Philosophus ad regem quendam qui eum ignotum et insontem inter reos forte captum inscius damnaverat τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ πορευόμενος, haec subito misit.

Ὠ ἄνα εἰ ὀλέσης με τὸν ἔννομον, οὐδέ τιν᾽ ἀνδρῶν
Δεινὸν ὅλως δράσαντα, σοφώτατον ἴσθι κάρηνον
'Ρηϊδίως ἀφέλοιο, τὸ δ᾽ ὕστερον αὖθι νοήσεις,
Μαψιδίως δ ̓ ἀρ ̓ ἔπειτα τεὸν πρὸς θυμὸν ὀδυρή,
Τοιόν δ ̓ ἐκ πόλιος περιώνυμον ἄλκαρ ὀλέσσας.

A Philosopher, included in the same sentence of condemnation with several guilty persons among whom he had been apprehended, sent the following lines, composed suddenly in the moment when he was going to death, to a certain King whom had ignorantly condemned him.

Know this, O King! that if thou shalt destroy
Me, no man's enemy and who have liv'd
Obedient to the Laws, thou may'st with ease
Strike off a wise man's head, but, taught the truth
Hereafter, shalt with vain regret deplore [ 5 ]
Thy city's loss of One, her chief support.