by Demosthenes
[19] γέγραπται μὲν ταῦτα ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἧς ὑμεῖς ἀκηκόατε: οὗτοι δὲ ἀντὶ τῶν τρισχιλίων κεραμίων οὐδὲ πεντακόσια κεράμια εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐνέθεντο, ἀλλ᾽ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἠγοράσθαι αὐτοῖς τὸν οἶνον, ὅσον προσῆκεν, τοῖς χρήμασιν ἐχρῶντο ὅ τι ἐδόκει τούτοις, τὰ δὲ κεράμια τὰ τρισχίλια οὐδ᾽ ἐμέλλησαν οὐδὲ διενοήθησαν ἐνθέσθαι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον κατὰ τὴν συγγραφήν. ὅτι δ᾽ ἀληθῆ ταῦτα λέγω, λαβὲ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν συμπλεόντων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πλοίῳ τούτοις.
[19] These provisions, men of the jury, stand written in the agreement which you have heard. But instead of three thousand jars, these men did not put even five hundred on board the boat; and instead of having bought the quantity of wine which they should have, they used the money in whatever way they pleased; as for those three thousand jars which the agreement called for, they never meant nor intended to put them on board.
To prove that these statements of mine are true, take the deposition of those who sailed with them in the same ship.
[20] “Μαρτυρία
Ἐρασικλῆς μαρτυρεῖ κυβερνᾶν τὴν ναῦν ἣν Ὑβλήσιος ἐναυκλήρει, καὶ εἰδέναι Ἀπολλόδωρον ἀγόμενον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ οἴνου Μενδαίου κεράμια τετρακόσια πεντήκοντα, καὶ οὐ πλείω: ἄλλο δὲ μηδὲν ἀγώγιμον ἄγεσθαι ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ Ἀπολλόδωρον εἰς τὸν Πόντον.
Ἱππίας Ἀθηνίππου Ἁλικαρνασσεὺς μαρτυρεῖ συμπλεῖν ἐν τῇ Ὑβλησίου νηὶ διοπεύων τὴν ναῦν, καὶ εἰδέναι Ἀπολλόδωρον τὸν Φασηλίτην ἀγόμενον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ ἐκ Μένδης εἰς τὸν Πόντον οἴνου Μενδαίου κεράμια τετρακόσια πεντήκοντα, ἄλλο δὲ μηδὲν φορτίον.
πρὸς τούσδ᾽ ἐξεμαρτύρησεν: Ἀρχιάδης Μνησωνίδου Ἀχαρνεύς, Σώστρατος Φιλίππου Ἑστιαιόθεν, Εὐμάριχος Εὐβοίου Ἑστιαιόθεν, Φιλτάδης Κτησίου Ξυπεταιών, Διονύσιος Δημοκρατίδου Χολλῄδης.”
[20] “Deposition
Erasicles deposes that he was pilot of the ship of which Hyblesius was owner, and that to his knowledge Apollodorus was conveying in the ship four hundred and fifty jars of Mendaean wine, and no more; and that Apollodorus conveyed no other cargo in the ship to Pontus.
Hippias, son of Athenippus, of Halicarnassus, deposes that he too sailed in the ship of Hyblesius as supercargo of the vessel and that to his knowledge Apollodorus of Phaselis was conveying in the ship from Mendê to Pontus four hundred and fifty jars of Mendaean wine, and no other cargo.
In addition to these, written affidavits were submitted by Archiades, son of Mnesonidas,of Acharnae, Sostratus, son of Philip, of Histiaea, Eumarichus, son of Euboeus, of Histiaea, Philtiades, son of Ctesias, of Xypetê, and Dionysius, son of Democratides, of Cholleidae.”
[21] περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ πλήθους τοῦ οἴνου, ὅσον ἔδει αὐτοὺς ἐνθέσθαι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, ταῦτα διεπράξαντο, καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐθὺς ἐντεῦθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ πρώτου γεγραμμένου παραβαίνειν καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν τὰ γεγραμμένα. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ ὅτι ὑποτιθέασιν ταῦτα ἐλεύθερα καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν ὀφείλοντες, καὶ ὅτι οὐδ᾽ ἐπιδανείσονται ἐπὶ τούτοις παρ᾽ οὐδενός. ταῦτα διαρρήδην γέγραπται, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί.
