[Perseus Project]



Andocides On his Return 5 [andoc. 2.5]



Text reference:



Author Information | Help for Texts and Text Tools | Copyright Statement

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greek text with morphological links

Go to Previous section; Next section



[4] This proves, then, that they are acting not on their own initiative --

or they would have had no hesitation in opposing me originally -- but on

the instigation of others, of men such as are to be found in this city, who

would not allow you to receive a benefit from me for all the money in the

world. These others have not the courage to come into the open and make

good their assertions in person, as they are afraid of letting their own

possible shortcomings as patriots be examined too closely. Instead, they

send substitutes to address you, men to whom effrontery is second nature,

men who will utter or face the bitterest abuse with complete indifference.

[5] The entire strength of their case against me, one finds, lies in their

taunting me at every turn with my misfortunes; and that too when their

listeners know better than they, so that not a word which they have uttered

can bring them any true credit.



To my mind, gentlemen, he was a wise man who first said that every human

being is born to meet with good fortune and with bad; that to make a

mistake is to meet with great ill fortune:

[6] and that while those who make the fewest mistakes are the luckiest,

those who repent of them soonest show most good sense. Nor is this the

peculiar lot of some men only; it is the common fate of humanity to make

mistakes and suffer misfortune. So do but remember the frailty of man in

passing judgement upon me, gentlemen, and your feelings for me will be more

kindly. Indeed I do not deserve ill-will so much as sympathy for the past.



Next section