On the Trierarchic Crown, by an Unknown Pleader (11-15)

I for my part wonder why in the world these men should imprison and punish those of the sailors who desert their ships—men who receive only thirty drachmae apiece,—while you do not deal in the same manner with those of the trierarchs who do not sail with their ships yet receive thirty minae apiece for so doing; if a poor man through stress of need commits a fault, is he to be liable to the severest penalties, while, if a rich man does the same thing through shameful love of gain, is he to win pardon? Where, then, is equality for all and popular government, if you decide matters in this way?

More than this, it seems to me to be absurd that, when a man says anything contrary to law, he should, if he is convicted, be deprived of one third of his personal rights,[*] while those guilty not of words but of acts that are illegal should pay no penalty. Surely, men of Athens, you would all say that leniency in regard to such offences merely trains up others to commit them.

I wish, now that I have entered upon this subject, to set forth to you also the consequences which result from such actions. When a man who has taken the trierarchy for hire sets sail, he plunders and pillages everybody; the profits he reaps for himself, but whoever it may chance to be of you citizens pays the damages; and you alone of all people are unable to travel anywhere without a herald’s staff of truce because of the acts of these men in seizing hostages and in provoking reprisals;

so that, if one looks at the matter frankly, he will find that triremes such as these have sailed forth, not for you, but against you. For a man who serves as trierarch in the interest of Athens ought not to expect to grow rich at the public expense, but ought by means of his own resources to repair the losses of the state, if you are to have the service which you need. But each commander goes out determined to pursue the opposite course, and the losses resulting from their own evil ways are repaired by the damages which fall on you.

And this is but natural. For you have suffered those who choose to act dishonestly, if they escape discovery, to keep what they have stolen, and, even if they are caught, to win pardon; those therefore who have no regard for their reputation have acquired licence to do as they please. Men in private life who learn only through suffering we call lacking in foresight; what, then, should we call you, who are not on your guard even after repeated suffering?