Against Olympiodorus

​Androcleides here is present. For I summoned him to come with the agreement. And I agree, gentlemen of the jury, that it be opened either in his speech, or in the former, or in the latter speech; for it makes no difference to me. But I wish you to hear the agreement and the oaths which we swore to one another, I and Olympiodorus here. And if he agrees, let it be so, and you hear them whenever it pleases him; but if he is unwilling to do this, will it not at once be clear, gentlemen of the jury, that he is the most shameless of all men, and that you would justly not accept anything from him on the ground that he is speaking anything sound?

​But why do I trouble myself about this? For this man himself is not ignorant of these things, that he is wronging me, and wronging the gods by whom he swore, and is committing perjury. But he is corrupted, gentlemen of the jury, and is out of his mind. Now I am pained and ashamed, gentlemen of the jury, at what I am about to tell you, but it is necessary for me to speak, in order that you who hold the vote, having heard everything, may deliberate whatever seems best to you concerning us.

​For the things I am about to tell, this man is responsible, since he was unwilling to settle these matters with me among relatives, but acted shamelessly. For Olympiodorus here, gentlemen of the jury, never married a citizen woman according to your laws, nor does he have children, nor did any ever born to him, but having ransomed a courtesan, he keeps her inside, and she is the one who is ruining all of us and making this man rage beyond measure.

​For how is he not mad, who thinks he ought to do not a single one of the things which he agreed and contracted willingly with a willing party and swore to, and that too when I am concerned not only on my own behalf, but also on behalf of his sister by the same father and same mother, who lives with me, and on behalf of his niece, who is my daughter? For these are the ones who are wronged no less than I, but even more.

​For how are they not wronged, or how do they not suffer dreadful things, when they see this man’s courtesan possessing much gold and fine clothes beyond what is proper, and going out in splendid processions, and insulting us at our expense, while they themselves are in a far inferior position regarding all these things? How are they not even more wronged than I? And how is he not clearly mad and out of his mind, taking such counsel concerning himself? And lest he claim, gentlemen of the jury, that I say these things for the purpose of slander for the sake of this trial, the clerk shall read to you the testimony of his relatives and mine. Read the testimony. [TESTIMONY]

​Olympiodorus here is such a man, not only unjust, but also appearing to all his relatives and acquaintances to be mad by his choice of life, and, as Solon the lawgiver says, being out of his mind as no man ever was out of his mind, obeying a prostitute woman. And Solon indeed legislated that all these things are invalid, whatever anyone does obeying a woman, especially such a woman.

​Concerning these things, then, the lawgiver made excellent provision, but I beg of you, and not only I, but also my wife, who is the sister of Olympiodorus here, and my daughter, who is the niece of Olympiodorus here, we all entreat and implore you, gentlemen of the jury—for you must consider that those women are present here—

​above all, to persuade Olympiodorus here not to wrong us, but if, after all, he is unwilling to be persuaded, that you, remembering all that has been said, vote whatever seems to you to be best and most just. And in doing this, you will decide what is just and what is advantageous for all of us, and not least for Olympiodorus himself here.