(To the clerk.) Read the law. The Law If one be born the son of an heiress, two years after he has reached the age of manhood That is at the age of eighteen years (see note b on p. 9 of vol. 1.). he shall assume control of the estate, and he shall make due provision for his mother’s maintenance. The law, then, appoints that sons who have reached the age of manhood shall be guardians of their mother and shall make due provision for their mother’s maintenance. But it is clear that I was on a military expedition and in command of a trireme in your service, Hence he had obviously come to manhood. when this man married my mother. Nay more, to prove that I was absent in command of a trireme, and that my father had been dead for some time, when the fellow married, I demanded of him the female slaves, and claimed the right of having them put to the torture to establish this very point, whether what I am saying is true—to prove all this, and that I tendered him a challenge, (to the clerk) please take the deposition. The Deposition The deponents testify that they were present when Apollodorus challenged Phormio, namely, when Apollodorus demanded that Phormio give up the female slaves for the torture, if Phormo denied that he had seduced my mother before the time when Phormio declares that he married her, after she had been betrothed to him by Pasio. And when Apollodorus tendered this challenge, Phormio refused to surrender the female slaves. Now in addition to this read the law which appoints that there shall be an adjudication of all heiresses, whether alien or citizen, and that in the case of those who are citizens the archon shall have jurisdiction and shall take charge of the matter, and in the case of those who are resident aliens, the polemarch; and it shall not be lawful for anyone to obtain an inheritance or an heiress without legal adjudication. The Law The archon shall assign by lot days for the trial of claims to inheritances or heiresses in every month except Scirophorion The month Scirophorion corresponds to the latter half of June and the prior half of July. This month may have been excepted, since it was the last month of the Attic year, and in it the magistrates vacated office and passed their audit. (Sandys) ; and no one shall obtain an inheritance without adjudication.