A love of shows, festivals, and idle pleasures, impaired the courage and industry of the people. This led to the disuse of military service, and employment of mercenary troops; the citizens remaining at home, to receive fees and largesses. The Athenian never possessed the stern virtue of the ancient Roman; still he once had a proud spirit, and a high sense of national honour. Now his pride was lowered, his energies enfeebled; and, at the time to which I am carrying the reader, Athens tottered to her fall; Phocion despaired of his countrymen, and Demosthenes was unable to preserve them.

DEMOSTHENES AGAINST APHOBUS.

CASE.

THIS action was brought by Demosthenes, at the age of nineteen, against Aphobus, one of his guardians, for abuse of trust in the management of his estate. The facts of the case will appear from his own statement. He gained his cause, and, after some delay, recovered a good portion of his property. In the composition of these speeches he is said to have been assisted by Isæus ; but they were spoken by himself.

Similar actions were brought against the other two guardians, which were probably compromised, upon their seeing the result of the first.

OPENING SPEECH.

GENTLEMEN of the jury: If Aphobus had been willing to act like an honest man, or to submit the matters in dispute between us to the arbitration of friends, there would have been no need of lawsuits or hostilities. I should then have been contented to abide by their decree, which would have put an end to all our differences. Since, however, the defendant has declined the umpirage of persons well acquainted with our affairs, and has chosen to come before you, who have but a slight knowledge of them, I am compelled to seek for redress at your hands. I am aware, gentlemen, that it is dangerous for one, who by reason of his youth is inexperienced in the world, to risk his all in a contest with persons, who are able speakers, and know how to provide all the materials of defence. Yet, notwithstanding my disadvantages, I am confident that I shall obtain justice in this court, and that (in stating the case at least,) young as I am, I shall speak well enough to make you understand the facts and the issues you have to try. I entreat you to give me a favorable hearing, and, if you think I have been wronged, to do me full justice. I shall

compress my speech into as short a compass as possible, commencing with a statement of those matters, which will give you a clear view of the question.

Demosthenes, my father, died possessed of property to the amount of nearly fourteen talents1. He left two children, myself at the age of seven years, my sister at the age of five; and a widow, my mother, who had brought him a fortune of fifty minas. Being anxious to make the best provision for us, when he was on the point of death, he left the whole of this property to the care of the defendant Aphobus and Demophon the son of Demon, who were his nephews, the one by his brother, the other by his sister, and to Therippides of the parish of Paania, who was no relation, but had been one of his earliest friends. To the last mentioned person he gave the interest of seventy minas, parcel of my property, to be enjoyed by him until my coming of age, in order that he might not be tempted by avarice to mismanage my affairs. To Demophon he gave my sister with a portion of two talents, to be paid immediately; and to the defendant he gave my mother with a portion of eighty minas, and the use of my house and furniture. These bequests he made to them, believing that the closer the ties by which they were connected with me, the more faithfully would they act in the execution of

1 See note 1.

2 See note 2.

the trusts confided to them. Upon my father's death, these men immediately took possession of their own legacies, and, as my guardians, they took the management of all the rest of the estate, which they retained for a period of ten years; and now at the end of this period they have given up to me the house, and fourteen slaves, and thirty minas in money, amounting altogether in value to seventy minas; of all the residue they have defrauded me. This, gentlemen, is a concise statement of the amount of the injury which they have done me. That the property left me by my father was as much as I have stated, they have themselves given the best proof; inasmuch as they consented on my behalf to be rated to the property tax at one fifth of the whole value of my estate, the same per centage at which Timotheus, the son of Conon, and men of the largest fortunes were rated3. It will be better, however, to explain to you more particularly what portions of my estate were producing a profit, and what were unproductive, and what were their respective values; for I am sure that, when accurately informed of these particulars, you will see, that no trustees ever plundered an estate in so flagrant and barefaced a manner, as these men have plundered mine. I will produce witnesses to prove, that they consented on my behalf to be taxed in the manner I have stated, and that my father, so

3 See note 3.