Delphi Complete Works of Demosthenes

by Demosthenes

  [20] λέγε τὸν νόμον.”Νόμος

  καὶ ἐὰν ἐξ ἐπικλήρου τις γένηται καὶ ἅμα ἡβήσῃ ἐπὶ δίετες, κρατεῖν τῶν χρημάτων, τὸν δὲ σῖτον μετρεῖν τῇ μητρί.”

  οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν νόμος κελεύει τοὺς παῖδας ἡβήσαντας κυρίους τῆς μητρὸς εἶναι, τὸν δὲ σῖτον μετρεῖν τῇ μητρί. ἐγὼ δὲ φαίνομαι στρατευόμενος καὶ τριηραρχῶν ὑμῖν, ὅτε οὗτος συνῴκησεν τῇ μητρί.

  [20] Read the law.”Law

  If one be born the son of an heiress, two years after he has reached the age of manhood he shall assume control of the estate, and he shall make due provision for his mother’s maintenance.”

  The law, then, appoints that sons who have reached the age of manhood shall be guardians of their mother and shall make due provision for their mother’s maintenance. But it is clear that I was on a military expedition and in command of a trireme in your service, when this man married my mother.

  [21] ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ἐγὼ μὲν ἀπεδήμουν τριηραρχῶν, ἐτετελευτήκει δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πάλαι, ὅτε οὗτος ἔγημε, τὰς δὲ θεραπαίνας αὐτὸν ἐξῄτουν καὶ ἠξίουν περὶ αὐτοῦ τούτου βασανίζεσθαι αὐτάς, εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ ἐστι, καὶ ὡς προὐκαλούμην, λαβέ μοι τὴν μαρτυρίαν.”Μαρτυρία

  μαρτυροῦσι παρεῖναι ὅτε προὐκαλεῖτο Ἀπολλόδωρος Φορμίωνα, ὅτε ἠξίου παραδοῦναι Ἀπολλόδωρος Φορμίωνα τὰς θεραπαίνας εἰς βάσανον, εἰ μή φησι Φορμίων καὶ πρότερον διεφθαρκέναι τὴν μητέρα τὴν ἐμήν, πρὶν οὗ ἀποφαίνει Φορμίων γῆμαι ἐγγυησάμενος αὐτὴν παρὰ Πασίωνος. ταῦτα δὲ προκαλουμένου Ἀπολλοδώρου οὐκ ἠθέλησε Φορμίων παραδοῦναι τὰς θεραπαίνας.”

  [21] Nay more, to prove that I was absent in command of a trireme, and that my father had been dead for some time, when the fellow married, I demanded of him the female slaves, and claimed the right of having them put to the torture to establish this very point, whether what I am saying is true — to prove all this, and that I tendered him a challenge, please take the deposition.”Deposition

  The deponents testify that they were present when Apollodorus challenged Phormio, namely, when Apollodorus demanded that Phormio give up the female slaves for the torture, if Phormo denied that he had seduced my mother before the time when Phormio declares that he married her, after she had been betrothed to him by Pasio. And when Apollodorus tendered this challenge, Phormio refused to surrender the female slaves.”

  [22] τὸν τοίνυν νόμον ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀνάγνωθι, ὃς κελεύει ἐπιδικασίαν εἶναι τῶν ἐπικλήρων ἁπασῶν, καὶ ξένων καὶ ἀστῶν, καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν πολιτῶν τὸν ἄρχοντα εἰσάγειν καὶ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι, περὶ δὲ τῶν μετοίκων τὸν πολέμαρχον, καὶ ἀνεπίδικον μὴ ἐξεῖναι ἔχειν μήτε κλῆρον μήτε ἐπίκληρον.”Νόμος

  κληροῦν δὲ τὸν ἄρχοντα κλήρων καὶ ἐπικλήρων, ὅσοι εἰσὶ μῆνες, πλὴν τοῦ σκιροφοριῶνος. ἀνεπίδικον δὲ κλῆρον μὴ ἔχειν.”

  [22] Now in addition to this read the law which appoints that there shall be an adjudication of all heiresses, whether alien or citizen, and that in the case of those who are citizens the archon shall have jurisdiction and shall take charge of the matter, and in the case of those who are resident aliens, the polemarch; and it shall not be lawful for anyone to obtain an inheritance or an heiress without legal adjudication.”Law

  The archon shall assign by lot days for the trial of claims to inheritances or heiresses in every month except Scirophorion; and no one shall obtain an inheritance without adjudication.”

