---
title: "Against Leochares · Πρὸς Λεωκάρη περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου κλήρου"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "Augustus Taber Murray"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leochares/1/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. Augustus Taber Murray, Against Leochares · Πρὸς Λεωκάρη περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου κλήρου, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leochares/1/"
---

# Against Leochares · Πρὸς Λεωκάρη περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου κλήρου

*Demosthenes, tr. Augustus Taber Murray*

A claim to the estate of Archiades by adoption.

> Greek: ed. William Rennie, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg044, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Augustus Taber Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg044.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Sections 1–34

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leochares/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-leochares/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. It is the fault of Leochares, the defendant, men of the jury, that he is himself being brought to trial, and that I, despite my youth, am addressing you, for he claims the right to inherit what does not belong to him, and has made a false affidavit of objections before the archon in support of his claim.

> Greek: 1. αἴτιος μέν ἐστι Λεωχάρης οὑτοσί, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς κρίνεσθαι καὶ ἐμὲ νεώτερον ὄντα λέγειν ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀξιῶν κληρονομεῖν ὧν οὐ προσῆκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων ψευδῆ διαμαρτυρίαν πρὸς τῷ ἄρχοντι ποιησάμενος.

[¶1] 2. It was incumbent upon us—since the law grants the right of succession to those nearest of kin, and we are relatives of Archiades, who originally left the estate—not to suffer his house to become extinct, and others, who had no right whatever to it, to inherit his property; while the defendant, who was neither a son by blood of the deceased nor a son adopted according to your laws, as I shall show, has thus recklessly made a false affidavit, and is seeking to rob me of the inheritance.

> Greek: 2. ἡμῖν μὲν γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν, τοῦ νόμου τὰς ἀγχιστείας τοῖς ἐγγυτάτω γένους ἀποδιδόντος, οὖσιν οἰκείοις Ἀρχιάδου τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καταλιπόντος τὸν κλῆρον, μήτε τὸν οἶκον ἐξερημωθέντα τὸν ἐκείνου περιιδεῖν μήτε τῆς οὐσίας ἑτέρους κληρονομήσαντας, οἷς οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν προσήκει· οὑτοσὶ δὲ οὔτε γόνῳ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος υἱὸς ὢν οὔτʼ εἰσποιηθεὶς κατὰ τοὺς νόμους, ὡς ἐγὼ δείξω, διαμεμαρτύρηκεν οὕτως τὰ ψευδῆ προπετῶς, ἀφαιρούμενος ἡμῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν.

[¶2] 3. I beg you, men of the jury, to come to the aid of my father and myself, if our pleading shall seem just, and not suffer men who are poor and without influence to be crushed by the lawless men marshalled against us. For we have come before you relying upon the truth, well content if we are permitted to obtain our legal rights; while our adversaries have from the first never ceased to rely upon intrigue and the spending of money, and very naturally in my opinion; for they readily make expenditures from funds which belong to others, and so have provided themselves with a host of people who will speak in their behalf and give false testimony.

> Greek: 3. δέομαι δʼ ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, βοηθῆσαι τῷ τε πατρὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἐμοί, ἐὰν λέγωμεν τὰ δίκαια, καὶ μὴ περιιδεῖν πένητας ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἀσθενεῖς καταστασιασθέντας ὑπὸ παρατάξεως ἀδίκου. ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ταῖς ἀληθείαις πιστεύοντες εἰσεληλύθαμεν, καὶ ἀγαπῶντες, ἄν τις ἡμᾶς ἐᾷ τῶν νόμων τυγχάνειν· οὗτοι δὲ τῇ παρασκευῇ καὶ τοῖς ἀναλώμασιν ἰσχυριζόμενοι διατετελέκασιν, εἰκότως οἶμαι· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ῥᾳδίως ἀναλίσκουσιν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς συνεροῦντας ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν καὶ τοὺς μαρτυρήσοντας τὰ ψευδῆ πολλοὺς πεπορίσθαι.

[¶3] 4. My father here (for the truth shall be told you) comes into court with manifest signs that he is, as you are all aware, a poor man, and that he knows nothing of pleading in court; for he has long been a public crier in Peiraeus, and this is not only a sign of the poverty which is common to man, but also of the fact that he has no time to meddle with the law; for a man so employed has to spend the whole day in the market-place. If you bear this in mind, you will be forced to conclude that, if we did not rely upon the justice of our cause, we should never have come before you at all.

> Greek: 4. ὁ δὲ πατὴρ οὗτος (εἰρήσεται γάρ) ἅμα τῆς πενίας ἧς ὑμεῖς ἅπαντες ἴστε, καὶ τοῦ ἰδιώτης εἶναι φανερὰς ἔχων τὰς μαρτυρίας ἀγωνίζεται· διατελεῖ γὰρ ἐν Πειραιεῖ κηρύττων· τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον ἀπορίας ἀνθρωπίνης τεκμήριον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσχολίας τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ πραγματεύεσθαι· ἀνάγκη γὰρ ἡμερεύειν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ τὸν τοιοῦτον. ἃ δεῖ λογιζομένους ἐνθυμεῖσθαι ὅτι, εἰ μὴ τῷ δικαίῳ ἐπιστεύομεν, οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ εἰσήλθομεν εἰς ὑμᾶς.

