[32]
For the people may be led astray by them
to make many mistakes, and such men may attempt either to overthrow the
democracy completely,—for in an oligarchy, even if there are viler
livers than Androtion, no one may speak evil of dignities—or to
debauch the people, so that they may be as nearly as possible like themselves.
He therefore absolutely forbade such men to take any share in the counsels of
the State, lest the people should be deluded into some error. Disregarding all
this, our honorable gentleman here thought fit not only to make speeches and
proposals, though not entitled to do so, but even ventured to make illegal ones.
Demosthenes. Demosthenes with an English translation by A. T. Murray, Ph.D., LL.D. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1939.
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