15. Before he had arranged with him, fearing Aristodicus, he left here and went to Thebes. And I think you know if he were a Plataean, he would probably have taken refuge anywhere else sooner than in Thebes. I will bring witnesses that he lived some time there. Now shut off the water.
WITNESSES.
16. I think I have said enough, gentlemen of the jury; for if you keep these things in mind, I am sure you will vote what is just and true, and what I beg of you.
ORATION XXIV.
THE CRIPPLE.
1. I am almost obliged to the accuser, members of the Boule, because he has got up this suit. For I have not had any pretext on which to give an account of my life, but now I have seized this opportunity. And in my speech I will try to show that he is falsifying, and that up to this day I have lived rather to deserve praise than jealousy; for he seems to me to have trumped up this suit through nothing else than jealousy. 2. And from what kind of baseness do you think a man would abstain who grudges (giving to) those whom others pity? For not for money does he inform against me, nor seeks to punish me as a private enemy, for I never had any dealings with him as a friend or enemy. 3. Now then, members of the Boule, he is evidently jealous, because in spite of this misfortune I am a better citizen than he. For I think, members of the Boule, that necessarily misfortunes of the body are nobly remedied by pursuits of the mind. For if I have the disposition corresponding with this trouble, and conduct myself otherwise, how shall I differ from this man?
4. About these things let me speak as I have done, and about what it is my interest to speak, I will speak with as few words as possible. For the accuser says that it is not just for me to receive the pension from the state, for I am sound of body and am not helpless, and understand a trade so as to live without (the pension). 5. And as proofs of my bodily strength he instances the fact that I ride horseback, and of my skill in my trade that I can associate with men able to be extravagant. I believe all of you are acquainted with my success in my trade and the rest of my livelihood, what it may be; yet I will mention these in few words. 6. My father left me nothing, and only within three years I have ceased supporting my mother as she died. I have no children to care for me. But I have a trade which can assist me a little, which I myself work at with difficulty, as I am not able to buy a slave to relieve me at it. I have no other income than this, and if you take it from me, I shall run the risk of coming into the hands of a cruel fate. 7. As you can help me justly, members of the Boule, do not ruin unjustly. Do not take from me in my old age and weakness what you gave me when young and strong; do not receive harshly those who are pitied even by their enemies, when formerly you seemed to be most charitable to those that had no trouble. Do not have the heart to wrong me and so bring discouragement on others in like condition. 8. For it would be absurd, members of the Boule, that if when I merely had this misfortune, then it appeared I was receiving this pension, and that now when old age and disease and their consequences had come upon me, then I should be deprived of it. 9. It seems to me that the accusers more clearly than any one else shows my utter poverty. For I should be appointed as choragus for tragedies and should call on him to exchange with me, he would prefer to be choragus ten times rather than exchange once with me. And is it not strange for him to charge me now of being able through my success to associate on an equality with the wealthiest man, and to be so (poor) if anything of the sort should happen as I said? and even more wretched?
10. And about my horsemanship, which he dares mention to you, neither fearing fate nor ashamed before you, there is not much to say. For I knew, members of the Boule, that all men having such a calamity seek something like this, and study this problem, how to manage their deformities with the least pain to themselves. I am one of these, and I hit upon this relief for my infirmities for the long journeys I am obliged to take. 11. It is easy to learn, members of the Boule, what is the best proof that I ride on account of my infirmity and not from arrogance. For if I had wealth, I should ride on a cushioned saddle, and not on other people's horses; but now since I cannot buy such a one, I have to use other people's horses often. 12. Now is it not inconsistent, members of the Boule, that this very man if he had seen me on a cushioned saddle would have held his peace, (for what could he have said?) but because I ride borrowed horses that he tries to persuade you that I am sound? And that I use two crutches while others use but one, (why does he) not charge me that this is a mark of sound men? But that I ride he uses as a proof to you that I am sound. But both of these I employ for the same reason.
13. He surpasses all in shamelessness so much that he tries to persuade you, he alone against so many (of you), that I am not a cripple. If he persuades any of you, members of the Boule, what hinders my drawing lots for the nine archons, and your taking my obol from me as being sound, and giving it to him as a cripple? For surely you will not take away a gift from a man as being sound while they prevent his drawing lots as being unsound. 14. But really you do not have the same opinion as this man, nor does he (hold it) in his better moments. For he comes here to dispute as if my infirmity were an inheritance, and he tries to persuade you that I am not such as you all see (me to be); but you, as if right for reasonable men, trust the evidence of your own eyes rather than his words.
15. But he says I am insolent and violent and licentious in my disposition, just as if he were more likely to be speaking the truth if he calls dreadful names, but will not accomplish this if he speaks mildly and remains by the facts. But I think, members of the Boule, that you clearly know what sort of men are apt to be insolent and what not. 16. For it is not likely that the poor and needy should be insolent, but those who have much more than they need; nor those who are infirm in body, but those who rely on their own strength; nor those well advanced in years, but those who are yet young and have youthful minds. 17. For the rich buy off dangers with their wealth, but the poor are forced to prudence by their lack of resources; and the young expect pardon from their elders, and both blame the old equally for lapses; (18) and it is for the strong without any cause to be insolent to whomsoever they wish, but it is not possible for the weak if insulted to defend themselves against those who provoke them, nor if they wish to be violent can they overcome their victims. So that the accuser seems to me to speak about my violence as a joke, not in earnest, not really wishing to persuade you that I am such, but wishing to make fun of me, as if doing a fine thing.