by Demosthenes
[4] since he is the brother of Artemo and has possession of all his property, both all that he left here and all that he had at Phaselis, and is the heir to his whole estate; and since he can show no law which gives him the right to hold his brother’s property and to have administered it as he pleased, and yet to refuse to pay back money which belongs to others and to say now that he is not the. heir, but has nothing to do with the dead man’s affairs.
[5] ἡ μὲν τουτουὶ Λακρίτου πονηρία τοιαύτη ἐστίν: ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὑμῶν δέομαι, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, εὐνοϊκῶς ἀκοῦσαί μου περὶ τοῦ πράγματος τουτουί: κἂν ἐξελέγξω αὐτὸν ἀδικοῦντα ἡμᾶς τε τοὺς δανείσαντας καὶ ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ἧττον, βοηθεῖτε ἡμῖν τὰ δίκαια.
[5] Such is the rascality of this fellow, Lacritus; but I beg of you, men of the jury, to give me a favorable hearing in regard to this matter and, if I prove to you that he has wronged us, who lent the money, and you as well, to render us the aid that is our due.
[6] ἐγὼ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδ᾽ ὁπωστιοῦν ἐγνώριζον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τούτους: Θρασυμήδης δ᾽ ὁ Διοφάντου υἱός, ἐκείνου τοῦ Σφηττίου, καὶ Μελάνωπος ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἐπιτήδειοί μοί εἰσιν, καὶ χρώμεθα ἀλλήλοις ὡς οἷόν τε μάλιστα. οὗτοι προσῆλθόν μοι μετὰ Λακρίτου τουτουί, ὁπόθεν δήποτε ἐγνωρισμένοι τούτῳ （οὐ γὰρ οἶδα）,
[6] I myself, men of the jury, had not the slightest acquaintance with these men; but Thrasymedes the son of Diophantus, that well-known Sphettian, and Melanopus, his brother, are friends of mine, and we are on the most intimate terms possible. These men came up to me with Lacritus here, whose acquaintance they had made in some way or other — how, I do not know, —
[7] καὶ ἐδέοντό μου δανεῖσαι χρήματα εἰς τὸν Πόντον Ἀρτέμωνι τῷ τούτου ἀδελφῷ καὶ Ἀπολλοδώρῳ, ὅπως ἂν ἐνεργοὶ ὦσιν, οὐδὲν εἰδώς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οὐδ᾽ ὁ Θρασυμήδης τὴν τούτων πονηρίαν, ἀλλ᾽ οἰόμενος εἶναι ἐπιεικεῖς ἀνθρώπους καὶ οἷοίπερ προσεποιοῦντο καὶ ἔφασαν εἶναι, καὶ ἡγούμενος ποιήσειν αὐτοὺς πάντα ὅσαπερ ὑπισχνεῖτο καὶ ἀνεδέχετο Λάκριτος οὑτοσί.
[7] and asked me to lend money to Artemo, this man’s brother, and to Apollodorus for a voyage to Pontus, that they might be engaged in a trading enterprise. Thrasymedes like myself knew nothing of the rascality of these people, but supposed them to be honorable men and such as they pretended and declared themselves to be; and that they would do all that they promised and that this fellow Lacritus undertook that they should do.
[8] πλεῖστον δ᾽ ἄρα ἦν ἐψευσμένος, καὶ οὐδὲν ᾔδει οἵοις θηρίοις ἐπλησίαζε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις. κἀγὼ πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θρασυμήδους καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ Λακρίτου τουτουὶ ἀναδεχομένου μοι πάντ᾽ ἔσεσθαι τὰ δίκαια παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν αὑτοῦ, ἐδάνεισα μετὰ ξένου τινὸς ἡμετέρου Καρυστίου τριάκοντα μνᾶς ἀργυρίου.
[8] He was utterly deceived, and had no idea what monsters these men were with whom he was associating. I allowed myself to be persuaded by Thrasymedes and his brother, and upon the assurance given me by this Lacritus, that his brothers would do everything that was right, I, with the help of a Carystian, who was a friend of mine, lent thirty minae in silver.
[9] βούλομαι οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τῆς συγγραφῆς ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς πρῶτον, καθ᾽ ἣν ἐδανείσαμεν τὰ χρήματα, καὶ τῶν μαρτύρων τῶν παραγενομένων τῷ δανείσματι: ἔπειτα περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιδείξομεν, οἷα ἐτοιχωρύχησαν οὗτοι περὶ τὸ δάνειον. λέγε τὴν συγγραφήν, εἶτα τὰς μαρτυρίας.
