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 courtroom speech in which the Athenian citizen Ariston seeks justice for a violent assault committed against him by the defendant Conon and his sons. The prosecutor, Ariston, details the harassment that began during military service and culminated in a brutal attack in the Agora, using testimonies from doctors and witnesses to prove the severity of his injuries. Anticipating the defense's attempt to dismiss the incident as mere youthful high spirits or a prank, Ariston counters by emphasizing the legal system's vital role in preventing physical violence from escalating. He further exposes Conon's bad faith, including his attempts to delay the arbitration process, his failure to hand over slaves for examination under torture, and his reliance on false testimonies from his drinking companions. Finally, Ariston contrasts his own solemn oath with Conon's notorious immorality and calls upon the jurors to deliver a just and strict verdict.