www.msu.edu
org (Perseus & textbook)
5) We conceived a passion, members of the Council, for a Plataean boy. I treated him well
and considered him to be my friend. This one, however, acting outrageously and
transgressing the laws, thought that he would force the boy to do what he wanted. To
utter what bad things he suffered from this one would be a lengthy task. I will relate to you
what wrongs are fitting to hear that he committed against me. 6) Finding out that the boy
was staying with me, he came to my house during the night. He was drunk. He knocked on
the doors and entered the women's quarters while my sister was present and my nieces
who have lived a life so proper that they are ashamed to be seen even by their own
relatives. 7) Then, this one proceeded to such outrage that he refused to leave the house
until those who were nearby and those men who came with him judged that he was acting
monstrously by approaching young orphaned girls and drove him out by force. He was so
far from repenting his outrageous behavior that, having discovered where we were dining,
he conducted himself in a very strange and incredible manner for anyone not acquainted
with his madness. 8) He called me outside, and when I came out very quickly, he
immediately tried to strike me. And when I defended myself, he withdrew and began
throwing stones at men. Although he missed me, he hit Aristocritus, who accompanied
him to my house, and split his forehead. 9) Although I thought that I was being treated
monstrously, I was ashamed--as I said earlier--of my misfortune and endured all this. I
preferred not to exact a penalty for these wrongs rather than to seem a fool to the
citizens. I know that his actions will seem appropriate to the devilment of the man but that
many men of those who are accustomed to envying anyone eager to be useful in the city
would laugh at me for suffering such behavior. 10) Believing that I had been grossly
mistreated and feeling ashamed, as I have explained, by his misfortune, I kept my peace
and preferred not to seek reparations for these wrongs rather than seem foolish before
the citizens. I know that this kind of behavior seems to fit Simon's scum-sucking ways, but
many men will laugh at me for putting up with such treatment. Such talk is the province of
those accustomed to envying anyone who strives to be useful in the city. 10) In any case, I
was at such a loss over what I should do, council members, about his lawlessness that I
decided that it was best to go abroad from the city. Taking the lad (for I am bound to tell
the truth), I left the city. When I thought a sufficient time had past for Simon to forget the
lad and to repent his former wrongdoings, I came back. 11) Well, I was entering the
Peiraeus when this one, immediately perceiving that Theodotus had come back and was
staying in the house of Lysimachus, who was living near the house that Simon was renting,
this one invited a few of his friends to his house. They ate lunch and had drinks and then
posted lookouts on the roof in order that, whenever the lad came out of Lysimachus'
house, they could grab him. 12) At this point in time, I arrived from the Peiraeus and, in
passing, I turned into Lysimachus' house. We stayed there a while and then left. These
men, already drunk, leaped out at us. Some of those who were with Simon refused to get
mixed up in criminal activity, but Simon and Theophilus and Protarchus, and Autocles
began dragging the lad off. Theodotus threw off his cloak and fled. 13) I, thinking that he
would make good his escape and that these men, when they soon met others, would be
ashamed and give up the chase, went away by another street. I was guarding against them
very carefully and considered all that they had done to be a grievous misfortune for me.
14) But in that spot where Simon says a great battle took place, no one among them or us
had his head cut open or received any other injury. I will produce as witnesses who were
present with us.
www.metaphrastes.wordpress.com www.archive.
5. For we, dear councillors, had set our hearts on Theodotus, a Plataean lad. And I, by We felt desire, gentlemen, for Theodotus, a
doing the boy good, expected him to be a dear friend, whereas this man, by committing Plataean boy ; and while I looked to win his affection
hubris2 and acting contrary to the law, he looked to force the boy to do whatever he by kindness, this man thought by outrage and
might wish. As many evils as that boy has suffered by him, it would be a great toil to defiance of the law to compel him to accede to his
speak it, but as many misdeeds as he committed against me, this I believe fitting for you wishes. To tell all the ill-treatment that the boy
to hear. has suffered from him would be a lengthy business :
6. For, having heard that the lad was at my house, he came to my place, drunk, knocked but I think it proper that you should hear the numer-
out the doors and went into the women’s quarters, where my sister and nieces were, ous offences he has committed against myself.
who have lived such orderly lives that they were ashamed to be seen, even by family. Hearing that the boy was at my house, he came there
7. This man, moreover, came to such a point of hubris that he was not willing to depart at night in a drunken state, broke down the doors,
until, since they believed that he did a terrible thing, that is, they who attended him and and entered the women's rooms : within were my
who came with him, because he intruded upon the maiden girls and the orphans within, sister and my nieces, whose lives have been so well-
these men drove him out by force. And so far was he from feeling repentance for his acts ordered that they are ashamed to be seen even by
of hubris that once he discovered where we were dining, he did a most unnatural and their kinsmen. This man, then, carried insolence to
unbelievable thing, unless one were aware of his mania. such a pitch that he refused to go away until the
8. For, having called me from within, as soon as I came out, he immediately tried to beat people who appeared on the spot, and those who
me. And when I defended myself, he abandoned the fight and hurled stones at me. And had accompanied him, feeling it a monstrous thing
although he missed me, Aristocritus, who had come to my house with him, him he hit that he should intrude on young girls and orphans,
with a stone, and smashed in his forehead. drove him out by force. Far from repenting of his
9. Therefore I, councillors, although I believed that I suffered terrors, and although, as I outrageous proceedings, he found out where we
said, I was shamed by the circumstance, I bore it, and I preferred not to exact a penalty were dining, and acted in the strangest, the most
for these misdeeds, rather than to seem to be foolish to the citizens, knowing that incredible manner, as it might seem to those
although the matters did befit the knavery of the other man, many would mock me for unacquainted with his madness. He called me out
having suffered these sorts of things, at least by those men accustomed to of doors, and, as soon as I went outside, made an
spite whenever anyone in the city is eager to do his part. immediate attempt to strike me. When I beat him
10. And thus I was so puzzled about what I should do, councillors, for the law-breaking of off, he stood out of reach and began pelting me with
this man, that it seemed to me that the very best thing was to be abroad from the city.
Indeed, I took the lad (for I must speak the whole truth) and departed from the city. And
once I believed that there was sufficient time for Simon to have forgotten the young
man, and to have repented his earlier misdeeds, I returned again.
11. And I went away to Piraeus,3 whereas this man, as soon as he became aware that
Theodotus had arrived, and was spending time with Lysimachus, who dwelled near a
house which that man rented, he summoned some of his friends. And these men took a
luncheon and drank, and they stood watch on the roof, so that when the lad went out,
they could grab him and drag him in.
12. At this critical time, I return from Piraeus and since I’m passing by, I drop in on
Lysimachus: after we passed a little time, we go out. Then these men, already drunk, leap
upon us. And whereas some of those men attending to him did not wish to share his
fault, Simon himself, and Theophilus, and Protarchus and Autokles, began to drag the lad
away. And he, casting off his cloak, departed fleeing.
13. And I, believing that he had escaped, and that the men, just as soon as they
encountered any people, would desist from shaming themselves—having thought
through these things, departing along the other road, I was away: thus I was zealously
watching for them; and everything that was done by them, I considered a great calamity
to myself.
14. And herein, where Simon says there was a battle, no-one, neither one of these men,
nor of us, neither had his head broken, nor did he receive any other harm, of which I
furnish for you these witnesses who were there.