1. It is fitting, gentlemen of the jury, for all of you to avenge the men
who died well disposed to the state, and for me not the least. For
Dionysodorus was my brother-in-law and nephew. So I have the same
hostility to this Agoratus as your party. For he did things on account of
which he is justly hated by you and me, and, if God wills, he shall be
justly punished. 2. For my brother-in-law, Dionysodorus, and many others
whose names you shall hear, being men well disposed to the people, he put
to death in the time of the Thirty, informing against them. Doing these
things he injured me not a little and all who have come here, and greatly
injured the whole state in common, as I think, by depriving it of such
men. 3. Therefore, gentlemen of the jury, I think it right by divine and
human law for each one to take as much revenge as he can. And I think if
you should do this, we should fare better at the hands of gods and men.
But, Athenians, you must hear about his deeds from the very beginning,
(4) that you may first learn in what manner your democracy was destroyed,
then how these men were put to death by Agoratus and what those about to
die charged us with. On learning all this accurately you will more
willingly and justly condemn this Agoratus. Therefore, where we can most
easily teach and you learn, there I will begin the story.
5. When your ships were destroyed and the resources of the state were in
a bad way, not long afterwards the ships of the Lacedaemonians arrived at
the Piraeus, and at the same time conferences about peace took place with
the Lacedaemonians. 6. During that period those who wished a revolution
in the city laid their plans, thinking they had hit upon the right moment
and would establish things just at that time as they themselves wished.
7. They thought nothing was in their way except the leaders of the
people, the Strategi, and the Taxiarchs. Accordingly they wanted to
remove these in some way or other, that they might more easily arrange
matters as they wished. First then, they assailed Cleophon with this
idea. 8. For when the first meeting about peace was in session, and those
who had come from the Lacedaemonians said on what terms the
Lacedaemonians were willing to make peace--if the long walls should be
destroyed for ten stadia on both sides--then you, Athenians, could not
bear to hear about the destruction of the walls, and Cleophon rose in
your behalf and said that it was not at all possible to do this. 9. Then
Theramenes, plotting against the people, rose and said if you would
appoint him ambassador with full powers he would bring it about that the
walls should not be destroyed, nor any other evil injure the state. He
thought in some other way to benefit the city at the hands of the
Lacedaemonians. 10. And you, persuaded, chose him as plenipotentiary,
although the year before you rejected him after he was chosen Strategus,
not thinking him well disposed to the people. 11. He, therefore, going to
Sparta remained there a long time leaving you in a state of siege, though
he knew that on account of the war and misfortunes the people were in
need of the very necessities of life, thinking if he brought you to a
very low state, as he did, that you would gladly make any sort of peace
that he desired. 12. Those who remained here and planned to overthrow the
government, brought Cleophon to trial on the plea that he did not come to
the camp to sleep, but really because he spoke against tearing down the
walls. When they had packed the jury, and those who desired to establish
an oligarchy had come in, they killed him on this charge. 13. Theramenes
afterwards came from Sparta. Some of the Strategi and Taxiarchs, among
them Strombichides and Dionysodorus, and other citizens who were well
disposed to you, as they afterwards showed, having gone to meet him,
became exceedingly angry. For he came bringing a peace the nature of
which we afterwards learned by actual experience. For we lost many good
citizens and we ourselves were driven out by the Thirty. 14. For instead
of destroying ten stadia of the long walls (the terms of peace) were to
destroy all the wall, and instead of finding some other good for the
city, to hand over the ships to the Lacedaemonians and to destroy the
walls about the Piraeus. 15. These men, perceiving it was a peace in
name, but in fact the destruction of the democracy, refused to allow this
to take place, not because they were sorry, Athenians, that the walls
were to fall, nor that they minded giving over the ships to the
Lacedaemonians (for this was no more their concern than yours), (16) but
learning that thus the people was to be destroyed; not (as some say)
because they did not wish there to be peace, but because they wished to
make a better peace than this for the people of Athens. They thought they
would be able and would have done this if they had not been killed by
this Agoratus.
17. Theramenes and others who were plotting against you, knowing that
there were some who were opposed to the destruction of the democracy and
would take an opposite stand for freedom, chose to bring against these
men false accusations and to place them in danger before the assembly on
peace was held, that no one there might raise objections in your cause.
18. Therefore they adopt the following plan. They persuade this Agoratus
to become an informer against the Strategi and Taxiarchs; not that he was
in their secrets, Athenians, no indeed, (for they were not so foolish and
friendless, that, when they were engaged in an affair of this size, they
would call in Agoratus, a slave and a son of slaves, as being trustworthy
and well disposed,) but because it seemed to them that he was a necessary
informer. 19. Therefore they wished him to seem to give testimony
unwillingly and with reluctance, that he might seem to you somewhat more
trustworthy.
But that he testified willingly I think you know from the case. For they
sent Theocritus, known as the son of Elaphostictus, to the Boule, which
was in session before the Thirty. And this Theocritus was a friend and
relative of Agoratus. 20. But the Boule in the time of the Thirty was
tampered with, and as you know, greatly favored an oligarchy. And the
proof is that those in that Boule served in the last one under the
Thirty. Why do I relate this to you? That you may know that the decision
of that Boule was not well disposed to you, but was entirely for the
destruction of your party, and that you may know them to be such. 21.
Theocritus coming into the Boule in secret session testified that some
were together with the intention of raising opposition to the established
government. But said he could not give their names individually, for he
had sworn the same oaths with them; that there were others who would
tell, but that he personally would never do it. 22. If he did not testify
according to a plot, why did not the Boule compel Theocritus to give
their names, and not to give testimony without names? But now this vote
was passed.