1. This man Spudias and I, men of the jury, are married to two sisters, daughters of Polyeuctus. Polyeuctus having died without male issue, I am forced to go to law with the defendant in regard to the property which has been left. And if, men of the jury, I had not shown all zeal and eagerness in my desire to find a settlement and to submit the matters at issue to our friends, I should have blamed myself for not choosing to suffer a trifling loss rather than engage in a troublesome lawsuit.
1. ἀδελφὰς ἔχομεν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, γυναῖκας ἐγὼ καὶ Σπουδίας οὑτοσί, Πολυεύκτου θυγατέρας. ἄπαιδος δʼ ἐκείνου τελευτήσαντος ἀρρένων παίδων, ἀναγκάζομαι πρὸς τουτονὶ περὶ τῶν καταλειφθέντων δικάζεσθαι. καὶ εἰ μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μὴ πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ προθυμίαν ἐποιησάμην βουλόμενος διαλύεσθαι καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ἐπιτρέπειν, ἐμαυτὸν ἂν ᾐτιώμην, εἰ μᾶλλον ᾑρούμην δίκας καὶ πράγματʼ ἔχειν ἢ μίκρʼ ἐλαττωθεὶς ἀνέχεσθαι·
2. But, as it is, the more gentleness and consideration I used in talking with the defendant, the more contempt he showed toward me. And now it appears that in my contest with him we are in no sense on equal terms, but he can take the matter lightly, since he has been accustomed to come often before you, whereas I fear this very thing, that because of my lack of experience I may prove unable to explain my case to you. None the less, men of the jury, I beg you to give heed.
2. νῦν δʼ ὅσῳ πραότερον ἐγὼ καὶ φιλανθρωπότερον τούτῳ διελεγόμην, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλόν μου κατεφρόνει. καὶ νῦν κινδυνεύω μὲν οὐδὲν ὁμοίως τούτῳ πρὸς τουτονὶ τὸν ἀγῶνʼ ἔχειν, ἀλλʼ οὗτος μὲν ῥᾳδίως φέρει πολλάκις εἰθισμένος ἐνταῦθʼ εἰς ὑμᾶς παριέναι, ἐγὼ δʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο φοβοῦμαι, μὴ διὰ τὴν ἀπειρίαν οὐ δυνηθῶ δηλῶσαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑμῖν· ὅμως δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν.
3. Polyeuctus was a man of Teithras, not unknown, it may well be, to some of you. This Polyeuctus, since he had no male children, adopted Leocrates, the brother of his own wife; but since he had two daughters by the sister of Leocrates, he gave the elder to me in marriage with a portion of forty minae, and the younger to Leocrates.
3. Πολύευκτος γὰρ ἦν τις Θριάσιος, ὃν ἴσως οὐδʼ ὑμῶν τινες ἀγνοοῦσιν. οὗτος ὁ Πολύευκτος, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἦσαν αὐτῷ παῖδες ἄρρενες, ποιεῖται Λεωκράτη τὸν ἀδελφὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γυναικός. οὐσῶν δʼ αὐτῷ δύο θυγατέρων ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Λεωκράτους ἀδελφῆς, τὴν μὲν πρεσβυτέραν ἐμοὶ δίδωσιν καὶ τετταράκοντα μνᾶς προῖκα, τὴν δὲ νεωτέραν τῷ Λεωκράτει.
4. So matters stood, when a quarrel came about between Polyeuctus and Leocrates, as to the nature of which I know of nothing which it is incumbent upon me to relate, and Polyeuctus took away his daughter and gave her in marriage to this man Spudias. After this Leocrates, being greatly incensed, brought suit against Polyeuctus and Spudias here, and they were forced to render an accounting in regard to all the matters at issue, and in the end a settlement was reached on the terms that Leocrates, on receiving back all that he had brought into the estate, should be reconciled with Polyeuctus, and that final releases should be given from all demands made by each upon the other.
4. τούτων δʼ οὕτως ἐχόντων, διαφορᾶς γενομένης τῷ Πολυεύκτῳ πρὸς τὸν Λεωκράτη, περὶ ἧς οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅ τι δεῖ λέγειν, ἀφελόμενος ὁ Πολύευκτος τὴν θυγατέρα δίδωσι Σπουδίᾳ τουτῳί. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἠγανάκτει ⟨θʼ⟩ ὁ Λεωκράτης, καὶ δίκας ἐλάγχανε Πολυεύκτῳ καὶ τουτῳὶ Σπουδίᾳ, καὶ περὶ πάντων ἠναγκάζοντʼ εἰς λόγον καθίστασθαι. καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον διελύθησαν, ἐφʼ ᾧτε κομισάμενον τὸν Λεωκράτην ἅπερ ἦν εἰς τὴν οὐσίαν εἰσενηνεγμένος, μήτε κακόνουν εἶναι τῷ Πολυεύκτῳ, τῶν τε πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐγκλημάτων ἀπηλλάχθαι πάντων.
