by Demosthenes
[5] For when they might have got rid of all trouble, and have avoided the risk which they run in coming into your court, by establishing in fact the truth of their testimony, they have refused to deliver up the woman, whom they have testified that Theophemus was ready to deliver up, and had offered to deliver up before the arbitrator, Pythodorus of Cedae, but whose surrender I, in fact, demanded, as the witnesses who were then present in court testified, and will now testify. And Theophemus has not impeached them for giving testimony that was not true, nor does he proceed against them for false witness.
[6] σχεδὸν μὲν οὖν μοι καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμολογοῦσιν ἐν τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ ἐθέλειν με παραλαμβάνειν τὴν ἄνθρωπον, Θεόφημον δὲ ἀναβάλλεσθαι κελεύειν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐκ ἐθέλειν. ἣν δ᾽ ἐγὼ μὲν ἠξίωσα παραλαμβάνειν, Θεόφημος δὲ προὐκαλέσατο παραδοῦναι, ὡς οὗτοί φασιν, τὸ δὲ σῶμα οὐδεὶς εἶδε παρόν, οὔτε τότε πρὸς τῷ διαιτητῇ οὔτε ὕστερον πρὸς τῷ δικαστηρίῳ οὔτε ἄλλοθι οὐδαμοῦ παραδιδόμενον, ἐμαρτύρησαν δὲ οἱ μάρτυρες οὗτοι ὡς ἐθέλοι παραδοῦναι Θεόφημος καὶ πρόκλησιν προκαλοῖτο,
[6] The defendants themselves practically admit in their deposition that I was anxious to receive the woman for the torture, and that Theophemus urged me to postpone the action, whereas I was unwilling to do so. And yet it was regarding this woman, whom I demanded for the torture, but whom Theophemus offered to give up, as these men say; whom, however, no one ever saw present in person either at that time before the arbitrator or afterwards in the court-room, or produced at any other place, — it was regarding her that these witnesses deposed that Theophemus was ready to give her up, and made the offer with a challenge;
[7] ᾠήθησαν δὲ οἱ δικασταὶ ἀληθῆ εἶναι τὴν μαρτυρίαν, φεύγειν δ᾽ ἐμὲ τὸν ἔλεγχον τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἀνθρώπου περὶ τῆς αἰκείας, ὁπότερος ἡμῶν ἦρξεν χειρῶν ἀδίκων （τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ αἴκεια）, πῶς οὐκ ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν τούτους τοὺς μάρτυρας τὰ ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρηκέναι, οἵ γε οὐδὲ νῦν πω τολμῶσι τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἀνθρώπου παραδοῦναι, καθὰ ἔφασαν προκαλέσασθαι τὸν Θεόφημον καὶ ἐμαρτύρησαν αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν μὲν μαρτυρίαν ἔργῳ βεβαιῶσαι ὡς ἀληθής ἐστιν, καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας ἀπηλλάχθαι τοῦ ἀγῶνος παραδόντας τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἀνθρώπου,
[7] and the jury thought that the testimony was true, and that I was seeking to evade the evidence which the woman might have given in regard to the assault and the question as to which one of us delivered the first blow （for this is what constitutes assault）. Is it not, then, a necessary inference that these witnesses have given false testimony, men who even up to this day dare not deliver up the woman in person, as according to their statement Theophemus offered to do, and as they testified for him? And they dare not establish by actual fact the truth of their testimony
[8] τὴν δὲ ἄνθρωπον περὶ τῆς αἰκείας βασανίζεσθαι, ἐφ᾽ ᾗ ἐγὼ διώκω δίκῃ τὸν Θεόφημον, ἐπειδὴ τότε οὐ παρέσχεν, καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον ἐξ ὧν ὁ Θεόφημος ἔλεγεν τότε ἐξαπατῶν τοὺς δικαστάς, ἐκ τούτων γίγνεσθαι; ἔφη γὰρ ἐν τῇ δίκῃ τῆς αἰκείας τοὺς μὲν μάρτυρας τοὺς παραγενομένους καὶ μαρτυροῦντας τὰ γενόμενα ἐν γραμματείῳ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ψευδεῖς εἶναι καὶ ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ παρεσκευασμένους, τὴν δ᾽ ἄνθρωπον τὴν παραγενομένην ἐρεῖν τἀληθῆ, οὐκ ἐκ γραμματείου μαρτυροῦσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς ἰσχυροτάτης μαρτυρίας, βασανιζομένην, ὁπότερος ἦρξε χειρῶν ἀδίκων.
