---
title: "Against Neaera · Κατὰ Νεαίρας"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "Augustus Taber Murray"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 3
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-neaera/2/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. Augustus Taber Murray, Against Neaera · Κατὰ Νεαίρας, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-neaera/2/"
---

# Against Neaera · Κατὰ Νεαίρας

*Demosthenes, tr. Augustus Taber Murray*

Apollodorus accuses a former courtesan of living as an Athenian wife: the fullest picture of the lives of women in classical Athens.

> Greek: ed. William Rennie, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg059, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Augustus Taber Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg059.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.

## 2. Sections 45–86

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-neaera/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-against-neaera/2/#p-N

[¶0] 45. So, then, Phrynion brought suit against Stephanus for having taken this woman Neaera from him and asserted her freedom, and for having received the goods which Neaera had brought with her from Phrynion’s house. Their friends, however, brought them together and induced them to submit their quarrel to arbitration. On behalf of Phrynion, Satyrus of Alopecê, the brother of Lacedaemonius, sat as arbitrator, and on behalf of Stephanus here, Saurias of Lamptrae; and they added to their number by common consent Diogeiton of Acharnae.

> Greek: 45. λαχόντος τοίνυν αὐτῷ τοῦ Φρυνίωνος δίκην, ὅτι αὐτοῦ ἀφείλετο Νέαιραν ταυτηνὶ εἰς ἐλευθερίαν, καὶ ὅτι, ἃ ἐξῆλθεν ἔχουσα παρʼ αὐτοῦ αὕτη, ὑπεδέξατο, συνῆγον αὐτοὺς οἱ ἐπιτήδειοι καὶ ἔπεισαν δίαιταν ἐπιτρέψαι αὑτοῖς. καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τοῦ Φρυνίωνος διαιτητὴς ἐκαθέζετο Σάτυρος Ἀλωπεκῆθεν ὁ Λακεδαιμονίου ἀδελφός, ὑπὲρ δὲ Στεφάνου τουτουὶ Σαυρίας Λαμπτρεύς· κοινὸν δὲ αὑτοῖς προσαιροῦνται Διογείτονα Ἀχαρνέα.

[¶1] 46. These men came together in the temple, and after hearing the facts from both parties and from the woman herself gave their decision, and these men acceded to it. The terms were: that the woman should be free and her own mistress, but that she should give back to Phrynion all that she had taken with her from his house except the clothing and the jewels and the maid-servants; for these had been bought for the use of the woman herself; and that she should live with each of the men on alternate days, and if they should mutually agree upon any other arrangement, that arrangement should be binding; that she should be maintained by the one who for the time had her in his keeping; and that for the future the men should be friends with one another and bear no malice.

> Greek: 46. συνελθόντες δʼ οὗτοι ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ἀκούσαντες ἀμφοτέρων καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀνθρώπου τὰ πεπραγμένα, γνώμην ἀπεφήναντο, καὶ οὗτοι ἐνέμειναν αὐτῇ, τὴν μὲν ἄνθρωπον ἐλευθέραν εἶναι καὶ αὐτὴν αὑτῆς κυρίαν, ἃ δʼ ἐξῆλθεν ἔχουσα Νέαιρα παρὰ Φρυνίωνος χωρὶς ἱματίων καὶ χρυσίων καὶ θεραπαινῶν, ἃ αὐτῇ τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ ἠγοράσθη, ἀποδοῦναι Φρυνίωνι πάντα· συνεῖναι δʼ ἑκατέρῳ ἡμέραν παρʼ ἡμέραν· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἄλλως πως ἀλλήλους πείθωσι, ταῦτα κύρια εἶναι· τὰ δʼ ἐπιτήδεια τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ τὸν ἔχοντα ἀεὶ παρέχειν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνου φίλους εἶναι ἀλλήλοις καὶ μὴ μνησικακεῖν.

[¶2] 47. Such were the terms of the reconciliation effected by the arbitrators between Phrynion and Stephanus in regard to this woman Neaera. To prove that these statements of mine are true, the clerk shall read you the deposition regarding these matters. (To the clerk.) Please call Satyrus of Alopecê, Saurias of Lamptrae, and Aristogeiton of Acharnae. The Deposition “Satyrus of Alopecê, Saurias of Lamptrae, and Diogeiton of Acharnae depose that, having been appointed arbitrators in the matter of Neaera, the present defendant, they brought about a reconciliation between Stephanus and Phrynion, and that the terms on which the reconciliation was brought about were such as Apollodorus produces.” The Terms of Reconciliation “They have reconciled Phrynion and Stephanus on the following terms: that each of them shall keep Neaera at his house and have her at his disposal for an equal number of days in the month, unless they shall themselves agree upon some other arrangement.”

> Greek: 47. ἡ μὲν οὖν γνωσθεῖσα διαλλαγὴ ὑπὸ τῶν διαιτητῶν Φρυνίωνι καὶ Στεφάνῳ περὶ Νεαίρας ταυτησὶ αὕτη ἐστίν. ὅτι δʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω ταῦτα, τούτων ὑμῖν τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἀναγνώσεται. κάλει μοι Σάτυρον Ἀλωπεκῆθεν, Σαυρίαν Λαμπτρέα, Διογείτονα Ἀχαρνέα. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ. Σάτυρος Ἀλωπεκῆθεν, Σαυρίας Λαμπτρεύς, Διογείτων Ἀχαρνεὺς μαρτυροῦσι διαλλάξαι διαιτηταὶ γενόμενοι περὶ Νεαίρας τῆς νυνὶ ἀγωνιζομένης Στέφανον καὶ Φρυνίωνα· τὰς δὲ διαλλαγὰς εἶναι, καθʼ ἃς διήλλαξαν, οἵας παρέχεται Ἀπολλόδωρος. ΔΙΑΛΛΑΓΑΙ. κατὰ τάδε διήλλαξαν Φρυνίωνα καὶ Στέφανον, χρῆσθαι ἑκάτερον Νεαίρᾳ τὰς ἴσας ἡμέρας τοῦ μηνὸς παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς ἔχοντας, ἂν μή τι ἄλλο αὐτοὶ αὑτοῖς συγχωρήσωσιν.

[¶3] 48. When the reconciliation had been brought about, those who had assisted either party in the arbitration and the whole affair did just what I fancy is always done, especially when the quarrel is about a courtesan. They went to dine at the house of whichever of the two had Neaera in his keeping, and the woman dined and drank with them, as being a courtesan. To prove that these statements of mine are true,
(oo the clerk) call, please as witnesses those who were present with them, Eubulus of Probalinthus, Diopeithes of Melitê, and Cteson of Cerameis. The Deposition “Eubulus of Probalinthus, Diopeithes of Melitê, and Cteson of Cerameis, depose that after the reconciliation in the matter of Neaera was brought about between Phrynion and Stephanus they frequently dined with them and drank in the company of Neaera, the present defendant, both when Neaera was at the house of Stephanus and when she was at the house of Phrynion.”

> Greek: 48. ὡς δʼ ἀπηλλαγμένοι ἦσαν, οἱ παρόντες ἑκατέρῳ ἐπὶ τῇ διαίτῃ καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν, οἷον οἶμαι φιλεῖ γίγνεσθαι ἑκάστοτε, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ ἑταίρας οὔσης αὐτοῖς τῆς διαφορᾶς, ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ᾖσαν ὡς ἑκάτερον αὐτῶν, ὁπότε καὶ Νέαιραν ἔχοιεν, καὶ αὑτηὶ συνεδείπνει καὶ συνέπινεν ὡς ἑταίρα οὖσα. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, κάλει μοι μάρτυρας τοὺς συνόντας αὐτοῖς, Εὔβουλον Προβαλίσιον, Διοπείθην Μελιτέα, Κτήσωνα ἐκ Κεραμέων. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ. Εὔβουλος Προβαλίσιος, Διοπείθης Μελιτεύς, Κτήσων ἐκ Κεραμέων μαρτυροῦσιν, ἐπειδὴ αἱ διαλλαγαὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ περὶ Νεαίρας Φρυνίωνι καὶ Στεφάνῳ, πολλάκις συνδειπνῆσαι αὐτοῖς καὶ συμπίνειν μετὰ Νεαίρας τῆς νυνὶ ἀγωνιζομένης, καὶ ὁπότε παρὰ Στεφάνῳ εἴη Νέαιρα καὶ ὁπότε παρὰ Φρυνίωνι.