5. Now, why is it, men of the jury, that I have told you this? Because I did not receive the whole of my wife’s portion, but a thousand drachmae were left unpaid with the understanding that I should receive them on the death of Polyeuctus; and so long as Leocrates was the heir of Polyeuctus, it was he who was responsible to me for the debt; but when Leocrates had left the family, and Polyeuctus was seriously ill, then, men of the jury, to secure the ten minae, I took a mortgage on this house, the rents accruing from which Spudias seeks to prevent me from collecting.
5. τίνος οὖν ἕνεχʼ ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ταῦτʼ εἶπον; ὅτι τὴν προῖκʼ οὐ κομισάμενος ἅπασαν, ἀλλʼ ὑπολειφθεισῶν χιλίων δραχμῶν καὶ ὁμολογηθεισῶν ἀπολαβεῖν ὅταν Πολύευκτος ἀποθάνῃ, ἕως μὲν ὁ Λεωκράτης ἦν κληρονόμος τῶν Πολυεύκτου, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἦν μοι τὸ συμβόλαιον· ἐπειδὴ δʼ ὅ τε Λεωκράτης ἐξεκεχωρήκει ὅ τε Πολύευκτος μοχθηρῶς εἶχεν, τηνικαῦτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τὴν οἰκίαν ταύτην ἀποτιμῶμαι πρὸς τὰς δέκα μνᾶς, ἐξ ἧς διακωλύει με τὰς μισθώσεις κομίζεσθαι Σπουδίας.
6. In the first place, then, I shall bring before you as witnesses those who were present when Polyeuctus betrothed his daughter to me with a portion of forty minae; then I shall prove that what I received was less by a thousand drachmae; and further that Polyeuctus always admitted that he was in my debt, and that he introduced to me Leocrates as guarantor; and that at his death he directed by his will that pillars should be set up on the house in my favor for a thousand drachmae due on account of my wife’s portion. (To the clerk.) Please call the witnesses. The Witnesses This, then, men of the jury, is one of the charges which I make against Spudias.
6. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ὑμῖν μάρτυρας παρέξομαι τοὺς παραγενομένους ὅτʼ ἠγγύα μοι Πολύευκτος τὴν θυγατέρʼ ἐπὶ τετταράκοντα μναῖς· ἔπειθʼ ὡς ἔλαττον ταῖς χιλίαις ἐκομισάμην· ἔτι δʼ ὡς ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ὀφείλειν ὡμολόγει μοι Πολύευκτος, καὶ τὸν Λεωκράτην συνέστησε, καὶ ὡς τελευτῶν διέθεθʼ ὅρους ἐπιστῆσαι χιλίων δραχμῶν ἐμοὶ τῆς προικὸς ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν. καί μοι κάλει τοὺς μάρτυρας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ.
7. And in this matter what stronger or more solid ground could I have in coming before you than the law which expressly ordains that, in all cases where men have given a mortgage, there shall be no right of action for them or for their heirs? But nevertheless it is to dispute this just provision that Spudias has come here.
7. ἓν μὲν τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ὧν ἐγκαλῶ Σπουδίᾳ. καὶ περὶ τούτου τί ἂν ἔτι μεῖζον ἢ ἰσχυρότερον ἔχων εἰς ὑμᾶς κατέστην ἢ τὸν νόμον, ὃς οὐκ ἐᾷ διαρρήδην, ὅσα τις ἀπετίμησεν, εἶναι δίκας, οὔτʼ αὐτοῖς οὔτε τοῖς κληρονόμοις; ἀλλʼ ὅμως πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ δίκαιον ἥκει Σπουδίας ἀμφισβητήσων.
8. A second claim, men of the jury, is the following: Aristogenes has deposed that Polyeuctus, when about to die, charged that there were due him from Spudias two minae with interest (this was the price of a domestic slave whom the defendant had bought from Polyeuctus, but had neither paid the money nor has now entered it in the general account); and furthermore there are eighteen hundred drachmae, regarding which I am myself at a loss to know what reasonable thing he will have to say.
8. ἕτερον δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, δύο μὲν μνᾶς, ⟨ἃς⟩ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἀριστογένης ἐγκαλεῖν ἀποθνῄσκοντα Πολύευκτον ὀφειλομένας αὑτῷ παρὰ Σπουδίᾳ καὶ τὸν τόκον (τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶν οἰκέτου τιμή, ὃν ἐωνημένος οὗτος παρὰ τοῦ Πολυεύκτου, τὴν τιμὴν οὔτʼ ἐκείνῳ διέλυσεν οὔτε νῦν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν ἀνενήνοχεν), ὀκτακοσίας δὲ καὶ χιλίας, περὶ ὧν οὐδʼ ἔγωγʼ οἶδα τί ποθʼ ἕξει δίκαιον λέγειν.
