injure me. Never-ending the claims upon my pocket which the state
enforced upon me; and as to setting foot abroad, that was beyond the
range of possibility. But now that I have lost my property across the
frontier,[50] and derive no income from my lands in Attica itself; now
that my very household goods have been sold up, I stretch my legs at
ease, I get a good night's rest. The distrust of my fellow-citizens
has vanished; instead of trembling at threats, it is now my turn to
threaten; at last I feel myself a freeman, with liberty to go abroad
or stay at home as suits my fancy. The tables now are turned. It is
the rich who rise to give me their seats, who stand aside and make way
for me as I meet them in the streets. To-day I am like a despot,
yesterday I was literally a slave; formerly it was I who had to pay my
tribute[51] to the sovereign people, now it is I who am supported by
the state by means of general taxation.[52]

[49] "And police agents."

[50] Cf. "Mem." II. viii. 1.

[51] {phoros}, tributum. Al. "property-tax." Cf. "Econ." ii. 6.

[52] {telos}, vectigal. Sturz, "Lex. Xen." s.v. Cf. "Pol. Ath." i. 3.

And there is another thing. So long as I was rich, they threw in my
teeth as a reproach that I was friends with Socrates, but now that I
am become a beggar no one troubles his head two straws about the
matter. Once more, the while I rolled in plenty I had everything to
lose, and, as a rule, I lost it; what the state did not exact, some
mischance stole from me. But now that is over. I lose nothing, having
nought to lose; but, on the contrary, I have everything to gain, and