Aegineticus

​Would he have managed his affairs better in that way, if he had neither appointed anyone to care for his mother, nor made any mention of me, but had left his sister to the mercy of fortune, and had allowed his own house to become nameless?

​But perhaps I was unworthy to be adopted as Thrasylochus’ son and to receive his sister. Yet all the Siphnians would bear witness that my ancestors were the first of the citizens in birth, wealth, reputation, and in all other respects. For who were either deemed worthy of greater offices, or contributed more money, or served as choragus more handsomely, or performed the other public services more magnificently than they? From what house of those in Siphnos have more kings arisen?

​So that even if I had never once spoken with Thrasylochus, he would naturally have wished to give me his sister for these reasons; and on my part, even if I possessed none of these advantages, but were the meanest of the citizens, I should justly have been deemed worthy of the greatest rewards by him because of my services to him.

​I believe, therefore, that in making these dispositions he also gratified his brother Sopolis in the highest degree. For Sopolis hated this woman and considered her ill-disposed to his affairs, while he regarded me as the most valued of his friends. He made this clear on many other occasions, and especially when the fellow-exiles decided to attack the city with the mercenaries. For having been chosen commander with full powers, he selected me as his secretary and appointed me treasurer of all the funds, and when we were about to face danger, he stationed me by his own side.

​And consider how greatly this benefited him; for when we were unsuccessful in our assault upon the city and our retreat did not turn out as we wished, though he was wounded and unable to walk, and indeed was fainting, I carried him to the boat on my shoulders with the help of my servant, so that he often said to many people that I alone of all men was the cause of his safety.

​And yet, what greater service could there be than this? When, therefore, he sailed to Lycia and died, this woman, not many days after the news arrived, was sacrificing and keeping festival, and felt no shame even before her brother who was still living, so little did she care for the deceased; whereas I mourned for him, as is the custom for relatives.

​And I did all this because of my own character and my friendship for them, and not for the sake of this lawsuit; for I did not expect that they would meet with such misfortune as both to die childless and thus bring to the test what kind of person each of us had been toward them.

​Now, how both she and I stood disposed toward Thrasylochus and Sopolis, you have nearly heard. But they will perhaps turn to that argument which alone is left to them: that Thrasyllus, her father, would think he was suffering dreadfully, if the dead have any perception of what happens here, when he saw his daughter deprived of the money and me becoming the heir to what he himself had acquired. But I believe that it is not about those who died long ago, ​but about those who have recently left the estate that it is proper for us to make our arguments. For Thrasyllus left those whom he wished to be masters of his property; and it is just that the same right should be granted by you to Thrasylochus also, and that those whom he appointed by will, and not this woman, should succeed to the inheritance. However, I do not think I should shrink even from the judgment of Thrasyllus.