[21] In regard, then, to the quantity of wine which it was their duty to put on board the ship that was what they contrived to do; and from this point they began from its very first clause to violate the agreement and to fail to perform what it required. The next clause that stands written in the agreement states that they pledge these goods free from all encumbrances; that they owe nothing to anyone upon them; and that they will not secure further loans upon them from anyone.
[22] οὗτοι δὲ τί ἐποίησαν; ἀμελήσαντες τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ δανείζονται παρά τινος νεανίσκου, ἐξαπατήσαντες ὡς οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν ὀφείλοντες: καὶ ἡμᾶς τε παρεκρούσαντο καὶ ἔλαθον δανεισάμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμετέροις, ἐκεῖνόν τε τὸν νεανίσκον τὸν δανείσαντα ἐξηπάτησαν ὡς ἐπ᾽ ἐλευθέροις τοῖς χρήμασιν δανειζόμενοι: τοιαῦτα τούτων ἐστὶν τὰ κακουργήματα. ταῦτα δὲ πάντ᾽ ἐστὶν τὰ σοφίσματα Λακρίτου τουτουί. ὅτι δὲ ἀληθῆ λέγω καὶ ἐπεδανείσαντο χρήματα παρὰ τὴν συγγραφήν, μαρτυρίαν ἀναγνώσεται ὑμῖν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐπιδανείσαντος.
[22] This is expressly stated, men of the jury. But what have these men done? Disregarding the terms of the agreement they borrow money from a certain youth, whom they deceived by stating that they owed nothing to anybody. Thus they cheated us, and without our knowledge borrowed money upon our security, and they also deceived that young man who lent them the money by alleging that the goods upon which they borrowed from him were unencumbered. Such are the rascalities of these men, and they are all clever devisings of this man Lacritus.
To prove that I am speaking the truth and that they did borrow additional sums contrary to the agreement, the clerk shall read you the deposition of the man himself who made the additional loan.
[23] λέγε τὴν μαρτυρίαν.”Μαρτυρία
Ἄρατος Ἁλικαρνασσεὺς μαρτυρεῖ δανεῖσαι Ἀπολλοδώρῳ ἕνδεκα μνᾶς ἀργυρίου ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμπορίᾳ, ἣν ἦγεν ἐν τῇ Ὑβλησίου νηὶ εἰς τὸν Πόντον, καὶ τοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἀνταγορασθεῖσι, καὶ μὴ εἰδέναι αὐτὸν δεδανεισμένον παρὰ Ἀνδροκλέους ἀργύριον: οὐ γὰρ ἂν δανεῖσαι αὐτὸς Ἀπολλοδώρῳ τὸ ἀργύριον.”
[23] Read the deposition.”Deposition
Aratus of Halicarnassus deposes that he lent to Apollodorus eleven minae in silver on the merchandise which he was conveying in the ship of Hyblesius to Pontus, and on the goods purchased there as a return cargo; and that he was unaware that the defendant had borrowed money from Androcles; for otherwise he would not himself have lent the money to Apollodorus.”
[24] αἱ μὲν πανουργίαι τοιαῦται τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων εἰσίν. γέγραπται δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐπειδὰν ἀποδῶνται ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ ἃ ἦγον, πάλιν ἀνταγοράζειν χρήματα καὶ ἀντιφορτίζεσθαι καὶ ἀπάγειν Ἀθήναζε τὰ ἀντιφορτισθέντα, καὶ ἐπειδὰν ἀφίκωνται Ἀθήναζε, ἀποδοῦναι εἴκοσιν ἡμερῶν τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῖν δόκιμον: ἕως δ᾽ ἂν ἀποδῶσιν, κρατεῖν τῶν χρημάτων ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἀνέπαφα ταῦτα παρέχειν τούτους, ἕως ἂν ἀπολάβωμεν.
[24] Such are the rascalities of these men. But after this it stands written in the agreement, men of the jury, that when they should ha
ve sold in Pontus the goods which they brought thither, they should purchase with the proceeds other goods as a return cargo, and should bring this return cargo back to Athens; and that when they should have reached Athens, they should within twenty days repay us in certified coin; and that pending the payment we should have control of the goods, and that they should deliver them to us in their entirety until we should get back our money.
