Against Philippides (3)

first because you needed no one but yourself to show you that the city is grateful to her benefactors, you who now enjoy the honors for services which other men once rendered; and secondly because the people drew up a law forbidding anyone to speak ill of Harmodius and Aristogeiton or sing disparaging songs about them.[*] It is therefore scandalous that, though the people saw fit to prevent even a drunken man from abusing your ancestors, you should be speaking ill of the state even when you are sober.