Philostratus, Apollonius of Tyana VII

“The king, swelling up with rage because of what was said, responded, “You think that I am lying about them, when I have discovered that they are the most disgusting of people who are plotting against me?

And you are saying that they are good people, and serious? Well, I suppose if they were asked about you that they wouldn’t say that you’re a wizard, a madman, a braggart who is greedy and breaks the laws? That’s how evil your conspiracy is, you filthy criminals.

The trial will prove everything. I know how much you all swore under other, why you did it, when you did it, and what you sacrificed, as if I were there and joined in with you!”

Ἀνοιδήσας δ᾿ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑφ᾿ ὧν ἤκουσε “συκοφάντην με οὖν” εἶπεν “ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς εἴληφας, ἵν᾿ οὓς ἐγὼ μιαρωτάτους ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐπιπηδῶντας εὗρον, σὺ δ᾿, ὡς χρηστοί τέ εἰσι λέγεις καὶ νωθροί; καὶ γὰρ ἂν κἀκείνους ἡγοῦμαι ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἐρωτωμένους μήθ᾿ ὡς γόης εἶ, φάναι, μήθ᾿ ὡς ἴτης, μήθ᾿ ὡς ἀλαζών, μήθ᾿ ὡς φιλοχρήματος, μήθ᾿ ὡς φρονῶν ὑπὲρ τοὺς νόμους, οὕτως, ὦ μιαραὶ κεφαλαί, κακῶς ξυντέταχθε. ἐλέγξει δ᾿ ἡ κατηγορία πάντα· καὶ γὰρ ὁπόσα ὀμώμοται ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ ὁπότε καὶ τί θύσασιν, οὐδὲν μεῖον οἶδα, ἢ εἰ παρετύγχανόν τε καὶ ἐκοινώνουν.”