[9] I wish you first, men of the jury, to hear the agreement in accordance with which we lent the money, and the witnesses who were present when the loan was made; after that I shall take up the remaining features of the case, and show you how like burglars they acted in the matter of this loan.
Read the agreement, and then the depositions.
[10] “Συγγραφή
ἐδάνεισαν Ἀνδροκλῆς Σφήττιος καὶ Ναυσικράτης Καρύστιος Ἀρτέμωνι καὶ Ἀπολλοδώρῳ Φασηλίταις ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς τρισχιλίας Ἀθήνηθεν εἰς Μένδην ἢ Σκιώνην, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἰς Βόσπορον, ἐὰν δὲ βούλωνται, τῆς ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερὰ μέχρι Βορυσθένους, καὶ πάλιν Ἀθήναζε, ἐπὶ διακοσίαις εἴκοσι πέντε τὰς χιλίας, ἐὰν δὲ μετ᾽ Ἀρκτοῦρον ἐκπλεύσωσιν ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου ἐφ᾽ Ἱερόν, ἐπὶ τριακοσίαις τὰς χιλίας, ἐπὶ οἴνου κεραμίοις Μενδαίοις τρισχιλίοις, ὃς πλεύσεται ἐκ Μένδης ἢ Σκιώνης ἐν τῇ εἰκοσόρῳ ἣν Ὑβλήσιος ναυκληρεῖ.”
[10] “Agreement
Androcles of Sphettus and Nausicrates of Carystus lent to Artemo and Apollodorus, both of Phaselis, three thousand drachmae in silver for a voyage from Athens to Mendê or Scionê, and thence to Bosporus — or if they so choose, for a voyage to the left parts of the Pontus as far as the Borysthenes, and thence back to Athens, on interest at the rate of two hundred and twenty-five drachmae on the thousand; but, if they should sail out from Pontus to Hieron after the rising of Arcturus, at three hundred on the thousand, on the security of three thousand jars of wine of Mendê, which shall be conveyed from Mendê or Scionê in the twenty-oared ship of which Hyblesius is owner.”
[11] “ὑποτιθέασι δὲ ταῦτα, οὐκ ὀφείλοντες ἐπὶ τούτοις ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν ἀργύριον, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιδανείσονται. καὶ ἀπάξουσι τὰ χρήματα τὰ ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου ἀντιφορτισθέντα Ἀθήναζε πάλιν ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πλοίῳ ἅπαντα. σωθέντων δὲ τῶν χρημάτων Ἀθήναζε, ἀποδώσουσιν οἱ δανεισάμενοι τοῖς δανείσασι τὸ γιγνόμενον ἀργύριον κατὰ τὴν συγγραφὴν ἡμερῶν εἴκοσιν, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἂν ἔλθωσιν Ἀθήναζε, ἐντελὲς πλὴν ἐκβολῆς, ἣν ἂν οἱ σύμπλοι ψηφισάμενοι κοινῇ ἐκβάλωνται, καὶ ἄν τι πολεμίοις ἀποτείσωσιν: τῶν δ᾽ ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἐντελές. καὶ παρέξουσι τοῖς δανείσασι τὴν ὑποθήκην ἀνέπαφον κρατεῖν, ἕως ἂν ἀποδῶσι τὸ γιγνόμενον ἀργύριον κατὰ τὴν συγγραφήν.”
[11] “They give these goods as security, owing no money upon them to any other person, nor will they make any additional loan upon this security; and they agree to bring back to Athens in the same vessel all the goods put on board in Pontus as a return cargo; and, if the goods are brought safe to Athens, the borrowers are to pay to the lenders the money due in accordance with the agreement within twenty days after they shall have arrived at Athens, without deduction save for such jettison as the passengers shall have made by common agreement, or for money paid to enemies; but wit
hout deduction for any other loss. And they shall deliver to the lenders in their entirety the goods offered as security to be under their absolute control until such time as they shall themselves have paid the money due in accordance with the agreement.”
[12] “ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀποδῶσιν ἐν τῷ συγκειμένῳ χρόνῳ, τὰ ὑποκείμενα τοῖς δανείσασιν ἐξέστω ὑποθεῖναι καὶ ἀποδόσθαι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης τιμῆς: καὶ ἐάν τι ἐλλείπῃ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, ὃ δεῖ γενέσθαι τοῖς δανείσασι κατὰ τὴν συγγραφήν, παρὰ Ἀρτέμωνος καὶ Ἀπολλοδώρου ἔστω ἡ πρᾶξις τοῖς δανείσασι καὶ ἐκ τῶν τούτων ἁπάντων, καὶ ἐγγείων καὶ ναυτικῶν, πανταχοῦ ὅπου ἂν ὦσι, καθάπερ δίκην ὠφληκότων καὶ ὑπερημέρων ὄντων, καὶ ἑνὶ ἑκατέρῳ τῶν δανεισάντων καὶ ἀμφοτέροις.”
