Δημοσθένους ἐπιστολαὶ

Lines

1 – 2 3 – 4 5 – 6 7 – 8 9 – 11 12 – 15 16 – 1 2 – 5 6 – 8 9 – 11 12 – 13 14 – 15 16 – 18 19 – 21 22 – 24 25 – 1 1 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 7 8 – 9 10 – 11 12 – 13 14 – 16 17 – 18 19 – 21 22 – 25 26 – 28 29 – 30 31 – 31 32 – 34 35 – 37 38 – 39 40 – 41 42 – 44 45 – 1 2 – 4 5 – 8 9 – 5 1 – 3 4 – 1 1 – 2

İngilizce Yunanca

14 since neither because of my previous political record was I deserving punishment nor had the charges been proved upon which I was being tried. For I shall never be shown to have been one of the friends of Harpalus,Harpalus was an absconding treasurer of Alexander who sought refuge in Attica. Part of his illicit funds disappeared from the Acropolis, where they had been sequestered by the Athenians. Demosthenes was accused and convicted of accepting twenty talents. Few historians believe that he was guilty; some suggest that he may have spent part of the money in the cause of liberty. and among the decrees that were passed concerning him only those proposed by me have afforded the State a clean record. From all these facts it is clear that I was caught in an unfortunate conjuncture, not taken in wrongdoing, and that through coming first on the list into court I unjustly fell foul of the public rage against all those involved in those charges.

15 Because, which of the just pleas that have saved those subsequently tried did not I myself advance? Or what proof did the Council allege against me? Or what proof could it now allege? There is none; for it is impossible to make facts out of what never happened. I refrain, however, from enlarging upon these topics, though there is plenty to write, for the consciousness of innocence has afforded me proof through experience that, while a feeble help in time of trouble, it is the most excruciating of all means of enhancing one’s suffering.