[¶4] 5. With reference to matters of this nature you will gain clearer information in the course of my address, but I think I must now inform you about the affidavit and the case at issue. If, men of the jury, Leochares, basing his defence upon the affidavit itself, were going to prove that he is the lawfully born son of Archiades, there would be no need of many words, nor any need that I should trace our family line back to its origin;

> Greek: 5. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν τοιούτων καὶ προϊόντος τοῦ λόγου σαφέστερον ἀκούσεσθε· ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς διαμαρτυρίας καὶ τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἤδη νομίζω δεῖν διδάσκειν. εἰ μὲν οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐκ τῆς διαμαρτυρίας αὐτῆς Λεωχάρης ἔμελλεν ἀπολογούμενος δείξειν ὡς ἔστιν υἱὸς γνήσιος Ἀρχιάδου, οὐδὲν ἂν ἔδει πολλῶν λόγων, οὐδʼ ἄνωθεν ὑμᾶς ἐξετάζειν τὸ γένος τὸ ἡμέτερον·

[¶5] 6. but since the matters sworn to in the affidavit are of a different nature, and most of the arguments of our adversaries will be devoted to proving that they were adopted and should properly inherit the estate by right of descent as lawful children, it is necessary for this reason, men of the jury, to go back a little way and instruct you regarding the pedigree; for when you understand this matter clearly, there will be no danger of your being misled by their arguments.

> Greek: 6. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὰ μὲν διαμεμαρτυρημένα ἕτερον τρόπον ἔχει, ὁ δὲ πολὺς τοῦ λόγου τουτοισὶ ἔσται ὡς εἰσεποιήθησαν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀγχιστείαν γνήσιοι ὄντες δικαίως ἂν τῆς οὐσίας κληρονομοῖεν, ἀναγκαῖον, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, διὰ ταῦτα μικρῷ ἄνωθεν τὰ περὶ τοῦ γένους ὑμῖν διεξελθεῖν· ἐὰν γὰρ τοῦτο σαφῶς μάθητε, οὐ μὴ παρακρουσθῆτε ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῷ λόγῳ.

[¶6] 7. Very well then, the case before you is one to settle the title to an inheritance. Our claim to the estate is based upon descent, theirs upon adoption. We admit here in your presence that all adoptions, if rightly made in accordance with the laws, ought to be valid. Bear in mind, therefore, the bases upon which our respective claims rest, and if they prove to you that the laws grant what they have sworn in their affidavit, adjudge the estate to them.

> Greek: 7. ἔστιν γὰρ ὁ μὲν ἀγὼν οὑτοσὶ κλήρου διαδικασία, ἀμφισβητεῖται δὲ παρὰ μὲν ἡμῶν κατὰ γένος ἡ ἀγχιστεία, παρὰ δὲ τούτων κατὰ ποίησιν· ὁμολογοῦμεν δʼ ἐναντίον ὑμῶν δεῖν τὰς ποιήσεις κυρίας εἶναι, ὅσαι ἂν κατὰ τοὺς νόμους δικαίως γένωνται. ὥστε ταύτας τὰς ὑποθέσεις μεμνημένοι, ἂν δείξωσιν ὑμῖν διδόντας τοὺς νόμους αὑτοῖς ἃ διαμεμαρτυρήκασιν, ψηφίσασθε αὐτοῖς τὸν κλῆρον.

[¶7] 8. And even if they have not the support of the laws, but it seems to you that what they say is in accordance with justice and generosity, even so we withdraw our claim. However, that you may know that, while we are by descent the nearest of kin, we do not rest our case upon this alone, but upon all the other grounds as well, I will first instruct you regarding the family itself from which the inheritance comes; for I am sure that, if you follow with clear understanding this phase of the matter at issue, you will have no difficulty in grasping any of the other facts.

> Greek: 8. καὶ ἐὰν ἐκ μὲν τῶν νόμων μὴ ὑπάρχῃ, δίκαια δὲ καὶ φιλάνθρωπα φαίνωνται λέγοντες, καὶ ὣς συγχωροῦμεν. ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι κατὰ γένος ἐγγύτατα ὄντες οὐ μόνον τούτῳ ἐνισχυριζόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν, πρῶτον μὲν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γένους ὑμᾶς διδάξομεν, ὅθεν ἐστὶν ὁ κλῆρος· νομίζω γάρ, ἂν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει τοῦ ἀγῶνος σαφῶς παρακολουθήσητε, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑμᾶς οὐδενὸς ἀπολειφθήσεσθαι.

[¶8] 9. To go back to the beginning, men of the jury, there were born to Euthymachus, of Otrynê, three sons, Meidylides and Archippus and Archiades, and a daughter whose name was Archidicê. After the death of their father the brothers gave Archidicê in marriage to Leostratus of Eleusis; of the three brothers Archippus lost his life at Methymna while serving as trierarch, and Meidylides not long afterward married Mnesimache, the daughter of Lysippus of Crioa.

> Greek: 9. τὸ γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, γίγνονται Εὐθυμάχῳ τῷ Ὀτρυνεῖ υἱεῖς τρεῖς, Μειδυλίδης καὶ Ἄρχιππος καὶ Ἀρχιάδης, καὶ θυγάτηρ ᾗ ὄνομα ἦν Ἀρχιδίκη. τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῖς, τὴν μὲν Ἀρχιδίκην ἐκδιδόασιν Λεωστράτῳ Ἐλευσινίῳ, αὐτῶν δὲ τριῶν ὄντων ὁ μὲν Ἄρχιππος τριηραρχῶν ἐτελεύτησεν τὸν βίον ἐν Μηθύμνῃ, ὁ δὲ Μειδυλίδης οὐ πολλῷ χρόνῳ γαμεῖ ὕστερον Μνησιμάχην Λυσίππου τοῦ Κριωέως θυγατέρα.

