20
Yet it is because of the public speeches of these men that many matters are going from bad to worse, while it is owing to those who honestly oppose them that not everything is lost. Such are the pleaders, then, that my opponents have engaged to speak on their behalf, and so readily open to attack are they themselves for any who wish to speak any ill of them (as they well know); yet they have seen fit to contest this matter, and they have had the audacity to speak ill of another, when they should have been well content to keep out of trouble themselves.
21
For the wrongdoing and insolence of these men nobody is more to blame than yourselves; for you inquire what the character of every man is from the speakers who you know are doing what they do for pay; you do not investigate for yourselves. Yet is it not absurd for you to consider these orators themselves the basest of your citizens, but to regard those whom they praise as worthy men?
22
For they are their own masters in all that they do, and they all but sell the public weal by the voice of the common crier; and they order you to crown, or not to crown, whomsoever they will, setting themselves up as superior to your decrees. I advise you, men of Athens, not to allow the ambitions of those who are ready to lavish their money to be dependent upon the greed of those who serve as pleaders. Otherwise you will teach all to perform the duties imposed by you with the least possible outlay, but to hire the largest number of people possible to utter impudent falsehoods before you in support of their claims.
