eul_wid: bqs-ai
DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20335421 PDFMarkdown

Fragments on Oligarchy and Democracy by Antiphon of Athens

The Fragments on Oligarchy and Democracy comprises nine brief passages attributed to the Athenian orator and statesman Antiphon, who was active in the late 5th century BCE. Preserved in quotations by later Roman grammarians primarily for their linguistic interest, these fragments are remnants of larger, now-lost political orations. They articulate a pointed comparison of constitutional forms, offering a critique of democracy as the capricious and unskilled rule of the masses while advocating for oligarchy as the governance of the wise and capable, which ensures stability and justice. The fragments are historically situated within the fierce political conflicts in Athens around 411 BCE, a period during which Antiphon was a leading architect of the oligarchic coup that briefly overthrew the democratic government. They are thus interpreted as persuasive texts composed for contemporary political agitation, providing a direct glimpse into the ideological warfare of the era. As one of the earliest extant systematic critiques of popular rule, the arguments within these fragments prefigure and influenced subsequent philosophical analyses of constitutions by thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle.

κέρδους προτιμῶντες. εἰ δὲ μὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἱματίοις διεφθάρη, ἀλλʼ ἑτέρους ἰδὼν ἄλλο τι κακουργοῦντας, ἵνα μὴ μηνυτὴς τοῦ ἀδικήματος

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ἀρχὴν ἄρξαι χρήματα πολλὰ διεχείρισα καὶ εὔθυναί μοι ἦσαν ἃς ἐδεδοίκειν ἢ ἄτιμος ἦν ἢ κακόν τι ὑμᾶς εἰργασάμην ἢ δίκην ἐπιρρέπουσαν ἐδεδοίκειν; οὐ δῆτα ἔγωγε, ἐπεὶ οὐδέν μοι ἦν τούτων. ἀλλʼ ὡς χρήματα ἀφείλεσθε ἐμοῦ; … ως τῶν προγόνων τῶν ἐμῶν κακόν τι εἰργα— — — …

… α ἄλλης τινὸς πολιτείας ἢ τῆς καθεστηκυίας ἐπιθυμοῦσιν ἵνα ἢ ὧν ἠδίκησαν δίκην μὴ δῶσιν ἢ ὧν ἔπαθον τιμωρῶνται καὶ αὖθις μηδὲν πάσχωσιν. ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ἦν. ἀλλὰ μὲν δὴ λέγουσιν οἱ κατήγοροι ὡς συνέγραφόν τε δίκας ἄλλοις καὶ ὡς ἐκέρδαινον ἀπὸ τούτου· οὔκουν ἐν μὲν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ οὐκ ἂν ἦν μοι τοῦτο,

ἐν δὲ τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πάλαι ὁ κρατῶν εἰμὶ ἐγὼ εἰδὼς τοῦ λέγειν. ἐν μὲν τῇ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ οὐδενὸς ἔμελλον ἄξιος ἔσεσθαι, ἐν δὲ τῇ δημοκρατίᾳ πολλοῦ. φέρε δὴ πῶς εἰκός ἐστιν ἐμὲ ὀλιγαρχίας ἐπιθυμεῖν; πότερον ταῦτα ἐκλογίζεσθαι οὐχ οἷός τʼ εἰμὶ ἢ οὐ γιγνώσκειν τὰ λυσιτελοῦντα ἐμαυτῷ αθῃ …

ξοις ἐδόκει; μὰ τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς Ὀλυμπίους οὔτοι, εἴ γε ὀρθῶς διασκοπεῖσθε. ἐπειδὴ Θηραμένης ὃς ἐμοῦ κατηγόρησεν … εν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ ε- … ς οὑτοσὶ … ρυ … ς … δι- … εκει … ηκει … το … στον … ων … α ὁ πα

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σκε νυν δικα μηδ ειπο ανε ριον ξαιο οιον τουτ σο … υμ … ρονπ … εμεγ … ειος νηθ … ναια τουτο … ο …

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— — — … νη … ου … πειδη … ργασα … ηνουτεχ … ολασα … ουτ … νω … ωτης … ρχ … αρ … ην … φερ … κεῖ ὑμῖν Φρύνιχος ἢ Πεισίστρατος δι … καλ …

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— — — ο τοκ σεν … τους … ες … καὶ γυ καὶ π … μελλο σθαι υμ ὅτι απ σκον η εξοντου … νει τ … μεθ που τιν κτι ᾧ ἔργῳ