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
This work is a forensic oration seeking the recovery of a deposit from the famous Athenian banker Pasion. The plaintiff, a young foreigner from the Bosporan Kingdom on the Black Sea, explains that he had deposited his funds in Pasion's bank to conceal his wealth during a political crisis in his homeland. Taking advantage of the plaintiff's vulnerable position, Pasion denied the existence of the deposit and attempted to embezzle the money. Throughout the speech, the plaintiff exposes Pasion's deceitful maneuvers, including his persistent refusal to allow the interrogation of his slave under torture (basanos) and his subsequent tampering with a written settlement agreement. By presenting various testimonies and circumstantial evidence of their financial transactions, the plaintiff systematically refutes Pasion's claims. In conclusion, he emphasizes Pasion's evasion of the truth and appeals to the Athenian judges for a just verdict.