Against Apaturius

​In this manner this Apatourius got rid of the creditors. Not long after this, when the bank had failed and Heracleides at first had gone into hiding, this man plotted to send the slaves away from Athens and to sail the ship out of the harbor. Whence my first dispute with him arose. For Parmenon, perceiving that the slaves were being taken away, seized them and prevented him from sailing the ship out, and having sent for me, told me the matter.

​And when I heard this, I considered him to be most impious in his attempt, and I began to consider how I myself might be released from the surety to the bank, and how the foreigner might not lose what he had lent to this man through me. And having placed guards over the ship, I detailed the transaction to the sureties of the bank, and delivered the security to them, telling them that ten minae belonging to the foreigner were in the ship. Having done this, I attached the slaves, so that if there should be any deficiency, the deficit might be made up from the slaves.

​And while I, having caught him acting unjustly, took measures to set things right for myself and the foreigner; he, as if he were the injured party and not the wrongdoer, blamed me, and asked if it were not enough for me to be released from my surety to the bank, but that I must also attach the ship and the slaves for Parmenon’s money, and incur his enmity for the sake of an exile.

​But I said that I would be so much the less likely to abandon one who trusted me, as he, being an exile and in misfortune, was being wronged by him. And having done everything and having gone to the utmost enmity with this man, I with difficulty recovered the money, after the ship was sold for forty minae, which was the exact amount of the mortgage. And when the thirty minae had been paid back to the bank and the ten minae to Parmenon, in the presence of many witnesses we cancelled the agreements under which the money had been borrowed, and released and discharged each other from all claims arising from our transactions, so that neither he should have any matter against me, nor I against him. And to show that I speak the truth, hear the testimonies. TESTIMONIES.

​After this, therefore, no contract, either greater or less, arose between me and him; but Parmenon brought a lawsuit against him both for the blows which he received from him when he laid hold of the slaves as they were being taken away, and because he was prevented by him from his voyage to Sicily. While the suit was pending, Parmenon tendered an oath to him concerning certain charges, and this man accepted it, depositing a sum of money to be forfeited if he should not take the oath. And to show that I speak the truth, take the testimony for me. TESTIMONY.

​Having therefore accepted the challenge to the oath, knowing that many would be privy to his perjury, he did not appear to swear the oath, but summoned Parmenon, as if to release himself from the oath by a lawsuit. And while their lawsuits were pending, being persuaded by those present, they entered into arbitration, and having drawn up agreements, they referred the matter to one sole common arbitrator, Phocritus, their fellow citizen, while each of them associated one person as assessor, this man choosing Aristocles of Oe, and Parmenon choosing me.

​And they agreed in the contract that, if we three should be of one mind, this should be binding upon them, but if not, they must of necessity abide by whatever two of us should decide. And having agreed on these terms, they provided sureties to each other for these conditions, this man providing Aristocles to Parmenon, and Parmenon providing Archippus of Myrrhinus to this man. And at first they deposited the agreements with Phocritus, but afterwards, Phocritus having bid them deposit them with someone else, they deposited them with Aristocles. And to show that I speak the truth, hear the testimonies. TESTIMONIES.