The jury fell about laughing

Peter Jones, Ancient & Modern, in The Spectator, August 8th, 2009.

Ancients would have been incredulous that a law could exist that threatened the lives of citizens; and if it did, they would have changed it. In 369 BC, the Theban general Epaminondas illegally extended his and his fellow-generals' term of office in order to complete a successful attack on Thebes' enemy Sparta. So when he returned home, it was to find himself on a capital charge, brought by political enemies. He demanded that, if executed, the following notice should be posted: 'Epaminondas was executed by the Thebans because he forced them to defeat the Spartans whom they had never even dared to look in the face before, rescued Thebes and liberated all Greece' (and much else). The jury fell about laughing and all charges were dropped.