Athenian jurors

These are the questions for a scrutiny of an embassy:

So you decreed at that time, men of Athens, agreeably to your achievements.

They will show you how, when you did your duty, you made it an occasion of services of praise and thanksgiving, both at Athens and abroad;

One thing was in my power, fellow citizens:

This my body I, and the law, now commit to your hands.

In this war we received no small injury, and became desirous of peace.

Yet in a man like Meidias this may be condoned.

All that, men of Athens, is just what has been done by Meidias.

My views were, I think, shared at that trial by many of the jury;

Then again he says that he has sent envoys to arrange with you an inter-state legal compact, and that this compact will be valid, not as soon as it is ratified by the body of Athenian jurors, as the law directs, but only after it has been referred to him, thus constituting himself a court of appeal from your decision.

If you cannot preserve your maritime possessions by your might that once saved Hellas, but rely on any jury to whom you refer it, and whose verdict is final, to preserve them for you, provided always that Philip does not buy their votes, is it not an open confession, when you adopt this policy, that you have abandoned everything on the mainland, and are you not advertising to the world that there …

Please read the indictment.

Now begin at the point where I start to discuss these matters and read this selection also to the jury.

nay, they will be fortunate if they are able to draw a just conclusion from the arguments of both sides.