[¶4] 49. I have, then, shown you in my argument, and the testimony of witnesses has proved: that Neaera was originally a slave, that she was twice sold, that she made her living by prostitution as a courtesan; that she ran away from Phrynion to Megara, and that on her return she was forced to give bonds as an alien before the polemarch. I wish now to show you that Stephanus here has himself given evidence against her, proving her to be an alien.

> Greek: 49. ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δούλη ἦν καὶ ἐπράθη δὶς καὶ ἠργάζετο τῷ σώματι ὡς ἑταίρα οὖσα, καὶ ἀπέδρα τὸν Φρυνίωνα εἰς Μέγαρα, καὶ ἥκουσα κατηγγυήθη ὡς ξένη οὖσα πρὸς τῷ πολεμάρχῳ, τῷ τε λόγῳ ἀποφαίνω ὑμῖν καὶ μεμαρτύρηται. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμῖν καὶ αὐτὸν Στέφανον τουτονὶ ἐπιδεῖξαι καταμεμαρτυρηκότʼ αὐτῆς ὡς ἔστι ξένη.

[¶5] 50. The daughter of this woman Neaera, whom she brought with her as a small child to the house of Stephanus, and whom they then called Strybele, but now call Phano, was given in marriage by this fellow Stephanus as being his own daughter to an Athenian, Phrastor, of Aegilia; and a marriage portion of thirty minae was given with her. When she came to the house of Phrastor, who was a laboring man and one who had acquired his means by frugal living, she did not know how to adjust herself to his ways, but sought to emulate her mother’s habits and the dissolute manner of living in her house, having, I suppose, been brought up in such licentiousness.

> Greek: 50. τὴν γὰρ θυγατέρα τὴν ταυτησὶ Νεαίρας, ἣν ἦλθεν ἔχουσα ὡς τουτονὶ παιδάριον μικρόν, ἣν τότε μὲν Στρυβήλην ἐκάλουν, νυνὶ δὲ Φανώ, ἐκδίδωσι Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ ὡς οὖσαν αὑτοῦ θυγατέρα ἀνδρὶ Ἀθηναίῳ Φράστορι Αἰγιλιεῖ, καὶ προῖκα ἐπʼ αὐτῇ δίδωσι τριάκοντα μνᾶς. ὡς δʼ ἦλθεν ὡς τὸν Φράστορα, ἄνδρα ἐργάτην καὶ ἀκριβῶς τὸν βίον συνειλεγμένον, οὐκ ἠπίστατο τοῖς τοῦ Φράστορος τρόποις ἀρέσκειν, ἀλλʼ ἐζήτει τὰ τῆς μητρὸς ἔθη καὶ τὴν παρʼ αὐτῇ ἀκολασίαν, ἐν τοιαύτῃ οἶμαι ἐξουσίᾳ τεθραμμένη.

[¶6] 51. Phrastor, seeing that she was not a decent woman and that she was not minded to listen to his advice, and, further, having learned now beyond all question that she was the daughter, not of Stephanus, but of Neaera, and that he had been deceived in the first place at the time of the betrothal, when he had received her as the daughter, not of Neaera, but of Stephanus by an Athenian woman, whom he had married before he lived with Neaera—angered at all this and considering that he had been treated with outrage and hoodwinked, he put away the woman after living with her for about a year, she being pregnant at the time, and refused to pay back the marriage portion.

> Greek: 51. ὁρῶν δὲ Φράστωρ αὐτὴν οὔτε κοσμίαν οὖσαν οὔτʼ ἐθέλουσαν αὑτοῦ ἀκροᾶσθαι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ πεπυσμένος σαφῶς ἤδη ὅτι Στεφάνου μὲν οὐκ εἴη θυγάτηρ, Νεαίρας δέ, τὸ δὲ πρῶτον ἐξηπατήθη, ὅτʼ ἠγγυᾶτο ὡς Στεφάνου θυγατέρα λαμβάνων καὶ οὐ Νεαίρας, ἀλλὰ τούτῳ ἐξ ἀστῆς αὐτὴν γυναικὸς οὖσαν πρότερον πρὶν ταύτῃ συνοικῆσαι, ὀργισθεὶς δʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασιν, καὶ ὑβρίσθαι ἡγούμενος καὶ ἐξηπατῆσθαι, ἐκβάλλει τὴν ἄνθρωπον ὡς ἐνιαυτὸν συνοικήσας αὐτῇ, κυοῦσαν, καὶ τὴν προῖκα οὐκ ἀποδίδωσιν.

[¶7] 52. Stephanus brought suit for alimony against him in the Odeum in accordance with the law which enacts that, if a man puts away his wife, he must pay back the marriage portion or else pay interest on it at the rate of nine obols a month for each mina; and that on the woman’s behalf her guardian may sue him for alimony in the Odeum. Phrastor, on his part, preferred an indictment against Stephanus before the Thesmothetae, charging that he had betrothed to him, being an Athenian, the daughter of an alien woman as though she were his own. This was in accordance with the following law. (To the clerk.) Read it, please. The Law “If anyone shall give an alien woman in marriage to an Athenian man, representing her as being related to himself, he shall lose his civic rights and his property shall be confiscated, and a third part of it shall belong to the one who secures his conviction. And anyone entitled to do so may indict such a person before the Thesmothetae, just as in the case of usurpation of citizenship.”

> Greek: 52. λαχόντος δὲ τοῦ Στεφάνου αὐτῷ δίκην σίτου εἰς Ὠιδεῖον κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὃς κελεύει, ἐὰν ἀποπέμπῃ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀποδιδόναι τὴν προῖκα, ἐὰν δὲ μή, ἐπʼ ἐννέʼ ὀβολοῖς τοκοφορεῖν, καὶ σίτου εἰς Ὠιδεῖον εἶναι δικάσασθαι ὑπὲρ τῆς γυναικὸς τῷ κυρίῳ, γράφεται ὁ Φράστωρ Στέφανον τουτονὶ γραφὴν πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας, Ἀθηναίῳ ὄντι ξένης θυγατέρα αὐτῷ ἐγγυῆσαι ὡς αὑτῷ προσήκουσαν, κατὰ τὸν νόμον τουτονί. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι αὐτόν. ΝΟΜΟΣ. ἐὰν δέ τις ἐκδῷ ξένην γυναῖκα ἀνδρὶ Ἀθηναίῳ ὡς ἑαυτῷ προσήκουσαν, ἄτιμος ἔστω, καὶ ἡ οὐσία αὐτοῦ δημοσία ἔστω, καὶ τοῦ ἑλόντος τὸ τρίτον μέρος. γραφέσθων δὲ πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας οἷς ἔξεστιν, καθάπερ τῆς ξενίας.

[¶8] 53. The clerk has read you the law in accordance with which this fellow Stephanus was indicted by Phrastor before the Thesmothetae. Stephanus, then, knowing that, if he were convicted of having given in marriage the daughter of an alien woman, he would be liable to the heaviest penalties, came to terms with Phrastor and relinquished his claim to marriage portion, and withdrew his action for alimony; and Phrastor on his part withdrew indictment from the Thesmothetae. To prove that my statements are true, I will call before you as witness to these facts Phrastor himself, and will compel him to give testimony as the law commands.

> Greek: 53. τὸν μὲν τοίνυν νόμον ἀνέγνω ὑμῖν, καθʼ ὃν ἐγράφη Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Φράστορος πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας. γνοὺς δʼ ὅτι κινδυνεύσει ἐξελεγχθεὶς ξένης θυγατέρα ἠγγυηκέναι καὶ ταῖς ἐσχάταις ζημίαις περιπεσεῖν, διαλλάττεται πρὸς τὸν Φράστορα καὶ ἀφίσταται τῆς προικός, καὶ τὴν δίκην τοῦ σίτου ἀνείλετο, καὶ ὁ Φράστωρ τὴν γραφὴν παρὰ τῶν θεσμοθετῶν. καὶ ὡς ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν μάρτυρα αὐτὸν τὸν Φράστορα καλῶ, καὶ ἀναγκάσω μαρτυρεῖν κατὰ τὸν νόμον.

