, they will not be defending themselves but accusing those magistrates.
περὶ γὰρ ὧν εἰσι νόμοι διαρρήδην γεγραμμένοι, πῶς οὐ χρὴ διδόναι δίκην καὶ τοὺς μὴ πειθομένους καὶ τοὺς κελεύοντας τούτοις τἀναντία πράττειν;
For in matters where there are laws explicitly written, how is it not proper that both those who disobey them and those who order them to act contrary to them should pay the penalty?
§11ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οἴομαι αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦτον τὸν λόγον οὐκ ἐλεύσεσθαι· ἴσως δʼ ἐροῦσιν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ βουλῇ, ὡς ἐπʼ εὐνοίᾳ τῆς πόλεως συνεωνοῦντο τὸν σῖτον, ἵνʼ ὡς ἀξιώτατον ὑμῖν πωλοῖεν.
But indeed, gentlemen of the jury, I do not think they will resort to this argument; perhaps they will say, as they did also in the Council, that they bought up the corn out of goodwill towards the city, so that they might sell it to you as cheaply as possible.
μέγιστον δʼ ὑμῖν ἐρῶ καὶ περιφανέστατον τεκμήριον ὅτι ψεύδονται·
But I will tell you the greatest and most manifest proof that they are lying: