1. Until now I believed, gentlemen of the Boule, that Philon would not
come to such a point of daring, as to bring himself to appear before you
for examination; but as he is audacious, not in one thing but many, and I
have come to the council-house after taking oath to legislate for the
state in the best possible way, (2) and it is contained in the oath (that
one should) declare it if he knows that a man chosen for office is not
fit to consult for the state, I will make this accusation against this
Philon here, not indeed because I follow up any private enmity, nor
rising among you because I am able and accustomed to speak, but realizing
(trusting in) the number of his crimes, and believing I must be faithful
to the oaths I have taken. 3. You will know that I am not so well
prepared to bring proof against him as he was (when) he entered on his
course of crime. Yet if I should omit some point in the accusation, he
ought not justly to benefit from this, but rather should be rejected on
ground of whatever I prove satisfactorily. 4. For I shall speak
insufficiently on account of my lack of acquaintance with all he has
done, but adequately so far as the evil goes which attaches to him. But I
beg you, as many of you as are better speakers than I, to declare that
his sins are (even) greater, and out of what I leave unsaid you are to
accuse Philon about what you yourselves know. For you should decide upon
his character not alone from what I may say.
5. For I mean that it is not right for any to legislate for us, except
those who besides being citizens are really interested in being such. For
with such the difference is great between a prosperous and an
unsuccessful condition of this state, because they think they must bear
their share of evil as well as good. 6. But as many as are citizens by
birth, but believe that the whole earth is their country in which they
have property, it is evident that these would disregard the common
welfare of the state, and turn their attention to their personal
advantage, because they consider not the state, but their property their
country. 7. So I will show that this Philon has cared more for his
personal safety than for the common danger of the commonwealth, and that
he thinks it better for him to live his life without danger than for the
state to be in safety, even while endangering other citizens.
8. When misfortune came to the state, members of the Boule,--I will
mention this only as far as is necessary,--this man was drafted from the
city by the Thirty with the rest of the citizens and for a time lived
outside, but when the party from Phyle marched on the Piraeus, and men
from the country as well as those in exile joined forces either in the
town or at the Piraeus, and brought what aid each could to his country,
this man took just the opposite course from the rest of the citizens. 9.
For he packed up his possessions and went into a country not his own, and
paid the alien's tax in Oropos and lived under a patron, preferring to be
an alien there rather than be a citizen with us. Then, not like some of
the citizens who changed parties when they saw the men from Phyle were
successful in their attempts, did he claim to share in their successes,
but he wished to come after all was over rather than come with them and
unite in what was for the common advantage of the state. For he did not
come to the Piraeus, nor offer himself to you to be appointed for
military duty. 10. And while he dared betray us in our success, what
would he have done, if we had been unsuccessful? Those who did not share
in the risk to the state through some personal misfortune, should be
excused, for such failure is involuntary; (11) but those who pursued this
course of action on purpose are not to be pardoned, for they did so, not
through misfortune but by design. And it is agreed by all men that for
the same trespasses we should be most of all angry at those who are
perfectly able not to commit a wrong, but excuse those who are poor or
infirm, because we consider they sin involuntarily. 12. But this man
should have no excuse; for he is neither a cripple and so unable to work,
as you see, nor (unable) to contribute money as if poor, as I shall show.
How should not a man be hated with reason by you if he put the same
energy into being wicked that he might have used aiding you? 13. And you
will not incur the hatred of any of the citizens by rejecting this man;
for he evidently betrayed not one party, but both, so that it appears he
is not liked either by the city party,--for he did not consent to go
into danger with them--nor by those who took the Piraeus,--for he would
not move with them. 14. If then any of the citizens are left over who had
the same experiences as his, let him claim to legislate in their company,
if they ever,--which Heaven forbid,--take the state.
So that he took up his residence in Oropos under a patron and gained
sufficient property, and neither took arms in the town nor in the
Piraeus, that you may know that these first things which I affirm are
true, hear the witnesses.