[¶9] 54. (To the clerk.) Please call Phrastor of Aegilia. The Deposition “Phrastor of Aegilia deposes that, when he learned that Stephanus had given him in marriage a daughter of Neaera, representing that she was his own daughter, he lodged an indictment against him before the Thesmothetae, as the law provides, and drove the woman from his house, and ceased to live with her any longer; and that after Stephanus had brought suit against him in the Odeum for alimony, he made an arrangement with him on the terms that the indictment before the Thesmothetae should be withdrawn, and also the suit for alimony which Stephanus had brought against me.”

> Greek: 54. κάλει μοι Φράστορα Αἰγιλιέα. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ. Φράστωρ Αἰγιλιεὺς μαρτυρεῖ, ἐπειδὴ ᾔσθετο Νεαίρας θυγατέρα ἐγγυήσαντα αὑτῷ Στέφανον ὡς ἑαυτοῦ οὖσαν θυγατέρα, γράψασθαι αὐτὸν γραφὴν πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ τὴν ἄνθρωπον ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ οἰκίας καὶ οὐκέτι συνοικεῖν αὐτῇ, καὶ λαχόντος αὑτῷ Στεφάνου εἰς Ὠιδεῖον σίτου διαλύσασθαι πρὸς αὑτὸν Στέφανον, ὥστε τὴν γραφὴν ἀναιρεθῆναι παρὰ τῶν θεσμοθετῶν καὶ τὴν δίκην τοῦ σίτου ἣν ἔλαχεν ἐμοὶ Στέφανος.

[¶10] 55. Now let me bring before you another deposition of Phrastor and his clansmen and the members of his gens, which proves that the defendant Neaera is an alien. Not long after Phrastor had sent away the daughter of Neaera, he fell sick. He got into a dreadful condition and became utterly helpless. There was an old quarrel between him and his own relatives, toward whom he cherished anger and hatred; and besides he was childless. Being cajoled, therefore, in his illness by the attentions of Neaera and her daughter— they came while he lay sick and had no one to care for him, bringing him the medicines suited to his case and looking after his needs; and you know of yourselves what value a woman has in the sick-room, when she waits upon a man who is ill—well, he was induced to take back and adopt as his son the child whom the daughter of this woman Neaera had borne after she was sent away from his house in a state of pregnancy, after he had learned that she was the daughter, not of Stephanus, but of Neaera, and was angered at their deceit.

> Greek: 55. φέρε δὴ ὑμῖν καὶ ἑτέραν μαρτυρίαν παράσχωμαι τοῦ τε Φράστορος καὶ τῶν φρατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ γεννητῶν, ὡς ἔστι ξένη Νέαιρα αὑτηί. οὐ πολλῷ χρόνῳ γὰρ ὕστερον ἢ ἐξέπεμψεν ὁ Φράστωρ τὴν τῆς Νεαίρας θυγατέρα, ἠσθένησε καὶ πάνυ πονηρῶς διετέθη καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν ἀπορίαν κατέστη. διαφορᾶς δʼ οὔσης αὐτῷ παλαιᾶς πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους τοὺς αὑτοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς καὶ μίσους, πρὸς δὲ καὶ ἄπαις ὤν, ψυχαγωγούμενος ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τῇ θεραπείᾳ ⟨τῇ⟩ ὑπό τε τῆς Νεαίρας καὶ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς (ἐβάδιζον γὰρ πρὸς αὐτόν, ὡς ἠσθένει καὶ ἔρημος ἦν τοῦ θεραπεύσοντος τὸ νόσημα, τὰ πρόσφορα τῇ νόσῳ φέρουσαι καὶ ἐπισκοπούμεναι· ἴστε δήπου καὶ αὐτοὶ ὅσου ἀξία ἐστὶν γυνὴ ἐν ταῖς νόσοις, παροῦσα κάμνοντι ἀνθρώπῳ) ἐπείσθη δὴ τὸ παιδίον, ὃ ἔτεκεν ἡ θυγάτηρ ἡ Νεαίρας ταυτησὶ ὅτʼ ἐξεπέμφθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Φράστορος κυοῦσα, πυθομένου ὅτι οὐ Στεφάνου εἴη θυγάτηρ ἀλλὰ Νεαίρας, καὶ ὀργισθέντος ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπάτῃ, πάλιν λαβεῖν καὶ ποιήσασθαι υἱὸν αὑτοῦ, λογισμὸν ἀνθρώπινον καὶ εἰκότα λογιζόμενος, ὅτι πονηρῶς μὲν ἔχοι καὶ οὐ πολλὴ ἐλπὶς εἴη αὐτὸν περιγενήσεσθαι, τοῦ δὲ μὴ λαβεῖν τοὺς συγγενεῖς τὰ αὑτοῦ μηδʼ ἄπαις τετελευτηκέναι ἐποιήσατο τὸν παῖδα καὶ ἀνέλαβεν ὡς αὑτόν·

[¶11] 57. His reasoning in the matter was both natural and to be expected. He was in a precarious condition and there was not much hope that he would recover. He did not wish his relatives to get his property nor himself to die childless, so he adopted this boy and received him back into his house. That he would never have done this, if he had been in good health, I will show you by a strong and convincing proof. For no sooner had Phrastor got up from that sickness and recovered his health and was fairly well, than he took to wife according to the laws an Athenian woman, the legitimate daughter of Satyrus, of Melitê, and the sister of Diphilus. Let this, therefore, be a proof to you that he took back the child, not willingly, but forced by his sickness, by his childless condition, by the care shown by these women in nursing him, and by the enmity which he felt toward his own relatives, and his wish that they should not inherit his property, if anything should happen to him. This will be proved to you even more clearly by what followed.

> Greek: 57. ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε ὑγιαίνων οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἔπραξεν, μεγάλῳ τεκμηρίῳ καὶ περιφανεῖ ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξω. ὡς γὰρ ἀνέστη τάχιστα ἐξ ἐκείνης τῆς ἀσθενείας ὁ Φράστωρ καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὑτὸν καὶ ἔσχεν ἐπιεικῶς τὸ σῶμα, λαμβάνει γυναῖκα ἀστὴν κατὰ τοὺς νόμους, Σατύρου μὲν τοῦ Μελιτέως θυγατέρα γνησίαν, Διφίλου δὲ ἀδελφήν. ὥστε ὅτι μὲν οὐχ ἑκὼν ἀνεδέξατο τὸν παῖδα, ἀλλὰ βιασθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου καὶ τῆς ἀπαιδίας καὶ τῆς ⟨ὑπʼ⟩ αὐτῶν θεραπείας καὶ τῆς ἔχθρας τῆς πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους, ἵνα μὴ κληρονόμοι γένωνται τῶν αὑτοῦ, ἄν τι πάθῃ, ταῦτʼ ἔστω ὑμῖν τεκμήρια· δηλώσει δὲ καὶ τἀκόλουθʼ αὐτῶν ἔτι μᾶλλον.

[¶12] 59. For when Phrastor at the time of his illness sought to introduce the boy born of the daughter of Neaera to his clansmen and to the Brytidae, to which gens Phrastor himself belongs, the members of the gens, knowing, I fancy, who the woman was whom Phrastor first took to wife, that, namely, she was the daughter of Neaera, and knowing, too, of his sending the woman away, and that it was because of his illness that Phrastor had been induced to take back the child, refused to recognize the child and would not enter him on their register.

> Greek: 59. ὡς γὰρ εἰσῆγεν ὁ Φράστωρ εἰς τοὺς φράτερας τὸν παῖδα ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ὢν τὸν ἐκ τῆς θυγατρὸς τῆς Νεαίρας, καὶ εἰς τοὺς Βρυτίδας ὧν καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Φράστωρ γεννήτης, εἰδότες οἶμαι οἱ γεννῆται τὴν γυναῖκα ἥτις ἦν, ἣν ἔλαβεν ὁ Φράστωρ τὸ πρῶτον, τὴν τῆς Νεαίρας θυγατέρα, καὶ τὴν ἀπόπεμψιν τῆς ἀνθρώπου, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν πεπεισμένον αὐτὸν πάλιν ἀναλαβεῖν τὸν παῖδα, ἀποψηφίζονται τοῦ παιδὸς καὶ οὐκ ἐνέγραφον αὐτὸν εἰς σφᾶς αὐτούς.

