§10οὔκουν χαλεπὸν γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὅτι οὐ περὶ πολιτείας εἰσὶν αἱ πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαφοραί, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἰδίᾳ συμφερόντων ἑκάστῳ.
It is therefore not difficult to realize, gentlemen of the jury, that our differences with one another are not about the constitution, but about the private interests of each individual.
ὑμᾶς οὖν χρὴ ἐκ τούτων δοκιμάζειν τοὺς πολίτας, σκοποῦντας μὲν ὅπως ἦσαν ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πεπολιτευμένοι, ζητοῦντας δὲ εἴ τις αὐτοῖς ἐγίγνετο ὠφέλεια τῶν πραγμάτων μεταπεσόντων· οὕτως γὰρ ἂν δικαιοτάτην τὴν κρίσιν περὶ αὐτῶν ποιοῖσθε.
You ought, then, to test the citizens on these grounds, considering how they conducted themselves under the democracy, and investigating whether any advantage accrued to them when the government was changed; for in this way you would make the most just judgment concerning them.
§11ἐγὼ τοίνυν ἡγοῦμαι, ὅσοι μὲν ἐν τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ ἄτιμοι ἦσαν εὐθύνας δεδωκότες ἢ τῶν ὄντων ἀπεστερημένοι ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ συμφορᾷ τοιαύτῃ κεχρημένοι, προσήκειν αὐτοῖς ἑτέρας ἐπιθυμεῖν πολιτείας, ἐλπίζοντας τὴν μεταβολὴν ὠφέλειάν τινα αὑτοῖς ἔσεσθαι· ὅσοι δὲ τὸν δῆμον πολλὰ κἀγαθὰ εἰργασμένοι εἰσί, κακὸν δὲ μηδὲν πώποτε, ὀφείλεται δὲ αὐτοῖς χάριν κομίσασθαι παρʼ ὑμῶν μᾶλλον ἢ δοῦναι δίκην τῶν πεπραγμένων, οὐκ ἄξιον τὰς κατὰ τούτων ἀποδέχεσθαι διαβολάς, οὐδʼ ἐὰν πάντες οἱ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττοντες ὀλιγαρχικοὺς αὐτοὺς φάσκωσιν εἶναι.
Now I believe that all those who were disfranchised under the democracy after rendering their accounts, or were deprived of their property, or met with any other such misfortune, might naturally desire a different constitution, hoping that the change would bring some advantage to them; but as for those who have done many services to the democracy and never any harm, and who deserve to receive gratitude from you rather than to pay the penalty for their past deeds, it is not right to accept the slanders against them, not even if all those who manage the affairs of the city should assert that they are oligarchic.
§12ἐμοὶ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὔτʼ ἰδίᾳ οὔτε δημοσίᾳ συμφορὰ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ οὐδεμία πώποτε ἐγένετο, ἀνθʼ ἧστινος ἂν προθυμούμενος τῶν παρόντων κακῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἑτέρων ἐπεθύμουν πραγμάτων.
For myself, gentlemen of the jury, no misfortune, either private or public, ever befell me during that time, on account of which I should have desired a different government, in my eagerness to be rid of the present evils.
τετριηράρχηκά τε γὰρ πεντάκις, καὶ τετράκις νεναυμάχηκα, καὶ εἰσφορὰς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πολλὰς εἰσενήνοχα, καὶ τἆλλα λελῃτούργηκα οὐδενὸς χεῖρον τῶν πολιτῶν.
For I have served as trierarch five times, fought in four sea battles, contributed many war taxes, and performed the other public services no worse than any of my fellow citizens.
§13καίτοι διὰ τοῦτο πλείω τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως προσταττομένων ἐδαπανώμην, ἵνα καὶ βελτίων ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νομιζοίμην, καὶ εἴ πού μοί τις συμφορὰ γένοιτο, ἄμεινον ἀγωνιζοίμην.
And indeed, I spent more than what was prescribed by the city for this very reason, so that I might be thought better of by you, and if any misfortune should ever befall me, I might contend on better terms in court.
ὧν ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ ἁπάντων ἀπεστερούμην· οὐ γὰρ τοὺς τῷ πλήθει ἀγαθοῦ τινος αἰτίους γεγενημένους χάριτος παρʼ αὑτῶν ἠξίουν τυγχάνειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς πλεῖστα κακὰ ὑμᾶς εἰργασμένους εἰς τὰς τιμὰς καθίστασαν, ὡς ταύτην παρʼ ἡμῶν πίστιν εἰληφότες.
Of all these benefits I was deprived under the oligarchy; for they did not think those who had been the cause of some good to the democracy deserved to receive gratitude from them, but they established in offices of honor those who had done you the greatest wrongs, as having received this pledge of loyalty from us.
