Delphi Complete Works of Demosthenes

by Demosthenes

  [27] ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆθ᾽ ὑπὲρ ἡλίκων καὶ ὅσων ἦν τὸ κατασκεύασμα τὸ τῆς διαθήκης, μίκρ᾽ ἀκούσατέ μου. ἦν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην ὧν διεφθάρκει, ἣν ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐ καλὸν λέγειν, ὑμεῖς δ᾽ ἴστε, κἂν ἐγὼ μὴ λέγω, ἔπειθ᾽ ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατασχεῖν ὅσ᾽ ἦν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ πατρὶ χρήματα παρὰ τῇ μητρί, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁπάντων κυρίῳ γενέσθαι. ὅτι δ᾽ οὕτω ταῦτ᾽ ἔχει, τῆς διαθήκης αὐτῆς ἀκούσαντες γνώσεσθε: φανήσεται γὰρ οὐ πατρὸς ὡς ὑπὲρ υἱέων γράφοντος ἐοικυῖα διαθήκῃ, ἀλλὰ δούλου λελυμασμένου τὰ τῶν δεσποτῶν, ὅπως μὴ δώσει δίκην σκοποῦντος.

  [27] So, in order that you may know how many and how important objects were to be secured by the fabrication of the will, listen for a moment. The first, men of Athens, was this, that Phormio should escape paying the penalty for corrupting one whom it is not proper for me to name, but whom you know of yourselves, even if I do not name her; next, that he might get possession of my father’s property which was in my mother’s keeping; and in addition to this, that he might become master of everything else which belonged to us. That this is so, you will be convinced when you hear the will. For it will be found, not like that of a father writing in the interest of his sons, but like that of a slave who has shamefully misused what belonged to his master, and who is seeking how he may escape punishment.

  [28] λέγε δ᾽ αὐτοῖς τὴν διαθήκην αὐτήν, ἣν οὗτοι μετὰ τῆς προκλήσεως μεμαρτυρήκασιν: ὑμεῖς δ᾽ ἐνθυμεῖσθ᾽ ἃ λέγω.”Διαθήκη

  τάδε διέθετο Πασίων Ἀχαρνεύς: δίδωμι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ γυναῖκα Ἀρχίππην Φορμίωνι, καὶ προῖκα ἐπιδίδωμι Ἀρχίππῃ τάλαντον μὲν τὸ ἐκ Πεπαρήθου, τάλαντον δὲ τὸ αὐτόθεν, συνοικίαν ἑκατὸν μνῶν, θεραπαίνας καὶ τὰ χρυσία, καὶ τἄλλα ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῇ ἔνδον, ἅπαντα ταῦτα Ἀρχίππῃ δίδωμι.”

  ἠκούσατ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸ πλῆθος τῆς προικός, τάλαντον ἐκ Πεπαρήθου, τάλαντον αὐτόθεν, συνοικίαν ἑκατὸν μνῶν, θεραπαίνας καὶ χρυσία, καὶ τἄλλα, φησίν, ὅσ᾽ ἔστιν αὐτῇ δίδωμι, τούτῳ τῷ γράμματι καὶ τοῦ ζητῆσαί τι τῶν καταλειφθέντων ἀποκλείων ἡμᾶς.

  [28] Read them the will itself, to which these men have deposed along with the challenge; and do you mark well what I say.”Will

  This is the will of Pasio of Acharnae. I give my wife Archippê to Phormio, and I give as dowry to Archippê the talent due to me at Peparethus, the talent due to me here in Athens, a lodging-house worth one hundred minae, the female slaves and jewelry, and all else that she has in the house. All these things I give to Archippê.”

  You have heard, men of Athens, the large amount of the dowry, — a talent from Peparethus, a talent from Athens, a lodging-house worth a hundred minae, female slaves and jewelry, and all else that she has in her possession — I give it all, says the will; and by this clause he precludes us even from searching for any of the property that was left.

  [29] φέρε δὴ δείξω τὴν μίσθωσιν ὑμῖν, καθ᾽ ἣν ἐμεμίσθωτο τὴν τράπεζαν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς οὗτος. καὶ γὰρ ἐκ ταύτης καίπερ ἐσκευωρημένης ὄψεσθ᾽ ὅτι πλάσμ᾽ ὅλον ἐστὶν ἡ διαθήκη. δείξω δ᾽ ἣν οὗτος παρέσχετο μίσθωσιν, οὐκ ἄλλην τινά, ἐν ᾗ προσγέγραπται ἕνδεκα τάλανθ᾽ ὁ πατὴρ ὀφείλων εἰς τὰς παρακαταθήκας τούτῳ. ἔστι δ᾽ οἶμαι ταῦτα τοιαῦτα.

  [29] Now let me show you the lease under which Phormio had taken the bank from my father; for from this also, spurious though it is, you will see that the will is fabrication through and through. I will set forth for you, not a different lease, but the one which Phormio produced, in which there is an added clause setting down my father as owing Phorniio eleven talents on the deposits.

  [30] τῶν μὲν οἴκοι χρημάτων ὡς ἐπὶ τῇ μητρὶ δοθέντων διὰ τῆς διαθήκης αὑτὸν ἐποίησε κύριον, ὥσπερ ἀκηκόατ᾽ ἄρτι, τῶν δ᾽ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης ὄντων, ἃ πάντες ᾔδεσαν καὶ λαθεῖν οὐκ ἦν, διὰ τοῦ προσοφείλοντ᾽ ἀποφῆναι τὸν πατέρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἵνα, ὅσ᾽ ἐξελέγχοιτ᾽ ἔχων, κεκομίσθαι φαίη. ὑμεῖς δ᾽ ἴσως αὐτὸν ὑπειλήφατε, ὅτι σολοικίζει τῇ φωνῇ, βάρβαρον καὶ εὐκαταφρόνητον εἶναι. ἔστι δὲ βάρβαρος οὗτος τῷ μισεῖν οὓς αὐτῷ προσῆκε τιμᾶν: τῷ δὲ κακουργῆσαι καὶ διορύξαι πράγματ᾽ οὐδενὸς λείπεται.

  [30] This had, I think, the following purpose. Of the effects in the house he made himself master by the will, on the ground that they had been given as a dowry with my mother, as you have just heard; but the money in the bank, about which everybody knew, and which could not be hidden, he got into his hands by representing that our father owed it, so that whatever sums he might be proved to have in his possession he might claim to have received in payment. You have perhaps imagined, because he solecizes in his speech, that he is a barbarian and a man readily to be despised. The fellow is indeed a barbarian in that he hates those whom he ought to honor; but in villainy and in bringing matters to ruin he is second to none.

  [31] λαβὲ δὴ τὴν μίσθωσιν καὶ λέγε, ἣν τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον διὰ προκλήσεως ἐνεβάλοντο.”Μίσθωσις Τραπέζης

  κατὰ τάδε ἐμίσθωσε Πασίων τὴν τράπεζαν Φορμίωνι: μίσθωσιν φέρειν Φορμίωνα τῆς τραπέζης τοῖς παισὶ τοῖς Πασίωνος δύο τάλαντα καὶ τετταράκοντα μνᾶς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἑκάστου, χωρὶς τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμέραν διοικήσεως: μὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ τραπεζιτεῦσαι χωρὶς Φορμίωνι, ἐὰν μὴ πείσῃ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς Πασίωνος. ὀφείλει δὲ Πασίων ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἕνδεκα τάλαντα εἰς τὰς παρακαταθήκας.”

  [31] Take the lease and read it — the lease which they put in, as they did the will, by means of a challenge.”Lease of The Bank

  On the following terms Pasio has let the bank to Phormio: Phormio is to pay to the sons of Pasio as rental for the bank two talents and forty minae each year above the daily expenditure, and it shall not be lawful for Phormio to carry on a banking business independently unless he first obtains the consent of the sons of Pasio. And Pasio owes the bank eleven talents upon the deposits.”

  [32] ἃς μὲν τοίνυν παρέσχετο συνθήκας ὡς κατὰ ταύτας μισθωσάμενος τὴν τράπεζαν, αὗταί εἰσιν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. ἀκούετε δ᾽ ἐν ταύταις ἀναγιγνωσκομέναις μίσθωσιν μὲν φέρειν τοῦτον, ἄνευ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμέραν διοικήσεως, δύο τάλαντα καὶ τετταράκοντα μνᾶς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἑκάστου, �
�ὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ τραπεζιτεύειν αὐτῷ, ἐὰν μὴ ἡμᾶς πείσῃ. προσγέγραπται δὲ τελευταῖον ‘ὀφείλει δὲ Πασίων ἕνδεκα τάλαντα εἰς τὰς παρακαταθήκας’.

  [32] This, men of the jury, is the agreement which Phormio produced, alleging that he had leased the bank upon these terms. You learn from hearing it read that Phormio, over and above the daily expenditure, was to pay as rent two talents and forty minae each year, and that it was not to be permitted him to carry on a banking business, unless he obtained our consent; and there is added as a final statement, “Pasio owes eleven talents upon the deposits.”

