this, to die at the hands of enemies and to have the reproach of having
been put to death by his own children. His trophies of valor, gentlemen
of the jury, even now hang on your shrines, but the trophies of the
cowardice of this man (_Theon_) and his father are in an enemy's
temple, so inborn is their baseness. 29. And so, gentlemen of the jury,
the more these are brave to all appearances, the more they deserve our
anger, for they are evidently strong in body, but weak in spirit.

30. I hear, gentlemen of the jury, that he will resort to the argument
that he spoke in anger as I offered the same testimony as Dionysius. Bear
in mind, gentlemen of the jury, that the law gives no pardon to anger,
but fines one who cannot prove the truth of his words. And I twice gave
evidence, not realizing that you punish witnesses and pardon those who
throw away their shields. 31. So about these things I do not know what
more I ought to say. But I beg you to condemn Theon, bearing in mind that
no trial could be more important to me. For I prosecute him for slander
and by the same vote I am acquitted of the murder of my father, I, who by
myself, as soon as I came of age, indicted the Thirty in the Areopagus.
Recalling this, aid me and my father, and (stand by) the laws and the
oaths which you have taken.




ORATION XII.

ERATOSTHENES.


1. It does not seem to me difficult to begin the accusation, jurors, but