Androcles Against Lacritus (1-5)

The Phaselites,[*] men of the jury, are up to no new tricks; they are merely doing what it is their wont to do. For they are the cleverest people at borrowing money on your exchange; but, as soon as they get it and have drawn up a maritime contract, they straightway forget the contract and the laws, and that they are under obligation to pay back what they have received.

They consider that, if they pay their debts, it is like having lost something of their own private property, and, instead of paying, they invent sophisms, and special pleas, and pretexts; and are the most unprincipled and dishonest of men. Here is a proof of this. Out of the hosts of people, both Greeks and barbarians, who frequent your exchange, the Phaselites alone have more lawsuits, whenever the courts sit,[*] than all others put together. That is the sort of people they are.

But I, men of the jury, lent money to Artemo, this fellow’s brother, in accordance with the commercial laws for a voyage to Pontus and back. As he died before having repaid me the money I have brought this suit against Lacritus here in accordance with the same laws under which I made the contract,

since he is the brother of Artemo and has possession of all his property, both all that he left here and all that he had at Phaselis, and is the heir to his whole estate; and since he can show no law which gives him the right to hold his brother’s property and to have administered it as he pleased, and yet to refuse to pay back money which belongs to others and to say now that he is not the. heir, but has nothing to do with the dead man’s affairs.

Such is the rascality of this fellow, Lacritus; but I beg of you, men of the jury, to give me a favorable hearing in regard to this matter and, if I prove to you that he has wronged us, who lent the money, and you as well, to render us the aid that is our due.