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 work is a defense speech delivered by a young Athenian named Mantitheus to prove his innocence and suitability during his public office scrutiny (dokimasia). Accused by his detractors of having served as a cavalryman under the tyrannical Oligarchy of the Thirty, Mantitheus firmly refutes the charge by presenting evidence of his absence from Athens at the time and highlighting discrepancies in the official records. He further substantiates his character by describing his respectable and orderly private life. In the latter part of the speech, he details his military service after the restoration of democracy, highlighting his bravery on the front lines and his financial assistance to comrades in need. Ultimately, he urges his judges to evaluate him not by his appearance or youth but by his actual deeds and contributions to the state, explaining his motives for speaking in public at a young age.