[1] πολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντα ἦν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, γράψασθαι Νέαιραν τὴν γραφὴν ταυτηνὶ καὶ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ὑμᾶς. καὶ γὰρ ἠδικήμεθα ὑπὸ Στεφάνου μεγάλα, καὶ εἰς κινδύνους τοὺς ἐσχάτους κατέστημεν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὅ τε κηδεστὴς καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ ἀδελφὴ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἐμή, ὥστε οὐχ ὑπάρχων ἀλλὰ τιμωρούμενος ἀγωνιοῦμαι τὸν ἀγῶνα τουτονί· τῆς γὰρ ἔχθρας πρότερος οὗτος ὑπῆρξεν, οὐδὲν ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν πώποτε οὔτε λόγῳ οὔτε ἔργῳ κακὸν παθών. βούλομαι δ᾽ ὑμῖν προδιηγήσασθαι πρῶτον ἃ πεπόνθαμεν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μᾶλλόν μοι συγγνώμην ἔχητε ἀμυνομένῳ, καὶ ὡς εἰς τοὺς ἐσχάτους κινδύνους κατέστημεν περί τε τῆς πατρίδος καὶ περὶ ἀτιμίας.

[2] ψηφισαμένου γὰρ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Ἀθηναίων Ἀθηναῖον εἶναι Πασίωνα καὶ ἐκγόνους τοὺς ἐκείνου διὰ τὰς εὐεργεσίας τὰς εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ὁμογνώμων καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐγένετο ὁ ἐμὸς τῇ τοῦ δήμου δωρεᾷ, καὶ ἔδωκεν Ἀπολλοδώρῳ τῷ υἱεῖ τῷ ἐκείνου θυγατέρα μὲν αὑτοῦ, ἀδελφὴν δὲ ἐμήν, ἐξ ἧς Ἀπολλοδώρῳ οἱ παῖδές εἰσιν. ὄντος δὲ χρηστοῦ τοῦ Ἀπολλοδώρου περί τε τὴν ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν καὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἅπαντας, καὶ ἡγουμένου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οἰκείους ὄντας κοινωνεῖν πάντων τῶν ὄντων, ἔλαβον καὶ ἐγὼ γυναῖκα Ἀπολλοδώρου μὲν θυγατέρα, ἀδελφιδῆν δ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ.

[3] προεληλυθότος δὲ χρόνου λαγχάνει βουλεύειν Ἀπολλόδωρος· δοκιμασθεὶς δὲ καὶ ὀμόσας τὸν νόμιμον ὅρκον, συμβάντος τῇ πόλει καιροῦ τοιούτου καὶ πολέμου, ἐν ᾧ ἦν ἢ κρατήσασιν ὑμῖν μεγίστοις τῶν Ἑλλήνων εἶναι καὶ ἀναμφισβητήτως τά τε ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν κεκομίσθαι καὶ καταπεπολεμηκέναι Φίλιππον, ἢ ὑστερίσασι τῇ βοηθείᾳ καὶ προεμένοις τοὺς συμμάχους, δι᾽ ἀπορίαν χρημάτων καταλυθέντος τοῦ στρατοπέδου, τούτους τ᾽ ἀπολέσαι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἕλλησιν ἀπίστους εἶναι δοκεῖν, καὶ κινδυνεύειν περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων, περί τε Λήμνου καὶ Ἴμβρου καὶ Σκύρου καὶ Χερρονήσου,   

    The speech begins with a brief introduction by Theomnestos (§1–15). Although Theomnestos is technically the one bringing the suit against Neaira, the bulk of the speech is delivered by Apollodoros.

    Theomnestos gives his reasons for joining Apollodoros in prosecuting Stephanos.

    1

    γράψασθαι: that is, to bring a legal charge called a γραφήThere were two main types of suits in classical Athenian courtsδίκαι (private suits, which could be brought only by the injured party) and γραφαί (public suits, which could be brought by anyone, for crimes thought to injure the community as a whole).

    τὴν γραφὴν ταυτηνί: object of γράψασθαι, the cognate or internal accusative (G. 536, S. 1563 ff.). In the Attic dialect the demonstrative οὗτος can be strengthened by the suffix -ι: οὑτοσί, αὑτηί, τουτί, “this man here, this woman here.” This so-called deictic iota (G. 210, S. 333.g) appears frequently in this speech. 

