LII. For what reason do I enter into this detail? for by Jupiter, and all the gods, it is not my desire to be unpopular among you. It is in order that every one of you may be fully assured that daily indolence and remissness, in states as well as in the lives of individuals, is not sensibly felt1 on every occasion of neglect, but confronts us at the crisis of our fortunes.3 Look at Serrium and Doriscus ; for these towns, which perhaps are not even known to many of you, were first neglected after the peace. Yet your disregard and forgetfulness of them ruined Thrace and Kersobleptes, who was your ally. Again, it was because Philip saw that they were neglected, and obtained no succour from you, that he demolished5 Porthmus, and fortified a despotism in opposition to you in Eubœa, just opposite Attica. This you slighted, and Megara was all but taken. You cared nothing, nor so much as stirred for any of these disasters, nor even gave him a hint9 that you would not allow him to act thus; he then bought Antrones, and not long after, had made himself master 10 of affairs in Oreum. I pass by many instances; for I did not enter upon this detail with the view of enumerating the victims of Philip's violence and iniquity, but to prove to you that he will not halt in his career of systematic oppression 11 and subjugation, unless some one shall forcibly arrest him. There are some men who, before they have heard our 8 statements on1 public affairs, are wont suddenly to ask, 'How, then, are we to act?' not with any intention2 of acting when they have heard-for they would then have been most useful men-but in order to get rid of the debates. Nevertheless it is right to say how we ought to act. 5 In the first place, Athenians, you ought to feel thoroughly assured of this, that Philip is at war with our country, and has broken the peace; and that while he is ill-disposed, and a foe to the whole country, and to the very foundations of the state-I will add even to our national gods and may they ruin him! yet his hostilities and intrigues are mainly directed against our constitution, and he has no more anxious care than for the means of its destruction. And this indeed he is now compassing from necessity in a certain degree. For consider, he longs for empire, and regards you as his only rivals. He has now long been an oppressor; and of this he is fully conscious; for he has strengthened his hold upon all his other possessions, by employing what belonged to you as his tools; since had he resigned Amphipolis and Potidæa, he did not believe that he could remain secure even in Macedonia. He was aware, therefore, of both these facts, that he himself was plotting 10 against you, and that you perceived it; and supposing you to be men of judgment, he concludes that you naturally hate him. Besides these considerations, important as they are, he knows full well that it is impossible for him to 6 1 8 'Yπéр. W. Gr. Gr. § 192, a. 'De.' 2 "Iva, with conjunctive, without av. W. Gr. Gr. § 176. 3 Μὲν—μέντοι. 1”Оñws, with fut. indic. W. Gr. Gr. § 176, obs. 3. 5 Пoleî i. e. tries to do. See JELF, § 398,2. 8 'Adikeî' present, because Perf. of volaußávw. On this use of the perfect as a present, see JELF, § 399, obs. 2. 7 Ανταγωνιστής. the past notion is expressed by ñdŋ. av, with indic. in apodosis. JELF, § 853. 164. • Ei, with indic. in protasis; 10 Partic. W. Gr. Gr. § hold anything firmly, even should11 he gain the mastery of all other states, so long 12 as you enjoy a popular constitution and that, should 13 any disaster at any time. befall him—and many are likely 14 to happen to a man— all the interests now outraged will come and take refuge with you. For while you are not well adapted for aggrandisement, 15 and the maintenance of dominion, you are yet well able to hinder another from seizing it, and to tear it from his grasp,16 and in general to act 17 as a thorn in the sides of the lovers of Empire, and to vindicate 18 freedom for all mankind. 11"Avèáv, with conjunctive. 12 "Ews av, with conjunctive. JELF, 846, 2. 13 'Eáv. 14"Av, with opt. 15 Πλεονεκτῆσαι. 16 Partic. 17 Ενοχλῆσαι. ἐξαιρεῖν. 