[¶13] 60. Phrastor brought suit against them for refusing to register his son, but the members of the gens challenged him before the arbitrator to swear by full-grown victims that he verily believed the boy to be his own son, born of an Athenian woman and one betrothed to him in accordance with the law. When the members of the gens tendered this challenge to Phrastor before the arbitrator, he refused to take the oath, and did not swear.

> Greek: 60. λαχόντος δὲ τοῦ Φράστορος αὐτοῖς δίκην, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνέγραφον αὑτοῦ υἱόν, προκαλοῦνται αὐτὸν οἱ γεννῆται πρὸς τῷ διαιτητῇ ὀμόσαι καθʼ ἱερῶν τελείων ἦ μὴν νομίζειν εἶναι αὑτοῦ υἱὸν ἐξ ἀστῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἐγγυητῆς κατὰ τὸν νόμον. προκαλουμένων δὲ ταῦτα τῶν γεννητῶν τὸν Φράστορα πρὸς τῷ διαιτητῇ, ἔλιπεν ὁ Φράστωρ τὸν ὅρκον καὶ οὐκ ὤμοσεν.

[¶14] 61. To prove that these statements of mine are true, I will bring before you as witnesses the members of the Brytid gens who were present. The Witnesses “Timostratus of Hecalê, Xanthippus of Eroeadae, Evalces of Phalerum, Anytus of Laciadae, Euphranor of Aegilia and Nicippus of Cephalê, depose that both they and Phrastor of Aegilia are members of the gens called Brytidae, and that, when Phrastor claimed the right to introduce a son of his into the gens, they, on their part, knowing that Phrastor’s son was born of the daughter of Neaera, would not suffer Phrastor to introduce his son.”

> Greek: 61. καὶ ὅτι ἀληθῆ ταῦτα λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν μάρτυρας τοὺς παρόντας Βρυτιδῶν παρέξομαι. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ. Τιμόστρατος Ἑκάληθεν, Ξάνθιππος Ἐροιάδης, Εὐάλκης Φαληρεύς, Ἄνυτος Λακιάδης, Εὐφράνωρ Αἰγιλιεύς, Νίκιππος Κεφαλῆθεν μαρτυροῦσιν εἶναι καὶ αὑτοὺς καὶ Φράστορα τὸν Αἰγιλιέα τῶν γεννητῶν οἳ καλοῦνται Βρυτίδαι, καὶ ἀξιοῦντος Φράστορος εἰσάγειν τὸν υἱὸν ⟨τὸν⟩ αὑτοῦ εἰς τοὺς γεννήτας, εἰδότες αὐτοὶ ὅτι Φράστορος υἱὸς εἴη ἐκ τῆς θυγατρὸς τῆς Νεαίρας, κωλύειν εἰσάγειν Φράστορα τὸν υἱόν.

[¶15] 62. I prove to you, therefore, in a manner that leaves no room for doubt that even those most nearly connected with this woman Neaera have given testimony against her, proving that she is an alien—Stephanus here, who now keeps the woman and lives with her, and Phrastor, who took her daughter to wife—Stephanus, since he refused to go on trial on behalf of this daughter when he was indicted by Phrastor before the Thesmothetae on the charge that he had betrothed the daughter of an alien to him who was an Athenian, but had rather relinquished the claim to the marriage portion, and had not recovered it;

> Greek: 62. οὐκοῦν περιφανῶς ἐπιδεικνύω ὑμῖν καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς οἰκειοτάτους Νεαίρας ταυτησὶ καταμεμαρτυρηκότας ὡς ἔστιν ξένη, Στέφανόν τε τουτονὶ τὸν ἔχοντα ταύτην νυνὶ καὶ συνοικοῦντʼ αὐτῇ καὶ Φράστορα τὸν λαβόντα τὴν θυγατέρα, Στέφανον μὲν οὐκ ἐθελήσαντα ἀγωνίσασθαι ὑπὲρ τῆς θυγατρὸς τῆς ταύτης, γραφέντα ὑπὸ Φράστορος πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας ὡς Ἀθηναίῳ ὄντι ξένης θυγατέρα αὐτῷ ἠγγύησεν, ἀλλʼ ἀποστάντα τῆς προικὸς καὶ οὐκ ἀπολαβόντα, Φράστορα δʼ ἐκβαλόντα τε τὴν θυγατέρα τὴν Νεαίρας ταυτησὶ γήμαντα, ἐπειδὴ ἐπύθετο οὐ Στεφάνου οὖσαν, καὶ τὴν προῖκα οὐκ ἀποδόντα, ἐπειδή τε ἐπείσθη ὕστερον διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τὴν αὑτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀπαιδίαν καὶ τὴν ἔχθραν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους ποιήσασθαι τὸν υἱόν, καὶ ἐπειδὴ εἰσῆγεν εἰς τοὺς γεννήτας, ἀποψηφισαμένων τῶν γεννητῶν καὶ διδόντων ὅρκον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἐθελήσαντα ὀμόσαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐορκεῖν προελόμενον, καὶ ἑτέραν ὕστερον γήμαντα γυναῖκα ἀστὴν κατὰ τὸν νόμον·

[¶16] 63. and Phrastor, since he had put away the daughter of this Neaera after marrying her, when he learned that she was not the daughter of Stephanus, and had refused to return her marriage portion; and when later on he was induced by his illness and his childless condition and his enmity toward his relatives to adopt the child, and when he sought to introduce him to the members of the gens, and they voted to reject the child and challenged him to take an oath, he refused to swear, but chose rather to avoid committing perjury, and subsequently married in accordance with the law another woman who was an Athenian. These facts, about which there is no room for doubt, have afforded you convincing testimony against our opponents, proving that this Neaera is an alien. Now observe the base love of gain and the villainous character of this fellow Stephanus, in order that from this again you may be convinced that this Neaera is not an Athenian woman. Epaenetus, of Andros, an old lover of Neaera, who had spent large sums of money upon her, used to lodge with these people whenever he came to Athens on account of his affection for Neaera. Against him this man Stephanus laid a plot. He sent for him to come to the country under pretence of a sacrifice and then, having surprised him in adultery with the daughter of this Neaera, intimidated him and extorted from him thirty minae. As sureties for this sum he accepted Aristomachus, who had served as Thesmothete, and Nausiphilus, the son of Nausinicus, who had served as archon, and then released him under pledge that he would pay the money.

> Greek: 63. αὗται γὰρ αἱ πράξεις περιφανεῖς οὖσαι μεγάλας μαρτυρίας δεδώκασι κατʼ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἔστι ξένη Νέαιρα αὑτηί. σκέψασθε δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰσχροκερδίαν τὴν Στεφάνου τουτουὶ καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν, ἵνα καὶ ἐκ ταύτης εἰδῆτε ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν Νέαιρα αὑτηὶ ἀστή. Ἐπαίνετον γὰρ τὸν Ἄνδριον, ἐραστὴν ὄντα Νεαίρας ταυτησὶ παλαιὸν καὶ πολλὰ ἀνηλωκότα εἰς αὐτὴν καὶ καταγόμενον παρὰ τούτοις ὁπότε ἐπιδημήσειεν Ἀθήναζε διὰ τὴν φιλίαν τὴν Νεαίρας, ἐπιβουλεύσας Στέφανος οὑτοσί, μεταπεμψάμενος εἰς ἀγρὸν ὡς θύων, λαμβάνει μοιχὸν ἐπὶ τῇ θυγατρὶ τῇ Νεαίρας ταυτησί, καὶ εἰς φόβον καταστήσας πράττεται μνᾶς τριάκοντα, καὶ λαβὼν ἐγγυητὰς τούτων Ἀριστόμαχόν τε τὸν θεσμοθετήσαντα καὶ Ναυσίφιλον τὸν Ναυσινίκου τοῦ ἄρξαντος υἱόν, ἀφίησιν ὡς ἀποδώσοντα αὑτῷ τὸ ἀργύριον.

