Texte grec :
| [7,31] Ἵνα δὲ μᾶλλον ὑμῖν γένηται φανερόν, ὅτι
οὐθὲν οὔτε μέτριον οὔτε δίκαιον ἀξιοῦσιν οἱ δημαγωγοί, ἀλλὰ
παρανόμων τε καὶ ἀδυνάτων ἐφίενται μετενέγκαντες τὸ πρᾶγμα
ἐφ´ ἑαυτούς, οὕτω σκοπεῖτε καὶ
ὑπολάβετε τοὺς μετέχοντας τοῦ συνεδρίου τοῖς ἐν ὑμῖν
πολιτευομένοις ἐγκαλεῖν, ὅτι πονηροὺς κατὰ τῆς βουλῆς
διατίθενται λόγους ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ καταλύουσι τὴν πάτριον
ἀριστοκρατίαν, καὶ διαστασιάζουσι τὴν πόλιν,
ἅπαντα ταῦτα λέγοντας ἀληθῆ· ποιοῦσι γὰρ ταῦτα· καὶ
τὸ πάντων χαλεπώτατον, ὅτι δυναστείαν περιβάλλονται
μείζονα τῆς συγκεχωρημένης αὐτοῖς ἄκριτον ἀποκτείνειν
ἐπιχειροῦντες ὃν ἂν ἐθέλωσιν ἐξ ἡμῶν, καὶ ὅτι δεῖ
τοὺς ταῦτα ποιοῦντας τεθνάναι νηποινί. πῶς ἂν ὑμεῖς
ἐνέγκαιτε τὴν αὐθάδειαν τοῦ συνεδρίου; καὶ τί ἂν εἴποιτε; ἆρ´ οὐκ
ἂν ἀγανακτήσαιτε καὶ δεινὰ φαίητε
πάσχειν, εἰ τὴν παρρησίαν ἀφαιρήσεταί τις ὑμᾶς καὶ
τὴν ἐλευθερίαν, τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐσχάτων κίνδυνον ἐπιθεὶς τοῖς
ἐλευθέραν φωνὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου φθεγξαμένοις; οὐκ ἔνεστ´
ἄλλως εἰπεῖν. ἔπειθ´ ἃ παθεῖν οὐκ
ἂν ὑπομείναιτε αὐτοί, ταῦθ´ ἑτέρους πάσχοντας ἀνέχεσθαι
δικαιοῦτε; πολιτικά γ´, ὦ δημόται, καὶ μέτρια
ὑμῶν τὰ βουλεύματα. τοιαῦτ´ ἀξιοῦντες οὐκ αὐτοὶ
βεβαιοῦτε τὰς καθ´ ἑαυτῶν διαβολὰς ἀληθεῖς εἶναι,
καὶ τοὺς συμβουλεύοντας τὴν παράνομον ὑμῶν δυναστείαν μὴ
περιορᾶν αὐξομένην, τὰ δίκαια τῷ κοινῷ
φρονοῦντας ἀποδείκνυτε; ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ δοκεῖ. ἀλλ´ εἴ
γε τἀναντία βούλεσθε ὧν διαβέβλησθε ποιεῖν, ἐμοὶ
συμβούλῳ χρησάμενοι μετριάσατε καὶ τοὺς λόγους, ἐφ´
οἷς ἄχθεσθε, πολιτικῶς καὶ μὴ δυσοργήτως ἐνέγκατε.
περιέσται γὰρ ὑμῖν μέν, εἰ τοῦτο ποιήσετε, ἀγαθοῖς
εἶναι δοκεῖν, τοῖς δ´ ἀπεχθῶς διακειμένοις πρὸς ὑμᾶς
μετανοεῖν.
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Traduction française :
| [7,31] "But in order to make it still more plain to you that your demagogues are making
demands that are neither moderate nor just, but are aiming at illegal in impossible
ends, pray transfer the situation to yourselves and consider it in this light: Imagine
that the senators are accusing your political leaders of delivering in your assembly
malicious speeches against the senate, of endeavouring to overthrow the established
aristocracy, of raising a sedition in the state all of which they could assert with
truth, since they are doing all these things and, worst of all, of aiming at greater
power than was granted tom, in attempting to put to death without a trial anyone of
our number they please; and imagine that the senators declare that the persons guilty
of these crimes are to be put to death with impunity. How would you bear this
arrogance of the senate? And what would you say? Would you not become indignant
and complain that you were treated outrageously if anyone deprives you of your
freedom of speech and of your liberty by threatening to visit the extreme penalty
upon any who have spoken frankly in behalf (p235) of the people? You cannot deny
that you would. Then do you think it reasonable that others should bear what you
yourselves would not submit to? Are these purposes of yours, plebeians, becoming to
citizens and do they show moderation? By making such demands do you not
yourselves confirm the truth of the charges brought against you and show that those
who advise us not to permit your lawless domination to gain new strength have at
heart the rights of the commonwealth? So it seems to me, at least. But if you desire
to do just the opposite of what you have been charged with doing, follow my advice,
moderate your behaviour, and bear as fellow-citizens should, rather than with ill
humour, the words which give you offence. For if you do this, you will have a double
advantage: you will be regarded as good men and those who are hostile to you will
repent.
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