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 speech is a court oration delivered by the Athenian citizen Mantitheus against his half-brother Boeotus, demanding the return of his late mother's dowry. Mantitheus begins by explaining the complex family background, alleging that Boeotus's mother deceived their father with a false oath to get her sons registered in the phratry. Following their father's death, a dispute arose over the division of property and the return of the dowry, which Boeotus refused to pay under various pretexts, such as discrepancies in names. In response, the plaintiff proves the legitimacy of his own mother's marriage and dowry while exposing the opponent's past harassments, including a fabricated injury used to bring a false charge before the Areopagus. He further denounces Boeotus's deceptive tactics, including the slander of their deceased father and attempts to delay the lawsuit. Finally, Mantitheus appeals to the jury to secure his father's house to preserve a dowry for his own daughter, urging a fair verdict based on solid evidence rather than deceitful claims.