[¶9] 10. To him there was born a daughter, Cleitomachê by name, whom he wished to give in marriage to his own brother, who was still unmarried; but since Archiades declared that he did not wish to marry, and for this reason allowed the property to remain undivided, and lived by himself in Salamis, Meidylides at length gave his daughter in marriage to Aristoteles of Pallenê, my grandfather. Of them were born three sons, Aristodemus here, my father, and Habronichus, my uncle, and Meidylides, who is now dead. Our right of inheritance, based on kinship in the family to which the estate belongs, is, men of the jury, substantially this.

> Greek: 10. καὶ γίγνεται αὐτῷ θυγάτηρ ὄνομα Κλειτομάχη, ἣν ἐβουλήθη μὲν ἐκεῖνος ἀγάμῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ ὄντι τῷ ἑαυτοῦ ἐκδοῦναι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Ἀρχιάδης οὐκ ἔφη προαιρεῖσθαι γαμεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν ἀνέμητον διὰ ταῦτα συγχωρήσας εἶναι ᾤκει καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐν τῇ Σαλαμῖνι, οὕτως ἤδη ὁ Μειδυλίδης ἐκδίδωσι τὴν αὑτοῦ θυγατέρα Ἀριστοτέλει Παλληνεῖ, τῷ πάππῳ τῷ ἐμῷ. καὶ γίγνονται ἐξ αὐτοῦ υἱεῖς τρεῖς, Ἀριστόδημός τε οὑτοσὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὁ ἐμὸς καὶ Ἁβρώνιχος ὁ θεῖος καὶ Μειδυλίδης, ὃς νῦν τετελευτηκὼς τυγχάνει.

[¶10] 11. For we are the nearest of kin to Archiades in the male line, and, as we deemed it right according to this law that we should inherit his estate, and not allow the family to be brought to extinction, we brought suit for the inheritance before the archon. Our opponents, who hold the property without right, have now filed an affidavit of objections, basing their entire claim upon adoption, but alleging also that they are near of kin.

> Greek: 11. καὶ ἡ μὲν τοῦ γένους ἀγχιστεία τοῦ ἡμετέρου, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ὁ κλῆρος, σχεδὸν οὕτως ἔχει, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. Ἀρχιάδῃ γὰρ πρὸς ἀνδρῶν ἡμεῖς μὲν γένει ἐγγυτάτω, καὶ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν νόμον ἀξιοῦντες τῆς ἐκείνου οὐσίας κληρονομεῖν καὶ τὸ γένος μὴ περιιδεῖν ἐξερημωθέν, ἐλάχομεν πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα τοῦ κλήρου· οὗτοι δὲ ἔχοντες οὐ δικαίως τὰ χρήματα διαμεμαρτυρήκασι νυνί, τὸ μὲν ὅλον ἰσχυριζόμενοι ποιήσει, φάσκοντες δὲ καὶ συγγενεῖς εἶναι.

[¶11] 12. Now, with regard to this adoption, we will show you plainly later on what its character was; but with reference to blood relationship, I must prove to you that they are not nearer of kin than we. One thing is admitted, that in the matter of inheritance males and those descended from males have the precedence, for the law explicitly gives the inheritance as their due to the nearest of kin in the male line, when there are no children. Well, it is we who answer this description; for Archiades is admitted to have died without issue, and we are the nearest of kin to him in the male line.

> Greek: 12. περὶ μὲν οὖν ταύτης τῆς ποιήσεως, ὃν τρόπον ἔχει, σαφῶς ὑμᾶς ὕστερον διδάξομεν· περὶ δὲ τοῦ γένους, ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶν ἡμῶν ἐγγυτέρω, τοῦτο δεῖ μαθεῖν ὑμᾶς. ἓν μὲν οὖν ὁμολογεῖται, τὸ κρατεῖν τῶν κληρονόμων τοὺς ἄρρενας καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἀρρένων· ἁπλῶς γὰρ τοῖς ἐγγυτάτω πρὸς ἀνδρῶν, ὅταν μὴ παῖδες ὦσιν, ὁ νόμος τὰς κληρονομίας ἀποδίδωσιν. οὗτοι δʼ ἐσμὲν ἡμεῖς· ἄπαις μὲν γὰρ ὁ Ἀρχιάδης ὁμολογεῖται τετελευτηκέναι, τούτῳ δὲ πρὸς ἀνδρῶν ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἐγγυτάτω.

[¶12] 13. And furthermore, we are also his nearest of kin in the female line; for Meidylides was the brother of Archiades, and the daughter of Meidylides was the mother of my father, so that Archiades, for whose inheritance we are now prosecuting our claim, is uncle (their fathers having been brothers) to the mother of my father, having this relationship in the male line, not in the female line. But Leostratus here is in kinship further removed, and is related to Archiades on the female side; for the mother of Leocrates, the father of the defendant, was niece to the Archiades in question and to Meidylides, as descendants of whom we claim the right to win the inheritance.