  [23] οὐκοῦν αὐτόν, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο ὀρθῶς διαπράττεσθαι, λαχεῖν ἔδει τῆς ἐπικλήρου, εἴτε κατὰ δόσιν αὐτῷ προσῆκεν εἴτε κατὰ γένος, εἰ μὲν ὡς ὑπὲρ ἀστῆς, πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα, εἰ δὲ ὡς ὑπὲρ ξένης, πρὸς τὸν πολέμαρχον, καὶ τότε, εἴπερ τι λέγειν εἶχε δίκαιον, πείσαντα ὑμῶν τοὺς λαχόντας μετὰ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς ψήφου κύριον εἶναι, καὶ μὴ αὐτὸν αὑτῷ νόμους ἰδίους θέμενον διαπράξασθαι ἃ ἐβούλετο.

  [23] Well then, if he had wished to proceed regularly, he ought to have entered his claim for the heiress, whether the claim was based upon a gift or upon nearness of kin, before the archon, if he claimed her as a citizen, and before the polemarch, if as an alien; and then, if he had any just claim to advance, it was his duty to convince those of you who were drawn on the jury, and so obtain the woman by their verdict and in a manner sanctioned by your laws, instead of having made laws valid for himself alone, and in that way having accomplished what he desired.

  [24] σκέψασθε δὴ καὶ τονδὶ τὸν νόμον, ὃς κελεύει τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν ἂν παίδων ὄντων γνησίων ὁ πατὴρ διαθῆται ἐὰν ἀποθάνωσιν οἱ παῖδες πρὶν ἡβῆσαι, κυρίαν εἶναι.”Νόμος

  ὅ τι ἂν γνησίων ὄντων υἱέων ὁ πατὴρ διαθῆται ἐὰν ἀποθάνωσιν οἱ υἱεῖς πρὶν ἐπὶ δίετες ἡβᾶν, τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς διαθήκην κυρίαν εἶναι.”

  [24] Note, too, the following law, that a will shall be valid which a father makes, even though he has sons lawfully born, provided the sons die before they reach the age of manhood.”Law

  Whatsoever will a father shall make, while he has lawfully born sons, if the sons die within two years after having reached the age of manhood, that father’s will shall be valid.”

  [25] οὐκοῦν ὁπότε ζῶσιν, ἄκυρος μὲν ἡ διαθήκη ἐστίν, ἥν φασιν οὗτοι τὸν πατέρα καταλιπεῖν, παρὰ πάντας δὲ τοὺς νόμους μεμαρτύρηκε Στέφανος οὑτοσὶ τὰ ψευδῆ, ὡς ἀντίγραφά ἐστι τῆς διαθήκης τῆς Πασίωνος: πῶς γὰρ σὺ οἶσθα, καὶ ποῦ παραγενόμενος διατιθεμένῳ τῷ πατρί; κακοτεχνῶν δὲ φαίνει περὶ τὰς δίκας, τὰ ψευδῆ μὲν αὐτὸς μαρτυρῶν ἑτοίμως, κλέπτων δὲ τὰς ἀληθεῖς μαρτυρίας, ἐξαπατῶν δὲ τοὺς δικαστάς, συνιστάμενος δ᾽ ἐπὶ ταῖς δίκαις. οἱ δὲ νόμοι καὶ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων γραφὴν πεποιήκασιν.

  [25] Well then, seeing that the sons are alive, the will which these men say my father left is invalid, and this man Stephanus has borne false witness in defiance of all the laws, in declaring that the document is a copy of Pasio’s will. Why, how do you know that it is? Where were you ever present when my father made it? You are shown to have been guilty of trickery in the suit, to have given false witness yourself without scruple, to have stolen depositions which supported the truth, to have misled the jury, and to have entered into a conspiracy to defeat justice. But the laws have provided criminal suits for actions such as these.

  [26] καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι τὸν νόμον.”Νόμος

  ἐάν τις συνιστῆται, ἢ συνδεκάζῃ τὴν ἡλιαίαν �
�� τῶν δικαστηρίων τι τῶν Ἀθήνησιν ἢ τὴν βουλὴν ἐπὶ δωροδοκίᾳ χρήματα διδοὺς ἢ δεχόμενος, ἢ ἑταιρείαν συνιστῇ ἐπὶ καταλύσει τοῦ δήμου, ἢ συνήγορος ὢν λαμβάνῃ χρήματα ἐπὶ ταῖς δίκαις ταῖς ἰδίαις ἢ δημοσίαις, τούτων εἶναι τὰς γραφὰς πρὸς τοὺς θεσμοθέτας.”