  [33] ἔστιν οὖν ὅστις ἂν τοῦ ξύλου καὶ τοῦ χωρίου καὶ τῶν γραμματείων τοσαύτην ὑπέμεινε φέρειν μίσθωσιν; ἔστι δ᾽ ὅστις ἄν, δι᾽ ὃν ὠφειλήκει τοσαῦτα χρήμαθ᾽ ἡ τράπεζα, τούτῳ τὰ λοίπ᾽ ἐπέτρεψεν; εἰ γὰρ ἐνεδέησεν τοσούτων χρημάτων, τούτου διοικοῦντος ἐνεδέησεν. ἴστε γὰρ πάντες, καὶ ὅτ᾽ ἦν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπὶ τοῦ τραπεζιτεύειν, τοῦτον καθήμενον καὶ διοικοῦντ᾽ ἐπὶ τῇ τραπέζῃ, ὥστ᾽ ἐν τῷ μυλῶνι προσῆκεν αὐτὸν εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν λοιπῶν κύριον γενέσθαι. ἀλλ᾽ ἐῶ ταῦτα καὶ τἄλλ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἂν περὶ τῶν ἕνδεκα ταλάντων ἔχοιμ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὡς οὐκ ὤφειλεν ὁ πατήρ, ἀλλ᾽ οὗτος ὑφῄρηται.

  [33] Now, is there any man who would have submitted to the payment of so large a rental for the counter, the site, and the books? And is there any man who would have entrusted the rest of the assets to a man thanks to whom the bank had incurred so great a liability? For, if there was a shortage of so large an amount, it was incurred while Phormio was manager. For you all know that, while my father was engaged in the banking business, Phormio sat at the counter and was his manager; so that he ought rather to be in the mill than to become master of the rest of the property.

  [34] ἀλλ᾽ οὗ ἀνέγνων εἵνεκα, τοῦ τὴν διαθήκην ψευδῆ δεῖξαι, τοῦθ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσω. γέγραπται γὰρ αὐτόθι, ‘μὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ τραπεζιτεύειν Φορμίωνι, ἐὰν μὴ ἡμᾶς πείσῃ’. τοῦτο τοίνυν τὸ γράμμα παντελῶς δηλοῖ ψευδῆ τὴν διαθήκην οὖσαν. τίς γὰρ ἂν ἀνθρώπων, ἃ μὲν ἔμελλεν τραπεζιτεύων οὗτος ἐργάζεσθαι, ταῦθ᾽ ὅπως ἡμῖν τοῖς αὑτοῦ παισίν, ἀλλὰ μὴ τούτῳ γενήσεται προὐνοήθη, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μὴ ἐξεῖναι τούτῳ τραπεζιτεύειν ἔγραψεν, ἵνα μὴ ἀφιστῆται ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν: ἃ δ᾽ αὐτὸς εἰργασμένος ἔνδον κατέλειπε, ταῦθ᾽ ὅπως οὗτος λήψεται παρεσκεύασε;

  [34] However, I pass over this and all else that I might find to say about the eleven talents, to show that my father did not owe them but that Phormio secretly appropriated them.

  But let me remind you of the purpose for which I read the lease, namely, to prove that the will is spurious. For it stands written in the lease that it shall not be lawful for Phormio to engage in banking business, unless he obtains our consent. This clause absolutely proves the will to be spurious. For what man, who had taken precautions that the profits which Phormio might make by banking should accrue to his own children and not to Phormio himself, and to secure this end had stipulated that it should not be permitted him to engage in banking for himself, lest his interests might be separated from ours — what man, I ask, in these circumstances would have provided that Phormio should get possession of what he had himself won by his labor and left in his house?

  [35] καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐργασίας ἐφθόνησεν, ἧς οὐδὲν αἰσχρὸν ἦν μεταδοῦναι: τὴν δὲ γυναῖκ᾽ ἔδωκεν, οὗ μεῖζον οὐδὲν ἂν κατέλιπεν ὄνειδος, τυχών γε τῆς παρ᾽ ὑμῶν δωρεᾶς, εἶθ᾽ ὥσπερ ἂν δοῦλος δεσπότῃ διδούς, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοὐναντίον, εἴπερ ἐδίδου, δεσπότης οἰκέτῃ, προστιθεὶς προῖκα ὅσην οὐδεὶς τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει φαίνεται;

  [35] And would he have begrudged him the banking business, in which he might have given him a share without disgrace, and yet have given him his wife, a bequest disgraceful above all others? Yes, after receiving from you the gift of citizenship, he gave his wife （if indeed he gave her） as a slave giving to his master, and not, on the contrary, as a master to a slave, and he added such a dowry as no man in Athens was ever known to give.

