Source edition
Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. III. Rennie, W., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1931.
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 in an Athenian court, in which the plaintiff accuses his relative, Olympiodorus, of betrayal regarding the division of the estate of their deceased kinsman, Comon. To avoid dispute, the two had initially entered into a contract to split the inheritance equally, but they soon faced various complications, including a theft by a slave and competing claims from other relatives. Although they temporarily cooperated and successfully reclaimed the estate, Olympiodorus broke his oath and monopolized the assets immediately after their legal victory. The plaintiff highlights his own prior sacrifices made to uphold their agreement, while criticizing Olympiodorus for using false pretexts to avoid sharing the property. He demands the opening of the sealed contract in court and exposes the defendant's scandalous private life, alleging that Olympiodorus is controlled by a mistress and neglects his family. Ultimately, the plaintiff pleads with the jurors for a just verdict to relieve his family's financial distress.