[¶17] 66. Epaenetus, however, when he got out and was again his own master preferred before the Thesmothetae an indictment for unlawful imprisonment against this Stephanus in accordance with the law which enacts that, if a man unlawfully imprisons another on a charge of adultery, the person in question may indict him before the Thesmothetae on a charge of illegal imprisonment; and if he shall convict the one who imprisoned him and prove that he was the victim of an unlawful plot, he shall be let off scot-free, and his sureties shall be released from their engagement; but if it shall appear that he was an adulterer, the law bids his sureties give him over to the one who caught him in the act, and he in the court-room may inflict upon him, as upon one guilty of adultery, whatever treatment he pleases, provided he use no knife.

> Greek: 66. ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ Ἐπαίνετος καὶ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ κύριος γενόμενος γράφεται πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας γραφὴν Στέφανον τουτονί, ἀδίκως εἱρχθῆναι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὃς κελεύει, ἐάν τις ἀδίκως εἵρξῃ ὡς μοιχόν, γράψασθαι πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας ἀδίκως εἱρχθῆναι, καὶ ἐὰν μὲν ἕλῃ τὸν εἵρξαντα καὶ δόξῃ ἀδίκως ἐπιβεβουλεῦσθαι, ἀθῷον εἶναι αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἐγγυητὰς ἀπηλλάχθαι τῆς ἐγγύης· ἐὰν δὲ δόξῃ μοιχὸς εἶναι, παραδοῦναι αὐτὸν κελεύει τοὺς ἐγγυητὰς τῷ ἑλόντι, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ δικαστηρίου ἄνευ ἐγχειριδίου χρῆσθαι ὅ τι ἂν βουληθῇ, ὡς μοιχῷ ὄντι.

[¶18] 67. It was in accordance with this law that Epaenetus indicted Stephanus. He admitted having intercourse with the woman, but denied that he was an adulterer; for, he said, she was not the daughter of Stephanus, but of Neaera, and the mother knew that the girl was having intercourse with him, and he had spent large sums of money upon them, and whenever he came to Athens he supported the entire household. In addition to this he brought forward the law which does not permit one to be taken as an adulterer who has to do with women who sit professionally in a brothel or who openly offer themselves for hire; for this, he said, is what the house of Stephanus is, a house of prostitution; this is their trade, and they get their living chiefly by this means.

> Greek: 67. κατὰ δὴ τοῦτον τὸν νόμον γράφεται αὐτὸν ὁ Ἐπαίνετος, καὶ ὡμολόγει μὲν χρῆσθαι τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ, οὐ μέντοι μοιχός γε εἶναι· οὔτε γὰρ Στεφάνου θυγατέρα αὐτὴν εἶναι ἀλλὰ Νεαίρας, τήν τε μητέρα αὐτῆς συνειδέναι πλησιάζουσαν αὑτῷ, ἀνηλωκέναι τε πολλὰ εἰς αὐτάς, τρέφειν τε ὁπότε ἐπιδημήσειεν, τὴν οἰκίαν ὅλην· τόν τε νόμον ἐπὶ τούτοις παρεχόμενος, ὃς οὐκ ἐᾷ ἐπὶ ταύτῃσι μοιχὸν λαβεῖν ὁπόσαι ἂν ἐπʼ ἐργαστηρίου καθῶνται ἢ πωλῶνται ἀποπεφασμένως, ἐργαστήριον φάσκων καὶ τοῦτο εἶναι, τὴν Στεφάνου οἰκίαν, καὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν ταύτην εἶναι, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων αὐτοὺς εὐπορεῖν μάλιστα.

[¶19] 68. When Epaenetus had made these statements and had preferred the indictment, this Stephanus, knowing that he would be convicted of keeping a brothel and extorting blackmail, submitted his dispute with Epaenetus for arbitration to the very men who were the latter’s sureties on the terms that they should be released from their engagement and that Epaenetus should withdraw the indictment.

> Greek: 68. τούτους δὲ τοὺς λόγους λέγοντος τοῦ Ἐπαινέτου καὶ τὴν γραφὴν γεγραμμένου, γνοὺς Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ ὅτι ἐξελεγχθήσεται πορνοβοσκῶν καὶ συκοφαντῶν, δίαιταν ἐπιτρέπει πρὸς τὸν Ἐπαίνετον αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἐγγυηταῖς, ὥστε τῆς μὲν ἐγγύης αὐτοὺς ἀφεῖσθαι, τὴν δὲ γραφὴν ἀνελέσθαι τὸν Ἐπαίνετον.

[¶20] 69. Epaenetus acceded to these terms and withdrew the indictment which he had preferred against Stephanus, and a meeting took place between them at which the sureties sat as arbitrators. Stephanus could say nothing in defense of his action, but he requested Epaenetus to make a contribution toward a dowry for Neaera’s daughter, making mention of his own poverty and the misfortune which the girl had formerly met with in her relations with Phrastor, and asserting that he had lost her marriage portion and could not provide another for her.

> Greek: 69. πεισθέντος δὲ τοῦ Ἐπαινέτου ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ ἀνελομένου τὴν γραφὴν ἣν ἐδίωκε Στέφανον, γενομένης συνόδου αὐτοῖς καὶ καθεζομένων διαιτητῶν τῶν ἐγγυητῶν, δίκαιον μὲν οὐδὲν εἶχε λέγειν Στέφανος, εἰς ἔκδοσιν δʼ ἠξίου τὸν Ἐπαίνετον τῇ τῆς Νεαίρας θυγατρὶ συμβαλέσθαι, λέγων τὴν ἀπορίαν τὴν αὑτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀτυχίαν τὴν πρότερον γενομένην τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ πρὸς τὸν Φράστορα, καὶ ὅτι ἀπολωλεκὼς εἴη τὴν προῖκα, καὶ οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο πάλιν αὐτὴν ἐκδοῦναι·

[¶21] 70. “You,” he said, “have enjoyed the woman’s favors, and it is but right that you should do something for her.” He added other words calculated to arouse compassion, such as anyone might use in entreaty to get out of a nasty mess. The arbitrators, after hearing both parties, brought about a reconciliation between them, and induced Epaenetus to contribute one thousand drachmae toward the marriage portion of Neaera’s daughter. To prove the truth of these statements of mine, I will call as witnesses to these facts the very men who were sureties and arbitrators. The Witnesses “Nausiphilus of Cephalê and Aristomachus of Cephalê depose that they became sureties for Epaenetus of Andros, when Stephanus asserted that he had caught Epaenetus in adultery; and that when Epaenetus had got away from the house of Stephanus and had become his own master, he preferred before the Thesmothetae an indictment against Stephanus for illegal imprisonment; that they were themselves appointed as arbitrators, and brought about a reconciliation between Epaenetus and Stephanus, and that the terms of the reconciliation were those which Apollodorus produces.”

> Greek: 70. σὺ δὲ καὶ κέχρησαι ἔφη τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ δίκαιος εἶ ἀγαθόν τι ποιῆσαι αὐτήν, καὶ ἄλλους ἐπαγωγοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἄν τις δεόμενος ἐκ πονηρῶν πραγμάτων εἴποι ἄν. ἀκούσαντες δʼ ἀμφοτέρων αὐτῶν οἱ διαιτηταὶ διαλλάττουσιν αὐτούς, καὶ πείθουσι τὸν Ἐπαίνετον χιλίας δραχμὰς εἰσενεγκεῖν εἰς τὴν ἔκδοσιν τῇ θυγατρὶ τῇ Νεαίρας. καὶ ὅτι πάντα ταῦτα ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν μάρτυρας αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἐγγυητὰς καὶ διαιτητὰς γενομένους καλῶ. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ.

[¶22] 71. The Terms of Reconciliation “The arbitrators brought about a reconciliation between Stephanus and Epaenetus on the following terms: they shall bear no malice for what took place regarding the imprisonment; Epaenetus shall give to Phano one thousand drachmae toward her marriage portion, inasmuch as he has frequently enjoyed her favors; and Stephanus shall put Phano at the disposal of Epaenetus whenever he comes to Athens and wishes to enjoy her.”