[8] and free the witnesses from the risk of a trial by making Theophemus, since he then refused to do so, deliver up the woman in person, to be put to the torture regarding the assault for which I am suing Theophemus, and so make the proof result from the very statements made at that time by Theophemus with a view to deceiving the jurors. For he said in the course of the trial for assault that the witnesses who had been present and who testified to what had taken place by a deposition in writing, as the law provides, were false witnesses and had been suborned by me; but that the woman who had been present would tell the truth, deposing, not to a written document, but under torture, giving thus the strongest kind of evidence as to which party delivered the first blow.
[9] ἃ δή, λόγῳ τότε καταχρώμενος καὶ μάρτυρας παρεχόμενος τούτων, ἠπάτα τοὺς δικαστάς, νῦν ἐξελέγχεται ψευδῆ ὄντα: τὸ γὰρ σῶμα τῆς ἀνθρώπου οὐ τολμᾷ παραδοῦναι, ὃ μεμαρτυρήκασιν αὐτὸν ἐθέλειν παραδοῦναι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον προῄρηται τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ τὸν κηδεστὴν ψευδομαρτυρίων ἀγωνίζεσθαι ἢ παραδοῦναι τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἀνθρώπου καὶ δικαίως ἀπηλλάχθαι, καὶ μὴ διὰ λόγων καὶ δεήσεως, ἐὰν δύνωνται ἐξαπατήσαντες ὑμᾶς ἀποφεύγειν,
[9] This is what he said at that time, using the most vigorous language and bringing forward witnesses to support his statements, and by this means deceiving the jurors; but now all this is proved to be false; for he does not dare to deliver up the woman, whom the witnesses have declared that he was ready to deliver up, but prefers that his brother and his brother-in-law should have to stand trial on a charge of giving false testimony, rather than that he should deliver up the woman in person, and so be well rid of his troubles in a fair and legal way, and that they should not try by arguments and entreaties to find a means of escape by deceiving you, if they could;
[10] πολλάκις ἐμοῦ προκαλεσαμένου καὶ ἐξαιτήσαντος τὴν ἄνθρωπον καὶ τότε ἀξιοῦντος παραλαμβάνειν καὶ μετὰ τὴν δίκην, καὶ ὅτε ἐξέτινον αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐφ᾽ ᾗ ἐγὼ δίκῃ τὸν Θεόφημον διώκω τῆς αἰκείας, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀνακρίσει τῶν ψευδομαρτυρίων, καὶ τούτων οὐ προσποιουμένων, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ μὲν μαρτυρούντων τὰ ψευδῆ, ἔργῳ δὲ οὐ παραδιδόντων τὴν ἄνθρωπον: εὖ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν ὅτι βασανιζομένης αὐτῆς ἐξελεγχθήσονται ἀδικοῦντες, οὐκ ἀδικούμενοι. ὡς δὲ ταῦτα ἀληθῆ λέγω, τούτων ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσεται τὰς μαρτυρίας.”Μαρτυρίαι”
[10] although I challenged him again and again, and asked for the woman, demanding to receive her for the torture both at that time and after the trial, and again when I paid them the money, and in my suit for assault against Theophemus, and in the examination before the magistrate in the trial for false testimony. These men do not try to hide anything; their words are perjury, their act is to refuse to deliver up the woman; for they knew well that, if she should be put to the torture, it would be proved that they were the wrongdoers and not the parties wronged.
To prove that I am speaking the truth in this, the clerk shall read you the depositions concerning these matters.” Depositions”
[11] ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν πολλάκις προκαλεσαμένῳ κα�
�� ἀξιοῦντι παραλαβεῖν τὴν ἄνθρωπον οὐδεὶς παρεδίδου, μεμαρτύρηται ὑμῖν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ ἐκ τεκμηρίων εἰδῆτε ὅτι ψευδῆ μεμαρτυρήκασιν, δηλώσω ὑμῖν. οὗτοι γάρ, εἴπερ ἀληθῆ ἦν ἅ φασιν προκαλέσασθαι τὸν Θεόφημον καὶ παραδιδόναι τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἀνθρώπου, οὐκ ἂν δήπου δύο μόνους μάρτυρας ἐποιήσαντο κηδεστὴν καὶ ἀδελφόν, τἀληθῆ μαρτυροῦντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλους ἂν πολλούς.
