16
Now I, gentlemen of the jury, have lived with you in Athens all my life. I have never been subjected to any discreditable charge, nor have I brought an accusation against another citizen. I have not been defendant or prosecutor in any lawsuit, but have always been a keen horsebreeder, consistently overtaxing my strength and my resources.Horsebreeding, which was carried on either for war or racing, was sometimes frowned on as a mark of wealth and ostentation. (Compare Lyc. 1.139. ). But here, though he admits extravagance, Lycophron is simply claiming to be doing his duty as a knight. I have been crowned for bravery by the order of knights and by my colleagues in office.
17
For you appointed me, gentlemen of the jury, first as Phylarch and later as Cavalry Leader at Lemnos.The ten phylarchs, one from each tribe, commanded the cavalry of their own tribe under the hipparchs. Of these there were two elected from the whole people. One of them was appointed to command a body of Athenian cavalry in Lemnos, after the Athenians gained control of the island by the Peace of Antalcidas in 387 B.C. Compare Aristot. Ath. Pol. 6l. 6; Dem. 4. 27;CIA2. 14 and 593. I held the command there for two years, the only cavalry leader who has ever done so, and prolonged my stay for a third, as I did not wish, in exacting the pay for the horsemen rashly, to burden citizens in financial straits.
18
During that time no one there brought an action against me, either private or public. In fact I was crowned three times by the inhabitants of Hephaestia and as many times more by those of Myrine. These facts should satisfy you, in the present trial, that the charges against me are false. No man can be good in Lemnos if he is bad in Athens, and you had no poor opinion of me when you dispatched me there and made me responsible for two of your own cities.
