[10]
They object, however, that murder is a malefaction, and a grave one. I agree, a very grave one; so is sacrilege; so is treason; but the laws which apply to each of them differ. In my case the prosecution have first of all caused the trial to be held in the one place from which those charged with murder are always debarred by proclamation, the Agora: and secondly, although it is laid down by law that a murderer shall pay with his life, they have entered a claim for damages1—not as a kindness to me, but for their own benefit—and by so doing they have grudged the dead man his lawful due. Their motives you will learn in the course of my speech.2
1 For an explanation of the phrase τίμησιν ποιεῖν see Introduction pp. 155-156.
2 A promise which is never adequately fulfilled. The only further reference to the subject is in Antiph. 5.79 ad fin.
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