Law
15. I now, gentlemen of the jury, assume that you all know that I speak to the point, but he is so clumsy that he cannot understand what is said. So I wish to inform him also from other laws about these things, that even now while he is on the platform, he may be informed and may give you no further trouble. Now read me the old laws of Solon.
16. Law. Let him be bound, in the stocks by the feet, if the court decrees it in addition.
The “stocks,” Theomnestus, is the same thing which is now called the “pillory.” If then a man who has been bound should on his release complain when the Eleven were undergoing their audit that he had not been bound in stocks but in the pillory, would they not think him crazy? Read another law.
17. Law. Let him give security, having sworn by Apollo, fearing to escape on account of the penalty.
The (old-fashioned) “swearing falsely” now means “swearing by,” and “running off” is our “escape.”
And whoever shuts a door with a thief inside.
The “close” is our “shut” and means the same.
18. Money may be at interest at whatever rate the lender wishes.
The “interest,” my good friend, is not “weighed,” but draws whatever percent is wished. Read now the last law.
19. As many as go about in plain view, and He shall be responsible for injury to a domestic or female slave.
Now attend. The “in plain view” is “openly,” the “go about” is “walk the streets,” the “domestic” is “servant.” And there are many other such cases, gentlemen of the jury. 20. And unless this man is stupid, I think he understands that these matters are the same now as in antiquity, but that we now employ different terms for them. And he will show (his consciousness), for he will withdraw from the platform in silence. 21. And if he does not, I beg you, gentlemen of the jury, to vote what is just, bearing in mind that it is a much greater evil to hear that one has killed his father than to hear that he has thrown away his shield. I at least would rather have thrown away all my shields, rather than to have such a report (circulated) in relation to my father. 22. So this man, being liable to that charge, for which the penalty would have been less (than mine for this), not only was acquitted by you, but brought disfranchisement upon a witness. And I have seen him doing that which you know of, and I myself rescued his shield and yet am charged with a deed so lawless and terrible. Now as I shall have the worst fate if he escapes, and his penalty if convicted of slander will not be what he deserves, shall I not obtain satisfaction from him? What charge have you against me? 23. That there was justice in his accusation? But you yourselves would not say so. That the defendant is a nobler man and from nobler family than I? Not even he would claim that. That, having thrown away my shield, I am accused of libel by the one who rescued it? Such is not the story about town. 24. But remember that you rendered him that great favor. In this matter who would not pity Dionysius that he met with such misfortune, a noble man who fell into danger, coming from the dicastery, saying (25) that we had made a most unfortunate expedition, where many lost their lives and others who saved their shields were convicted of perjury by those who threw theirs away? Were it not better for him to have died there rather than to come home to such a fate? 26. So do not pity Theomnestus that he is ill-spoken of as he deserves, and do not give judgment in his favor while he insults (me) and speaks illegally. For what greater sorrow could befall me than this, to hear such base charges in relation to such a father? 27. He often served as Strategus, and ran many other risks for you. And he was never made prisoner by the enemy, nor lost a suit to the state through his audit, and at sixty years of age he was put to death under the oligarchy through his devotion to the people. 28. Am I not justified in my anger against the slanderer, and in coming to my father’s rescue as if he were slandered by this charge? For what could be more distressing to him than this, to die at the hands of enemies and to have the reproach of having been put to death by his own children. His trophies of valor, gentlemen of the jury, even now hang on your shrines, but the trophies of the cowardice of this man (Theon) and his father are in an enemy’s temple, so inborn is their baseness. 29. And so, gentlemen of the jury, the more these are brave to all appearances, the more they deserve our anger, for they are evidently strong in body, but weak in spirit.
30. I hear, gentlemen of the jury, that he will resort to the argument that he spoke in anger as I offered the same testimony as Dionysius. Bear in mind, gentlemen of the jury, that the law gives no pardon to anger, but fines one who cannot prove the truth of his words. And I twice gave evidence, not realizing that you punish witnesses and pardon those who throw away their shields. 31. So about these things I do not know what more I ought to say. But I beg you to condemn Theon, bearing in mind that no trial could be more important to me. For I prosecute him for slander and by the same vote I am acquitted of the murder of my father, I, who by myself, as soon as I came of age, indicted the Thirty in the Areopagus. Recalling this, aid me and my father, and (stand by) the laws and the oaths which you have taken.