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 oration is a court speech delivered by the son of the Athenian banker Pasion, defending himself against an unjust financial claim made by Callippus concerning money deposited by a deceased foreign merchant. The case begins with the death of Lycon, a merchant from Heraclea, whose deposit at Pasion’s bank was subsequently paid to a man named Cephisiades. The defendant, Callippus, waited until Pasion’s physical and mental decline before initiating an unfair private arbitration, claiming that the money should have been paid to him instead. In response, the plaintiff demonstrates that there was no close relationship between Lycon and Callippus, and that the deposit was made directly to the bank. By presenting testimonies from Pasion and other witnesses, and comparing the social standing and character of the involved parties, the plaintiff exposes the contradictions and absurdity of Callippus's claims. Finally, the speech concludes with an appeal for acquittal, highlighting the injustice of the previous arbitration procedures.