9. He had borrowed the money from the wife of Polyeuctus, and there are papers which that lady left behind at her death, and the lady’s brothers are witnesses, for they were present at all times and questioned her on every point, that there might be no unpleasantness between us. It is, then, an outrageous and cruel thing, men of the jury, when I on my part, for everything which I either bought from Polyeuctus during his lifetime or received from his wife, have duly paid the price and the interest as well, and am now bringing into the general account everything which I owed, that this fellow should show no regard either for your laws or for the will of Polyeuctus, or for the papers which have been left, or for those who knew the facts, but in the face of all this should have come into court to contest my plea.
9. ἦν μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἀργύριον παρὰ τῆς Πολυεύκτου δεδανεισμένος γυναικός, γράμματα δʼ ἔστιν ἃ κατέλιπεν ἀποθνῄσκουσʼ ἐκείνη, μάρτυρες δʼ οἱ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀδελφοὶ παρόντες ἅπασιν καὶ καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐπερωτῶντες, ἵνα μηδὲν δυσχερὲς ἡμῖν εἴη πρὸς ἀλλήλους. οὔκουν δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ σχέτλιον ἐμὲ μὲν ἁπάντων, ὧν ἢ παρὰ Πολυεύκτου ζῶντος ἦν ἐωνημένος ἢ παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς εἶχον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τόκον τιθέναι καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἀποδεδωκέναι, καὶ νῦν ἅπερ ὤφειλον πάντʼ εἰς τὸ κοινὸν φέρειν, τοῦτον δὲ μήτε τῶν νόμων τῶν ὑμετέρων φροντίζειν μήθʼ ὧν διέθετο Πολύευκτος μήτε τῶν καταλειφθέντων γραμμάτων μήτε τῶν συνειδότων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἅπαντα ταῦθʼ ἥκειν ἀντιδικήσοντα;
10. (To the clerk.) Please take first the law which denies the right of action for mortgaged property against the holders of the mortgage, then the papers which were left, and the deposition of Aristogenes. The Law. The Papers. The Deposition I wish now, men of the jury, to instruct you in detail also regarding the other claims which I make.
10. λαβὲ δή μοι πρῶτον μὲν τὸν νόμον, ὃς οὐκ ἐᾷ τῶν ἀποτιμηθέντων ἔτι δίκην εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ἔχοντας, ἔπειτα τὰ γράμματα τὰ καταλειφθέντα καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τὴν Ἀριστογένους. ΝΟΜΟΣ. ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΑ. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
11. They received from the wife of Polyeuctus a bowl, which they pawned together with some pieces of jewelry, and this they have not redeemed and brought into the general account, as Demophilus, to whom it was pawned, will testify. They have also some stuff for hangings, which they received, but they do not account for this either; and many more articles of the same sort. And finally, although my wife advanced a mina of silver and expended it on her father’s behalf for the feast of the dead, the defendant refuses to contribute his share even of this; nay, what he has received he keeps; of other items he receives his due portion; but these claims he thus openly refuses to meet. Now that these matters too may not be left neglected,(to the clerk) take, please, the depositions regarding them all. The Depositions It may well be, men of the jury, that Spudias will make no statement to meet these facts; for he will not be able to do so, clever though he is; but will accuse Polyeuctus and his wife, and will declare that they did all these things under my influence and as favors to me, and that he is being greatly injured in many other respects, and has brought action against me; for this is what he undertook to say before the arbitrator also.
11. βούλομαι τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὧν ἐγκαλῶ καθʼ ἕκαστον ὑμᾶς διδάξαι. φιάλην μὲν γὰρ λαβόντες παρὰ τῆς Πολυεύκτου γυναικὸς καὶ θέντες ἐνέχυρα μετὰ χρυσίων, οὐκ ἀνενηνόχασιν κεκομισμένοι ταύτην, ὡς ὑμῖν Δημόφιλος ὁ θέμενος μαρτυρήσει· σκηνὴν δʼ ἣν ἔχουσιν, οὐδέ γε ταύτην λαβόντες ἀναφέρουσιν· ἄλλα δὲ πόσα τοιαῦτα; τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον εἰσενεγκούσης τῆς ἐμῆς γυναικὸς εἰς τὰ Νεμέσεια τῷ πατρὶ μνᾶν ἀργυρίου καὶ προαναλωσάσης, οὐδὲ ταύτης ἀξιοῖ συμβαλέσθαι τὸ μέρος, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἔχει προλαβών, τῶν δὲ τὰ μέρη κομίζεται, τὰ δʼ οὕτω φανερῶς οὐκ ἀποδίδωσιν. ἵνα τοίνυν μηδὲ ταῦτʼ ᾖ παραλελειμμένα, λαβέ μοι πάντων αὐτῶν τὰς μαρτυρίας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΙ. ἴσως τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, πρὸς μὲν ταῦτʼ οὐδὲν ἀντερεῖ Σπουδίας (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἕξει, καίπερ δεινὸς ὤν)· αἰτιάσεται δὲ Πολύευκτον καὶ τὴν γυναῖκʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ φήσει πάντα ταῦθʼ ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ πεισθέντας καταχαρίσασθαι, καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἕτερα πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα βλάπτεσθαι, καὶ δίκην εἰληχέναι μοι· ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τῷ διαιτητῇ λέγειν ἐπεχείρει.
