3
We were brought to such a pass that we had our laws dispensed to us from his hands, and parties to suits produced opposite laws in the courts, both sides asserting that they had obtained them from Nicomachus. When the magistrates imposed summary fines on him, and brought him up in court, he refused to hand over the laws: nay, the city was already involved in the gravest disasters, and still he had not been relieved of his office, nor had submitted to an audit of his proceedings.
4
And observe, gentlemen, how, having suffered no punishment for that conduct, he has now turned his new office to similar account: first, he has been transcribing for four years, when he could have discharged his duty in thirty days; and second, although he had definite orders as to the texts that he had to transcribe, he assumed supreme authority over the whole code, and after handling more business than anyone had ever done before he is the only person who has held office without submitting to an audit.