> Greek: 71. Ναυσίφιλος Κεφαλῆθεν, Ἀριστόμαχος Κεφαλῆθεν μαρτυροῦσιν ἐγγυηταὶ γενέσθαι Ἐπαινέτου τοῦ Ἀνδρίου, ὅτʼ ἔφη Στέφανος μοιχὸν εἰληφέναι Ἐπαίνετον· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐξῆλθεν Ἐπαίνετος παρὰ Στεφάνου καὶ κύριος ἐγένετο αὑτοῦ, γράψασθαι γραφὴν Στέφανον πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας, ὅτι αὐτὸν ἀδίκως εἷρξεν· καὶ αὐτοὶ διαλλακταὶ γενόμενοι διαλλάξαι Ἐπαίνετον καὶ Στέφανον· τὰς δὲ διαλλαγὰς εἶναι ἃς παρέχεται Ἀπολλόδωρος. ΔΙΑΛΛΑΓΑΙ. ἐπὶ τοῖσδε διήλλαξαν Στέφανον καὶ Ἐπαίνετον οἱ διαλλακταί, τῶν μὲν γεγενημένων περὶ τὸν εἱργμὸν μηδεμίαν μνείαν ἔχειν, Ἐπαίνετον δὲ δοῦναι χιλίας δραχμὰς Φανοῖ εἰς ἔκδοσιν, ἐπειδὴ κέχρηται αὐτῇ πολλάκις· στέφανον δὲ παρέχειν Φανὼ Ἐπαινέτῳ, ὁπόταν ἐπιδημῇ καὶ βούληται συνεῖναι αὐτῇ.

[¶23] 72. Although this woman, then, was acknowledged beyond all question to be an alien, and although Stephanus had had the audacity to charge with adultery a man taken with her, these two, Stephanus and Neaera, came to such a pitch of insolence and shamelessness that they were not content with asserting her to be of Athenian birth; but observing that Theogenes, of Cothocidae, had been drawn by lot as king, a man of good birth, but poor and without experience in affairs, this Stephanus, who had assisted him at his scrutiny and had helped him meet his expenses when he entered upon his office, wormed his way into his favor, and by buying the position from him got himself appointed his assessor. He then gave him in marriage this woman, the daughter of Neaera, and betrothed her to him as being his own daughter; so utterly did he scorn you and your laws.

> Greek: 72. τὴν τοίνυν περιφανῶς ἐγνωσμένην ξένην εἶναι καὶ ἐφʼ ᾗ μοιχὸν οὗτος ἐτόλμησε λαβεῖν, εἰς τοσοῦτον ὕβρεως καὶ ἀναιδείας ἦλθεν Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ καὶ Νέαιρα αὑτηί, ὥστε ἐτόλμησαν μὴ ἀγαπᾶν εἰ ἔφασκον αὐτὴν ἀστὴν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ κατιδόντες Θεογένην Κοιρωνίδην λαχόντα βασιλέα, ἄνθρωπον εὐγενῆ μέν, πένητα δὲ καὶ ἄπειρον πραγμάτων, συμπαραγενόμενος αὐτῷ δοκιμαζομένῳ καὶ συνευπορήσας ἀναλωμάτων, ὅτε εἰσῄει εἰς τὴν ἀρχήν, Στέφανος οὑτοσί, καὶ ὑπελθὼν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν παρʼ αὐτοῦ πριάμενος, πάρεδρος γενόμενος, δίδωσι τὴν ἄνθρωπον ταύτην γυναῖκα, τὴν τῆς Νεαίρας θυγατέρα, καὶ ἐγγυᾷ Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ ὡς αὑτοῦ θυγατέρα οὖσαν· οὕτω πολὺ τῶν νόμων καὶ ὑμῶν κατεφρόνησεν.

[¶24] 73. And this woman offered on the city’s behalf the sacrifices which none may name, and saw what it was not fitting for her to see, being an alien; and despite her character she entered where no other of the whole host of the Athenians enters save the wife of the king only; and she administered the oath to the venerable priestesses who preside over the sacrifices, and was given as bride to Dionysus; and she conducted on the city’s behalf the rites which our fathers handed down for the service of the gods, rites many and solemn and not to be named. If it be not permitted that anyone even hear of them, how can it be consonant with piety for a chance-comer to perform them, especially a woman of her character and one who has done what she has done?

> Greek: 73. καὶ αὕτη ἡ γυνὴ ὑμῖν ἔθυε τὰ ἄρρητα ἱερὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ εἶδεν ἃ οὐ προσῆκεν αὐτὴν ὁρᾶν ξένην οὖσαν, καὶ τοιαύτη οὖσα εἰσῆλθεν οἷ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος Ἀθηναίων τοσούτων ὄντων εἰσέρχεται ἀλλʼ ἢ ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως γυνή, ἐξώρκωσέν τε τὰς γεραρὰς τὰς ὑπηρετούσας τοῖς ἱεροῖς, ἐξεδόθη δὲ τῷ Διονύσῳ γυνή, ἔπραξε δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως τὰ πάτρια τὰ πρὸς τοὺς θεούς, πολλὰ καὶ ἅγια καὶ ἀπόρρητα. ἃ δὲ μηδʼ ἀκοῦσαι πᾶσιν οἷόν τʼ ἐστίν, πῶς ποιῆσαί γε τῇ ἐπιτυχούσῃ εὐσεβῶς ἔχει, ἄλλως τε καὶ τοιαύτῃ γυναικὶ καὶ τοιαῦτα ἔργα διαπεπραγμένῃ;

[¶25] 74. I wish, however, to go back farther and explain these matters to you in greater detail, that you may be more careful in regard to the punishment, and may be assured that you are to cast your votes, not only in the interest of your selves and the laws, but also in the interest of reverence towards the gods, by exacting the penalty for acts of impiety, and by punishing those who have done the wrong. In ancient times, men of Athens, there was sovereignty in our state, and the kingship belonged to those who were from time to time preeminent by reason of their being children of the soil, and the king offered all the sacrifices, and those which were holiest and which none might name his wife performed, as was natural, she being queen.

> Greek: 74. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμῖν ἀκριβέστερον περὶ αὐτῶν ἄνωθεν διηγήσασθαι καθʼ ἕκαστον, ἵνα μᾶλλον ἐπιμέλειαν ποιήσησθε τῆς τιμωρίας, καὶ εἰδῆτε ὅτι οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν νόμων τὴν ψῆφον οἴσετε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς εὐλαβείας, τιμωρίαν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἠσεβημένων ποιούμενοι καὶ κολάζοντες τοὺς ἠδικηκότας. τὸ γὰρ ἀρχαῖον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δυναστεία ἐν τῇ πόλει ἦν καὶ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν ἀεὶ ὑπερεχόντων διὰ τὸ αὐτόχθονας εἶναι, τὰς δὲ θυσίας ἁπάσας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔθυε, καὶ τὰς σεμνοτάτας καὶ ἀρρήτους ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐποίει, εἰκότως, βασίλιννα οὖσα.

[¶26] 75. But when Theseus settled the people in one city and established the democracy, and the city became populous, the people none the less continued to elect the king as before, choosing him from among those most distinguished by valor; and they established a law that his wife should be of Athenian birth, and that he should marry a virgin who had never known another man, to the end that after the custom of our fathers the sacred rites that none may name may be celebrated on the city’s behalf, and that the approved sacrifices may be made to the gods as piety demands, without omission or innovation.

> Greek: 75. ἐπειδὴ δὲ Θησεὺς συνῴκισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ δημοκρατίαν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἡ πόλις πολυάνθρωπος ἐγένετο, τὸν μὲν βασιλέα οὐδὲν ἧττον ὁ δῆμος ᾑρεῖτο ἐκ προκρίτων κατʼ ἀνδραγαθίαν χειροτονῶν, τὴν δὲ γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ νόμον ἔθεντο ἀστὴν εἶναι καὶ μὴ ἐπιμεμειγμένην ἑτέρῳ ἀνδρὶ ἀλλὰ παρθένον γαμεῖν, ἵνα κατὰ τὰ πάτρια θύηται τὰ ἄρρητα ἱερὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τὰ νομιζόμενα γίγνηται τοῖς θεοῖς εὐσεβῶς καὶ μηδὲν καταλύηται μηδὲ καινοτομῆται.

[¶27] 76. This law they wrote on a pillar of stone, and set it up in the sanctuary of Dionysus by the altar in Limnae (and this pillar even now stands, showing the inscription in Attic characters, nearly effaced). Thus the people testified to their own piety toward the god, and left it as a deposit for future generations, showing what type of woman we demand that she shall be who is to be given in marriage to the god, and is to perform the sacrifices. For this reason they set it up in the most ancient and most sacred sanctuary of Dionysus in Limnae, in order that few only might have knowledge of the inscription; for once only in each year is the sanctuary opened, on the twelfth day of the month Anthesterion.

