Apollodorus Against Polycles for Expenses Incurred while Serving as Trierarch (12-14)

For I received no pay from the general for the space of eight months, and I sailed home to Peiraeus with the ambassadors because my ship was the fastest sailer, and again, when I was ordered by the people to take Menon the general to the Hellespont to replace Autocles, who had been removed from his command, I set sail on short notice from Athens. In the place of the seamen who had deserted I hired others, giving them large bonuses and advance payments, and I gave to those of the original sailors who stayed with me something to leave behind for the maintenance of their households in addition to what they had before;

for I was well aware of the need they felt, and how it pressed upon each one, and I was myself embarrassed for funds as, by Zeus and Apollo, no one could believe, who had not accurately followed the course of my affairs. However, I mortgaged my farm to Thrasylochus and Archeneüs, and having borrowed thirty minae from them and distributed the money among the crew, I put to sea, that no part of the people’s orders might fail to be carried out, as far as it depended on me. And the people, hearing of this, gave me a vote of thanks, and invited me to dine in the Prytaneum.

To prove that I am speaking the truth in this, the clerk shall read you the deposition dealing with these facts, and the decree of the people.

The Deposition. The Decree

Then, when we came to the Hellespont, and the term of my trierarchy had expired, and no pay had been given to the soldiers except for two months when another general, Timomachus, had come—though even he brought to the fleet no new trierarchs to relieve those in service,—many of my crew became discouraged and went off, deserting the ship, some to the mainland to take military service, and some to the fleet of the Thasians,[*] and Maronites,[*] won over by the promise of high pay and receiving substantial sums in advance.