der that as king thou art making these charges against
men who are in pitiable and most dishonoured plight, he would be
compelled without a word of protest to agree with what thou hast said;
for authority which is unlimited is bound by its very nature to carry
with it also supremacy in argument; but if one be permitted to shake off
all else and to espouse the truth of the matter, thou wouldst have, O
King, nothing with which justly to reproach us; but mayst thou hear all
mildly. First, as for me, since the time when I was sent to declare to
the men of Antioch the message which thou didst send them, seven days
have passed (and what could be done more quickly than this?) and now
coming into thy presence I find these things accomplished by thee
against my fatherland; but these men, having already lost all that is
most valuable, thereafter have only one struggle to engage in--that for
life--and have come, I think, so to be masters of the situation that
they can no longer be compelled to pay thee any of the money. For to pay
a thing which one does not possess could not be made possible for a man
by any device. From of old indeed have the names of things been well and
suitably distinguished by men; and among these distinctions is this,
that want of power is separated from want of consideration. For when the
latter by reason of intemperance of mind proceeds to resistance, it is
accustomed to be detested, as is natural, but when the former, because
of the impossibility of performing a service, is driven to the same
point, it deserves to be pitied. Permit, therefore, O King, that, while
we receive as our portion all the direst misfortunes, we may take with
us this consolation at least, that we should not seem to have been
ourselves responsible for the things which have befallen us. And as for
money, consider that what thou hast taken into thy possession is
sufficient for thee, not weighing this by thy position, but with regard
to the power of the Beroeans. But beyond this do not force us in any
way, lest perchance thou shouldst seem unable to accomplish the thing to
which thou hast set thy hand; for excess is always punished by meeting
obstacles that cannot be overcome, and the best course is not to essay
the impossible. Let this, then, be my defence for the moment in behalf
of these men. But if I should be able to have converse with the
sufferers, I should have something else also to say which has now
escaped me." So spoke Megas,