13. But for my part, men of the jury, in the first place I do not think that a defence of that sort is legitimate, or that it is proper, when one is manifestly shown to be in the wrong, for him to shift the charges and have recourse to accusation and calumny; nay, for his counter-charges, if he is suffering any wrong, he will plainly receive satisfaction, but for the claims made on him, he will give it. For how could I now defend myself against the slanders of these men, if I passed over the matters upon which you are to give your verdict?
13. ἐγὼ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, πρῶτον μὲν οὐχ ἡγοῦμαι δικαίαν εἶναι τὴν ἀπολογίαν τὴν τοιαύτην, οὐδὲ προσήκειν, ὅταν τις φανερῶς ἐξελέγχηται, μεταστρέψαντα τὰς αἰτίας ἐγκαλεῖν καὶ διαβάλλειν· ἀλλʼ ἐκείνων μέν, εἴπερ ἀδικεῖται, δῆλον ὅτι δίκην λήψεται, τούτων δὲ δώσει· πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἐγὼ νῦν ταῖς τούτων διαβολαῖς ἀντιδικοίην, ἀφεὶς ὑπὲρ ὧν ὑμεῖς μέλλετε τὴν ψῆφον οἴσειν;
14. In the next place I wonder, if he had true and just demands to make, why it was that, when our friends wished to settle our differences, and many conferences were held, he could not abide by their decision. And yet who could better have exposed the baselessness of claims advanced by him or by me than those who were present at all these transactions, who knew the facts as well as we did ourselves, and who were impartial friends of us both?
14. ἔπειτα θαυμάζω τί δήποτε, εἴπερ ἀληθῆ καὶ δίκαιʼ εἶχεν ἐγκαλεῖν, βουλομένων ἡμᾶς τῶν φίλων διαλύειν καὶ πολλῶν λόγων γενομένων οὐχ οἷος ἦν ἐμμένειν οἷς ἐκεῖνοι γνοῖεν. καίτοι τίνες ἂν ἄμεινον καὶ τῶν τούτου καὶ τῶν ἐμῶν ἐγκλημάτων τὰ μηδὲν ὄντʼ ἐξήλεγξαν τῶν παραγεγενημένων ἅπασι τούτοις, τῶν εἰδότων οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡμῶν τὰ γενόμενα, τῶν κοινῶν ἀμφοτέροις καὶ φίλων ὄντων;
15. But this was plainly not to the interest of my opponent—that he should be openly convicted by our friends and find a settlement in this way. For do not imagine, men of the jury, that men who know all these facts, and who now at their own risk are giving testimony in my favor, would then, when they had been put under oath, have formed a different conclusion about them. However, though you had none of these facts to aid you, even so it is not difficult to form an opinion as to which of the two parties is speaking the truth.
15. ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὅτι τούτῳ ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐλυσιτέλει, φανερῶς ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελεγχομένῳ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον λαβεῖν διάλυσιν· μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοὺς εἰδότας ἅπαντα ταῦτα νυνὶ μὲν ὑποκινδύνους αὑτοὺς καθιστάντας ἐμοὶ μαρτυρεῖν, τότε δʼ ⟨ἂν⟩ ὀμόσαντας ἄλλο τι γνῶναι περὶ αὐτῶν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν τούτων ὑπῆρχεν ὑμῖν, οὐδʼ ὣς χαλεπόν ἐστιν γνῶναι περὶ αὐτῶν, ὁπότεροι τἀληθῆ λέγουσιν.
16. For regarding the house, if he maintains that Polyeuctus was induced by me to order that mortgage-pillars be set up for the thousand drachmae, yet surely, Spudias, I did not use my influence to induce the witnesses to give false testimony in my interest,—witnesses who were present when he betrothed to me his daughter, who knew that I received less than the entire marriage portion, who heard him when he acknowledged that he was in my debt and also when he had introduced Leocrates as the one who should make payment, and who finally were present when the will was made. For with all these persons it was no longer a question of favoring me in these matters, but of risking a charge of giving false testimony, if they deposed to what was not the truth. Let us, then, have no more of that matter; but what will you say to this, Spudias?
16. περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς οἰκίας, εἰ φησὶν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ πεισθέντα Πολύευκτον προστάξαι τοὺς ὅρους στῆσαι τῶν χιλιῶν, ἀλλʼ οὐ δήπου καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας ἔπεισα, ὦ Σπουδία, ψευδῆ μοι μαρτυρεῖν, τοὺς παραγενομένους ὅτʼ ἠγγύα μοι, τοὺς εἰδότας ἔλαττόν με κομισάμενον, τοὺς ἀκούοντας ὁμολογοῦντος ὀφείλειν ἐμοὶ συστήσαντος ἀποδοῦναι, τοὺς τὸ τελευταῖον ταῖς διαθήκαις παραγενομένους· τούτοις γὰρ ἅπασιν οὐκέτι καταχαρίσασθαι ταῦθʼ ὑπῆρχεν, ἀλλὰ κινδυνεύειν τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων, εἰ μηδὲν τῶν γενομένων μαρτυροῖεν. ἀφῶμεν τοίνυν τοῦτʼ ἤδη.
