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17b3
The Apology of Socrates 17b3 · No dressed-up speeches17b3No dressed-up speeches
He warns the jury what his speech will sound like: plain words, chosen as they come.
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οὐ1
ou
not
μέντοι2
méntoi
however
μὰ3
mà
by
Δία4
Día
Zeus
,
ὦ5
ô
O
ἄνδρες6
ándres
men
Ἀθηναῖοι7
Athēnaîoi
of AthensAthenians
,
κεκαλλιεπημένους8
kekalliepēménous
prettily wordedmade beautiful in words
γε9
ge
at least
λόγους10
lógous
speecheswords
,
ὥσπερ11
hṓsper
like
οἱ12
hoi
those
τούτων13
toútōn
of these men
,
ῥήμασί16
rhḗmasí
in phrasesin sayings
τε17
te
and
καὶ18
kaì
and
ὀνόμασιν19
onómasin
wordsnames
οὐδὲ14
oudè
nor
κεκοσμημένους15
kekosmēménous
dressed upset in order
,
ἀλλʼ20
all’
but
ἀκούσεσθε21
akoúsesthe
you will hear
εἰκῇ22
eikêi
at randomwithout plan
λεγόμενα23
legómena
things said
τοῖς24
toîs
the
ἐπιτυχοῦσιν25
epitychoûsin
firsthappening upon
ὀνόμασιν26
onómasin
words that comenames
—
πιστεύω27
pisteúō
I trust
γὰρ28
gàr
for
δίκαια29
díkaia
justright
εἶναι30
eînai
are
ἃ31
hà
what
λέγω32
légō
I say
—
καὶ33
kaì
and
μηδεὶς34
mēdeìs
let no one
ὑμῶν35
hymôn
of you
προσδοκησάτω36
prosdokēsátō
expectlook for
ἄλλως37
állōs
anything elseotherwise
·;
Not, however, by Zeus, men of Athens, speeches prettily worded, at least, like those of these men, nor dressed up both in phrases and words, but you will hear things said at random in the first words that come; for I trust that what I say is just. And let no one of you expect anything else.

Not, however, by Zeus, men of Athens, speeches prettily worded, at least, like those of these men, nor dressed up both in phrases and words, but you will hear things said at random in the first words that come; for I trust that what I say is just. And let no one of you expect anything else.
Interpretation
Not, by Zeus, men of Athens, speeches prettily worded like theirs, nor dressed up in fine phrases and words. You will hear things said at random, in the first words that come, for I trust that what I say is just. And let none of you expect anything else.
Kekalliepēmenous is a long, showy word for "beautifully worded," and Socrates uses it to mock beautiful wording. Kekosmēmenous, "dressed up," comes from kosmos, "order, ornament," the same word that gives us "cosmos" and "cosmetic." A speech could be arranged like a well-dressed body. His will come as the words happen to fall, eikēi. It is a pose, and a famous one. Plato's Greek here is very carefully built.
17c
The Apology of Socrates 17c · Not at my age17cNot at my age
It would not suit a man of seventy, he says, to come before them like a boy reciting a speech he has made up.
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Nor, surely, gentlemen, would it be fitting at this age to come before you like a boy making up speeches.
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