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[25]
Let not one of you think, men of Athens, that
through lack of manhood or from any other base motive I give way to my grief from the
beginning to the end of this letter. Not so, but every man is ungrudgingly indulgent to
the feelings of the moment, and those that now beset me—if only this had never
come to pass—are sorrows and tears, longing both for my country and for you, and
pondering over the wrongs I have suffered, all of which cause me to grieve. If you but
scan this record fairly, in none of the political actions taken by me in your behalf will
you find softness or lack of manhood attaching to me.
[26]
Now thus far I am appealing to you all, but for those in particular who are attacking me
in your presence I wish to say a word: so far as concerns all that they were doing in
pursuance of the decrees passed by you in disregard of the truth, let it be allowed that
these actions have been taken by them as your agents, and I lodge no complaint. Since,
however, you have yourselves come to recognize these decrees for what they are, if they
will yield in my case, just as they are allowing the prosecution to be dropped in the case
of the other defendants, they shall have my thanks; but if they attempt to continue
malicious, I appeal to you all to rally to my aid and not allow the enmity of these men to
prevail. over the gratitude due to me from you. Farewell.