4
and my father lived on more than fifteen years longer, and their father as many. In all these years no one ever came to object or make complaint (and yet of course it often rained then, just as it does now); no one made any opposition at the start, as he would have done, if my father by walling in his land had caused injury to anyone; nor did anyone forbid him, or protest against his action.
5
And yet, Callicles, when you saw that the watercourse was being dammed, you people might, I suppose, have gone at once to my father and complained angrily, and said to him, Teisias, what is this that you are doing? Are you damming the watercourse? Why, then the water will burst through on to our land. In that case, if he had seen fit to desist, you and I would be having no quarrel with one another; or, if he paid no heed, and any such mischief resulted, you would have been able to avail yourself of those who were present as witnesses.
6
And, by heaven, you ought to have satisfied all men that there was a watercourse, that you might have shown, not by your mere statement, as is the case now, but on a basis of fact, that my father was guilty of wrongdoing. Yet no one of these men ever thought of doing any such thing. For, had you done this, you would not have got an award for default against me, as you now have, nor would you have gained anything by your malicious charges;
