How have you felt, O men of Athens; at hearing
the speeches of my accusers, I cannot tell;
but I know that their persuasive
words almost made me forget who I was;-such
was the effect of them; and yet they have
hardly spoken a word of truth. But many
as their falsehoods were, there was one of
them which quite amazed me;-I mean when they
told you to be upon your guard, and not let
yourselves
be deceived by the force of my eloquence.
They ought to have been ashamed saying this,
because they were sure to be detected as soon
as I opened my lips
and displayed my deficiency: they certainly
did appear to be the most shameless in saying
this, unless by force of eloquence they mean
the
force of truth; for then I do indeed admit
that I am eloquent. But in how a different
way from theirs!
As I was saying, they have hardly uttered
a word, or not more than a word, of truth;
but you shall hear from me the whole truth;
not, however delivered after their manner,
in a set oration duly ornamented with words
and phrases. No, indeed! but I shall use the
words and arguments which occur to me at the
moment; for I am certain that this is right,
and that at my time of life I ought not to
be appearing before you, O men of Athens,
in the character of a juvenile orator-let
no one expect this of me.
And I must beg of you to grant me one favour;
If you hear me using the same words in my
defence which I have been in the habit of
using, and which have heard in the agora,
and at the tables of the
money-changers, or anywhere else, I would
ask you not to be surprised at this, and not
to interrupt me. For I am more than seventy
years of age, and this is the first time I
have ever appeared in a court of law,
and I am quite a stranger to the ways of the
place.
