" As no other friend of Phokion dared to speak, he
himself, after obtaining a hearing with difficulty, asked "Do you wish
to condemn us to death justly or unjustly?" As some answered "justly,"
he said, "How can you be sure of this, if you will not hear us?" As
however the people paid no more attention to him, he came nearer to
them and said, "For my own part, I admit that I have done wrong, and I
consider that my political acts deserve to be punished with death;
but, men of Athens, why will you kill these others, who have done no
wrong?" When many voices answered, "Because they are your friends,"
Phokion retired and held his peace. Hagnonides now read the motion
which he was about to put to the meeting which called upon the people
to decide by a show of hands whether the men were guilty or not; and
in case they were found guilty, to put them to death.
XXXV. When this decree was read some wished to add to it that they
should be put to death with torture, and bade Hagnonides send for the
rack and the executioners; but Hagnonides, seeing that even the
Macedonian Kleitus was disgusted at this proposal, and thought it a
savage and wicked action, said, "Men of Athens, when we catch the
villain Kallimedon, we will put him to the torture; but I will make no
such proposal in the case of Phokion." Upon this one of the better
class cried out, "And quite right too; for if we torture Phokion, what
shall we do to you?" When the decree was passed by show of hands, no
one sat still, but the whole people, many of them wearing garlands of
flowers, rose and voted for the death of the accused.
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