[12] “And, if they shall not pay it within the time agreed upon, it shall be lawful for the lenders to pledge the goods or even to sell them for such price as they can get; and if the proceeds fall short of the sum which the lenders should receive in accordance with the agreement, it shall be lawful for the lenders, whether severally or jointly, to collect the amount by proceeding against Artemo and Apollodorus, and against all their property whether on land or sea, wheresoever it may be, precisely as if judgement had been rendered against them and they had defaulted in payment.”
[13] “ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εἰσβάλωσι, μείναντες ἐπὶ κυνὶ ἡμέρας δέκα ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ, ἐξελόμενοι ὅπου ἂν μὴ σῦλαι ὦσιν Ἀθηναίοις, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καταπλεύσαντες Ἀθήναζε τοὺς τόκους ἀποδόντων τοὺς πέρυσι γραφέντας εἰς τὴν συγγραφήν. ἐὰν δέ τι ἡ ναῦς πάθῃ ἀνήκεστον ἐν ᾗ ἂν πλέῃ τὰ χρήματα, σωτηρία δ᾽ ἔσται τῶν ὑποκειμένων, τὰ περιγενόμενα κοινὰ ἔστω τοῖς δανείσασιν. κυριώτερον δὲ περὶ τούτων ἄλλο μηδὲν εἶναι τῆς συγγραφῆς.
Μάρτυρες: Φορμίων Πειραιεύς, Κηφισόδοτος Βοιώτιος, Ἡλιόδωρος Πιθεύς.”
[13] “And, if they do not enter Pontus, but remain in the Hellespont ten days after the rising of the dogstar, and disembark their goods at a port where the Athenians have no right of reprisals, and from thence complete their voyage to Athens, let them pay the interest written into the contract the year before. And if the vessel in which the goods shall be conveyed suffers aught beyond repair, but the security is saved, let whatever is saved be the joint property of the lenders. And in regard to these matters nothing shall have greater effect than the agreement.
Witnesses: Phormio of Peiraeus, Cephisodotus of Boeotia, Heliodorus of Pitthus.”
[14] λέγε δὴ καὶ τὰς μαρτυρίας.”Μαρτυρίαι
Ἀρχενομίδης Ἀρχεδάμαντος Ἀναγυράσιος μαρτυρεῖ συνθήκας παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ καταθέσθαι Ἀνδροκλέα Σφήττιον, Ναυσικράτην Καρύστιον, Ἀρτέμωνα, Ἀπολλόδωρον Φασηλίτας, καὶ εἶναι παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ ἔτι κειμένην τὴν συγγραφήν.”
λέγε δὴ καὶ τὴν τῶν παραγενομένων μαρτυρίαν.”Μαρτυρία
Θεόδοτος ἰσοτελής, Χαρῖνος Ἐπιχάρους Λευκονοεύς, Φορμίων Κτησιφῶντος Πειραιεύς, Κηφισόδοτος Βοιώτιος, Ἡλιόδωρος Πιθεὺς μαρτυροῦσι παρεῖναι, ὅτ᾽ ἐδάνεισεν Ἀνδροκλῆς Ἀπολλοδώρῳ καὶ Ἀρτέμωνι ἀργυρίου τρισχιλίας δραχμάς, καὶ εἰδέναι τὴν συγγραφὴν καταθεμένους παρὰ Ἀρχενομίδῃ Ἀναγυρασίῳ.”
[14] Now read the depositions.”Deposition
Archenomides, son of Archedamas, of Anagyrus, deposes that Androcles of Sphettus, Nausicrates of Carystus, and Artemo and Apollodorus, both of Phaselis, deposited articles of agreement with him, and that the agreement is still in custody in his hands.”
Read also the deposition of those who were present.”Deposition
Theodotus, privileged alien, Charinus, son of Epichares, of Leuconium, Phormio, son of Ctephisophon, of Peiraeus, Cephisodotus of Boeotia and Heliodorus of Pitthus depose that they were present when Androcles lent to Artemo three thousand drachmae in silver, and that they know they deposited the agreement with Archenomides of Anagyrus.”
