Perhaps it might seem offensive to certain persons, men of Athens, if someone, an ordinary citizen and one of the
common people like yourselves, should come forward after others who are eminent for both
long political experience and reputation among you have already stated their opinions, and
say that he thinks the others are not only wrong but not even near to discerning what
ought to be done. Nevertheless, I feel so confident that I am going to give more
profitable counsel than theirs that I shall not hesitate to declare all they have said to
be worthless. I think that you too would be doing well if you kept in view, not the
speaker, but the advice being offered. For the right thing, men of Athens, is to extend your goodwill, not to certain
persons as though by hereditary privilege, but to those who from time to time offer the
best counsel.