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 speech is a courtroom oration delivered by the son of Polystratus, an Athenian citizen accused of complicity in the oligarchical regime of the Four Hundred in 411 BC and faced with a heavy fine. The speaker begins by defending his father's conduct, asserting that Polystratus committed no injustice during the oligarchy and instead served the state honorably while protecting democratic citizens. He goes on to refute any association with Phrynichus, a notorious oligarch, exposing the accusers' charges as motivated by personal greed and malice. In the latter half, the son highlights his family's long-standing loyalty to Athens, presenting concrete evidence of their military service and financial contributions (leitourgiai) to the democracy. Ultimately, the speech appeals to the jurors' sense of justice and gratitude, urging them to recognize the family's devotion and grant Polystratus an acquittal.