Source edition
Lysias. Lamb, W.R.M., editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1930.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This oration concerns a lawsuit in which the prosecutor accuses Theomnestus of defamation for calling him a "father-slayer." The defendant attempts to evade responsibility by claiming he did not use the specific prohibited word defined by law. In response, the prosecutor argues that the interpretation of the law should rely on the legislator's original intent rather than the literal wording. To support his argument, he cites the obscure and archaic vocabulary of Solon's ancient laws, demonstrating the absurdity of relying strictly on literal definitions. Finally, the prosecutor recalls his late father's patriotic deeds and tragic death under the Thirty Tyrants, emphasizing how the defendant's slander inflicts a grave insult upon his family, and implores the jury for a guilty verdict.