[81] γενομένων δὲ λόγων, καὶ χαλεπῶς φερούσης τῆς ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ βουλῆς καὶ ζημιούσης τὸν Θεογένην ὅτι τοιαύτην ἔλαβεν γυναῖκα καὶ ταύτην εἴασε ποιῆσαι τὰ ἱερὰ τὰ ἄρρητα ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως, ἐδεῖτο ὁ Θεογένης ἱκετεύων καὶ ἀντιβολῶν, λέγων ὅτι οὐκ ᾔδει Νεαίρας αὐτὴν οὖσαν θυγατέρα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξαπατηθείη ὑπὸ Στεφάνου, ὡς αὐτοῦ θυγατέρα οὖσαν αὐτὴν λαμβάνων γνησίαν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀπειρίαν τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τὴν ἀκακίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτον πάρεδρον ποιήσαιτο, ἵνα διοικήσῃ τὴν ἀρχήν, ὡς εὔνουν ὄντα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κηδεύσειεν αὐτῷ.
[82] ‘ὅτι δὲ’ ἔφη ‘οὐ ψεύδομαι, μεγάλῳ τεκμηρίῳ καὶ περιφανεῖ ἐπιδείξω ὑμῖν· τὴν γὰρ ἄνθρωπον ἀποπέμψω ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστιν Στεφάνου θυγάτηρ ἀλλὰ Νεαίρας. κἂν μὲν ταῦτα ποιήσω, ἤδη πιστοὶ ὑμῖν ὄντων οἱ λόγοι οἱ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ λεγόμενοι, ὅτι ἐξηπατήθην· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ποιήσω, τότ᾽ ἤδη με κολάζετε ὡς πονηρὸν ὄντα καὶ εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς ἠσεβηκότα.’
[83] ὑποσχομένου δὲ ταῦτα τοῦ Θεογένους καὶ δεομένου, ἅμα μὲν καὶ ἐλεήσασα αὐτὸν ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ βουλὴ διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν τοῦ τρόπου, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐξηπατῆσθαι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἡγουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ Στεφάνου, ἐπέσχεν. ὡς δὲ κατέβη ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου ὁ Θεογένης, εὐθὺς τήν τε ἄνθρωπον τὴν ταυτησὶ Νεαίρας θυγατέρα ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας, τόν τε Στέφανον τὸν ἐξαπατήσαντα αὐτὸν τουτονὶ ἀπελαύνει ἀπὸ τοῦ συνεδρίου. καὶ οὕτως ἐπαύσαντο οἱ Ἀρεοπαγῖται κρίνοντες τὸν Θεογένην καὶ ὀργιζόμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ συγγνώμην εἶχον ἐξαπατηθέντι.
[84] καὶ ὅτι ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν μάρτυρα αὐτὸν τὸν Θεογένην καλῶ καὶ ἀναγκάσω μαρτυρεῖν. κάλει μοι Θεογένην Ἐρχιέα. “Μαρτυρία
Θεογένης Ἐρχιεὺς μαρτυρεῖ, ὅτε αὐτὸς ἐβασίλευεν, γῆμαι Φανὼ ὡς Στεφάνου οὖσαν θυγατέρα, ἐπεὶ δὲ ᾔσθετο ἐξηπατημένος, τήν τε ἄνθρωπον ἐκβαλεῖν καὶ οὐκέτι συνοικεῖν αὐτῇ, καὶ Στέφανον ἀπελάσαι ἀπὸ τῆς παρεδρίας καὶ οὐκ ἐᾶν ἔτι παρεδρεύειν αὑτῷ.”
notes
The Areopagos proposed to punish Theogenes for marrying a non-citizen, but he begged that they spare him. Theogenes immediately divorced Phano (and removed Stephanos from the board on which he had been serving), thereby earning the forgiveness of the Areopagos.
81
γενομένων δὲ λόγων: “while the discussions were going on,” in the council
ζημιούσης: “were imposing a fine on” + acc.
ὅτι: “because”
εἴασε: “permitted” < ἐάω
ᾔδει < οἶδα
διοικήσῃ τὴν ἀρχήν: “administer his office,” “run his magistracy”
82
ὄντων: 3rd person plural present active imperative of εἰμί. ὄντων is Rennie’s emendation of ἔστωσαν, the form found in the manuscripts. However, since ἔστωσαν is an accepted variant of ὄντων, Rennie’s emendation is probably not necessary.
πιστοὶ ὑμῖν ὄντων οἱ λόγοι: “let the statements be trustworthy to you,” i.e., be accepted as true by you. ὄντων is 3rd person pres. imperative < εἰμί.
83
ὑποσχομένου < ὑπισχνέομαι, “to promise”
τὴν ἀκακίαν τοῦ τρόπου: “innocence of character,” “naiveté”
ἐπέσχεν: “refrained from action” < ἐπέχω (aor. ἐπέσχον)
συνεδρίου: this is a general word for council; here it refers to the archon and his two assessors.
συγγνώμην εἶχον: “showed lenience”