There Is No Spoon

HowyouhavefeltOmenofAthensathearingthespeechesofmyaccusersIcannottellbutIknowthattheirpersuasivewordsalmostmademeforgetwhoIwas-suchwastheeffectofthemandyettheyhavehardlyspokenawordoftruthButmanyastheirfalsehoodsweretherewasoneofthemwhichquiteamazedme-ImeanwhentheytoldyoutobeuponyourguardandnottoletyourselvesbedeceivedbytheforceofmyeloquenceTheyoughttohavebeenashamedofsayingthisbecausetheyweresuretobedetectedassoonasIopenedmylipsanddisplayedmydeficiencytheycertainlydidappeartobemostshamelessinsayingthisunlessbytheforceofeloquencetheymeantheforceoftruthforthenIdoindeedadmitthatIameloquentButinhowdifferentawayfromtheirsWellasIwassayingtheyhavehardlyutteredawordornotmorethanawordoftruthbutyoushallhearfrommethewholetruthnothoweverdeliveredaftertheirmannerinasetorationdulyornamentedwithwordsandphrasesNoindeedbutIshallusethewordsandargumentswhichoccurtomeatthemomentforIamcertainthatthisisrightandthatatmytimeoflifeIoughtnottobeappearingbeforeyouOmenofAthensinthecharacterofajuvenileorator-letnooneexpectthisofmeAndImustbegofyoutograntmeonefavorwhichisthis-IfyouhearmeusingthesamewordsinmydefencewhichIhavebeeninthehabitofusingandwhichmostofyoumayhaveheardintheagoraandatthetablesofthemoney-changersoranywhereelseIwouldaskyounottobesurprisedatthisandnottointerruptmeForIammorethanseventyyearsofageandthisisthefirsttimethatIhaveeverappearedinacourtoflawandIamquiteastrangertothewaysoftheplaceandthereforeIwouldhaveyouregardmeasifIwerereallyastrangerwhomyouwouldexcuseifhespokeinhisnativetongueandafterthefashionofhiscountry-thatIthinkisnotanunfairrequestNevermindthemannerwhichmayormaynotbegoodbutthinkonlyofthejusticeofmycauseandgiveheedtothatletthejudgedecidejustlyandthespeakerspeaktruly

AndfirstIhavetoreplytotheolderchargesandtomyfirstaccusersandthenIwillgotothelateronesForIhavehadmanyaccuserswhoaccusedmeofoldandtheirfalsechargeshavecontinuedduringmanyyearsandIammoreafraidofthemthanofAnytusandhisassociateswhoaredangeroustoointheirownwayButfarmoredangerousarethesewhobeganwhenyouwerechildrenandtookpossessionofyourmindswiththeirfalsehoodstellingofoneSocratesawisemanwhospeculatedabouttheheavenaboveandsearchedintotheearthbeneathandmadetheworseappearthebettercauseThesearetheaccuserswhomIdreadfortheyarethecirculatorsofthisrumorandtheirhearersaretooapttofancythatspeculatorsofthissortdonotbelieveinthegodsAndtheyaremanyandtheirchargesagainstmeareofancientdateandtheymadethemindayswhenyouwereimpressible-inchildhoodorperhapsinyouth-andthecausewhenheardwentbydefaultfortherewasnonetoanswerAndhardestofalltheirnamesIdonotknowandcannottellunlessinthechanceofacomicpoetButthemainbodyoftheseslandererswhofromenvyandmalicehavewroughtuponyou-andtherearesomeofthemwhoareconvincedthemselvesandimparttheirconvictionstoothers-alltheseIsayaremostdifficulttodealwithforIcannothavethemuphereandexaminethemandthereforeImustsimplyfightwithshadowsinmyowndefenceandexaminewhenthereisnoonewhoanswersIwillaskyouthentoassumewithmeasIwassayingthatmyopponentsareoftwokinds-onerecenttheotherancientandIhopethatyouwillseetheproprietyofmyansweringthelatterfirstfortheseaccusationsyouheardlongbeforetheothersandmuchoftener

WellthenIwillmakemydefenceandIwillendeavorintheshorttimewhichisallowedtodoawaywiththisevilopinionofmewhichyouhaveheldforsuchalongtimeandIhopeImaysucceedifthisbewellforyouandmeandthatmywordsmayfindfavorwithyouButIknowthattoaccomplishthisisnoteasy-IquiteseethenatureofthetaskLettheeventbeasGodwillsinobediencetothelawImakemydefence

Ayre