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the bodies of the slain after the battle of Arginusae; and you pro- 
posed to try them in a body, contrary to law, as you all thought af- 
terwards; but at the time I was the only one of the Prytanes who 
was opposed to the illegality, and I gave my vote against you; and 
when the orators threatened to impeach and arrest me, and you 
called and shouted, I made up my mind that I would run the risk, 
having law and justice with me, rather than take part in your in- 
justice because I feared imprisonment and death. This happened in 
the days of the democracy. But when the oligarchy of the Thirty 
was in power, they sent for me and four others into the rotunda, 
and bade us bring Leon the Salaminian from Salamis, as they 
wanted to put him to death. This was a specimen of the sort of 
commands which they were always giving with the view of implic- 
ating as many as possible in their crimes; and then I showed, not in 
word only but in deed, that, if I may be allowed to use such an ex- 
pression, I cared not a straw for death, and that my great and only 
care was lest I should do an unrighteous or unholy thing. For the 
strong arm of that oppressive power did not frighten me into doing 
wrong; and when we came out of the rotunda the other four went 
to Salamis and fetched Leon, but I went quietly home. For which I 
might have lost my life, had not the power of the Thirty shortly af- 
terwards come to an end. And many will witness to my words. 

Now do you really imagine that I could have survived all these 
years, if I had led a public life, supposing that like a good man I 
had always maintained the right and had made justice, as I ought, 
the first thing? No indeed, men of Athens, neither I nor any other 
man. But I have been always the same in all my actions, public as 
well as private, and never have I yielded any base compliance to 
those who are slanderously termed my disciples, or to any other. 
Not that I have any regular disciples. But if any one likes to come 
and hear me while I am pursuing my mission, whether he be young 
or old, he is not excluded. Nor do I converse only with those who 
pay; but any one, whether he be rich or poor, may ask and answer