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acquittal— I mean, if I had thought fit to leave nothing undone or 
unsaid. Not so; the deficiency which led to my conviction was not 
of words— certainly not. But I had not the boldness or impudence 
or inclination to address you as you would have liked me to do, 
weeping and wailing and lamenting, and saying and doing many 
things which you have been accustomed to hear from others, and 
which, as I maintain, are unworthy of me. I thought at the time 
that I ought not to do anything common or mean when in danger: 
nor do I now repent of the style of my defence; I would rather die 
having spoken after my manner, than speak in your manner and 
live. For neither in war nor yet at law ought I or any man to use 
every way of escaping death. Often in battle there can be no doubt 
that if a man will throw away his arms, and fall on his knees before 
his pursuers, he may escape death; and in other dangers there are 
other ways of escaping death, if a man is willing to say and do any- 
thing. The difficulty, my friends, is not to avoid death, but to avoid 
unrighteousness; for that runs faster than death. I am old and 
move slowly, and the slower runner has overtaken me, and my ac- 
cusers are keen and quick, and the faster runner, who is unright- 
eousness, has overtaken them. And now I depart hence condemned 
by you to suffer the penalty of death,— they too go their ways con- 
demned by the truth to suffer the penalty of villainy and wrong; 
and I must abide by my award— let them abide by theirs. I suppose 
that these things may be regarded as fated,— and I think that they 
are well. 

And now, O men who have condemned me, I would fain proph- 
esy to you; for I am about to die, and in the hour of death men are 
gifted with prophetic power. And I prophesy to you who are my 
murderers, that immediately after my departure punishment far 
heavier than you have inflicted on me will surely await you. Me you 
have killed because you wanted to escape the accuser, and not to 
give an account of your lives. But that will not be as you suppose: 
far otherwise. For I say that there will be more accusers of you than