Exordia

Do not take my word for it that this is so but consider for a little. Has anyone ever stood up before you and said, I have come forward, men of Athens, desiring to get my hands on something of yours, not for your sakes? Certainly not a single one. Instead, they say for your sakes and on your account and cite these plausible motives.

Come now, men of Athens, consider why in the world you, for whose sakes they all speak, are on the whole no better off now than before, while these, who all say for your sakes, without a single one having ever said for our own sakes, have turned from beggars into rich men.[*](On the wealth of politicians see Dem. 13.20, Dem. 21.158 and Dem. 3.29.) It Is because, though they say they love you, men of Athens, they love not you but themselves.

The portion they allow you is to have a laugh and to raise a hubbub and now and then to have a hope, but they would not want you to get or acquire for the State any benefit in the proper sense of the word. Yes, and on the day when you are freed of this lamentable weakness you will be unable to endure even the sight of them. At present with their drachma and gallon measure and four obols[*](The drachma was the fee for attending the Assembly; the four obols is the juror’s fee, which had long been three obols. The χοῦς is the measure for a largess of grain. Its content is more accurately known than formerly from a specimen found on the side of the Acropolis in 1937, which measures 3.2 liters or 2.816 imperial qts. or 3.379 U.S. qts. This find was confirmed by the discovery of a clepsydra in the Agora marked two χόες and measuring 6.4 liters. The χοῦς was one-twelfth of a medimnus, the portion doled out to each citizen according to Dem. 34.37. Cf. Hesperia, 8.1939, 278 ff.) they regulate the populace like a sick man, giving you, men of Athens, doles very similar to the diets of the physicians. For these diets neither put strength into the patient nor allow him to die, and these doles neither allow you to cry quits and engage in some different and better business, nor can they alone suffice.[*](this passage is found with variations in Dem. 3.33.)

It is just and right and important, men of Athens, that we too should exercise care, as you are accustomed, that our relations with the gods shall be piously maintained.[*](Demosthenes makes an official report upon the execution of a commission to perform certain sacrifices. Meidias was chosen to perform similar functions: Dem. 21 cf. Theophrastus, Char. 21. (7. Jebb-Sandys). This is not a true exordium but included by some error.) Therefore our commission has been duly discharged for you, for we have sacrificed to Zeus the Saviour and to Athena and to Victory, and these sacrifices have been auspicious and salutary for you. We have also sacrificed to Persuasion and to the Mother of the Gods and to Apollo, and here also we had favorable omens. And the sacrifices made to the other gods portended for you security and stability and prosperity and safety. Do you, therefore, accept the blessings which the gods bestow.