ἃ χρὴ πάντας ἐνθυμουμένους μὴ τοῖς τούτων λόγοις πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων σκοπεῖν ἃ ἑκάστῳ τυγχάνει πεπραγμένα.
You must all bear this in mind and not trust their words, but look at the deeds that each man happens to have done.
§14ἐγὼ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὔτε τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐγενόμην· ἢ τῶν κατηγόρων ὁ βουλόμενος παρελθὼν ἐλεγξάτω·
For I, gentlemen of the jury, was not one of the Four Hundred; let any of my accusers who wishes come forward and prove it.
οὐ τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἐπειδὴ οἱ τριάκοντα κατέστησαν, οὐδείς με ἀποδείξει οὔτε βουλεύσαντα οὔτε ἀρχὴν οὐδεμίαν ἄρξαντα.
Nor indeed, after the Thirty were established, will anyone show that I either served on the Council or held any office.
καίτοι εἰ μὲν ἐξόν μοι ἄρχειν μὴ ἐβουλόμην, ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νυνὶ τιμᾶσθαι δίκαιός εἰμι· εἰ δὲ οἱ τότε δυνάμενοι μὴ ἠξίουν μοι μεταδιδόναι τῶν πραγμάτων, πῶς ἂν φανερώτερον ἢ οὕτως ψευδομένους ἀποδείξαιμι τοὺς κατηγόρους;
And yet, if I was permitted to hold office and did not wish to, I deserve to be honored by you now; and if the men in power at that time did not think fit to give me a share in public affairs, how could I prove my accusers to be lying more clearly than by this?
§15ἔτι τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπραγμένων ἄξιον σκέψασθαι.
Furthermore, gentlemen of the jury, it is worth considering my other deeds.
ἐγὼ γὰρ τοιοῦτον ἐμαυτὸν ἐν ταῖς τῆς πόλεως συμφοραῖς παρέσχον ὥστε, εἰ πάντες τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔσχον ἐμοί, μηδένα ἂν ὑμῶν μηδεμιᾷ χρῆσθαι συμφορᾷ.
For I showed myself to be of such a character during the misfortunes of the city that, if everyone had held the same opinion as I did, not one of you would have met with any misfortune.
ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ οὔτε ἀπαχθεὶς οὐδεὶς φανήσεται, οὔτε τῶν ἐχθρῶν οὐδεὶς τετιμωρημένος, οὔτε τῶν φίλων εὖ πεπονθώς §16(καὶ τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἄξιον θαυμάζειν· εὖ μὲν γὰρ ποιεῖν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χρόνῳ χαλεπὸν ἦν, ἐξαμαρτάνειν δὲ τῷ βουλομένῳ ῥᾴδιον).
For it will be found that under the oligarchy no one was arrested by me, no enemy was punished, and no friend was benefited (and this is not a thing to wonder at, for to do good at that time was difficult, while to do wrong was easy for anyone who wished).
οὐ τοίνυν οὐδʼ εἰς τὸν κατάλογον Ἀθηναίων καταλέξας οὐδένα φανήσομαι, οὐδὲ δίαιταν καταδιαιτησάμενος οὐδενός, οὐδὲ πλουσιώτερος ἐκ τῶν ὑμετέρων γεγονὼς συμφορῶν.
Nor indeed will it be found that I registered any Athenian on the list of death, or decided an arbitration to anyone's disadvantage, or became richer from your misfortunes.
καίτοι εἰ τοῖς τῶν γεγενημένων κακῶν αἰτίοις ὀργίζεσθε, εἰκὸς καὶ τοὺς μηδὲν ἡμαρτηκότας βελτίους ὑφʼ ὑμῶν νομίζεσθαι. καὶ μὲν δή,
And yet, if you are angry with those who were the cause of the past evils, it is reasonable that those who committed no offense should be considered better by you.
§17ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μεγίστην ἡγοῦμαι περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πίστιν δεδωκέναι.
And indeed, gentlemen of the jury, I believe that I have given the democracy the greatest pledge concerning myself.
ὅστις γὰρ τότε οὐδὲν ἐξήμαρτον οὕτω πολλῆς δεδομένης ἐξουσίας, ἦ που νῦν σφόδρα προθυμηθήσομαι χρηστὸς εἶναι, εὖ εἰδὼς ὅτι, ἐὰν ἀδικῶ, παραχρῆμα δώσω δίκην.
For he who committed no offense at that time when such great license was given, surely now will be very eager to be a good citizen, knowing well that if he does wrong, he will immediately pay the penalty.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοιαύτην διὰ τέλους γνώμην ἔχω, ὥστε ἐν ὀλιγαρχίᾳ μὲν μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ δὲ τὰ ὄντα προθύμως εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀναλίσκειν.
But indeed, I have held such an opinion throughout, so that under an oligarchy I do not desire the property of others, and under a democracy I eagerly spend my own on you.