> Greek: 76. καὶ τοῦτον τὸν νόμον γράψαντες ἐν στήλῃ λιθίνῃ ἔστησαν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Διονύσου παρὰ τὸν βωμὸν ἐν Λίμναις (καὶ αὕτη ἡ στήλη ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἕστηκεν, ἀμυδροῖς γράμμασιν Ἀττικοῖς δηλοῦσα τὰ γεγραμμένα), μαρτυρίαν ποιούμενος ὁ δῆμος ὑπὲρ τῆς αὑτοῦ εὐσεβείας πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ παρακαταθήκην καταλείπων τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις, ὅτι τήν γε θεῷ γυναῖκα δοθησομένην καὶ ποιήσουσαν τὰ ἱερὰ τοιαύτην ἀξιοῦμεν εἶναι. καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ ἀρχαιοτάτῳ ἱερῷ τοῦ Διονύσου καὶ ἁγιωτάτῳ ἐν Λίμναις ἔστησαν, ἵνα μὴ πολλοὶ εἰδῶσιν τὰ γεγραμμένα· ἅπαξ γὰρ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἑκάστου ἀνοίγεται, τῇ δωδεκάτῃ τοῦ ἀνθεστηριῶνος μηνός.

[¶28] 77. These sacred and holy rites for the celebration of which your ancestors provided so well and so magnificently, it is your duty, men of Athens, to maintain with devotion, and likewise to punish those who insolently defy your laws and have been guilty of shameless impiety toward the gods; and this for two reasons: first, that they may pay the penalty for their crimes; and, secondly, that others may take warning, and may fear to commit any sin against the gods and against the state.

> Greek: 77. ὑπὲρ τοίνυν ἁγίων καὶ σεμνῶν ἱερῶν, ὧν οἱ πρόγονοι ὑμῶν οὕτως καλῶς καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἐπε- μελήθησαν, ἄξιον καὶ ὑμᾶς σπουδάσαι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ τοὺς ἀσελγῶς μὲν καταφρονοῦντας τῶν νόμων τῶν ὑμετέρων, ἀναιδῶς δʼ ἠσεβηκότας εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς ἄξιον τιμωρήσασθαι δυοῖν ἕνεκα, ἵνα οὗτοί τε τῶν ἠδικημένων δίκην δῶσιν, οἵ τʼ ἄλλοι πρόνοιαν ποιῶνται καὶ φοβῶνται μηδὲν εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἁμαρτάνειν.

[¶29] 78. I wish now to call before you the sacred herald who waits upon the wife of the king, when she administers the oath to the venerable priestesses as they carry their baskets in front of the altar before they touch the victims, in order that you may hear the oath and the words that are pronounced, at least as far as it is permitted you to hear them; and that you may understand how august and holy and ancient the rites are. The Oath of the Venerable Priestesses “I live a holy life and am pure and unstained by all else that pollutes and by commerce with man, and I will celebrate the feast of the wine god and the Iobacchic feast in honor of Dionysus in accordance with custom and at the appointed times.”

> Greek: 78. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμῖν καὶ τὸν ἱεροκήρυκα καλέσαι, ὃς ὑπηρετεῖ τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως γυναικί, ὅταν ἐξορκοῖ τὰς γεραρὰς ⟨τὰς⟩ ἐν κανοῖς πρὸς τῷ βωμῷ, πρὶν ἅπτεσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν, ἵνα καὶ τοῦ ὅρκου καὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἀκούσητε, ὅσα οἷόν τʼ ἐστὶν ἀκούειν, καὶ εἰδῆτε ὡς σεμνὰ καὶ ἅγια καὶ ἀρχαῖα τὰ νόμιμά ἐστιν. ΟΡΚΟΣ ΓΕΡΑΡΩΝ. ἁγιστεύω καὶ εἰμὶ καθαρὰ καὶ ἁγνὴ ἀπό ⟨τε⟩ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν οὐ καθαρευόντων καὶ ἀπʼ ἀνδρὸς συνουσίας, καὶ τὰ θεοίνια καὶ τὰ ἰοβάκχεια γεραρῶ τῷ Διονύσῳ κατὰ τὰ πάτρια καὶ ἐν τοῖς καθήκουσι χρόνοις.

[¶30] 79. You have heard the oath and the accepted rites handed down by our fathers, as far as it is permitted to speak of them, and how this woman, whom Stephanus betrothed to Theogenes when the latter was king, as his own daughter, performed these rites, and administered the oath to the venerable priestesses; and you know that even the women who behold these rites are not permitted to speak of them to anyone else. Let me now bring before you a piece of evidence which was, to be sure, given in secret, but which I shall show by the facts themselves to be clear and true.

> Greek: 79. τοῦ μὲν ὅρκου τοίνυν καὶ τῶν νομιζομένων πατρίων, ὅσα οἷόν τʼ ἐστὶν εἰπεῖν, ἀκηκόατε, καὶ ὡς ἣν Στέφανος ἠγγύησεν τῷ Θεογένει γυναῖκα βασιλεύοντι ὡς αὑτοῦ οὖσαν θυγατέρα, αὕτη ἐποίει τὰ ἱερὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐξώρκου τὰς γεραράς, καὶ ὅτι οὐδʼ αὐταῖς ταῖς ὁρώσαις τὰ ἱερὰ ταῦτα οἷόν τʼ ἐστὶν λέγειν πρὸς ἄλλον οὐδένα. φέρε δὴ καὶ μαρτυρίαν παράσχωμαι ὑμῖν διʼ ἀπορρήτου μὲν γεγενημένην, ὅμως δὲ αὐτοῖς τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἐπιδείξω φανερὰν οὖσαν αὐτὴν καὶ ἀληθῆ.

[¶31] 80. When these rites had been solemnized and the nine archons had gone up on the Areopagus on the appointed days, the council of the Areopagus, which in other matters also is of high worth to the city in what pertains to piety, forthwith undertook an inquiry as to who this wife of Theogenes was and established the truth; and being deeply concerned for the sanctity of the rites, the council was for imposing upon Theogenes the highest fine in its power, but in secret and with due regard for appearances; for they have not the power to punish any of the Athenians as they see fit.

> Greek: 80. ὡς γὰρ ἐγένετο τὰ ἱερὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀνέβησαν εἰς Ἄρειον πάγον οἱ ἐννέα ἄρχοντες ταῖς καθηκούσαις ἡμέραις, εὐθὺς ἡ βουλὴ ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ, ὥσπερ καὶ τἄλλα πολλοῦ ἀξία ἐστὶν τῇ πόλει περὶ εὐσέβειαν, ἐζήτει τὴν γυναῖκα ταύτην τοῦ Θεογένους ἥτις ἦν, καὶ ἐξήλεγχεν, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἱερῶν πρόνοιαν ἐποιεῖτο, καὶ ἐζημίου τὸν Θεογένην ὅσα κυρία ἐστίν, ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ δὲ καὶ διὰ κοσμιότητος· οὐ γὰρ αὐτοκράτορές εἰσιν, ὡς ἂν βούλωνται, Ἀθηναίων τινὰ κολάσαι.

[¶32] 81. Conferences were held, and, seeing that the council of the Areopagus was deeply incensed and was disposed to fine Theogenes for having married a wife of such character and having permitted her to administer on the city’s behalf the rites that none may name, Theogenes besought them with prayers and entreaties, declaring that he did not know that she was the daughter of Neaera, but that he had been deceived by Stephanus, and had married her according to law as being the latter’s legitimate daughter; and that it was because of his own inexperience in affairs and the guilelessness of his character that he had made Stephanus his assessor to attend to the business of his office; for he considered him a friend, and on that account had become his son-in-law.

> Greek: 81. γενομένων δὲ λόγων, καὶ χαλεπῶς φερούσης τῆς ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ βουλῆς καὶ ζημιούσης τὸν Θεογένην ὅτι τοιαύτην ἔλαβεν γυναῖκα καὶ ταύτην εἴασε ποιῆσαι τὰ ἱερὰ τὰ ἄρρητα ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως, ἐδεῖτο ὁ Θεογένης ἱκετεύων καὶ ἀντιβολῶν, λέγων ὅτι οὐκ ᾔδει Νεαίρας αὐτὴν οὖσαν θυγατέρα, ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατηθείη ὑπὸ Στεφάνου, ὡς αὐτοῦ θυγατέρα οὖσαν αὐτὴν λαμβάνων γνησίαν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀπειρίαν τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τὴν ἀκακίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτον πάρεδρον ποιήσαιτο, ἵνα διοικήσῃ τὴν ἀρχήν, ὡς εὔνουν ὄντα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κηδεύσειεν αὐτῷ.

[¶33] 82. “And,” he said, “I will show you by a convincing and manifest proof that I am telling the truth. I will send the woman away from my house, since she is the daughter, not of Stephanus, but of Neaera. If I do this, then let my statement that I was deceived be accepted as true; but, if I fail to do it, then punish me as a vile fellow who is guilty of impiety toward the gods.”

> Greek: 82. ὅτι δὲ ἔφη οὐ ψεύδομαι, μεγάλῳ τεκμηρίῳ καὶ περιφανεῖ ἐπιδείξω ὑμῖν· τὴν γὰρ ἄνθρωπον ἀποπέμψω ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστιν Στεφάνου θυγάτηρ ἀλλὰ Νεαίρας. κἂν μὲν ταῦτα ποιήσω, ἤδη πιστοὶ ὑμῖν ὄντων οἱ λόγοι οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ λεγόμενοι, ὅτι ἐξηπατήθην· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ποιήσω, τότʼ ἤδη με κολάζετε ὡς πονηρὸν ὄντα καὶ εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς ἠσεβηκότα.

[¶34] 83. When Theogenes had made this promise and this plea, the council of the Areopagus, through compassion also for the guilelessness of his character and in the belief that he had really been deceived by Stephanus, refrained from action. And Theogenes immediately on coming down from the Areopagus cast out of his house the woman, the daughter of this Neaera, and expelled this man Stephanus, who had deceived him, from the board of magistrates. Thus it was that the members of the Areopagus desisted from their action against Theogenes and from their anger against him; for they forgave him, because he had been deceived.

> Greek: 83. ὑποσχομένου δὲ ταῦτα τοῦ Θεογένους καὶ δεομένου, ἅμα μὲν καὶ ἐλεήσασα αὐτὸν ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ βουλὴ διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν τοῦ τρόπου, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐξηπατῆσθαι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἡγουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ Στεφάνου, ἐπέσχεν. ὡς δὲ κατέβη ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου ὁ Θεογένης, εὐθὺς τήν τε ἄνθρωπον τὴν ταυτησὶ Νεαίρας θυγατέρα ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας, τόν τε Στέφανον τὸν ἐξαπατήσαντα αὐτὸν τουτονὶ ἀπελαύνει ἀπὸ τοῦ συνεδρίου. καὶ οὕτως ἐπαύσαντο οἱ Ἀρεοπαγῖται κρίνοντες τὸν Θεογένην καὶ ὀργιζόμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ συγγνώμην εἶχον ἐξα- πατηθέντι.

[¶35] 84. To prove the truth of these statements of mine, I will call before you as witness to these facts Theogenes himself, and will compel him to testify. (To the clerk.) Call, please, Theogenes of Erchia. The Deposition “Theogenes of Erchia deposes that when he was king he married Phano, believing her to be the daughter of Stephanus, and that, when he found he had been deceived, he cast the woman away and ceased to live with her, and that he expelled Stephanus from his post of assessor, and no longer allowed him to serve in that capacity.”

> Greek: 84. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν μάρτυρα αὐτὸν τὸν Θεογένην καλῶ καὶ ἀναγκάσω μαρτυρεῖν. κάλει μοι Θεογένην Ἑρχιέα. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ. Θεογένης Ἑρχιεὺς μαρτυρεῖ, ὅτε αὐτὸς ἐβασίλευεν, γῆμαι Φανὼ ὡς Στεφάνου οὖσαν θυγατέρα, ἐπεὶ δὲ ᾔσθετο ἐξηπατημένος, τήν τε ἄνθρωπον ἐκβαλεῖν καὶ οὐκέτι συνοικεῖν αὐτῇ, καὶ Στέφανον ἀπελάσαι ἀπὸ τῆς παρεδρίας καὶ οὐκ ἐᾶν ἔτι παρεδρεύειν αὑτῷ.

[¶36] 85. (To the clerk.) Now take, please, the law bearing upon these matters, and read it; for I would have you know that a woman of her character, who has done what she has done, ought not only to have kept aloof from these sacred rites, to have abstained from beholding them, from offering sacrifices, and from performing on the city’s behalf any of the ancestral rites which usage demands, but that she should have been excluded also from all other religious ceremonials in Athens. For a woman who has been taken in adultery is not permitted to attend any of the public sacrifices, although the laws have given both to the alien woman and the slave the right to attend these, whether to view the spectacle or to offer prayer.

> Greek: 85. λαβὲ δή μοι τὸν νόμον ⟨τὸν⟩ ἐπὶ τούτοις τουτονὶ καὶ ἀνάγνωθι, ἵνʼ εἰδῆτε ὅτι οὐ μόνον προσῆκεν αὐτὴν ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν τούτων τοιαύτην οὖσαν καὶ τοιαῦτα διαπεπραγμένην, τοῦ ὁρᾶν καὶ θύειν καὶ ποιεῖν τι τῶν νομιζομένων ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως πατρίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν Ἀθήνησιν ἁπάντων. ἐφʼ ᾗ γὰρ ἂν μοιχὸς ἁλῷ γυναικί, οὐκ ἔξεστιν αὐτῇ ἐλθεῖν εἰς οὐδὲν τῶν ἱερῶν τῶν δημοτελῶν, εἰς ἃ καὶ τὴν ξένην καὶ τὴν δούλην [ἐλθεῖν] ἐξουσίαν ἔδοσαν οἱ νόμοι καὶ θεασομένην καὶ ἱκετεύσουσαν εἰσιέναι·

[¶37] 86. No; it is to these women alone that the law denies entrance to our public sacrifices, to these, I mean, who have been taken in adultery; and if they do attend them and defy the law, any person whatsoever may at will inflict upon them any sort of punishment, save only death, and that with impunity; and the law has given the right of punishing these women to any person who happens to meet with them. It is for this reason that the law has declared that such a woman may suffer any outrage short of death without the right of seeking redress before any tribunal whatsoever, that our sanctuaries may be kept free from all pollution and profanation, and that our women may be inspired with a fear sufficient to make them live soberly, and avoid all vice, and, as their duty is, to keep to their household tasks. For it teaches them that, if a woman is guilty of any such sin, she will be an outcast from her husband’s home and from the sanctuaries of the city.

> Greek: 86. ἀλλὰ μόναις ταύταις ἀπαγορεύουσιν οἱ νόμοι ταῖς γυναιξὶ μὴ εἰσιέναι εἰς τὰ ἱερὰ τὰ δημοτελῆ, ἐφʼ ᾗ ἂν μοιχὸς ἁλῷ, ἐὰν δʼ εἰσίωσι καὶ παρανομῶσι, νηποινεὶ πάσχειν ὑπὸ τοῦ βουλομένου ὅ τι ἂν πάσχῃ, πλὴν θανάτου, καὶ ἔδωκεν ὁ νόμος τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τῷ ἐντυχόντι, διὰ τοῦτο δʼ ἐποίησεν ὁ νόμος, πλὴν θανάτου, τἄλλα ὑβρισθεῖσαν αὐτὴν μηδαμοῦ λαβεῖν δίκην, ἵνα μὴ μιάσματα μηδʼ ἀσεβήματα γίγνηται ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς, ἱκανὸν φόβον ταῖς γυναιξὶ παρασκευάζων τοῦ σωφρονεῖν καὶ μηδὲν ἁμαρτάνειν, ἀλλὰ δικαίως οἰκουρεῖν, διδάσκων ὡς, ἄν τι ἁμάρτῃ τοιοῦτον, ἅμα ἐκ τε τῆς οἰκίας τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκβεβλημένη ἔσται καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν τῶν τῆς πόλεως.