נגד פלאקוס י״זAgainst Flaccus 17
א׳
1[135] Such was the Lampo who appeared against Flaccus as an accuser. And with him was Isidorus nothing behind him in villainy, a mob courter, popularity hunter, practised in producing disturbance and confusion, a foe to peace and tranquillity, an adept at creating factions and tumults where they do not exist and organizing and fostering them when made, ever at pains to keep in contact with him an irregular and unstable horde of promiscuous, ill-assorted people, divided up into sections, or what might be called syndicates.
ב׳
2[136] In the city there are clubs with a large membership, whose fellowship is founded on no sound principle but on strong liquor and drunkenness and sottish carousing and their offspring, wantonness. “Synods” and “divans” are the particular names given to them by the people of the country.
ג׳
3[137] In all or most of the clubs Isidorus held the first place and was called the feast ruler or divan master and state embroiler. Then when he wished to get some worthless project carried out, a single call brought them together in a body and they said and did what they were bidden.
ד׳
4[138] And at one time being annoyed with Flaccus, because, whereas at first he seemed to be regarded by him as a person of some importance, he afterwards found himself no longer in the same favour, he hired the beggarly lot who regularly served him as vocalists, the people who sell their yells as in a market to willing purchasers, and ordered them to come to the gymnasium.
ה׳
5[139] They filled the building and launched accusations against Flaccus with no foundation, inventing against him things which had never happened and spinning long lying screeds of ribald doggerel, so that not only Flaccus but everyone else was utterly astonished at so unexpected an onset and conjectured, as indeed was the case, that there was surely someone whom they wanted to gratify and that they had never themselves suffered any injury past mending nor had real knowledge of any offence committed against the rest of the State.
ו׳
6[140] Then on deliberation the authorities decided to arrest some and ascertain the cause of so reckless and sudden an outburst of insanity. The persons arrested without being put to the question confessed the truth and also added the proofs supplied by the facts, the payment agreed upon, both what had already been given and what was to be given afterwards according to the promises; the persons chosen as ringleaders of the agitation to distribute the money, the place and occasion where and when the act of bribery had taken place.
ז׳
7[141] And as everyone was naturally indignant and the city felt annoyed that the senselessness of some persons should also set its stamp upon her name, he decided to summon the most highly respectable part of the public on the morrow and set the dispensers of the payment before them so that he might both expose Isidorus and defend his own administration against the aspersions unjustly cast upon him. But on hearing the summons there came not only persons in high position but the whole city except that part whose acceptance of payment was to be exposed. And those who had served in this glorious capacity,
ח׳
8[142] being set on a platform so that in this conspicuous elevation they might be recognized by all, gave proof that Isidorus was responsible for the tumults and slanders against Flaccus and had employed them to supply both money and wine to no small number of people. “Whence,” they asked, “could we have had all this money to squander?
ט׳
9[143] We are poor people scarcely able to provide the daily wage needed to purchase absolute necessaries. What terrible grievance had we suffered from the governor that we should be compelled to cherish a grudge against him? No! The author and creator of all these things is that Isidorus ever envious of the prosperous and the foe of law-abiding tranquillity.” The audience, recognizing the truth of this,
י׳
10[144] since the statement clearly represented and indicated the motives and intention of the accused, shouted out some for disfranchisement, some for banishment, some for death. These last were the majority and the rest came over and joined them so that they all cried out with one heart and voice, “Slay the ruiner of all alike, who ever since he came to the front and wormed his way into state affairs, has let no part of the city remain untainted.”
י״א
11[145] Fearing arrest, Isidorus fled conscious-stricken, but Flaccus took no trouble about him, thinking that, since he was out of the way by his own freewill, the life of the city could now go on undisturbed by faction and intrigue.