3
It seems to me that Timotheus’s principle applies not only to pipe-playing and Harmonides but to all those who look for fame by making a public exhibition of themselves, aiming at the applause of the crowd. Take my own case. When I was contemplating something similar for myself and was looking for the quickest means of acquiring a general reputation, I took Timotheus’s advice. I looked for the best man in the city, the one everybody else would believe, the one who would suffice for all. You alone could reasonably be seen as the man, you the sum of all excellence, the measure, as they say, and model of accuracy in all such matters. To show you my work and for you to give it your praise—if only that could be!—then indeed would I have attained the fullness of my desire, winning the votes of all through that of you alone. Whom could I prefer to you without being rightly considered out of my wits? It could be said that I would be staking everything on one man, but in reality it is as if I had assembled the whole population in one theatre as audience for my words. For the plain fact is that by yourself you would be a better judge than the whole assembly taken singly or together. Now the kings of Sparta alone had two votes each, the rest had one: but you carry the weight of ephors and council as well, and in short in the field of culture you have a block vote that outvotes all. Most important of all you always hold the casting vote that secures an acquittal. This gives me courage at the present time, for I might well be nervous—my presumption is so great. There is in all truth an additional reason for my confidence: my interests are not altogether alien to you, inasmuch as I am a native of a city that has often been a beneficiary of your good will, both in specific acts of kindness and generally in company with the rest of the nation. So if at the present time the voting is going against me in the count and the favourable votes are in a minority, like Athena give your casting-vote Orestes was acquitted by Athena’s casting vote; see Aeschylus, Eumenides. and make up the deficiency in your own person, and let the credit be yours for setting the matter right.