> Greek: 13. [πρὸς δὲ καὶ ἐκ γυναικῶν οἱ αὐτοὶ οὗτοι·] ὁ γὰρ Μειδυλίδης ἀδελφὸς ἦν τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου, τοῦ δὲ Μειδυλίδου θυγάτηρ ἡ τοῦ ἐμοῦ πατρὸς μήτηρ, ὥστε γίγνεται Ἀρχιάδης, ὑπὲρ οὗ τοῦ κλήρου τὴν ἐπιδικασίαν ποιούμεθα νυνί, θεῖος τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐμοῦ μητρὶ ἐκ πατραδέλφων, πρὸς ἀνδρῶν ἔχων τὴν συγγένειαν ταύτην καὶ οὐ πρὸς γυναικῶν. Λεώστρατος δʼ οὑτοσὶ γένει τε ἀπωτέρω ἐστὶν καὶ πρὸς γυναικῶν οἰκεῖος Ἀρχιάδῃ· ἡ γὰρ [τοῦ] Λεωκράτους μήτηρ τοῦ τούτου πατρὸς ἀδελφιδῆ ἦν τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ ἐκείνῳ καὶ τῷ Μειδυλίδῃ, ἀφʼ ὧν ἡμεῖς ὄντες ἀξιοῦμεν τῆς κληρονομίας τυχεῖν.

[¶13] 14. First, men of the jury, to prove that our pedigree is as I have stated, the clerk shall read you the depositions, and thereafter the law itself which awards inheritances to the families and to those nearest of kin in the male line. For, I take it, these are the essential points in the case and the matters upon which you cast your vote under oath. (To the clerk.) Call the witnesses up here, please, and read the law. The Witnesses. The Law Matters concerning their pedigree and concerning ours, men of the jury, stand thus, and so it is right that those who have proved on the basis of the affidavits themselves that they are nearer of kin, should have the inheritance, and that the madness of the one who made the affidavit of objections should not prove stronger than your laws.

> Greek: 14. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ὅτι οὕτως ἔχει ὥσπερ καὶ λέγομεν, ἀναγνώσεται ὑμῖν τὰς μαρτυρίας, ἔπειτα μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν νόμον αὐτὸν ⟨τὸν⟩ τοῖς τε γένεσι καὶ τοῖς ἐγγυτάτω πρὸς ἀνδρῶν τὰς κληρονομίας ἀποδιδόντα· τὰ γὰρ κεφάλαια τοῦ ἀγῶνος, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν ὀμωμοκότες οἴσετε τὴν ψῆφον, σχεδόν τι ταῦτʼ ἔστιν. καί μοι κάλει τούς τε μάρτυρας δευρὶ καὶ τὸν νόμον ἀναγίγνωσκε. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ. ΝΟΜΟΣ.

[¶14] 15. For if they lay stress on the adoption, the nature of which I shall make clear to you, yet surely after the death without issue of the adopted son, when the house up to the filing of our suit had become extinct, it is right that those who are nearest of kin should receive the inheritance, and that you should give your aid, not to those citizens who are able to get up the strongest backing, but to those who are suffering wrong.

> Greek: 15. τὰ μὲν τοίνυν περὶ τὸ γένος τό τε τούτων καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον οὕτως ἔχει, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὥστε τοὺς ἐπιδεδειχότας ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν μαρτυριῶν ὡς εἰσὶν γένει ἐγγυτέρω προσήκει κληρονομεῖν, καὶ μὴ τὴν τοῦ διαμαρτυρήσαντος ἀπόνοιαν κρείττω τῶν ὑμετέρων νόμων γενέσθαι. καὶ γὰρ εἰ τῇ ποιήσει ἰσχυρίζονται, ἣν ὡς ἐγένετο ἡμεῖς δείξομεν, τετελευτηκότος γε τοῦ εἰσποιηθέντος δήπου ἄπαιδος καὶ τοῦ οἴκου μέχρι τῆς ἡμετέρας λήξεως ἐξηρημωμένου, πῶς οὐ προσήκει τοὺς ἐγγυτάτω γένει ὄντας, τούτους τὴν κληρονομίαν κομίσασθαι, καὶ ὑμᾶς μὴ τοῖς δυναμένοις ἄριστα παρασκευάσασθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις τῶν πολιτῶν βοηθεῖν;

[¶15] 16. If it had been in our power, after setting forth matters regarding the pedigree and the affidavit itself, to leave the platform, and to have no need of further words, since practically the most important arguments would have been advanced, we should not trouble you further. But since our opponents will not rely upon the laws, but through having forestalled us and got some control of the situation long ago, and through having entered into possession of the estate, will use these facts as proofs, and declare that they are the heirs, it is perhaps necessary to discuss these matters as well, and to prove that of all humankind our opponents are the most arbitrary.

> Greek: 16. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἦν ὥστε δείξασιν τὰ περὶ τοῦ γένους καὶ τῆς διαμαρτυρίας αὐτῆς καταβῆναι καὶ μηδενὸς ἔτι πλείονος λόγου προσδεῖσθαι, σχεδόν τι τῶν μεγίστων εἰρημένων οὐκ ἂν ἠνωχλοῦμεν τὰ πλείω. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὗτοι τοῖς μὲν νόμοις οὐκ ἐνισχυριοῦνται, τῷ δὲ προειληφέναι τι τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ τοῦ ἄνωθεν χρόνου καὶ τῷ ἐμβεβατευκέναι εἰς τὴν οὐσίαν, τούτοις τεκμηρίοις χρώμενοι φήσουσι κληρονομεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον ἴσως καὶ περὶ τούτων ἐστὶν εἰπεῖν καὶ δεῖξαι τούτους πάντων ἀνθρώπων βιαιοτάτους ὄντας.

