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 courtroom oration in which the speaker asserts the legitimacy of his inheritance based on the will of his deceased close friend, Thrasylochus. Set on the island of Aegina, the speech is addressed to the judges in response to an inheritance claim disputed by a female relative of the deceased. The speaker begins by recounting the long-standing family history and the deep bond of friendship between himself and Thrasylochus. He then details his devoted care during his friend's illness and his self-sacrificing support for the family during their exile, contrasting his dedication with the negligence of the opposing relative. Furthermore, he argues that the will is in perfect conformity with the laws of Aegina and Siphnos. Ultimately, the speaker concludes by appealing to the concepts of friendship, gratitude, and legal justice, urging the judges to deliver a fair verdict.