(judicial) vote. But then, even if these men fined me legally, and
established their accusation before you, as the stewards remitted the
fine, really I should have been acquitted of the charge. 12. For if they
were competent to enforce or remit the fine, I would not with reason have
to pay the money, though fined legally; and if it is possible for them to
remit and they give account of their doings, if they have proceeded
illegally, they will easily obtain the penalty which they deserve.

13. You know now how I was transferred and fined; but you ought to know
not only the reason for the charge, but the pretext for their enmity. For
I was a friend of Sostratus before incurring their hatred, knowing that
he had materially benefited the state. 14. But although his friend, I
never took advantage of his power to punish an enemy nor aid a friend.
For during his life I remained inactive through necessity and on account
of my age, and when he died neither by word and deed did I injure any of
his accusers, and I can say so much, from which I should deserve much
more gratitude from my opponents than ill-treatment. Their enmity they
showed for the reasons which have been given, although (in reality) they
had no reason for enmity. 15. So while on oath to enroll those who had
not served, they violated their oaths and proposed to the assembly to
deliberate about my freedom, (16) fining me on the ground that I spoke
evil of the government, and utterly disregarding justice, being bound to
injure me on some plea or other. What would they have done if they were
really going to injure me greatly and benefit themselves, they who care
so little for their unfairness (even) when neither of these objects is
accomplished? 17. For they had small opinion of your assembly and had no
respect for the gods, but behaved so contemptuously and illegally as not
to attempt to defend their acts, and at last, thinking they had not
punished me sufficiently, finally banished me from the city. 18. While
acting so illegally and violently, they did not care to conceal their