[¶16] 17. To go back to the beginning, men of the jury, Meidylides and Archiades gave their sister in marriage to Leostratus of Eleusis; and after a time from this sister of theirs, thus given in marriage, there was born Leocrates, the Iather of the defendant Leostratus; observe how distantly related he is to Archiades, regarding whom they have filed the affidavit of objections. When matters were as I have stated, Archiades did not marry, but his brother Meidylides, the grandfather of my father here, did marry.

> Greek: 17. τὸ γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐκδιδόασιν τὴν ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὁ Μειδυλίδης καὶ ὁ Ἀρχιάδης Λεωστράτῳ Ἐλευσινίῳ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐκ θυγατρὸς τῆς ἐκδοθείσης ἀδελφῆς ταύτης αὐτῶν γίγνεται Λεωκράτης ὁ πατὴρ Λεωστράτου τουτουί, σκέψασθε ὡς πολλοστὸς εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου συγγένειαν προσήκων, ὑπὲρ οὗ τὴν διαμαρτυρίαν πεποίηται. τούτων δʼ οὕτως ἐχόντων ὁ μὲν Ἀρχιάδης οὐκ ἐγάμει, ὁ δὲ Μειδυλίδης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, πάππος δὲ τουτουὶ ἔγημε.

[¶17] 18. They made as yet no division of the property, but, both having enough to live on, Meidylides continued to live in the city, and Archiades made his home in Salamis. Not long afterward, when Meidylides, my father’s grandfather, happened to go on a journey out of the country, Archiades fell sick, and died during the absence of Meidylides, being still unmarried. What is the proof of this? A maiden bearing an urn for water stands upon the tomb of Archiades.

> Greek: 18. καὶ οὐδέπω τὴν οὐσίαν ἐνέμοντο, ἀλλʼ ἑκάτερος ἔχων τὰ ἱκανὰ ὁ μὲν Μειδυλίδης ἐν τῷ ἄστει διέμενεν, ὁ δὲ Ἀρχιάδης ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ᾤκει. οὐ πολλῷ δὲ χρόνῳ ὕστερον ἀποδημίας τινὸς εἰς τὴν ὑπερορίαν συμβάσης τῷ Μειδυλίδῃ τῷ πάππῳ τῷ τοῦ πατρός, ἠρρώστησεν ὁ Ἀρχιάδης, καὶ τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον ἀπόντος τοῦ Μειδυλίδου ἄγαμος ὤν. τί τούτου σημεῖον; λουτροφόρος ἐφέστηκεν ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου τάφῳ.

[¶18] 19. At this juncture Leocrates, the father of Leostratus here, on the pretext of his relationship on the female side, got himself adopted as son to Archiades, and so entered into possession of the estate, as though he had been adopted by Archiades during his lifetime. When Meidylides returned, he was incensed at what had been done, and was in a mood to enter suit against Leocrates; but under the persuasion of his relatives and their pleas that he should suffer Leocrates to remain in the family as the son by adoption of Archiades, he yielded the point,—not through losing his case in court, but absolutely through being deceived by these men here and partly also through giving way to the persuasion of his relatives.

> Greek: 19. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἔχων τὴν τῆς συγγενείας τῆς πρὸς γυναικῶν πρόφασιν Λεωκράτης ὁ τουτουὶ πατὴρ Λεωστράτου εἰσποιεῖ αὑτὸν υἱὸν τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ, καὶ ἐνεβάτευσεν οὕτως εἰς τὴν οὐσίαν ὡς ὑπʼ ἐκείνου ζῶντος ἔτι εἰσποιηθείς. ἀφικόμενος δὲ ὁ Μειδυλίδης ἠγανάκτει τε τῷ γεγενημένῳ καὶ οἷος ἦν ἐπεξιέναι τῷ Λεωκράτει· πειθόντων δὲ τῶν οἰκείων καὶ δεομένων ἐᾶν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ εἶναι τὸν Λεωκράτην υἱὸν εἰσποιητὸν τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ, συνεχώρησεν ὁ Μειδυλίδης, οὐχ ἡττηθεὶς ἐν δικαστηρίῳ, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ὅλον ὑπὸ τούτων ἀπατηθείς, ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις πειθόμενος.

[¶19] 20. After this experience Meidylides died, and Leocrates continued in possession of the estate of Archiades, and conducted himself as heir for many years, as being his adopted son; and we, on our part, inasmuch as Meidylides had made this concession, refrained from action. No long time afterwards, however,—and now, men of the jury, pay close heed to what I am about to say— Leocrates, who had become son by adoption to Archiades, himself returned to the Eleusinians, to whom he originally belonged, leaving Leostratus here in the family as a lawfully born son.

> Greek: 20. καὶ ὁ μὲν Μειδυλίδης ταῦτα πράξας τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον, ὁ δὲ Λεωκράτης εἶχεν τὴν τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου οὐσίαν καὶ ἐκληρονόμει πολλὰ ἔτη ὡς ἂν ἐκείνου υἱὸς ποιητός· ἡμεῖς δὲ παρὰ τὸ τὸν Μειδυλίδην ταῦτα συγχωρῆσαι ἡσυχίαν εἴχομεν. χρόνῳ δʼ ὕστερον οὐ πολλῷ—τοῖς γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτα λόγοις ἤδη σφόδρα τὸν νοῦν προσέχετε, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί·

[¶20] 21. Even then we did not as yet disturb any of the arrangements regarding the estate, but continued as before. Well now, Leostratus here, although he was an adopted son and had been left in the family of Archiades, himself returned, as his father had done, to the Eleusinians, leaving in his place a lawfully born son, and, in defiance of the laws, setting up the original adoption as valid through the lives of three persons.

