For The Soldier (11-15)

for they neither submitted their act to investigation,[*] nor went into a law-court to get their proceedings confirmed by a vote. However, supposing they had been correct in imposing a fine on me, and had got the imposition confirmed in your court, I should stand fairly cleared of the impeachment by the release of the Treasury clerks.

For if they were not competent to exact or remit it, being lawfully fined I should reasonably owe the payment; but if they have power to remit, subject to rendering an account of their proceedings, they will easily be visited with the proper penalty for any wrong they have done.

Of the manner in which my name was handed over, and the fine imposed on me, you are now informed: but you must be apprised, not only of the charge referred, but also of the pretext for this enmity. I had made friends with Sostratus before their enmity began, because I knew he had done remarkable service to the State.

I became well-known through his personal influence, but did not make use of it either to avenge myself on an enemy or to serve a friend: for while he lived I was necessarily inactive on account of my age and when he passed away I injured none of my accusers either in word or in deed, and I can give such an account of myself as will show that in justice ought much rather to receive benefits than ill-treatment from my opponents.

Well, the circumstances that I have mentioned had the effect of accumulating their anger, though they had no real excuse for enmity. And so, having taken their oaths to enroll only those who had not served in the field, they violated those oaths, and then brought my case before the people for decision on a capital charge,[*]