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1—3. εἰ...ἐπεχείρουν... ἐπιτιμήσειέ μοι: this combination of a present unreal condition, if I were undertaking, with a future conclusion, everybody would justly censure me, is rare, and perhaps strictly illogical (M.T. 504). We should expect an imperfect with ἄν in the apodosis; and this is implied in the condensed form which we have. The real meaning is, if I were (now) undertaking to tell you this, the result would be (ἦν ἄν) that all would justly censure me. 4. ὑμετέρας: sc. οὔσας. 6. διακονίας, i.e. what he terms the menial service is all that he claims for himself. This is in striking contrast with his claim for full recognition of his public services elsewhere: cf. §§ 297—300. But in this grand glorification of Athens and her noble services to freedom, the more he depreciates himself and exalts the state, the stronger does he make his argument that the condemnation of Ctesiphon now would be a condemnation of Athens herself and of all her glorious history. Notice the antitheses in this pas- sage:—first, the main one, εἰ μὲν and νῦν δὲ (§ 206.1, 3); then, within the latter, ἐγὼ μὲν and οὗτος δὲ (§ 207.1); also ὑμετέρας and καὶ ἐμαυτῷ, προαιρέσεις and διακονίας.
Demosthenes de Corona. William Watson Goodwin. 1904. Cambridge University Press.
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