    εἰσελθεῖν < εἰσέρχομαι

    καὶ γάρ: when γάρ follows καί, translate it as “indeed,” rather than “for.”

    ἠδικήμεθα < ἀδικέω

    μέγαλα: adverbial accusative (G. 536–540, S. 1606-1611); in this instance, a neuter accusative adjective used as adverb (G. 230, S. 1609)

    κατέστημεν < καθίστημι

    ὅ τε κηδεστής: Apollodoros, the prime mover of the suit. Apollodoros is both brother-in-law and father-in-law to Theomnestos, since he is married to Theomnestos’ sister, and Theomenestos is married to Apollodoros’ daughter. See Introduction and Stemma.

    ὑπάρχων < ὑπάρχω, “as one taking the initiative”

    ἀγωνιοῦμαι < ἀγωνίζομαι, “to contend in court,” (pass.) “to be on trial”

    τόν ἀγῶνα τουτονί: another cognate or internal accusative

    παθών < πάσχω

    πεπόνθαμεν < πάσχω

    ἀμυνομένῳ: modifies μοι

    ὡς: adverbial, “how”

    ἀτιμίας: literally, ἀ-τιμία means “lack of honor,” but here it has its technical sense of “disenfranchisement.” The reasons for this potential ἀτιμία are explained further in §5-8.

    2

    ψηφισάμενου < ψηφίζομαι: literally, “to cast a pebble [ψῆφος]”; here, as often, it refers to a vote to pass a decree. Part of a genitive absolute, governing indirect statement.

    Ἀθηναῖον: take as the predicate.

    Πασίωνα καὶ ἐκγόνους τοὺς ἐκείνου: take as the accusative subjects of the indirect statement. Pasion was a slave whose masters were bankers; he was manumitted by his masters for his good service, and eventually granted his citizenship for generous donations of shields and triremes to the state.

    δωρεᾷ: naturalization is often described in the orators as a gift.

    τῷ υἱεῖ τῷ ἐκείνου: the son of Pasion. See Stemma.

    ἡγουμένου < ἡγέομαι; takes an indirect statement

    τῇ ἀληθείᾳ: “in truth, truly,” modifying οἰκείους, here in the sense “of the same family”

    κοινωνεῖν: takes a genitive object

    ὄντων: the substantive τὰ ὄντα often means “property.”

    γυναῖκα: take as the predicate.

    ἀδελφιδῆν: it was not uncommon in Greece for uncles to marry nieces (nor, for that matter, for first cousins to marry).

    3

    λαγχάνει: citizens were selected by lot for the Boule (the council of Athens), 50 from each of the city’s 10 tribes. The term of office was one year.

    δοκιμασθείς < δοκιμάζω: the δοκιμασία was an examination for office-holding, conducted by the Boule, to ascertain whether a candidate was fit to serve.

    ὀμόσας < ὄμνυμι

    τὸν νόμιμον ὅρκον: after passing the δοκιμασία, the successful candidate was required to swear an oath, the content of which changed over time.  Excavation has revealed the underpinning of the stone identified as the Oath stone (lithos) of the Athenians, on the steps of the Royal Stoa.

    συμβάντος < συμβαίνω

    καιροῦκαὶ πολέμου: this crisis refers to two events of 349/8 BCE: when Olynthos turned to Athens for help against King Philip II of Macedon, and when Ploutarchos, tyrant of Eretria in Euboia, asked for assistance against rebels trying to overthrow him. [map]

    ἐν ᾧ … Χερρονήσου: a very long relative clause

    ἦν ἢ κρατήσασιν ὑμῖν: “it was possible for you, if you won....” ἦν < ἐστί, used impersonally (LSJ εἰμί VI). κρατήσασιν is a participle used conditionally. ἤ indicates that this is one alternative, and finds its correlate ἤ a couple of lines down.

    μεγίστοις: take as the predicate.

    τῶν Ἑλλήνων: partitive genitive

    τά τε ὑμέτερα: i.e., territories previously possessed by the Athenians that had been taken over by Philip; especially meant here is Amphipolis, which Philip took in 357.

    κεκομίσθαι: “to have recovered” (LSJ κομίζω II.8).

    ἢ ὑστερίσασιπροεμένοις: “or, if you came too late...and abandoned...,” participles used conditionally; προεμένοις < προ-ἵημι

    τούτους: the allies

    ἀπολέσαι...δοκεῖν...κινδυνεύειν: infinitives dependent on the earlier ἦν, “it was possible to destroy...to seem...to risk (losing).”

