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Article AnOAOriA 2QKPAT0YS, ← Page 7 of 8 →
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Anoaoria 2qkpat0ys,
tics , I should have perished long ago , and have afforded neither good to you nor myself . Yet , you should not be displeased with me for speaking the truth , because no man , who earnestly opposes on political principles , either you or any other government , and sets his face against many unjust and illegal things that exist in a state , can preserve himself safe . But it is absolutely necessary that he , who is a lover of justice , and
desirous to preserve his life to propagate its principles , live retired unintermedling with public and political matters . To strengthen my position in this part of my defence , I shall adduce the best of testimony , not words but facts , and such as you will respect . Give ear , then , to what I shall state as having already occurred in my own case , that you . may be convinced I would not yield to any man upon a point wherein I conceived myself to be riht from a vain dread
g of death ; no , nor if my resistance might be attended by instant extermination ; and , although I may appear to speak arrogantly and boastfully , I" do nevertheless speak the truth . Athenians ! I never held any other office in the state but that of a senator ; and it happened , wlien I satin the council as Prytanis * for my department , that you consulted together to condemn the ten
generals , who did not inter their slain after the naval engagement , which took place off Salamis—illegally as it turned out in the sequel—when I alone of the Prytanes opposed you , urging you to do nothing contrary to the law , and voting myself in the minority ; and , while the orators were preparing to accuse and impeach me , and you yourselves were calling aloud and clamoring , I swore it behoved me far more to judge according to law and equity , than to side with you , who were
counselling unjustly , from any fear of imprisonment and death . These things indeed occurred when as yet the state was under democratic government ; but there are others which took place when the oligarchy was established ; for the Council of Thirty having despatched me with the embassy into Tholust , commanded us to bring Leontine from SalamisJ , in order to put him to death ; and many others they tried to implicate in similar illegal acts . But Inot bwordbut b
, y , y deed , shewed that the fear of death would not deter me from refusing to commit a wicked and illegal action , nor did the government , powerful as it was , intimidate me to do what was unjust ; for , when we left Tholus , the other four went to Salamis and brought away Leontine , but I departed to my own home , though I should very likely have died for this disobedience to orders , had not that government suddenly been destroyed . The truth of this statement can be attested by numberless
witnesses . Truly , then , do you suppose I should have held out so many years had I engaged in politics ? No : but , by discharging the duties worthy of a good man ' s regard I have protected the cause of the just , and as occasion offered , manifested a higher esteem for that than any other duty ; and , indeed , such conduct was very necessary , Athenians , when no other man , acting so prominent a part , could have been safe . But , I flatter myself , I shall appear , throughout my whole life , to have maintained the same character , both in my public and private transactions ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Anoaoria 2qkpat0ys,
tics , I should have perished long ago , and have afforded neither good to you nor myself . Yet , you should not be displeased with me for speaking the truth , because no man , who earnestly opposes on political principles , either you or any other government , and sets his face against many unjust and illegal things that exist in a state , can preserve himself safe . But it is absolutely necessary that he , who is a lover of justice , and
desirous to preserve his life to propagate its principles , live retired unintermedling with public and political matters . To strengthen my position in this part of my defence , I shall adduce the best of testimony , not words but facts , and such as you will respect . Give ear , then , to what I shall state as having already occurred in my own case , that you . may be convinced I would not yield to any man upon a point wherein I conceived myself to be riht from a vain dread
g of death ; no , nor if my resistance might be attended by instant extermination ; and , although I may appear to speak arrogantly and boastfully , I" do nevertheless speak the truth . Athenians ! I never held any other office in the state but that of a senator ; and it happened , wlien I satin the council as Prytanis * for my department , that you consulted together to condemn the ten
generals , who did not inter their slain after the naval engagement , which took place off Salamis—illegally as it turned out in the sequel—when I alone of the Prytanes opposed you , urging you to do nothing contrary to the law , and voting myself in the minority ; and , while the orators were preparing to accuse and impeach me , and you yourselves were calling aloud and clamoring , I swore it behoved me far more to judge according to law and equity , than to side with you , who were
counselling unjustly , from any fear of imprisonment and death . These things indeed occurred when as yet the state was under democratic government ; but there are others which took place when the oligarchy was established ; for the Council of Thirty having despatched me with the embassy into Tholust , commanded us to bring Leontine from SalamisJ , in order to put him to death ; and many others they tried to implicate in similar illegal acts . But Inot bwordbut b
, y , y deed , shewed that the fear of death would not deter me from refusing to commit a wicked and illegal action , nor did the government , powerful as it was , intimidate me to do what was unjust ; for , when we left Tholus , the other four went to Salamis and brought away Leontine , but I departed to my own home , though I should very likely have died for this disobedience to orders , had not that government suddenly been destroyed . The truth of this statement can be attested by numberless
witnesses . Truly , then , do you suppose I should have held out so many years had I engaged in politics ? No : but , by discharging the duties worthy of a good man ' s regard I have protected the cause of the just , and as occasion offered , manifested a higher esteem for that than any other duty ; and , indeed , such conduct was very necessary , Athenians , when no other man , acting so prominent a part , could have been safe . But , I flatter myself , I shall appear , throughout my whole life , to have maintained the same character , both in my public and private transactions ,