Against the Subversion of the Ancestral Constitution of Athens

Lysias. Lamb, W.R.M., editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1930.

Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.

This political speech was delivered in Athens following the Peloponnesian War, strongly opposing a radical proposal to restrict citizenship solely to landowners. The orator warns that depriving a segment of the population of their civic rights would lead to deep social division within the city. He argues that the unity of all citizens is the greatest weapon for defending Athens' independence and freedom. Furthermore, he asserts that the proposed restriction would weaken the state and expose it to foreign threats, advocating instead for collective resistance. Ultimately, the work passionately appeals for the preservation of the traditional democracy (demokratia) and the solidarity of all citizens.