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 speech is a forensic oration delivered by Euxitheos, who defends his Athenian citizenship after being disenfranchised during a general scrutiny of the civic registers, pointing to Eubulides as the instigator. The speaker begins by detailing how Eubulides manipulated the voting process in the deme of Halimus, using delays and darkness to unfairly exclude him. To prove his legitimacy, the speaker meticulously traces both his paternal and maternal genealogies, presenting numerous testimonies from relatives, phratry members, and demesmen. He vigorously refutes the prosecution's slander regarding his mother's poverty, arguing that her working in the market and serving as a nurse do not prove foreign or servile status. Furthermore, he reveals the political motive behind the conspiracy, explaining that his previous service as demarch and his collection of public funds created bitter enemies, including Eubulides. Ultimately, he presents his entire life as an honorable Athenian citizen and appeals to the jury for a just verdict.