  [26] Read the law, please.”Law

  If any man enter into a conspiracy, or join in seeking to bribe the Heliaea or any of the courts in Athens, or the Senate, by giving or receiving money for corrupt ends, or shall organize a clique for the overthrow of the democracy, or, while serving as public advocate, shall accept money in any suit, private or public, criminal suits shall be entered for these acts before the Thesmothetae.”

  [27] ἡδέως ἂν τοίνυν ὑμᾶς ἐροίμην ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασι, κατὰ ποίους νόμους ὀμωμοκότες δικάζετε, πότερα κατὰ τοὺς τῆς πόλεως ἢ καθ᾽ οὓς Φορμίων αὑτῷ νομοθετεῖ. ἐγὼ μὲν τοίνυν τούτους παρέχομαι ὑμῖν, καὶ ἐξελέγχω αὐτοὺς ἀμφοτέρους παραβεβηκότας, Φορμίωνα μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀδικήσαντα ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀποστερήσαντα τὰ χρήματα, ἃ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῖν κατέλιπεν καὶ ἐμίσθωσε τούτῳ μετὰ τῆς τραπέζης καὶ τοῦ ἐργαστηρίου, Στέφανον δὲ τουτονὶ τὰ ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρηκότα καὶ παρὰ τὸν νόμον.

  [27] So, in the light of all these things, I should like to ask you in accordance with what laws you have sworn to give judgement: whether according to the laws of the state, or according to the laws which Phormio enacts for himself. I bring before you, then, these laws, and I prove that both these men have transgressed them, Phormio by having at the outset wronged me and robbed me of the money which my father left me, and which that father leased to Phormio together with the bank and the manufactory; Stephanus here, by having given false testimony, and given it in defiance of the law.

  [28] ἄξιον τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ τόδε ἐνθυμηθῆναι, ὅτι διαθήκης οὐδεὶς πώποτε ἀντίγραφα ἐποιήσατο, ἀλλὰ συγγραφῶν μέν, ἵνα εἰδῶσι καὶ μὴ παραβαίνωσι, διαθηκῶν δὲ οὔ. τούτου γὰρ ἕνεκα κατασεσημασμένας καταλείπουσιν οἱ διατιθέμενοι, ἵνα μηδεὶς εἰδῇ ἃ διατίθενται. πῶς οὖν ὑμεῖς ἴστε ὅτι ἀντίγραφά ἐστιν τῶν διαθηκῶν τῶν Πασίωνος τὰ ἐν τῷ γραμματείῳ γεγραμμένα;

  δέομαι οὖν ὑμῶν ἁπάντων, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ ἱκετεύω βοηθῆσαι μὲν ἐμοί, τιμωρήσασθαι δὲ τοὺς ἑτοίμως οὕτως τὰ ψευδῆ μαρτυροῦντας, ὑπέρ τε ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου καὶ τῶν νόμων.

  [28] Another thing also, men of the jury, deserves to be borne in mind, that no one ever makes a copy of a will; they make copies of contracts, that they may know the terms and not violate them; but not of wills. For this is the very reason why the testators leave a will — that no man may know how they are disposing of their property. How, then, do you people know that what is written in the document is a copy of Pasio’s will?

  I beseech and implore you all, men of the jury, to come to my aid and to punish those who thus without scruple have given false testimony, for your own sakes, for mine, for the sake of justice and the laws.

  κατὰ Εὐέργου καὶ Μνησιβούλου Ψευδομαρτυριῶν — AGAINST EVERGUS AND MNESIBULUS

  [1] καλῶς μοι δοκοῦσιν οἱ νόμοι ἔχειν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, οἱ ὑπόλοιπον ἀγῶνα ἀποδόντες ταῖς δίκαις τὸν τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων, ἵνα, εἴ τις μάρτυρας τὰ ψευδῆ μαρτυροῦντας παρασχόμενος ἢ προκλήσεις μὴ γενομένας ἢ μαρτυρίας παρὰ τὸν νόμον μαρτυρηθείσας ἐξηπάτησεν τοὺς δικαστάς, μηδὲν αὐτῷ πλέον γένηται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπισκηψάμενος ταῖς μαρτυρίαις ὁ ἀδικηθεὶς καὶ εἰσελθὼν ὡς ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐπιδείξας περὶ τοῦ πράγματος τοὺς μάρτυρας τὰ ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρηκότας, παρά τε τούτων δίκην λάβῃ καὶ τὸν προβαλόμενον ὑπόδικον ἔχῃ τῶν κακοτεχνιῶν.

