Source edition
Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. II, Part 1. Butcher, S. H., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This speech is a forensic oration prosecuting Aristogeiton, who illegally continues to speak in the Assembly despite being a public debtor and thus stripped of his civic rights (atimia). The prosecutor argues that punishing such an offender is essential for maintaining the order of the Athenian state and the rule of law. The discourse begins by pointing out the defendant's lack of eligibility and presents historical precedents to show that illegal actors must be punished to preserve public order. It then highlights Aristogeiton's past self-contradictions in his political activities, arguing that his career has brought nothing but harm to Athens. Finally, the orator appeals to the sacred nature of laws, which govern the cosmic order, and urges the jury to defend the state by finding the defendant guilty.