[25] γέγραπται μὲν ταῦτα οὑτωσὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ: οὗτοι δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἐπεδείξαντο μάλιστα τὴν ὕβριν καὶ τὴν ἀναίδειαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲ μικρὸν προσεῖχον τοῖς γράμμασι τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῇ συγγραφῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡγοῦντο εἶναι τὴν συγγραφὴν ἄλλως ὕθλον καὶ φλυαρίαν. οὔτε γὰρ ἀντηγόρασαν οὐδὲν ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ οὔτε ἀντεφορτίσαντο ὥστε ἄγειν Ἀθήναζε: ἡμεῖς τε οἱ δανείσαντες τὰ χρήματα ἡκόντων αὐτῶν τούτων ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου οὐκ εἴχομεν ὅτου ἐπιλαβοίμεθα οὐδ᾽ ὅτου κρατοῖμεν, ἕως κομισαίμεθα τὰ ἡμέτερ᾽ αὐτῶν: οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν γὰρ εἰσήγαγον εἰς τὸν λιμένα τὸν ὑμέτερον οὗτοι.
[25] These terms stand written thus precisely in the agreement. But these people, men of the jury, have here shown most strikingly their own insolence and shamelessness, and that they paid not the slightest heed to the terms written in the agreement; but regarded the agreement as mere trash and nonsense. For they neither purchased any other goods in Pontus nor took on board any return cargo to be conveyed to Athens; and we who had lent the money, when these men themselves returned from Pontus, had nothing which we could lay hold of or keep in possession until we should recover our money; for these men brought nothing whatsoever into your harbor. Nay, we have suffered the most unheard-of treatment, men of the jury.
[26] ἀλλὰ πεπόνθαμεν καινότατον, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί: ἐν γὰρ τῇ πόλει τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦντες οὐδὲ δίκην οὐδεμίαν ὠφληκότες τούτοις, σεσυλήμεθα τὰ ἡμέτερ᾽ αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τούτων Φασηλιτῶν ὄντων, ὥσπερ δεδομένων συλῶν Φασηλίταις κατ᾽ Ἀθηναίων. ἐπειδὰν γὰρ μὴ ἐθέλωσιν ἀποδοῦναι ἃ ἔλαβον, τί ἄν τις ἄλλο ὄνομα ἔχοι θέσθαι τοῖς τοιούτοις ἢ ὅτι ἀφαιροῦνται βίᾳ τὰ ἀλλότρια; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲ ἀκήκοα πώποτε πρᾶγμα μιαρώτερον ἢ ὃ οὗτοι διαπεπραγμένοι εἰσὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ταῦτα ὁμολογοῦντες λαβεῖν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν τὰ χρήματα.
[26] In our own city, without ourselves having committed any wrong, or having had judgement rendered against us in their favor, we have been robbed of our own possessions by these men who are Phaselites, just as if rights of reprisal had been given to Phaselites against Athenians. For when they refuse to pay back what they received, what other name can one give to such people, than that they take by force the goods of others? For my own part, I have never heard of a more abominable act than that which these men have committed in relation to us, and that, too, while admitting that they received the money from us.
[27] ὅσα μὲν γὰρ ἀμφισβητήσιμά ἐστι τῶν συμβολαίων, κρίσεως δεῖται, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί: τὰ δὲ παρ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ὁμολογηθέντα τῶν συντιθεμένων, καὶ περὶ ὧν συγγραφαὶ κεῖνται ναυτικαί, τέλος ἔχειν ἅπαντες νομίζουσιν, καὶ χρῆσθαι προσήκει τοῖς γεγραμμένοις. ὅτι δὲ κατὰ τὴν συγγραφὴν οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἀρξάμενοι ἐκακοτέχνουν καὶ ἐπεβούλευον μηδὲν ὑγιὲς ποιεῖν, ὑπό τε τῶν μαρτυριῶν καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐλέγχονται οὑτωσὶ καταφανῶς.
[27] For whereas all clauses in contracts which are open to dispute require a judicial decision, men of the jury, those on the contrary which are admitted by both the contracting parties, and concerning which there exist maritime agreements, are held by all men to be final; and the parties are bound to abide by what is written. That these men, however, have fulfilled not a single one of the provisions of the agreement, but that from the very first they meditated fraud and purposed dishonest action has been thus clearly proven against them by the depositions of witnesses and by themselves.