17. And see that you give these gentlemen a precise answer. If he does not, do you all demand it of him. For, when Polyeuctus gave these directions in his will, the defendant’s wife was present, and you may be sure that she reported to him the will of her father, especially if he did not receive an equal share, but was at a disadvantage in all respects; and the defendant himself was invited to be present, so that it is not open to him to say that we managed this in secret and kept them in the dark. For although he was invited to be present, he said that he was busy himself, but that it would be enough if his wife were there. What more would you have?
17. πρὸς ἐκεῖνο δὲ τί ἂν λέγοις; ἀκριβῶς γὰρ ὅπως τούτους διδάξεις· εἰ δὲ μή, πάντες ὑμεῖς ἀπαιτεῖτʼ αὐτόν. ὅτε γὰρ Πολύευκτος διετίθετο ταῦτα, παρῆν μὲν ἡ τούτου γυνή, καὶ δῆλον ὅτι τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς διαθήκας ἀνήγγειλεν, ἄλλως τʼ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἴσον εἶχεν ἀλλʼ ἐν ἅπασιν ἠλαττοῦτο, παρεκλήθη δʼ αὐτὸς οὗτος, ὥστε μηδὲ τοῦτʼ εἶναι λέγειν, ὡς λάθρᾳ καὶ διακρυψάμενοι τούτους ἐπράττομεν ταῦτα· παρακαλούμενος γὰρ ἔφησεν αὐτὸς μὲν ἀσχολίαν ἄγειν, τὴν δὲ γυναῖκʼ ἐξαρκεῖν τὴν αὑτοῦ παροῦσαν.
18. When Aristogenes gave him an exact account of all these matters, even then he made no comment, and though Polyeuctus lived on more than five days after this, he neither showed any vexation on going to the house, nor made any protest, nor did his wife, who was present from the first on all these occasions. It would appear, then, that Polyeuctus was not induced by me to favor me in these matters; the act was your own. Keep these facts, then, clearly in your minds, men of the jury, and if he now tries to make any slanderous statements about the matter, confront him with them. But first, that you may be fully assured that matters are as I have stated, hear the witnesses.(To the clerk.) Read. The Witnesses Well then, men of the jury, in the matter of the one thousand drachmae, to prove that Polyeuctus mortgaged the house to me honestly, and for an existing debt, I have the testimony of my opponent himself and his wife in addition to these other witnesses whose depositions have been put in; for they concurred at the time, and made no objection either to Polyeuctus who lived so many days after, or to Aristogenes, when they first heard of the will.
18. τί ἔτι λοιπόν; ἀπαγγείλαντος Ἀριστογένους αὐτῷ περὶ ἁπάντων τούτων ἀκριβῶς, οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθʼ οὐδένα φαίνεται λόγον ποιησάμενος, ἀλλʼ ἐπιβιόντος μετὰ ταῦτα τοῦ Πολυεύκτου πλέον ἢ πένθʼ ἡμέρας, οὔτʼ ἠγανάκτησεν εἰσελθὼν οὔτʼ ἀντεῖπεν οὐδέν, οὐδʼ ἡ γυνή, παροῦσʼ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἅπασιν τούτοις. ὥστʼ οὐκέτι Πολύευκτος αὐτὰ πεισθεὶς ἐμοὶ κατεχαρίζετο, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς αὐτοί. ταῦτα τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μεμνημένοι σαφῶς, ἐὰν ἄρα τι περὶ αὐτῶν ἐγχειρῇ νυνὶ διαβάλλειν, ἀντίθετε. πρῶτον δʼ ἵνʼ εἰδῆτʼ ἀκριβῶς ὅτι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἔχει, τῶν μαρτύρων ἀκούσατε. λέγε. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ.
19. But assuredly, if the house was honestly mortgaged, it is impossible for you, if you bear the law in mind, to acquit Spudias as to this part of the case. Now consider also the matter of the twenty minae, which he does not bring into the account; for in this again the defendant himself will be my strongest witness—not by words, heaven knows, such as he utters now in opposing my suit—words are a criterion of no worth—but by manifest act. By doing what, men of the jury? To this I bid you now to give close heed, in order that, if he really dares to utter any slanders about the mother of our wives or about the documents, your knowledge of the facts may make it impossible for him to deceive you by his talk.
