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 courtroom speech delivered by Apollodorus concerning the expenses and handover of trierarchical duties (the equipping and commanding of a trireme) in classical Athens. The plaintiff, Apollodorus, argues that he contributed immense personal wealth to maintain the fleet during a state crisis, and was forced to continue his service at his own expense because his designated successor, Polycles, obstinately refused to relieve him. Throughout the oration, Apollodorus vividly exposes the hardships of his harsh voyages, his financial distress, and the corrupt relationship between Polycles and General Timomachus, as well as his own resistance to the general's unlawful commands. Emphasizing his loyalty in prioritizing public duty over personal misfortune, including his mother's death, he appeals to the jurors for the recovery of his expenses and the condemnation of the defendant. The speech provides a vivid depiction of the practical frictions in the Athenian system of public service and contemporary political conflicts.