[15] κατὰ τὴν συγγραφὴν ταύτην, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐδάνεισα τὰ χρήματα Ἀρτέμωνι τῷ τούτου ἀδελφῷ, κελεύοντος τούτου καὶ ἀναδεχομένου ἅπαντα ἔσεσθαί μοι τὰ δίκαια κατὰ τὴν συγγραφήν, καθ᾽ ἣν ἐδάνεισα τούτου αὐτοῦ γράφοντος καὶ συσσημηναμένου, ἐπειδὴ ἐγράφη. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀδελφοὶ οἱ τούτου ἔτι νεώτεροι ἦσαν, μειράκια κομιδῇ, οὑτοσὶ δὲ Λάκριτος Φασηλίτης, μέγα πρᾶγμα, Ἰσοκράτους μαθητής:
[15] In accordance with this agreement, men of the jury, I lent the money to Artemo, this man’s brother, at the request of Lacritus, and upon his engaging that I should receive everything that was my due in accordance with the agreement under which the loan was made. Lacritus himself drew up the agreement and joined in sealing it after it was written; for his brothers were still youngish, in fact mere boys, but he was Lacritus, of Phaselis, a personage of note, a pupil of Isocrates.
[16] οὗτος ἦν ὁ πάντα διοικῶν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ με τὸν νοῦν προσέχειν ἐκέλευεν: αὐτὸς γὰρ ἔφη ποιήσειν μοι τὰ δίκαια ἅπαντα καὶ ἐπιδημήσειν Ἀθήνησιν, τὸν δὲ ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Ἀρτέμωνα πλεύσεσθαι ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν. καὶ τότε μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὅτ᾽ ἐβούλετο τὰ χρήματα λαβεῖν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀδελφὸς ἔφη εἶναι καὶ κοινωνὸς τοῦ Ἀρτέμωνος, καὶ λόγους θαυμασίως ὡς πιθανοὺς ἔλεγεν:
[16] It was he who managed the whole matter, and he bade me look to him; for he declared that he would himself do everything that was right for me, and that he would stay in Athens, while his brother Artemo would sail in charge of the goods. At that time, men of the jury, when he wanted to get the money from us, he declared that he was both the brother and the partner of Artemo, and spoke with wondrous persuasiveness;
[17] ἐπειδὴ δὲ τάχιστα ἐγκρατεῖς ἐγένοντο τοῦ ἀργυρίου, τοῦτο μὲν διενείμαντο καὶ ἐχρῶντο ὅ τι ἐδόκει τούτοις, κατὰ δὲ τὴν συγγραφὴν τὴν ναυτικήν, καθ᾽ ἣν ἔλαβον τὰ χρήματα, οὔτε μέγα οὔτε μικρὸν ἔπραττον, ὡς αὐτὸ τὸ ἔργον ἐδήλωσεν. οὑτοσὶ δὲ Λάκριτος ἁπάντων ἦν τούτων ὁ ἐξηγητής. καθ᾽ ἕκαστον δὲ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ ἐπιδείξω τούτους οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν πεποιηκότας ὑγιές.
[17] but, as soon as they got possession of the money, they divided it, and used it as they pleased; while as for the maritime agreement on the terms of which they secured the money, in no matter great or small did they carry out its provisions, as the facts themselves make clear. And in all these things this fellow Lacritus was the prime mover. I shall t
ake up the clauses of the contract one by one, and shall show that in no single instance have these men done what was right.
[18] πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ γέγραπται ὅτι ἐπ᾽ οἴνου κεραμίοις τρισχιλίοις ἐδανείζοντο παρ᾽ ἡμῶν τὰς τριάκοντα μνᾶς, ὡς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτοῖς ὑποθήκης ἑτέρων τριάκοντα μνῶν, ὥστε εἰς τάλαντον ἀργυρίου τὴν τιμὴν εἶναι τοῦ οἴνου καθισταμένην, σὺν τοῖς ἀναλώμασιν, ὅσα ἔδει ἀναλίσκεσθαι εἰς τὴν κατασκευὴν τὴν περὶ τὸν οἶνον: τὰ δὲ τρισχίλια κεράμια ἄγεσθαι ταῦτα εἰς τὸν Πόντον ἐν τῇ εἰκοσόρῳ ἣν Ὑβλήσιος ἐναυκλήρει.
[18] In the first place it stands written that they borrowed from us thirty minae on three thousand jars of wine, giving out that they possessed security for thirty minae more, so that the price of the wine would amount to a talent of money, including the expenses to be incurred in the stowage of the wine; and that these three thousand jars were to be conveyed to Pontus in the twenty-oared ship, of which Hyblesius was owner.