what shameful things they say we do, to condemn us, and because they rejoice in gods who did such things and even now demand similar acts from men, so that in assigning to us, as doers of such things, death or bonds or some other such penalty, they condemn themselves, so that they need no other judges. And I despised the teaching of the impious and deceitful Simonian of my own nation. But if you proscribe this, we would make it plain to all, so that they might, if possible, change their minds; for this reason alone have we composed this discourse. And our teachings are not shameful, according to a sober judgment, but are superior to all human philosophy; but if not, at least they are not like the teachings of Sotades, Philaenis, Archestratus, Epicurus, and other poets of that sort, which all are allowed to read, both in their spoken and written forms. And we shall now cease, having done what was in our power, and having added a prayer that all men everywhere may be counted worthy of the truth. May you, therefore, in a manner worthy of piety and philosophy, judge for yourselves what is just.
ὁποῖα λέγουσιν αἰσχρὰ πράττειν, καταψηφίζεσθαι, καὶ διὰ τὸ χαίρειν τοιαῦτα πράξασι θεοῖς καὶ ἔτι νῦν ἀπαιτοῦσι παρὰ ἀν θρώπων τὰ ὅμοια, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ καὶ ἡμῖν, ὡς τοιαῦτα πράττουσι, θάνατον ἢ δεσμὰ ἢ ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον προστιμᾶν ἑαυτοὺς κατα κρίνειν, ὡς μὴ δέεσθαι ἄλλων δικαστῶν. Καὶ τοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ἔθνει, ἀσεβοῦς καὶ πλάνου Σιμω νιανοῦ διδάγματος κατεφρόνησα. ἐὰν δὲ ὑμεῖς τοῦτο προ γράψητε, ἡμεῖς τοῖς πᾶσι φανερὸν ποιήσαιμεν, ἵνα εἰ δύναιντο μεταθῶνται· τούτου γε μόνου χάριν τούσδε τοὺς λόγους συνε τάξαμεν. οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ἡμῶν τὰ διδάγματα κατὰ κρίσιν σώ φρονα αἰσχρά, ἀλλὰ πάσης μὲν φιλοσοφίας ἀνθρωπείου ὑπέρ τερα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, κἂν Σωταδείοις καὶ Φιλαινιδείοις καὶ Ἀρχεστρα τείοις καὶ Ἐπικουρείοις καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τοιούτοις ποιητι κοῖς διδάγμασιν οὐχ ὅμοια, οἷς ἐντυγχάνειν πᾶσι, καὶ λεγομέ νοις καὶ γεγραμμένοις, συγκεχώρηται. καὶ παυσόμεθα λοι πόν, ὅσον ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἦν πράξαντες, καὶ προσεπευξάμενοι τῆς ἀληθείας καταξιωθῆναι τοὺς πάντη πάντας ἀνθρώπους. εἴη οὖν καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀξίως εὐσεβείας καὶ φιλοσοφίας τὰ δίκαια ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν κρῖναι.