> Greek: 21. ὁ γὰρ Λεωκράτης ὁ εἰσποιητὸς γενόμενος τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ, ἐγκαταλιπὼν τουτονὶ Λεώστρατον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ υἱὸν γνήσιον, ἐπανῆλθεν αὐτὸς εἰς τοὺς Ἐλευσινίους, ὅθεν ἦν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς. καὶ οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθα οὐδέπω ἡμεῖς οὐδὲν τῶν πραγμάτων ⟨τῶν⟩ περὶ τὸν κλῆρον ἐκινοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ ἐμένομεν ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν. πάλιν τοίνυν Λεώστρατος αὐτὸς οὑτοσί, εἰσποιητὸς ὢν υἱὸς καὶ ἐγκαταλειφθεὶς ἐν τῷ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου οἴκῳ, ἐπανέρχεται, ὥσπερ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἐλευσινίους, ἐγκαταλιπὼν υἱὸν γνήσιον καὶ διὰ τριῶν σωμάτων κυρίαν τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ποίησιν παρὰ τοὺς νόμους καταστήσας.

[¶21] 23. For how could it be other than contrary to the laws, when one, being himself an adopted son, returned to his original family leaving adopted sons in his place? That is what Leostratus has done up to this day, and by this means they think to rob us of our inheritance, making profit from the estate of Archiades, and supporting their children by it, and always returning from it to the estate of their fathers, keeping that intact, while spending the other.

> Greek: 23. πῶς γὰρ οὐ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους, ὁπότʼ εἰσποιητὸς αὐτὸς ὢν εἰσποιητοὺς υἱοὺς ἐγκαταλείπων ἐπανῄει; καὶ τοῦτο διατετέλεκε ποιῶν μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ διὰ τούτου τοῦ τρόπου τὴν κληρονομίαν ἡμῶν ἀποστερήσειν οἴονται, ἐνεργαζόμενοι μὲν καὶ ἐμπαιδοτροφούμενοι τῇ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου οὐσίᾳ, ἐπανιόντες δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν πατρῴαν οὐσίαν ἐκεῖθεν ἀεί, κἀκείνην μὲν ἀκέραιον φυλάττοντες, ταύτην δʼ ἀναλίσκοντες.

[¶22] 24. Nevertheless, although matters were in this condition, as I have told you, we submitted to everything. Until when? Until Leocrates, who had been left by Leostratus in the house as a son, died without issue. But since he died without issue, we, who are nearest of kin to Archiades, claim to inherit the property; and we claim that the defendant cannot, in order to rob us of what is ours, give an adopted son to the dead man who was himself adopted.

> Greek: 24. ἀλλʼ ὅμως τούτων τοιούτων ὄντων, ὅπερ εἶπον, ἡμεῖς ὑπεμένομεν ἅπαντα. μέχρι τίνος; ἕως ὁ Λεωκράτης ὁ ὑπὸ Λεωστράτου ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τῷ Ἀρχιάδου ἐγκαταλειφθεὶς υἱὸς τετελεύτηκεν ἄπαις. τούτου δὲ ἄπαιδος τετελευτηκότος, ἀξιοῦμεν ἡμεῖς οἱ γένει ἐγγυτάτω ὄντες Ἀρχιάδῃ κληρονομεῖν τῆς οὐσίας, καὶ μὴ τῷ τετελευτηκότι τῷ αὐτῷ εἰσποιητῷ ὄντι υἱὸν εἰσποιεῖν ἐπʼ ἀποστερήσει τῶν ἡμετέρων.

[¶23] 25. For if Leocrates had himself adopted a son during his lifetime, even though the action was contrary to law, we should have made no protest; but since he had no son born to him, nor had adopted one during his lifetime, and as the law gives inheritances to the nearest of kin, how can it be other than right that we should not be robbed of this inheritance, to which we have a double title?

> Greek: 25. εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ζῶν ἐποιήσατο, καίπερ ὄντος παρὰ τὸν νόμον τοῦ ἔργου, οὐκ ἀντιλέγομεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὔτε γόνῳ ἦν αὐτῷ υἱὸς οὐδεὶς οὔτʼ ἐποιήσατο ζῶν, ὁ δὲ νόμος τοῖς ἐγγύτατα γένους τὰς κληρονομίας ἀποδίδωσι, πῶς οὐ δίκαιοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς τούτων μὴ ἀποστερηθῆναι κατʼ ἀμφότερα;

[¶24] 26. For we are nearest of kin to Archiades, to whom the property originally belonged, and also to the adopted Leocrates; for his father, seeing that he has returned to the Eleusinians, no longer retained his legal relationship, whereas we, to whose family he had come to belong, had the closest relationship, being children of that father’s first cousin. So, if you like, we claim the inheritance as kinsmen of Archiades, or, if you like it better, as kinsmen of Leocrates; for since he died without issue, no one is nearer of kin than we.

