Antidosis

Indeed no one may rely on the honesty of his life as a guarantee that he will be able to live securely in Athens; for the men who have chosen to neglect what is their own and to plot against what belongs to others do not keep their hands off citizens who live soberly and bring before you only those who do evil; on the contrary, they advertise their powers in their attacks upon men who are entirely innocent, and so get more money from those who are clearly guilty.[*](Compare the opposite ideal in Isoc. 7.24; Isoc. 4.76; Isoc. 12.145 ff.)

This is exactly what Lysimachus had in mind when he subjected me to this trial; for he thought that this suit against me would bring him profit from other sources, and he expected that if he won in the debate with me, whom he calls the teacher of other men, everyone would regard his power as irresistible.

He is confident that he will win easily; for he sees that you are over-ready to accept slanders and calumnies, while I, because of my age and my lack of experience in contests of this kind,[*](Cf. Plat. Apol. 17d. Isocrates repeatedly echoes the defense of Socrates. See General Introd. p. xvii and Vasold, Ueber das Verhältniss der isocrateischen Rede *PERI\ A)NTIDO/SEWS Platons Apologia Socratis.) shall not be able to reply to them in a manner worthy of my reputation;