of my inexperience, I should make the accusation, for my brother and myself, unworthily and unskillfully; still, I will endeavor to run over the facts as briefly as I can.
- My father, Cephalus, was persuaded by Pericles to come to this land, and lived there thirty years; and neither we nor he ever brought an accusation against anybody, or were accused ourselves; but we lived in such a manner under the Democracy, that we neither wronged others nor were wronged by others. 5. But when the Thirty, being villains and sycophants, were established in power, affirming that it was necessary to rid the city of those doing wrong, and turn the remaining citizens to virtue and justice,--though making such professions, they did not venture to do such things, as I, speaking first in my own behalf, and in behalf of you, shall try to remind you. 6. For Theognis and Piso said, among the Thirty, in regard to the metics, that there were some dissatisfied with the form of government; therefore there was a very good pretext to seem to punish them, but in reality to get their money, for the city was poor in every respect, and the government needed money. 7.
And they had no difficulty in persuading their hearers, for they thought it of no account to kill men, but to take their money they considered of the utmost importance. Therefore they decided to arrest ten, and, of these, two poor men, in older that they might have a defense, in respect to the others, that these things were not done for the sake of money, but in the interest of the state, as if doing something reasonably. 8.
Accordingly they distributed the houses and went to them. They found me entertaining guests, whom they drove out, and then gave me up to Piso, and others, going to the workshop, took an inventory of the slaves. And I
asked Piso if he was willing to save me, taking a bribe; and he said he would, if there was much of it. 9. Therefore I said that I was ready to give him a talent of silver, and he agreed to do it. I knew that he regarded neither gods nor men; still, in view of the existing state of affairs, it seemed to me to be absolutely necessary to take a pledge from him. 10. And when he swore, imprecating destruction upon himself and children, that he would save me, on condition of receiving a talent, I
went to my chamber and opened the chest. Piso seeing this came in, and, seeing what was therein, called two of his servants, and commanded them to take what was in the chest. 11. But as he did not confine himself to the sum agreed upon, jurors, but took three talents of silver, four hundred cyziceni, a hundred darics, and four bowls of silver, I besought him to give me my traveling expenses; whereupon he told me to rejoice if
I saved my life. 12. Melobius and Mnesitheides, returning from the workshop, met Piso and myself, coming out (of the house). They overtook us at the very doors, and asked us where we were going; he said to my brother's (house), to see what was in that house; then they told him to go on, but bade me accompany them to Damnippus. 13. And Piso, approaching me, told me to keep silence, and be of good cheer, as he would come there; and we found Theognis there, guarding the others; having given me up to him, they went back; and, under such circumstances, it seemed best to me to run any risk whatever, as if death were already at hand. 14. So, having called Damnippus, I spoke to him as follows: "You happen to be a friend of mine, and I have come to your house; I have done no wrong, but
I am about to be put to death on account of my property; do you, therefore, in consideration of my wretched plight, kindly use your influence in my behalf to secure my safety." And he promised to do it.
But it seemed better to him to mention it to Theognis, for he thought that he would do anything, if one should give him money. 15. And, while he was conversing with Theognis (as I happened to be acquainted with the house, and knew that there were two doors), it seemed best to me to try to save myself, thinking that, if I should escape detection, I should be safe, but, if I should be taken, I thought that, if Theognis should be persuaded by Damnippus to receive a bribe, I should get off nevertheless, but otherwise I should die all the same. 16. Having thought of these things, I fled while they were stationing a guard at the hall-door, and of the three doors through which I must pass, all happened to be open; then, coming to the (house) of Archeneus, the shipmaster, I sent him to the town to learn about my brother; and he came, and said that
Eratosthenes had seized him in the road and led him off to prison, (17)
and I, having learned these things, on the following night sailed to
Megara. And the Thirty gave the command to Polemarchus, made customary by them, to drink hemlock, before telling the accusation, on account of which he was about to die, so far he failed of trial, and making his defense. 18. And when he was carried out the prison-house dead, although we had three houses, they permitted him to be carried out from neither of them; but, having hired a bier, they laid him out. And, although there was much clothing, they gave none to us, when we asked it for his burial, but of his friends, one gave a garment, another a pillow, and what each one happened to have, he gave for his burial. 19. And although we had seven hundred shields belonging to us, together with gold, silver, brass, ornaments, furniture and women's clothing to an amount far beyond their expectations, besides a hundred and twenty slaves, of whom they took the best, and threw the rest into prison, they reached such a pitch of insatiable desire and avarice, that they showed their character; for from the ears of the wife of Polemarchus, Melobius took the golden earrings which she happened to be wearing, as soon as he came into the house. 20.
And not in the least part of our property did we receive compassion from them; but they so wronged us, on account of our property, as others would in anger for great wrongs, though we did not deserve these things from the city, but we had paid the expenses of all the choruses, and many taxes, and showed ourselves orderly, and did everything ordered, and had no private enemy, but freed many of the Athenians from their enemies.
Such things they thought we deserved, although as metics we had conducted ourselves better than those who are citizens. 21. For they drove out many of the citizens to their enemies, and, killing many unjustly, left them unburied; and many who enjoyed the full rights of citizenship in this city, they deprived of them; and they prevented the daughters of many from being married. 22. And now they have become so audacious, that they come here to defend themselves, declaring that they have done nothing wrong or disgraceful; and I wish that they spoke the truth, for not the least share in this good would come to me. 23. But now they have no such pleas either before the city or me, for, as I said before, Eratosthenes killed my brother, not having been wronged by him privately, or seeing him injuring the city, but zealously assisting his own transgression of the law.
HKB