19. οὐκοῦν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τῶν μὲν χιλίων δραχμῶν ὡς δικαίως καὶ προσοφειλομένων ἀπετίμησέ μοι τὴν οἰκίαν ὁ Πολύευκτος, αὐτὸς οὗτός μοι μαρτυρεῖ καὶ ἡ τούτου γυνὴ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις τούτοις τοῖς μεμαρτυρηκόσι, συγχωροῦντες τότε καὶ οὔτε πρὸς τὸν Πολύευκτον ἀντειπόντες ἐπιβιόντα τοσαύτας ἡμέρας, οὔτε πρὸς τὸν Ἀριστογένη, ἐπεὶ τάχιστʼ ἤκουσαν. ἀλλὰ μὴν εἴ γε δικαίως ἀπετιμήθη, μεμνημένοις τοῦ νόμου κατὰ μὲν τοῦθʼ ὑμῖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀποψηφίσασθαι Σπουδίου. σκέψασθε δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν εἴκοσι μνῶν, ἃς οὐκ ἐπαναφέρει· καὶ γὰρ ἐνταυθοῖ πάλιν αὐτὸς οὗτός μοι μέγιστος ἔσται μάρτυς, οὐ λόγῳ μὰ Δίʼ ὥσπερ νῦν ἀντιδικῶν (τουτὶ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν τεκμήριόν ἐστιν), ἀλλʼ ἔργῳ περιφανεῖ. τί ποιῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί; τούτῳ γὰρ ἤδη προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν, ἵνʼ ἐὰν ἄρα τολμᾷ τι καὶ περὶ τῆς μητρὸς τῶν γυναικῶν βλασφημεῖν ἢ περὶ τῶν γραμμάτων, εἰδότας ὑμᾶς μὴ δύνηται λέγων ἐξαπατᾶν.
21. These papers were left by the wife of Polyeuctus, as I just now said. The seals being acknowledged both by the defendant’s wife and by mine, we both, being present, broke them and took copies, and then sealed up the papers again, and deposited them in the hands of Aristogenes.
21. ταυτὶ γὰρ τὰ γράμματα κατέλιπεν μὲν ἡ Πολυεύκτου γυνή, καθάπερ εἶπον ὀλίγῳ πρότερον· ὁμολογουμένων δὲ τῶν σημείων καὶ παρὰ τῆς τούτου γυναικὸς καὶ παρὰ τῆς ἐμῆς, ἀμφότεροι παρόντες ἀνοίξαντες ἀντίγραφά τʼ ἐλάβομεν, κἀκεῖνα πάλιν κατασημηνάμενοι παρʼ Ἀριστογένει κατεθέμεθα.
22. Now, note this, men of the jury, note this, I beg of you. There was in the papers mention of the two minae, the price of the slave—and it was not only Polyeuctus on his death-bed who had made this claim—and there was mention of the eighteen hundred drachmae. When he read this, if what was written did not concern him at all and was untrue, why pray did he not at once protest about it? Why did he join in sealing again papers which were false and of no worth? This of course no one in the world would do, if he did not concur in all that was written.
22. τοῦτο δή, τοῦτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μάθετε πρὸς θεῶν. ἐνῆσαν μὲν γὰρ αἱ δύο μναῖ, ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ οἰκέτου, καὶ οὐ μόνον ὁ Πολύευκτος ἀποθνῄσκων ταύτας ἐνεκεκλήκει, ἐνῆσαν δʼ αἱ χίλιαι καὶ ὀκτακόσιαι δραχμαί. ταῦτα δʼ ἀναγνούς, εἰ μὲν αὐτῷ μηδὲν προσῆκεν μηδʼ ἀληθῆ τὰ γεγραμμένʼ ἦν, τί δή ποτʼ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἠγανάκτει περὶ αὐτῶν; τί δὲ συνεσημαίνετο πάλιν τὰ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς ὄντα μηδʼ ἀληθῆ γράμματα; τουτὶ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δήπου μὴ πᾶσιν ὁμολογῶν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ποιήσειεν.
23. But surely, men of the jury, this is an outrageous thing if these men are to be permitted now to dispute matters to which they have themselves given assent, and you are to find no basis for judgement in the fact that all of us are wont, when charges are made against us that are unjust and untrue, not to keep silent, but to dispute them on the spot, and that those who do not do this, if they contest them subsequently, are accounted rascals and tricksters.
23. ἀλλὰ μήν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῦτό γε δεινὸν δήπου, εἰ πρὸς τὰ συγκεχωρημένʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τούτων ἐξέσται νῦν ἀντιλέγειν, καὶ μηδὲν σημεῖον ὑμῖν ἔσται, διότι πάντες ἄνθρωποι πρὸς τὰ μήτʼ ἀληθῆ μήτε δίκαια τῶν ἐγκλημάτων οὐ κατασιωπᾶν, ἀλλὰ παραχρῆμʼ ἀμφισβητεῖν εἰώθαμεν, μὴ ποιήσαντες δὲ ταῦτα, ἂν ὕστερον ἀντιδικῶσιν, πονηροὶ καὶ συκοφάνται δοκοῦσιν εἶναι.
24. Now Spudias knows this as well as I, and I think even better, inasmuch as he comes oftener before your court, yet he feels no shame in saying things that contradict all that he has himself done. And yet full often when you become conscious of one single piece of fraud, you treat it as evidence against the other charges; but the defendant is found to have been convicted by himself of falsehood on every point. Take, please, the deposition, proving that the seals of the papers were acknowledged at the time by the wife of the defendant, and that the papers are now deposited, sealed by Spudias. The Deposition Since, then, these facts have been so convincingly established, there is no further need, I think, of more words.
