[Perseus Project]
Andocides On the Mysteries 7 [andoc. 1.7]
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[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.
[8] Now I am wondering at what point to begin my defence, gentlemen. Shall
I start with what ought to be discussed last and prove that the prosecution
disobeyed the law in lodging their information against me? Shall I take the
decree of Isotimides and show that it has been annulled? Shall I start with
the laws which have been passed and the oaths which have been taken? Or
shall I tell you the story right from the beginning? I will explain the
chief reason for my hesitation. Doubtless the different charges made have
not moved you all to the same degree, and each of you has some one of them
to which he would like me to reply first; yet to answer them all
simultaneously is impossible. On the whole, I think it best to tell you the
entire story from the beginning, omitting nothing; once you are properly
acquainted with the facts, you will see immediately how unfounded are the
charges which my accusers have brought against me.
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