Texte grec :
[8,23] Ὅτι μὲν οὐ δίκαια πέπονθας ὑπὸ τοῦ
δήμου, ὦ Μάρκιε, μετ´ αἰτίας αἰσχρᾶς ἐξελασθεὶς ἐκ
τῆς πατρίδος, ἅπαντες ἴσμεν· καὶ οὐδὲν οἰόμεθά σε
ποιεῖν θαυμαστόν, εἰ χαλεπαίνεις καὶ ἀγανακτεῖς ἐπὶ
ταῖς τύχαις. κοινὸς γὰρ δὴ τῆς ἁπάντων φύσεως οὗτος
ὁ νόμος, ἐχθρὸν εἶναι τῷ δράσαντι τὸ πεπονθὸς κακῶς.
ὅτι δ´ οὐ μετὰ λογισμοῦ σώφρονος ἐξετάζεις, οὓς ἀμύνεσθαί τε
καὶ τιμωρεῖσθαί σοι προσῆκεν, οὐδὲ μετριάζεις περὶ τὴν
ἀνάπραξιν τῆς δίκης, ἀλλ´ ἐν ταὐτῷ
τίθεσαι τά τ´ ἀναίτια τοῖς αἰτίοις καὶ τὰ φίλια τοῖς
πολεμίοις, νόμους τε κινεῖς φύσεως ἀκινήτους καὶ τὰ
πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς συνταράττεις ὅσια, καὶ οὐδὲ σεαυτὸν
ἐξ ὧν τε καὶ ὅστις ἔφυς ἔτι μέμνησαι, τοῦτο τεθαυμάκαμεν.
ἥκομέν τ´ ἀποσταλέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ πρέσβεις
οἱ προὔχοντες ἡλικίᾳ τῶν πατρικίων καὶ περὶ σὲ προθυμότατοι
μεμιγμένην φέροντες δικαιολογίαν παραιτήσει, καὶ ἐφ´ οἷς
ἀξιοῦμέν σε διαλύσεσθαι τὴν ἔχθραν, πρὸς τὸν δῆμον ἀπαγγελοῦντες·
πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἃ νομίζομεν εἶναι κάλλιστα καὶ συμφορώτατά σοι,
ταῦτα παραινέσοντες.
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Traduction française :
[8,23] "We are all sensible, Marcius, that you have suffered injustice at the hands of the
populace in having been banished from your country under a foul accusation, and we
do not regard it as anything strange on your part if you feel anger and resentment at
your misfortunes. For common to the nature of all men is this law — that the injured
party is an enemy to the aggressor. But that you do not examine in the light of sober
reason who those are whom you ought to requite and punish, nor show any
moderation in exacting that punishment, but class together (p65) the innocent with the
guilty and friends with enemies, and that you violate the inviolable laws of Nature,
confound the duties of religion, and, even as to yourself, no longer remember from
whom you are sprung and what sort of man you are — that has seemed strange to us.
We have come now, the oldest of the patricians and the most zealous of your
friends, sent by the commonwealth to present our defence mingled with entreaty, and
to bring word upon what conditions we ask you to lay aside your enmity toward the
populace; and furthermore, to advise you of the course which we believe will be the
most honourable and advantageous for you.
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