Demosthenes, Against Leptines, James Herbert Vince (Translator), 107

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[107] What, then, are those honors? Not to take each singly, I will describe one which comprises all the rest. Whenever a man for his good conduct is elected to the Senate, or Gerusia, as they call it, he is absolute master of the mass of citizens. For at Sparta the prize of merit is to share with one’s peers the supremacy in the State; but with us the people is supreme, and any other form of supremacy is forbidden by imprecations¹ and laws and other safeguards, but we have crowns of honor and immunities and free maintenance and similar rewards, which anyone may win, if he is a good citizen.

Against Leptines. Demosthenes. James Herbert Vince (Translator). London. 1930.

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Current edition Perseus

Against Leptines (English) (Demosthenes. Vol. I. Olynthiacs, Philippics, Minor Public Speeches, Speech Against Leptines, I-XVII, XX. Vince, J. H., translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1930 (printing).)

Editions (1)

περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην Perseus (Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. II, Part 1. Butcher, S. H., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 107 focus

[107] τίνες οὖν εἰσιν αὗται; τὰς μὲν καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐάσω, μίαν δʼ ἣ συλλαβοῦσα τὰς ἄλλας ἔχει, δίειμι. ἐπειδάν τις εἰς τὴν καλουμένην γερουσίαν ἐγκριθῇ παρασχὼν αὑτὸν οἷον χρή, δεσπότης ἐστὶ τῶν πολλῶν. ἐκεῖ μὲν γάρ ἐστι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἆθλον τῆς πολιτείας κυρίῳ γενέσθαι μετὰ τῶν ὁμοίων, παρὰ δʼ ἡμῖν ταύτης μὲν ὁ δῆμος κύριος, καὶ ἀραὶ καὶ νόμοι καὶ φυλακαὶ ὅπως μηδεὶς ἄλλος κύριος γενήσεται, στέφανοι δὲ καὶ ἀτέλειαι καὶ σιτήσεις καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὧν ἄν τις ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ὢν τύχοι.

Notes on the current edition

Against Leptines

1. At the opening of every meeting of the Assembly and of the Council a herald recited a curse on enemies of the State and on evil counsellors; see Dem. 19.70 .

Demosthenes Against Leptines 107

James Herbert Vince (Translator)

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