18 Πάντας εἰς ἐλευθερίαν ἐξελέσθαι. LIDD. and SCOTT, LIV. After mentioning, then, and making1 a few remarks upon these points, which I think it as essential to set before you as any of my previous statements, I will sit down. The leniency of your dispositions is a great support and advantage to all criminals; but if you listen to me, I will show you that you ought not to allow the defendant the benefit of it. I imagine* that all men make contri * This passage, which presents a metaphorical illustration of the Athenian friendly societies' (vid. KENNEDY, Demosth., note 7), may fairly be alleged in partial disproof of the calumny which charges ancient Athenian and Roman society with a systematic disregard of charity. It should also be remembered, that the institution of domestic servitude in itself implies the non-existence of a pauper population; and therefore the absence of poor-laws, or of any systematic provision for the poorer classes, is no sure proof of the absence of charitable feeling in the classic days of Greece and Rome. 21 butions for one another all along their lives—not those contributions only which individuals collect,1o and wherein they are joint-subscribers," but others of a more general nature. To illustrate: 13 a member of our society is genial1 and kind, and compassionate 15 to many: this man ought to receive the same treatment from all, should 16 he ever be involved in difficulty 17 and danger.18 Here 19 is another man, devoid of honour, 20 constant in outrage, holding some men poor, others mean wretches, others mere chaff; this fellow ought to receive a return 23 similar to his own contributions to others. Now, if a just conception presents itself to you, you will find that this man is a contributor 24 to the latter, 25 not to the former 26 fund. I am well aware that he will even bring forward his children and bewail, and will utter many humble protestations, accompanied by tears and by 27 every pitiable device. Yet, exactly 28 in proportion to his present selfhumiliation, ought to be your hatred of him. Why? Because, had he been thus licentious and turbulent in 29 his previous career from inability to attain the virtue of humility, it would have been fair 30 to have remitted 31 some of your displeasure in consideration of the disposition 32 and the circumstances 33 which made him what he is. Whereas if, while capable of living34 with propriety, whenever he chose, he preferred a style of life opposed to this, it is surely clear that, even should he now manage 35 3 Avroîs. On the use of the reflexive for the reciprocal pronoun, see W. Gr. Gr. § 146. 9 IIapà, with accus. 10 Συλλέγειν. 15 Partic. ρωτής. δής. 25 Οὗτος. 13 Οἷον. 14 Μέτριος. 12 Καὶ ἄλλος. 17 Χρεία. 21 Καθάρματα. 22 Οὐδέν. 26 ̓Εκεῖνος. av, with conjunctive. 31 'Ανίημι. 32 Φύσις. 27 Ὡς ἐλεεινότατον ποιῶν ἑαυτόν. 29 Ἐπὶ τοῦ παρεληλυθότος βίου. 33 Η τύχη. 35 Διακρούεσθαι, 1 aor. conjunct. with ἄν. 11 Πλη16 "Av, 16" 20 'Aval 24 Πληρωτής. 28 Οσῳπερ 30 "Αξιον. 34 Μέτριον παρεχειν ἑαυτόν. to get off, he will resume 36 that very character with which you are familiar. 36 Αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος πάλιν γενήσεται. LV. I wish to make a few remarks upon the laws now in force, according to which prosecutions of this kind are framed, before I discuss the very law which I have impeached;1 for you will understand the sequel more readily after listening to the following detail. In the laws which are in full force among us, all3 the requisite formalities in relation to laws proposed to be enacted are accurately and clearly defined. First of all, a time is specified during which we must propose a law. Secondly, even then the legislator does not allow us to do this exactly at our own discretion, but he enjoins us, in the first place, to exhibit the law in writing in front of the Eponymi, for every one who wishes to inspect; after this, he orders us to enact one and the same law for all: next, to cancel9 all contrary statutes, besides other provisions which perhaps you are not very anxious to hear just now. If any one should transgress one of these ordinances, he allows any man who chooses to indict 10 him. If, then, Aristocrates was not chargeable" on all these points, and if he had not introduced his measure in contravention 1o of them all, one might have levelled 13 a single charge 14 against him, whatever that might be. In the present case, however, it is requisite to divide them, and to treat them separately 15 one by one. I will, therefore, first mention his first 1 1 Téypappai, passive deponent. JELF, § 368. 2 Τὰ λοιπά. 4 Γεγραμμένος. 5 Νομοθετεῖν. ὅσα δεῖ ποιεῖν. 7 Having written it.' 8 'Enì, dative. 12 Παρά. 1 Κατηγόρημα. 3 Πάνθ' • Εκθεῖναι. • Λύειν. 10 Γράφεσθαι. 13 Ποιεῖσθαι, imperf. with ἄν. 15 Χωρίς. |