  [1] It is in my opinion, men of the jury, an admirable provision of the laws that they allow another chance after a trial by means of proceedings for false testimony, in order that, if anyone by bringing forward witnesses testifying to what is false or by citing challenges which were never tendered or depositions made contrary to law, has deceived the jury, he may gain nothing by it, but the one who has been wronged may impeach the testimony, and come into your court and show that the witnesses have given false testimony regarding the matter at issue, and thus exact the penalty from them and hold the one who brought them forward liable to an action for subornation of perjury.

  [2] καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῷ μὲν διώκοντι ἐλάττω ἐποίησαν τὰ ἐπιτίμια, ἐὰν ἡττηθῇ, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος ἀποτρέπωνται διώκειν τοὺς μάρτυρας τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων οἱ ἀδικούμενοι, τῷ δὲ φεύγοντι μεγάλας ἐπέθηκαν τιμωρίας, ἐὰν ἁλῶσιν καὶ δόξωσιν ὑμῖν τὰ ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρηκέναι.

  [2] And for this reason they have made the fine less for the plaintiff, if he lose his case, in order that those who have been wronged may not by the fine be deterred from prosecuting witnesses for false testimony, while they have imposed a heavy penalty upon the defendant, if he be convicted and be thought by you to have given false testimony.

  [3] δικαίως, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. ὑμεῖς γὰρ εἰς τοὺς μάρτυρας βλέψαντες, καὶ πιστεύσαντες οἷς ἂν οὗτοι μαρτυρήσωσιν, ψηφίζεσθε: ἵνα οὖν μήθ᾽ ὑμεῖς ἐξαπατᾶσθε μήθ᾽ οἱ εἰσιόντες εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀδικῶνται, διὰ ταῦτα αὐτοὺς ὑποδίκους ἐποίησεν ὁ νομοθέτης. δέομαι δὲ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐγὼ μετ᾽ εὐνοίας μου ἀκροάσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἅπαντα, ἵνα ἐκ τούτων εἰδῆτε ὅσα ἐγώ τε ἠδικήθην καὶ ἐξηπατήθησαν οἱ δικασταὶ καὶ οὗτοι τὰ ψευδῆ ἐμαρτύρησαν.

  [3] And justly so, men of the jury. For you look to the witnesses and give your verdict as you do, because you have believed the testimony which they have given. It is, therefore, to prevent you from being deceived and those who come into your court from being wronged that the lawgiver made the witnesses responsible. I, therefore, beg of you hear me with goodwill, while I rehearse all the facts from the beginning, in order that from these you may see the magnitude of the wrongs I have suffered, and know that the jurymen were deceived and that these men have given testimony which is false.

  [4] μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἂν ἐβουλόμην μὴ ἔχειν πράγματα: εἰ δ᾽ οὖν ἀναγκάζοι τις, πρὸς τοιούτους ἡδύ ἐστιν εἰσιέναι οἳ μὴ ἀγνῶτές εἰσιν ὑμῖν. νῦν δὲ πλείων μοι λόγος ἔσται ἐξελέγχοντι τὸν τρόπον αὐτῶν ἢ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ οὖσαν. περὶ μὲ�
� γὰρ τῆς μαρτυρίας, ὅτι ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρήκασιν, αὐτοί μοι δοκοῦσιν ἔργῳ ἐξελέγχειν αὐτήν, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλους με δεῖ μάρτυρας παρασχέσθαι ἢ αὐτοὺς τούτους:

  [4] I should have much preferred not to go to law, but, if forced to do so, it is a satisfaction to appear against men who are not unknown to you. However, I shall devote a larger part of my speech to exposing the character of these men than to proving that their testimony is false. As to my charge that the testimony to which they have deposed is false, they seem to me to have given proof by their own actions, and there is no need for me to produce any other witnesses than themselves.

  [5] ἐξὸν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀπηλλάχθαι πραγμάτων καὶ μὴ κινδυνεύειν εἰσιόντας εἰς ὑμᾶς, ἔργῳ βεβαιώσαντας ὡς ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία, οὐκ ἠθελήκασιν παραδοῦναι τὴν ἄνθρωπον, ἣν μεμαρτυρήκασιν προκαλέσασθαι πρὸς τῷ διαιτητῇ Πυθοδώρῳ ἐκ Κηδῶν παραδιδόναι ἕτοιμον εἶναι Θεόφημον, ἠξίουν δ᾽ ἐγὼ παραλαμβάνειν, ὡς οἱ μάρτυρες ὑμῖν οἱ τότε παραγενόμενοι ἐμαρτύρησαν ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ, καὶ νῦν δὲ μαρτυρήσουσιν. καὶ Θεόφημος αὐτοῖς ὡς ἀληθῆ μεμαρτυρηκόσιν οὐκ ἐπεσκήψατο, οὐδ᾽ ἐπεξέρχεται τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων.