my opinion; with a view to this man's advantage, I think it impious to
converse even with another about him; but to his injury I consider it to
be holy and honorable to speak even to himself; therefore rise up, and
answer me what I ask you. 25. Did you lead away Polemarchus, or not?
"Through fear I did what was commanded by the Thirty." Were you in the
council chamber when speeches were made about us? "I was." Did you agree
with those advising to kill, or did you oppose? "I opposed." That we
might not be killed? "That you might not be killed." Thinking that we
would suffer unjustly or justly? "Unjustly." 26. Then, O basest of all
men! did you oppose, in order to save us, but arrest us, in order to kill
us? And, when the majority of you had our safety in your hands, do you
say you opposed those wishing to destroy us, but, when it was in your
power alone both to save Polemarchus and not, did you lead him away to
prison? Then because, as you say, by opposing you did no good, do you
claim to be considered an honest man? But, because you arrested and tried
to kill us, do you not think that you should suffer punishment for this?

27. And, moreover, it is not reasonable to believe him in this (if he
speaks the truth in saying that he opposed), that it was commanded him.
For surely, in the case of the metics, they did not take a pledge from
him. To whom then was it less likely to be commanded than (to one) who
happened to oppose them, and declared his opinion? For who was less
likely to be a servant in these things than the man who opposed what they
wished to be done? 28. And still it seems to me that there is a
sufficient excuse for the other Athenians, to lay the blame of what has
happened upon the Thirty. But how is it reasonable for you to accept the
statements of the Thirty themselves, if they throw the blame on each
other? 29. For, if there had been in the city any greater power than that
by which he was ordered to kill men unjustly, you might justly pardon
him; but now from whom will you ever exact punishment if it shall be