[11] That, despite my frequent challenges and demands for the delivery of the woman for examination, no one has ever delivered her up, has been shown to you by witnesses. But in order that you may know from circumstantial proofs also that they have given false testimony, I will prove it. For if what they state were true, namely, that Theophemus tendered the challenge and offered to give up the woman in person, these men, I take it, would not have produced two witnesses only, a brother and a brother-in-law, to testify to what was true, but many others as well.
[12] ἡ μὲν γὰρ δίαιτα ἐν τῇ ἡλιαίᾳ ἦν （οἱ γὰρ τὴν Οἰνῇδα καὶ τὴν Ἐρεχθῇδα διαιτῶντες ἐνταῦθα κάθηνται）: τῶν δὲ τοιούτων προκλήσεων, ὅταν τις τὸ σῶμα παραδιδῷ κομίσας, πολλοὶ προσίστανται ἐπακούοντες τῶν λεγομένων, ὥστε οὐκ ἂν ἠπόρησαν μαρτύρων, εἴπερ καὶ ὁπωστιοῦν ἀληθὴς ἦν ἡ μαρτυρία.
[12] For the arbitration took place in the Heliaea, where those serving as arbitrators for the Oeneïd and Erectheïd tribes hold their sessions; and when challenges of this sort are given, and a party brings his slave in person, and delivers him up for examination by the torture, hosts of people stand forth to hear what is said; so that they would not have been at a loss for witnesses, if there had been the least truth in the deposition.
[13] μεμαρτυρήκασι τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ μαρτυρίᾳ, ὡς ἐγὼ οὐκ ἐθέλοιμι ἀναβαλέσθαι, ὁ δὲ Θεόφημος κελεύοι, ἵνα μοι παραδοίη τὴν ἄνθρωπον. ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἀληθὲς τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς διδάξω. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐγὼ τὸν Θεόφημον ταύτην τὴν πρόκλησιν προὐκαλούμην ἣν μεμαρτυρήκασιν αὐτῷ,
[13] They have testified, then, in the same deposition, men of the jury, that I was unwilling to have a postponement, but that Theophemus urged it in order that he might produce the woman. That this is not true, I will show you. For if I had tendered to Theophemus this challenge to which they have deposed, requiring him to deliver up the woman,
[14] ἀξιῶν αὐτὸν τὴν ἄνθρωπον παραδοῦναι, εἰκότως ἄν μοι τούτους τοὺς λόγους ἀπεκρίνατο, ἀναβαλέσθαι κελεύων τὴν δίαιταν εἰς τὴν ὑστέραν σύνοδον, ἵνα κομίσῃ τὴν ἄνθρωπον καὶ παραδῷ μοι: νῦν δὲ σὲ αὐτὸν μεμαρτυρήκασιν, ὦ Θεόφημε, ἐθέλειν παραδιδόναι τὴν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐμὲ μὴ ‘θέλειν παραλαβεῖν. πῶς οὖν σὺ κύριος μὲν ὢν τῆς ἀνθρώπου, μέλλων δὲ προκαλεῖσθαι ταύτην τὴν πρόκλησιν ἣν μεμαρτυρήκασί σοι, καταφεύγων δὲ εἰς τὴν ἄνθρωπον περὶ τοῦ δικαίου,
[14] he might fittingly have answered by urging that the arbitration be put off until the next meeting, in order that he might bring the woman and deliver her up to me; but as it is, Theophemus, they have deposed that it was you who desired to deliver up the woman and that I was not willing to receive her. How is it that you, who were the woman’s master, when you were on the point of tendering me this challenge, to which your witnesses have deposed, when you were forced to take refuge in this woman’s testimony to establish your case,
[15] ἄλλου δέ σοι οὐδενὸς ὄντος μάρτυρος ὡς ἐπλήγης ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἄρχοντος χειρῶν ἀδίκων, οὐχ ἧκες ἔχων τὴν ἄνθρωπον πρὸς τὸν διαιτητὴν καὶ παρεδίδους τὸ σῶμα παρούσης τῆς ἀνθρώπου, κύριός γε ὢν αὐτῆς; ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν πρόκλησιν φὴς προκαλέσασθαι, τὴν δὲ ἄνθρωπον οὐδεὶς εἶδεν, δι᾽ ἧς ἐξηπάτησας τοὺς δικαστάς, ψευδεῖς μάρτυρας παρασχόμενος ὡς ἐθέλων παραδοῦναι.
[15] and when you had no other witness to my having assaulted you and having delivered the first blow — how is it, I ask, that you did not bring the woman with you to the arbitrator and deliver her up, having her then present in person, and being yourself her master? Nay, you state that you tendered the challenge; but no one saw the woman by means of whom you deceived the jurors, through producing false witnesses to represent that you wished to give her up.