24. ταῦτα μὲν τοίνυν Σπουδίας οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐμοῦ γιγνώσκων, ἀλλʼ οἶμαι μὲν καὶ ἀκριβέστερον, ὅσῳ καὶ πυκνότερον ἐνταυθοῖ παρέρχεται, πᾶσιν ἐναντία τοῖς πεπραγμένοις αὑτῷ λέγων οὐκ αἰσχύνεται. καίτοι πολλάκις ὑμεῖς ἓν μόνον σκευώρημα συνιδόντες, τούτῳ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐγκαλουμένων ἐχρήσασθε τεκμηρίῳ· τούτῳ δʼ ἅπανθʼ ὑφʼ αὑτοῦ συμβέβηκεν ἐξελέγχεσθαι. καί μοι λαβὲ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ὡς ὡμολογεῖτο τότε τὰ σημεῖα τῶν γραμμάτων ὑπὸ τῆς τούτου γυναικός, καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ Σπουδίου κατασημανθέντα κεῖται. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
25. For when I am able to produce both laws and witnesses in support of everything that I have said, and also admissions made in my favor by my opponent himself, what further need can there be for a long argument? However, if Spudias perchance waxes indignant about the marriage portion and maintains that he is being defrauded to the amount of one thousand drachmae, he will be lying. For, while he disputes my claim to this sum, he has received not less, but more, as will presently be made clear to you.
25. τούτων τοίνυν οὕτως σαφῶς ἀποδεδειγμένων, ἡγοῦμαι μὲν οὐδὲν ἔτι δεῖν πλείω λέγειν· ὁπότε γὰρ καὶ νόμους ἔχω παρέχεσθαι καὶ μάρτυρας ἁπάντων τῶν εἰρημένων, καὶ τὸν ἀντίδικον αὐτὸν ὁμολογοῦντά μοι, τί δεῖ μακρῶν ἔτι λόγων; ὅμως δʼ ἂν ἄρα περὶ τῆς προικὸς ἀγανακτῇ καὶ φάσκῃ πλεονεκτεῖσθαι ταῖς χιλίαις δραχμαῖς, ψεύσεται· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔχων ἔλαττον ἀμφισβητεῖ πρὸς αὐτάς, ἀλλὰ πλέον, ὡς αὐτίχʼ ὑμῖν ἔσται φανερόν.
26. Nay more, even if all these statements of his were indeed true, it is not just, I take it, if the laws are good for anything, that I should lose the marriage portion which was promised me, or that Polyeuctus, if he chose to give a smaller portion to one daughter and a larger to the other, should now be thwarted. For it was open to you, Spudias, not to marry his daughter, unless the thousand drachmae were given to you as well as to me. However you received no less than I, as I shall show. (To the clerk.) But, first, take the deposition which shows on what terms the lady was given to him. The Deposition But how can it be that he has received as much as I, one may ask, if in his case the jewelry and the apparel, to the value of a thousand drachmae, were reckoned in the forty minae, while to me the ten minae were paid separately and in addition?
26. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ εἰ πάντα ταῦθʼ ὡς ἀληθῶς συνέβη, οὐ δήπου δίκαιον ἐμὲ τὴν ὁμολογηθεῖσαν προῖκα μὴ λαβεῖν, εἴπερ ὄφελός τι τῶν νόμων ἐστίν, οὐδέ γε τὸν Πολύευκτον, εἰ τῶν θυγατέρων ἐβούλετο τῇ μὲν ἐλάττω, τῇ δὲ πλείω προῖκʼ ἐπιδοῦναι, διακωλυθῆναι νῦν· σοὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ μὴ λαμβάνειν ἐξῆν, ὦ Σπουδία, μὴ προστιθεμένων ὥσπερ ἐμοὶ τῶν χιλιῶν. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον εἶχες, ὡς ἐγὼ διδάξω. πρῶτον δʼ ἐφʼ οἷς ἐξέδοτο τούτῳ, λαβέ μοι τὴν μαρτυρίαν. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
27. This is precisely what I am going to explain. For Spudias, men of the jury, received his wife from Leocrates with the jewelry and apparel on which Polyeuctus set a value to Leocrates of more than a thousand drachmae, while in my case, if you set what was sent to me over and above the marriage portion—all that I have in my possession—over against what was given to Spudias, you will find them practically equal over and above what was reckoned in the thousand drachmae;
27. πῶς οὖν οὐδὲν ἔλαττον ἔχει, φήσει τις, εἰ τούτῳ μὲν ἐν ταῖς τετταράκοντα μναῖς ἐνετιμᾶτο τὰ χρυσία καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν χιλιῶν, ἐμοὶ δʼ αἱ δέκα μναῖ χωρὶς προσαπεδίδοντο; τοῦτο δὴ καὶ μέλλω λέγειν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Σπουδίας, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, παρὰ τοῦ Λεωκράτους ἔχουσαν τὰ χρυσία καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια τὴν γυναῖκʼ ἔλαβεν, ὧν ὁ Πολύευκτος προσαπέτεισεν τῷ Λεωκράτει πλεῖν ἢ χιλίας· ἐγὼ δʼ, ἅπερ ἔπεμψέ μοι χωρὶς τῆς προικός, ὅσʼ ἔχω μόνον, πρὸς τὰ τούτῳ δοθέντʼ ἐὰν ἀντιθῇ τις, εὑρήσει παραπλήσια, χωρὶς τῶν εἰς τὰς χιλίας ἀποτιμηθέντων.
