Against Philon, On his Scrutiny

yet this man ought not to benefit twice from their disability, and be helped thereby to pass your present scrutiny as he was before to rob them of what they had. Nay, if but a single one of those whom he has wronged appears in court, make much of it, and utterly detest this man, who could bring himself to strip of their resources those on whom other men, out of pity for their straits, freely bestowed something from their own. Pray call the witnesses.

WitnessesWell now, I do not see how your judgement of him should differ from that of his own people; for the facts are of such a nature that, even if he had committed no other offence, they would alone justify his rejection. The strange things of which his mother accused him while she was alive I will pass over; but on the evidence of the measures that she took at the close of her life you can easily judge how he treated her.

She demurred to committing herself to his care after her death, but as she had confidence in Antiphanes, who was no connection of hers, she gave him three minae of silver for her burial, ignoring this man, who was her own son. Obviously, of course, she was convinced that he would not perform the last duties even on the ground of his relationship.

Now I ask you, if a mother,—who is naturally most willing to tolerate even an injury at the hands of her own children, and who counts little benefits as great gains because she assesses their behavior by affection rather than logic,—believed that this man would seek his profit from her even in death, what should be your feeling about him?

For when a man commits such offences in regard to his own relations, what would he do in regard to strangers? To prove that these also are true facts, hear the statement of the actual person who received the money and buried her.

TestimonyWhat inducement, then, could you have for approving this man? Because he has committed no offence ? But he is guilty of the gravest crimes against his country. Or do you think he will reform? Then, I say, let him reform first in his bearing towards the city, and claim a seat on the Council later, when he has done her a service as signal as the wrong that he did her before. The saner course is to recompense everyone for his services after they have been performed; for I consider it monstrous that for the offences which he has already committed he is never to pay the penalty, but for the benefits which he intends to confer he is to be already possessed of honor.