Source edition
Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. II, Part 2. Rennie, W., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1921.
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 speech delivered on behalf of Phormion, a former slave and business successor of the famous Athenian banker Pasion, in response to a groundless lawsuit brought by Pasion's eldest son, Apollodorus. Since Phormion is described as lacking the rhetorical skills to defend himself, a speaker addresses the Athenian court on his behalf under a special plea of "paragraphē." The speech begins by detailing the leasing of Pasion's bank and shield factory, as well as the terms of his will and the subsequent division of the estate. The speaker then exposes Apollodorus's legal inconsistencies, pointing out that he had previously accepted settlements, released Phormion from all claims, and is now violating the statute of limitations. Furthermore, the defense contrasts Apollodorus's squandering of his massive inheritance with Phormion's diligent preservation of the banking business. Ultimately, the speech criticizes Apollodorus's hypocrisy in mocking Phormion's servile origins—given his own family history—and concludes with an earnest plea to the jurors to acquit Phormion, highlighting his integrity and contributions to the state.