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and who might have been taken for people © f sdrrte account , but who moved heaven and earth to be acquitted , as if it were something dreadful to die ; as though they expected to be immortal unless you should put them to death . Such persons appear to me to bring discredit on the city ; a foreigner might conclude that the most virtuous among the . Athenians , they whom the Athenians select from themselves as the worthiest .
for public offices and other honours , are in nothing superior to women . Such things , O Athenians , we , who are thought to be of some account , ought neither to do , nor if we did , ought you to suffer us , but , on the contrary , to show that you will much rather condemn those who enact these pathetic dramas , and make the city ridiculous , than those who refrain from them . And besides the discredit , it does not seem to me even just , to supplicate the judge , and escape by supplication * but to instruct
and convince him . For the judge does not sit here to make a favour of justice , but impartially to inquire into it ; and be has sworn not to gratify whomsoever he pleases , but to judge according-to the laws . We , therefore , should not accustom you , nor should you let yourselves be accustomed , to violate your oaths : it would be impiety in both of us . Do not then , O Athenians , demand of me to do such things towards you as I deem to be neither beautiful , nor just , nor holy ; especially as I am
actually on trial for impiety . If I should work upon you and influence your decision by supplications , when you have sworn to do justice , I should indeed teach that you do not believe in gods , and my defence of myself would be an accusation against myself that I believe not in them . But far is this from the truth . I believe in them , O Athenians , as not one of my accusers does . And I commit to you and to the god to decide concerning me , in whatever way shall be best for you and for me .
After the Verdict of Condemnation . Among many things , O Athenians , which prevent me from feeling indignant at your having condemned me , one is , that what has happened was not unexpected by me . Much rather do I wonder at the number of votes in my favour . I did not expect to be condemned by so small
a majority , but by a large one : it now , however , appears , that if but three of the votes had been given differentl y ^ I should have escaped . As far as Melitus is concerned , I have escaped as it is : and it is even clear to every one , that if Anytus and Lycon had not appeared as my accusers , Fie would have been liable to the penalty of one thousand drachmae , not having obtained a fifth part of the votes . *
The penalty proposed by my accuser is death . What penalty shall I , on my part , propose ? f surely that which I deserve . Well , then , what do I deserve to suffer or to pay , because I never relaxed in instructing myself , but neglecting what the many care for , money-getting and household management , and military commands , and civil offices , and speech-making , and all the political clubs and societies in the
city-* To restrain frivolous and vexatious prosecutions , a law existed at Athens , by which a penalty of one thousand drachmae was imposed on the accuser if he did not obtain a fifth part of the votes . f After condemnation , the accused was at liberty to speak on the question of punishment ; and the question was put to him , at what penalty he himself estimated his offence . Tjfcczract & ouv ( tot h avrig Q ctvdvrov . ET « k . iye > % \ % h * rho $ Vft 7 v AvnTSftntfofta * ! £ eLvfyag ' AJtivkToi ;
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174 Platers Dialogu e * ; Vie Apology 6 f Socrntes ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1835, page 174, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2643/page/30/
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