28. so that it was only fair that these articles should be included in the forty minae, seeing that Polyeuctus had charged them against Leocrates, and they were more than had been given me. (To the clerk.) Now please take this inventory and read to the jurymen what each of us has in his possession; after that, read the deposition of the arbitrators, that they may see that Spudias has received even far more than I, and that Leocrates made complaint regarding this, and that the arbitrators rendered this decision. The Inventory. The Deposition Is it not plain, then, that the defendant has long had in his possession forty minae as his wife’s marriage portion, whereas I received the thirty minae, just as he did, but not only did not receive the thousand drachmae, but am now actually in jeopardy regarding them, charged with possessing them wrongfully.
28. ὥστʼ εἰκότως ἐν ταῖς τετταράκοντα μναῖς ἐνετιμᾶτο ταῦτα, ἅπερ ἀπετετείκει τῷ Λεωκράτει καὶ πλείω τῶν ἐμοὶ δοθέντων ἦν. καί μοι λαβὲ πρῶτον μὲν τὴν ἀπογραφὴν ταύτην καὶ λέγʼ αὐτοῖς ἅπερ ἑκάτερος ἡμῶν ἔχει, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὴν τῶν διαιτητῶν μαρτυρίαν, ἵνʼ ἴδωσιν ὅτι καὶ πολλῷ πλείω χρήματʼ ἔχει, καὶ περὶ τούτων ὁ Λεωκράτης ἐνεκάλει, καὶ κατὰ ταῦτʼ ἔγνωσαν οἱ διαιτηταί. λέγε. ΑΠΟΓΡΑΦΗ. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
29. It was for this reason, men of the jury, that Spudias would not leave to our friends the settlement of his claims against me, since the result would have been that all these falsehoods of his would have been exposed, for they had been present at all these transactions and knew all about them, and would therefore not have permitted him to say whatever he pleased; whereas in your court he thinks that by his falsehoods he will get the better of me and my statement of the truth.
29. ἆρʼ οὖν οὐ φανερῶς οὗτος μὲν ἔχει τετταράκοντα μνᾶς πάλαι τὴν προῖκα, ἐγὼ δὲ τὰς μὲν τριάκοντα καθάπερ οὗτος, τὰς δὲ χιλίας οὐ μόνον ὕστερον οὐκ ἐκομισάμην, ἀλλὰ καὶ νυνὶ κινδυνεύω περὶ αὐτῶν ὡς ἀδίκως ἔχων; διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι Σπουδίας, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῖς φίλοις οὐκ ἐβούλετʼ ἐπιτρέψας ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῶν πρὸς ἔμʼ ἐγκλημάτων, ὅτι συνέβαινεν αὐτῷ πάντα ταῦτʼ ἐξελέγχεσθαι· πᾶσιν γὰρ τούτοις παραγεγενημένοι καὶ σαφῶς εἰδότες οὐκ ἐπέτρεπον αὐτῷ λέγειν ὅ τι τύχοι· παρʼ ὑμῖν δʼ οἴεται ψευδόμενος ἐμοῦ τἀληθῆ λέγοντος περιγενήσεσθαι.
30. And yet I have set forth to you clearly all my charges, as well as I could do it myself, while my opponent evaded coming before those acquainted with the facts thinking that he would be unable to lead them astray. Do not you, then, men of the jury, do not you any more than they suffer him to have recourse to lies and calumnies, but bear in mind what you have heard; for you know all the facts of the case, unless perhaps I have omitted something, since I have been forced to speak with but scant water in the water-clock.
30. καίτοι περὶ ὧν ἐγκαλῶ, πάνθʼ ὑμῖν ἀπέδειξα σαφῶς, ὡς οἷός τʼ ἦν αὐτός. τοὺς δʼ εἰδότας οὗτος ἔφευγεν, οὐχ ἡγούμενος εἶναι παραλογίσασθαι. μὴ τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μηδʼ ὑμεῖς ἐπιτρέπετʼ αὐτῷ ψεύδεσθαι καὶ διαβάλλειν, μεμνημένοι τῶν εἰρημένων· ἴστε γὰρ πάνθʼ ὡς ἐγένετο, πλὴν εἴ τι παρέλιπον ἐγὼ πρὸς ὀλίγον ὕδωρ ἀναγκαζόμενος λέγειν.