> Greek: 26. καὶ γὰρ τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ, οὗ ἦν ἡ οὐσία τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἐγγυτάτω γένει ἐσμὲν καὶ τῷ εἰσποιητῷ Λεωκράτει· τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐπανεληλυθὼς εἰς τοὺς Ἐλευσινίους οὐκέτι τὴν κατὰ τὸν νόμον οἰκειότητα ἔλιπεν αὑτῷ, ἡμεῖς δέ, παρʼ οἷς ἦν ἐν τῷ γένει, τὴν ἀναγκαιοτάτην συγγένειαν εἴχομεν, ὄντες ἀνεψιαδοῖ ἐκείνῳ. ὥστʼ εἰ μὲν βούλει, τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου συγγενεῖς ὄντες ἀξιοῦμεν κληρονομεῖν, εἰ δὲ βούλει, τοῦ Λεωκράτους· τετελευτηκότος γὰρ ἄπαιδος αὐτοῦ, οὐδεὶς ἡμῶν γένει ἐγγυτέρω ἐστί.

[¶25] 27. So far as you are concerned, Leostratus, the family has become extinct; for you sought to maintain a relationship with the property, not with those who adopted you. After the death of Leocrates, so long as no one laid claim to the estate, you sought to get no one adopted as a son to Archiades; but now that we have come forward as kinsmen, then you get one adopted, that you may get possession of the property. And you declare that Archiades, into whose house you were adopted, had no property, yet you file an affidavit of objections against us, seeking to exclude his acknowledged kindred. If there is nothing in the estate, wherein do you suffer loss, if we inherit this nothing?

> Greek: 27. καὶ διὰ μὲν σέ, ὦ Λεώστρατε, ὁ οἶκος ἐξηρήμωται· τῆς γὰρ οὐσίας τὴν οἰκειότητα, οὐ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν ποιησαμένων διετήρεις. ἕως μέν γε τελευτήσαντος τούτου οὐδεὶς ἠμφεσβήτει τοῦ κλήρου, οὐδένα εἰσεποίεις τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ υἱόν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡμεῖς συγγενεῖς ὄντες ἥκομεν εἰς τὸ μέσον, τηνικαῦτα εἰσποιεῖς, ἵνα τὴν οὐσίαν κατάσχῃς. καὶ φὴς μὲν οὐδὲν εἶναι τῷ Ἀρχιάδῃ, πρὸς ὃν εἰσεποιήθης, διαμαρτυρεῖς δὲ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, τὸ ὁμολογούμενον γένος ἐξελαύνων· εἰ γὰρ μηδέν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ, τί σὺ ἐλαττοῖ τοῦ μηδενὸς ἡμῶν κληρονομησάντων;

[¶26] 28. But the fact is, men of the jury, that his impudence and greed are such that he thinks it is legitimate for him to return to the Eleusinians and retain the estate of his fathers, and at the same time to be master of that into which he was introduced by adoption, there being no son in the family. And all this he easily managed, for over us, who are poor men and men without influence, he has a great advantage, since he is able to spend what belongs to others. I consider, therefore, that it is your duty, men of the jury, to give aid to us who are not seeking to gain an advantage over others, but who are content if we are allowed to win our legal rights.

> Greek: 28. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἡ ἀναίδεια καὶ ἡ πλεονεξία τοιαύτη ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὥσθʼ ἡγεῖσθαι δεῖν ἐν Ἐλευσινίοις τε τὴν πατρῴαν οὐσίαν ἐπανελθὼν ἔχειν, ἐφʼ ἅ τʼ εἰσεποιήθη μὴ ὄντος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ υἱοῦ, καὶ τούτων κύριος γενέσθαι. καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ῥᾳδίως διοικεῖται· πρὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπους ἡμᾶς πένητας καὶ ἀδυνάτους ἔχων ἀναλίσκειν ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων πολὺ περίεστιν. διόπερ οἶμαι ὑμᾶς δεῖν βοηθεῖν τοῖς μὴ πλεονεκτῆσαί τι βουλομένοις, ἀλλʼ ἀγαπῶσιν ἐάν τις ἡμᾶς τῶν νόμων ἐᾷ τυγχάνειν.

[¶27] 29. For what are we to do, men of the jury? When the adoption has been continued through three persons, and the one last left in the family has died without issue, are we not at the last to recover what is our own? Well then, having this just claim, we brought suit for the inheritance before the archon. But this fellow Leochares here, having lightly sworn a false affidavit, thinks that he has the right to rob us of the inheritance in defiance of all the laws.

> Greek: 29. τί γὰρ δεῖ ποιεῖν ἡμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί; διὰ τριῶν τῆς ποιήσεως ἐμμενούσης, καὶ τοῦ τελευταίου ἐγκαταλειφθέντος, τούτου ἄπαιδος τετελευτηκότος, μὴ κομίσασθαι τὰ ἡμέτερʼ αὐτῶν χρόνῳ ποτέ; τοῦτο τοίνυν ἔχοντες τὸ δίκαιον ἐλάχομεν τοῦ κλήρου πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα. οὑτοσὶ δὲ Λεωχάρης προπετῶς διαμαρτυρήσας τὰ ψευδῆ, οἴεται δεῖν παρὰ πάντας τοὺς νόμους ἀποστερῆσαι ἡμᾶς τῆς κληρονομίας.

[¶28] 30. First, then, to prove that what we have stated about the adoptions and the pedigree of these men is true, and that the water-bearer does stand upon the tomb of Archiades, we wish to read to you these depositions. After that we will instruct you plainly regarding the remaining matters as well, and so convict our opponents of having sworn a false affidavit. (To the clerk.) Take, please, the depositions of which I speak. The Depositions Such is the real meaning of this affair, men of the jury, and such the legal rights of inheritance, plainly stated; and you have also heard what amounts to a summary of all that has been done from the start.

