Source edition
Isocrates, Vol. 3. Van Hook, Larue, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1945 (printing).
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
Set against the backdrop of the general amnesty established after the fall of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens, this speech is a special plea (paragraphe) delivered by a defendant resisting an unjust lawsuit brought by the plaintiff, Callimachus. The speaker explains how a property dispute, previously settled through a monetary agreement, was refiled by Callimachus for an exorbitant sum in conspiracy with others. The core of the argument rests on the absolute necessity of upholding the historic amnesty, which the speaker argues is vital for Athens' domestic stability and international credibility. To undermine his opponent's character, the defendant exposes Callimachus’s notorious history of perjury, evasion, and a fraudulent murder accusation. Concluding with a proud display of his own public services to Athens, such as equipping triremes and importing grain, the speaker urges the jurors to respect their oaths and uphold the sacred treaty.