    ΛήμνουΧερρονήσου: this stands in apposition to ὑπολοίπων (“remaining [possessions]”). LemnosImbrosSkyros, and the Chersonese, raided by Philip in 351-49, were all key locations for Athens in their connections with the Black Sea region, from which they got most of their grain. [map]

    1

    παρακαλέω παρακαλῶ παρεκάλεσα παρακέκληκα παρακέκλημαι παρεκλήθην: urge, encourage

    Ἀθηναῖος –α –ον: Athenian

    Νέαιρα: Neaira

    εἰσέρχομαι εἰσελεύσομαι εἰσῆλθον εἰσελήλυθα––––––: to come into court

    Στέφανος: Stephanos

    ἔσχατος –η –ον: furthest, uttermost, last

    κηδεστής ὁ: son-in-law; father-in-law; brother-in-law

    ἀδελφή –ῆς ἡ: sister

    τιμωρέω τιμωρήσω ἐτιμωρησάμην τετιμώρηκα τετιμώρημαι ἐτιμωρήθην: help, avenge

    ἀγωνίζομαι , ἀγωνιοῦμαι, ἠγωνισάμην ––– ἠγώνισμαι ἠγωνίσθην: to contend in court

    ἔχθρα –ας ἡ: hatred, enmity

    πώποτε: ever yet

    προδιηγέομαι: to relate beforehand, premise

    συγγνώμη –ης ἡ: forbearance, allowance, pardon

    ἀμύνω ἀμυνῶ ἤμυνα ἤμυκα ἤμυμαι ἠμύνηθην: defend

    ἀτιμία: dishonor; disenfranchisement

    2

    ψηφίζω ψηφιοῦμαι ἐψήφισα ἐψήφικα ἐψήφισμαι ἐψήφισθην: vote

    Πασίων: Pasion

    ἔκγονος –ον: born of, sprung from

    εὐεργεσίαἡ: good deed, kindliness

    ὁμογνώμων: of one's mind, like-minded

    δωρεά –άς ἡ: a gift, present

    Ἀπολλόδωρος: Apollodoros

    χρηστός –ή –όν: useful, good, honest

    οἰκεῖος –α –ον: domestic, of the house; related

    κοινωνέω: have a share, take part in

    ἀδελφιδῆ: a brother’s or sister’s daughter, a niece

    ἐμαυτοῦ –ῆς: (of) myself

    3

    προέρχομαι προεῖμι προῆλθον προελήλυθα––––––: go forward, go on, advance

    λαγχάνω λήξομαι ἔλαχον εἴληχα––––––: obtain by lot, have as portion; obtain an office by lot

    δοκιμάζω: to examine for office-holding

    ὄμνυμι(or ὀμνύω) ὀμοῦμαι ὤμοσα ὀμώμοκα ὀμώμο(σ)μαι ὠμόθην: to swear an oath

    νόμιμος –η –ον: customary, lawful

    ὅρκος –ου ὁ: oath

    Ἕλλην –ος ὁ: Greek man

    ἀναμφισβήτητος: undisputed, indisputable

    καταπολεμέω: to war down, defeat utterly

    Φίλιππος ὁ: Philip II of Macedon

    ὑστερίζω: to come after, come too late

    βοήθεια –ας ἡ: help, aid

    προίημι προήσω προῆκα προεῖκα προεῖμαι προείθην: (in mid.) to desert, give up

    σύμμαχος –ου ὁ: fighting together, allied; favorable

    ἀπορία –ας ἡ: difficulty, perplexity

    καταλύω καταλύσω κατέλυσα καταλέλυκα καταλέλυμαι κατελύθην: dissolve, destroy

    στρατόπεδον –ου τό: camp, army

    ἄπιστος –ον: not to be trusted

    κινδυνεύω κινδυνεύσω ἐκινδύνευσα κεκινδύνευκα κεκινδύνευμαι ἐκινδυνεύθην: risk

    ὑπόλοιπος –ον: left behind, staying behind

    Λῆμνος –ου ἡ: Lemnos

    Ἴμβρος –ου ἡ: Imbros

    Σκῦρος –ου ἡ: Skyros, an island northwest of Chios, with a city of the same name, or, a town in Lesser Phrygia

    Χερσόνησος ἡ: the (Thracian) Chersonese

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    Suggested Citation

    Deborah Kamen, Pseudo-Demosthenes: Against Neaira. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-947822-10-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/against-neaira/1-3