3
After the Council adopted this view, attempts were made to discredit me by saying that I hoped to save the corn-dealers by these remarks. Now before the Council, when the case came up for their hearing,As a preliminary to the trial proper. I justified myself in a practical way: while the rest kept quiet, I rose and accused these men, and made it evident to all that my remarks were not made in their defence, but in support of the established laws.
4
Well, these were my reasons for beginning my task, in fear of those incriminations; but I consider it would be disgraceful to leave off before you have given such verdict upon them as you may prefer.
5
So, first of all, go up on the dais.One of the corn-dealers is made to go up on the bema and is questioned. Cf. Lys. 12.25; Lys. 13.30. Tell me, sir, are you a resident alien? Yes. Do you reside as an alien to obey the city’s laws, or to do just as you please? To obey. Must you not, then, expect to be put to death, if you have committed a breach of the laws for which death is the penalty? I must. Then answer me: do you acknowledge that you bought up corn in excess of the fifty measuresA basket or measure was about a bushel and a half. which the law sets as the limit? I bought it up on an order from the magistrates.
