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.
- And having come up here, I wish, to question him, jurors, for this is my opinion; with a view to this man's advantage, I think it impious to converse even with another about him; but to his injury I consider it to be holy and honorable to speak even to himself; therefore rise up, and answer me what I ask you. 25. Did you lead away Polemarchus, or not?
"Through fear I did what was commanded by the Thirty." Were you in the council chamber when speeches were made about us? "I was." Did you agree with those advising to kill, or did you oppose? "I opposed." That we might not be killed? "That you might not be killed." Thinking that we would suffer unjustly or justly? "Unjustly." 26. Then, O basest of all men! did you oppose, in order to save us, but arrest us, in order to kill us? And, when the majority of you had our safety in your hands, do you say you opposed those wishing to destroy us, but, when it was in your power alone both to save Polemarchus and not, did you lead him away to prison? Then because, as you say, by opposing you did no good, do you claim to be considered an honest man? But, because you arrested and tried to kill us, do you not think that you should suffer punishment for this?
HKB