On the Confiscation of the Property Of The Brother Of Nicias: Peroration

For they were conscious of the honor in which the whole family were held by the city, and how they had faced danger on your behalf in many places, and had made many large contributions to your funds, and had most nobly performed their public services; how they had never once evaded any of the other duties enjoined on them by the State, but had eagerly discharged them all.

I ask you, whose misfortune can surpass ours, if under the oligarchy we are put to death for showing loyalty to the people, and under the democracy we are stripped of our property as being disloyal to the people?

Furthermore, gentlemen, Diognetus was so slandered by base informers that he went away into exile, and was one of the few of the banished who neither took the field against the city nor came to Decelea[*](Where the Spartans kept a stranglehold on Attica, and welcomed exiled oligarchs from Athens.); nor has he been the author of any sort of injury to your people either in exile or after his return, but he carried principle to such a point that he was rather incensed with those who had offended against you than grateful to those who had been the authors of his recall.

He held no office under the oligarchy: but, as soon as the Lacedaemonians and Pausanias arrived at the Academy, he took the son of Niceratus and us, who were children, and laying him on the knees of Pausanias, and setting us by his side, he told Pausanias and the others present the tale of our sufferings and the fate that had befallen us, and called on Pausanias to succor us in virtue of our bonds both of friendship and of hospitality, and to do vengeance upon those who had maltreated us.

The result was that Pausanias began to be favorable to the people, holding up our calamities to the Lacedaemonians as an example of the villainy of the Thirty. For it had become evident to all the Peloponnesians who had come that they were putting to death, not the most villainous of the citizens, but those who were especially deserving of honor on account of their birth, their wealth and their general excellence.

Such was the pity felt for us, and such an impression of our grievous sufferings was made on everyone, that Pausanias rejected the hospitable offerings[*](Gifts were offered as tokens of a friendly welcome.) of the Thirty, and accepted ours. Surely it will be strange, gentlemen of the jury, if after being pitied as children by the enemy who had come to succor the oligarchy we, who have proved ourselves the men we are, should be stripped of our property by you, gentlemen, whose fathers gave their lives for the democracy!

I am well aware, gentlemen, that Poliochus would value most highly his success in this trial, since he would regard it as a fine demonstration to citizens and strangers alike that he has sufficient power in Athens to make you vote in contradiction of your own selves on the very question in which you have sworn to do your duty.