> Greek: 30. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν, ὅτι τά τε περὶ τὰς ποιήσεις καὶ τὸ γένος τὸ τούτων ἀληθῆ εἰρήκαμεν, καὶ ἡ λουτροφόρος ἐφέστηκεν ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου μνήματι, ταύτας ὑμῖν τὰς μαρτυρίας βουλόμεθʼ ἀναγνῶναι· ἔπειτʼ ἤδη καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ σαφῶς διδάξομεν ὑμᾶς, ὥστʼ ἐξελέγξαι τούτους τὰ ψευδῆ διαμεμαρτυρηκότας. καί μοι λαβὲ τὰς μαρτυρίας ἃς λέγω. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΙ.

[¶29] 31. But I consider it necessary to tell you also of what they have done since the suit for the inheritance was instituted, and the manner in which they have treated us; for in my opinion no other people have ever in an inheritance suit been dealt with in a manner so contrary to law as we have been.

> Greek: 31. ὁ μὲν τοίνυν τοῦ πράγματος λόγος καὶ τὸ ἁπλοῦν δίκαιον περὶ τῆς κληρονομίας οὕτως ἔχει, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τῶν τε πεπραγμένων ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτὰ τὰ κεφάλαια σχεδόν τι ἀκηκόατε. ἃ δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ κλήρου λῆξιν πεποιήκασι καὶ ὃν τρόπον ἡμῖν κεχρημένοι εἰσίν, ἀναγκαῖον νομίζω εἰπεῖν· οἴομαι γὰρ περὶ κλήρου ἀγῶνα μηδένας ἄλλους παρανενομῆσθαι τοιαῦτα οἷα ἡμᾶς.

[¶30] 32. For when Leocrates died, and his funeral had taken place, and we went to take possession of his property, since he had died without issue and unmarried, Leostratus here ejected us, declaring that it belonged to him. Now his preventing us from performing any of the proper rites for the deceased is perhaps to be excused, seeing that he was his father, although the act was contrary to law; for it is proper that the care of the funeral should be committed to the natural father, but, next after him, also to us the members of the family to whom the deceased was related by virtue of the adoption.

> Greek: 32. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ Λεωκράτης καὶ ἡ ταφὴ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ, πορευομένων ἡμῶν εἰς τὰ κτήματα διὰ τὸ ἄπαιδά τε τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ἄγαμον τετελευτηκέναι, ἐξήγαγε Λεώστρατος οὑτοσὶ φάσκων αὑτοῦ εἶναι. καὶ ὅτι μὲν ποιεῖν τι τῶν νομιζομένων ἐκώλυσεν ἡμᾶς τῷ τετελευτηκότι, πατὴρ ὢν αὐτὸς ἐκείνου, ἴσως ἔχει λόγον, καίπερ ὄντος παρανόμου τοῦ ἔργου· τῷ γὰρ φύσει ὄντι πατρὶ τῆς ταφῆς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν παραδίδοσθαι εἰκός ἐστιν, ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἡμῖν, ὧν ἦν συγγενὴς κατὰ τὴν ποίησιν ὁ τετελευτηκώς.

[¶31] 33. But after the funeral rites were finished, what law will be found to justify him, when the family was extinct, in driving us, the nearest of kin, from the estate of the deceased? Because, they will say, he was father to the dead man. Yes, but he had returned to the family of his fathers, and was no longer master of the estate over which he had left his son in charge. Otherwise what is the use of the laws?

> Greek: 33. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ νομιζόμενα ἐγένετο, κατὰ ποῖον νόμον φανεῖται ἐρήμου ὄντος τοῦ οἴκου τοὺς ἐγγυτάτω γένους ἡμᾶς ἐξαγαγὼν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας; ὅτι νὴ Δία πατὴρ ἦν τοῦ τετελευτηκότος. ἀπεληλυθώς γʼ εἰς τὸν πατρῷον οἶκον καὶ οὐκέτι τῆς οὐσίας ἐφʼ ᾗ ἐγκατέλιπεν τὸ υἱόν, κύριος ὤν· εἰ δὲ μή, τί τῶν νόμων ὄφελος;

[¶32] 34. Well, after our ejectment had taken place (to omit most of the details) we brought suit for the inheritance before the archon, inasmuch as the deceased had no son, as I stated, and had not adopted any according to the laws. After this, Leostratus here made a deposit for costs, as being the son of the aforesaid Archiades, not taking into account that he had returned to the Eleusinians, or that adopted children are made such, not by themselves but by those who adopt them.

> Greek: 34. γενομένης οὖν τῆς ἐξαγωγῆς, ἵνα τὰ πλεῖστα παραλίπω, ἐλάχομεν πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα τοῦ κλήρου, οὔτε γόνῳ, ὥσπερ εἶπον, ⟨υἱέος⟩ οὐδενὸς ὄντος τῷ τετελευτηκότι, οὔτʼ εἰσποιητοῦ γεγενημένου κατὰ τοὺς νόμους. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Λεώστρατος οὑτοσὶ παρακαταβάλλει ὡς υἱὸς Ἀρχιάδου ἐκείνου, οὐκ ἐπιλογισάμενος οὔθʼ ὅτι ἐπανεληλύθει εἰς τοὺς Ἐλευσινίους, οὔθʼ ὅτι οἱ εἰσποιητοὶ οὐκ αὐτοὶ ὑφʼ αὑτῶν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τῶν εἰσποιουμένων καθίστανται·