  [36] καίτοι τούτῳ μὲν αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ ἀγαπητὸν ἦν, τὸ τῆς δεσποίνης ἀξιωθῆναι: τῷ πατρὶ δ᾽ οὐδὲ λαμβάνοντι τοσαῦτα χρήματα, ὅσα φασὶ διδόνθ᾽ οὗτοι, εὔλογον ἦν πρᾶξαι ταῦτα. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἃ τοῖς εἰκόσι, τοῖς χρόνοις, τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἐξελέγχεται ψευδῆ, ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖν οὐκ ὤκνησεν οὑτοσὶ Στέφανος.

  [36] And yet, to have been honored with the hand of his mistress was of itself enough to make this fellow content, whereas in my father’s case, even if he received as much money as these people allege that he gave, it was not reasonable for him to make this arrangement. Nevertheless, to things which are proved to be false by the probabilities, the dates and the facts, to these this man Stephanus has not hesitated to depose.

  [37] εἶτα λέγει περιιών, ὡς ἐμαρτύρησε μὲν Νικοκλῆς ἐπιτροπεῦσαι κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἐμαρτύρησε δὲ Πασικλῆς ἐπιτροπευθῆναι κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην. ἐγὼ δ᾽ αὐτὰ ταῦτ᾽ οἶμαι τεκμήρι᾽ εἶναι τοῦ μήτ᾽ ἐκείνους τἀληθῆ μήτε τούσδε μεμαρτυρηκέναι. ὁ γὰρ ἐπιτροπεῦσαι κατὰ διαθήκας μαρτυρῶν δῆλον ὅτι καθ᾽ ὁποίας ἂν εἰδείη, καὶ ὁ ἐπιτροπευθῆναι κατὰ διαθήκας μαρτυρῶν δῆλον ὅτι καθ᾽ ὁποίας ἂν εἰδείη.

  [37] Then he goes about, saying that Nicocles testified that he had served as guardian under the will, and Pasicles that he had lived as ward under the will. But for my part I hold that these very facts are proofs that neither these witnesses nor those have testified to the truth. For a person who testifies that he served as guardian under a will should certainly know what the nature of the will was, and a person who testifies that he lived as ward under a will should certainly know what the nature of the will was.

  [38] τί οὖν μαθόντες ἐμαρτυρεῖθ᾽ ὑμεῖς ἐν προκλήσει διαθήκας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐκείνους εἰᾶτε; εἰ γὰρ αὖ μὴ φήσουσιν εἰδέναι τὰ γεγραμμέν᾽ ἐν αὐταῖς, πῶς ὑμᾶς οἷόν τ᾽ εἰδέναι τοὺς μηδαμῇ μηδαμῶς τοῦ πράγματος ἐγγύς; τί ποτ᾽ οὖν οἱ μὲν ἐκεῖνα, οἱ δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἐμαρτύρησαν; ὅπερ εἴρηκα καὶ πρότερον, διείλοντο τἀδικήματα, καὶ ἐπιτροπεῦσαι μὲν κατὰ διαθήκην οὐδὲν δεινὸν ἡγεῖτο μαρτυρεῖν ὁ μαρτυρῶν, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιτροπευθῆναι κατὰ διαθήκην,

  [38] Why in the world, then, Stephanus, did you people depose to the will under the form of a challenge, instead of leaving the matter to them? If they on their part shall declare that they do not know the
contents of the will, how is it possible for you to know them, you who have never in any way been connected with the matter? Why, pray, is it that one group of witnesses testified to these facts, and another group to those? It is as I have already told you: they divided the fraud. The one so testifying saw no danger in deposing that he served as guardian under the will, or that he lived as ward under the will,

  [39] ἀφαιρῶν ἑκάτερος τὸ μαρτυρεῖν τὰ ἐν ταῖς διαθήκαις ὑπὸ τούτου γεγραμμένα, οὐδὲ καταλιπεῖν τὸν πατέρ᾽ αὑτῷ ἐπιγεγραμμένον γραμματεῖον διαθήκην, οὐδὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα: διαθήκας δὲ μαρτυρεῖν, ἐν αἷς χρημάτων τοσούτων κλοπή, γυναικὸς διαφθορά, γάμοι δεσποίνης, πράγματ᾽ αἰσχύνην καὶ ὕβριν τοσαύτην ἔχοντα, οὐδεὶς ἤθελε πλὴν οὗτοι, πρόκλησιν κατασκευάσαντες, παρ᾽ ὧν δίκαιον τῆς ὅλης τέχνης καὶ κακουργίας δίκην λαβεῖν.