[28] ὃ δὲ πάντων δεινότατον διεπράξατο Λάκριτος οὑτοσί, δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι: οὗτος γὰρ ἦν ὁ πάντα ταῦτα διοικῶν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀφίκοντο δεῦρο, εἰς μὲν τὸ ὑμέτερον ἐμπόριον οὐ καταπλέουσιν, εἰς φωρῶν δὲ λιμένα ὁρμίζονται, ὅς ἐστιν ἔξω τῶν σημείων τοῦ ὑμετέρου ἐμπορίου, καὶ ἔστιν ὅμοιον εἰς φωρῶν λιμένα ὁρμίσασθαι, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις εἰς Αἴγιναν ἢ εἰς Μέγαρα ὁρμίσαιτο: ἔξεστι γὰρ ἀποπλεῖν ἐκ τοῦ λιμένος τούτου ὅποι ἄν τις βούληται καὶ ὁπηνίκ᾽ ἂν δοκῇ αὐτῷ.
[28] You must now hear the most outrageous thing which this fellow Lacritus has done; for it was he who managed the whole affair. When they arrived here they did not put into your port, but came to anchor in Thieves’ Harbor, which is outside of the signs marking your port; and to anchor in Thieves’ Harbor is the same as if one were to anchor in Aegina or Megara; for anyone can sail forth from that harbor to whatever point he wishes and at any moment he pleases.
[29] καὶ τὸ μὲν πλοῖον ὥρμει ἐνταῦθα πλείους ἢ πέντε καὶ εἴκοσιν ἡμέρας, οὗτοι δὲ περιεπάτουν ἐν τῷ δείγματι τῷ ἡμετέρῳ, καὶ ἡμεῖς προσιόντες διελεγόμεθα, καὶ ἐκελεύομεν τούτους ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ὅπως ἂν ὡς τάχιστα ἀπολάβωμεν τὰ χρήματα. οὗτοι δὲ ὡμολόγουν τε καὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι αὐτὰ ταῦτα περαίνοιεν. καὶ ἡμεῖς τούτοις προσῇμεν, καὶ ἅμα ἐπεσκοποῦμεν εἴ τι ἐξαιροῦνταί ποθεν ἐκ πλοίου ἢ πεντηκοστεύονται.
[29] Well, their vessel lay at anchor there for more than twenty-five days, and these men walked about in your sample-market. We on our part talked to them and bade them see to it that we received our money back as soon as possible; and they agreed, and said they were trying to arrange that very thing. While we thus approached them, we at the same time kept an eye on them to see whether they disembarked anything from the ship, or paid any harbor-dues.
[30] ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡμέραι τε ἦσαν συχναὶ ἐπιδημοῦσι τούτοις, ἡμεῖς τε οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν εὑρίσκομεν οὔτ᾽ ἐξῃρημένον οὔτε πεπεντηκοστευμένον ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ τούτων, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη μᾶλλον προσεκείμεθα ἀπαιτοῦντες. καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἠνωχλοῦμεν αὐτοῖς, ἀποκρίνεται Λάκριτος οὑτοσί, ἁδελφὸς ὁ Ἀρτέμωνος, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν οἷοί τ᾽ εἴησαν ἀποδοῦναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπόλωλεν ἅπαντα τὰ χρήματα: καὶ ἔφη Λάκριτος δίκαιόν τι ἔχειν λέγειν
περὶ τούτων.
[30] But when they had been in town a good many days, and we found that nothing had been disembarked from the ship, nor had any harbor-dues been paid in their name, we began from then on to press them more and more with our demands. And when we made ourselves burdensome to them, this fellow Lacritus, the brother of Artemo, answered that they would be unable to pay us, for all their goods were lost; and Lacritus declared he could make out a good case in the matter.
[31] καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἠγανακτοῦμεν ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις, πλέον δὲ οὐδὲν ἦν ἀγανακτοῦσιν ἡμῖν: τούτοις γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἔμελεν. οὐδὲν δ᾽ ἧττον ἠρωτῶμεν αὐτούς, ὅντινα τρόπον ἀπολωλότα εἴη τὰ χρήματα. Λάκριτος δὲ οὑτοσὶ ναυαγῆσαι ἔφη τὸ πλοῖον παραπλέον ἐκ Παντικαπαίου εἰς Θεοδοσίαν, ναυαγήσαντος δὲ τοῦ πλοίου ἀπολωλέναι τὰ χρήματα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ, ἃ ἔτυχεν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ ἐνόντα: ἐνεῖναι δὲ τάριχός τε καὶ οἶνον Κῷον καὶ ἄλλ᾽ ἄττα, καὶ ταῦτα ἔφασαν πάντα ἀντιφορτισθέντα μέλλειν ἀπάγειν Ἀθήναζε, εἰ μὴ ἀπώλετο ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ.