I now see that sheer misfortune and necessity can force those who hate litigation to appear in court and those who love peace to show boldnessFor τολμᾶν used absolutely in this sense cf. Antiph. 3.3.2. and generally belie their nature in word and deed; for I myself, who, unless I am sorely mistaken, am very far from finding or wanting to find such a task congenial, have today been forced by sheer misfortune to depart from my habits and appear as defendant in a case in which I found it hard enough to arrive at the exact truth, but which leaves me still more perplexed when I consider how I should present it to you.

I am driven by pitiless necessity: and I, like my opponents, gentlemen of the jury, seek refuge in your sympathy. I beg of you: if my arguments appear more subtle than those generally presented to you, do not allow the circumstances already mentionedi.e. the fact that he was not accustomed to appearing in courts of law, which should make it a priori probable that he is a simple and straightforward man who would not resort to subtleties of argument if his case were a sound one. so to prejudice you against my defence as to make you base your verdict upon apparent fact instead of upon the truth; apparent fact puts the advantage with the clever speaker, but truth with the man who lives in justice and righteousness.