and this is written as he is very old.

他很老的时候才写下这封信
"When I was a young man, I felt as yet many young men do.

"当我还年轻的时候我感受到的与其他很多年轻人一样
I felt at the very moment I attained my majority

就在我成年的那一刻
I should engage in public affairs.

我感觉到我应该参与公共事务
And there came my way an opportunity that I want to tell you about.

而且我得到了一个机会也是我想要告诉你们的
The democratic constitution, then loudly decried by many people,

那部被很多人责难的民主宪法
was abolished.

被废除了
And the leaders of the revolution set themselves up

这场革命的领导者以他们自己为主体
as a government of 30 men with supreme authority."

建立了三十人政府并掌握了最高权力"
He's referring to the Tyranny of the Thirty that existed

他所说的是雅典失败后所成立的三十人暴政政府
after the Athenian defeat. "Some of these men,

"他们中的有些人
you must understand, were relatives of mine and well known to me.

你们应该知道是我的亲人或者知道我很有名