[Perseus Project]
Andocides On the Mysteries 6 [andoc. 1.6]
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[5] That entirely misrepresents my feelings, gentlemen. I would never
consent to a life abroad which cut me off from my country, whatever the
advantages attached to it; and although conditions in Athens may be what my
enemies allege, I would sooner be a citizen of her than of any other state
which may appear to me to be just now at the height of prosperity. Those
are the feelings which have led me to place my life in your hands.
[6] I ask you, then, to show more sympathy to me, the defendant, gentlemen,
than to my accusers, in the knowledge that even if you give us an impartial
hearing, the defence is inevitably at a disadvantage. The prosecution have
brought their charge in perfect safety, after elaborating their plans at
leisure; whereas I who am answering that charge am filled with fear; my
life is at stake, and I have been grossly misrepresented. You have good
reason for showing more sympathy to me than you do to my accusers.
[7] And there is another thing to be borne in mind. Serious charges have
often before now been disproved at once, and so decisively that you would
much rather have punished the accusers than the accused. Again, witnesses
have caused the death of innocent men by giving false evidence, and have
only been convicted of perjury when it was too late to be of help to the
victims. When this kind of thing has been so common, you can hardly do less
than refuse for the Present to consider the prosecution's statement of the
case trustworthy. You may use it to judge whether the charge is serious or
not but you cannot tell whether the charge is true or false until you have
heard my reply as well.
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