[16] ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν σοι τότε οὐ παρῆν ἡ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ πρότερον ἐσημάνθησαν οἱ ἐχῖνοι, ὕστερον ἔστιν ὅπου ἤγαγες τὴν ἄνθρωπον εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ἢ εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον; εἰ γὰρ μὴ τότε σοι παρεγένετο, ὕστερον δήπου ἔδει παραδιδόναι, καὶ μάρτυρας ποιεῖσθαι ὡς ἐθέλεις ἐν τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ τὸν ἔλεγχον γίγνεσθαι, καθάπερ προὐκαλέσω, προκλήσεώς τε ἐμβεβλημένης σοι καὶ μαρτυρίας ὡς ἤθελες παραδιδόναι τὴν ἄνθρωπον. μέλλων τοίνυν εἰσιέναι τὴν δίκην ἔστιν ὅπου τὴν ἄνθρωπον εἰσήγαγες πρὸς τὸ δικαστήριον;
[16] Well, then, since the woman was not present with you at that time and the boxes had previously been sealed, did you at any time afterward bring her into the market-place or before the court? For if she was not present with you at that time, you surely ought to have delivered her up afterwards, and to have called witnesses to prove that you were willing to have the test made by the woman’s evidence in accordance with the challenge which you had tendered, as your challenge had been put in the box, and a deposition stating that you were ready to deliver her up. Well then, when you were on the point of entering upon the trial, did you ever bring the woman before the court?
[17] καίτοι ἔδει αὐτόν, εἴπερ ἀληθῆ ἦν ἅ φασιν αὐτὸν προκαλεῖσθαι, κληρουμένων τῶν δικαστηρίων κομίσαντα τὴν ἄνθρωπον, λαβόντα τὸν κήρυκα, κελεύειν ἐμέ, εἰ βουλοίμην, βασανίζειν, καὶ μάρτυρας τοὺς δικαστὰς εἰσιόντας ποιεῖσθαι ὡς ἕτοιμός ἐστιν παραδοῦναι. νυνὶ δὲ λόγῳ ἐξαπατήσας, ψευδεῖς μαρτυρίας παρασχόμενος, οὐδέπω καὶ νῦν τολμᾷ τὴν ἄνθρωπον παραδοῦναι, πολλάκις ἐμοῦ προκαλεσαμένου καὶ ἐξαιτήσαντος, ὡς οἱ μάρτυρες ὑμῖν οἱ παραγενόμενοι μεμαρτυρήκασιν. καί μοι ἀνάγνωθι πάλιν τὰς μαρτυρίας.”Μαρτυρίαι”
[17] And yet, if what they say about his tendering the challenge is true, he ought, when the court-rooms were being assigned by lot, to have brought the woman, got a herald to attend, and bidden me, if I chose, to put her to the torture, and have made the jurors as they came in witnesses to the fact that he was ready to deliver her up. But as it is, he has made deceitful statements and has produced false witnesses,
but even to this day he does not dare to deliver up the woman, though I have made repeated challenges and demands, as the witnesses who were present have testified before you.
Please read the depositions again.” Depositions”
[18] βούλομαι δ᾽ ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ τὴν δίκην διηγήσασθαι, ὅθεν ἐγένετό μοι πρὸς Θεόφημον, ἵνα εἰδῆτε ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἐμοῦ ἀδίκως κατεδικάσατο, ἐξαπατήσας τοὺς δικαστάς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς βουλῆς ἅμα τῶν πεντακοσίων τῇ αὐτῇ ψήφῳ, καὶ ἄκυρα μὲν ἐποίησεν τὰ δικαστήρια τὰ ὑμέτερα, ἄκυρα δὲ τὰ ψηφίσματα καὶ τοὺς νόμους, ἀπίστους δὲ τὰς ἀρχὰς κατέστησεν ὑμῖν καὶ τὰ γράμματα τὰ ἐν ταῖς στήλαις. ὃν δὲ τρόπον, ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς περὶ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου διδάξω.
[18] I wish now, men of the jury, to explain to you the origin of my action against Theophemus, in order that you may be assured that he not only secured my condemnation unjustly by deceiving the jury, but also at the same time secured by the same verdict the condemnation of the senate of five hundred, and made of no effect the decisions of your courts and of no effect your decrees and your laws, and shook your faith in your magistrates and in the inscriptions on the public stelae. How he has done this I will show you point by point.