On The Estate of Apollodorus (25-29)

he is not, however, so devoid of honor. Now the act of adoption into another family does not detach a son from his mother; she is his mother just the same, whether he remains in his father's house or is adopted out of it. That is why Thrasybulus was not deprived of his share of the fortune of Apollodorus (II.), but has received half of it, sharing it with this woman. And to prove that I am speaking the truth, please call the witnesses to these facts.

Witnesses

Thus not only have the members of the families and of the ward borne testimony to my adoption, but also Thrasybulus has made it clear, by his conduct in not himself claiming the estate, that he considers the acts of Apollodorus[*] to be valid and in conformity with the laws; for otherwise he would not fail now to claim so large a fortune. But there have been other witnesses to these facts.

For before my return from the Pythaid festival,[*] Apollodorus informed his fellow demesmen that he had adopted me as his son and had registered me with the members of the families and of the ward and had committed his property to my care, and he begged them, if anything should happen to him before my return, to enroll me on the public register as Thrasyllus the son of Apollodorus and not to fail him in the matter.

Having heard this expression of his wishes, although our opponents complained at the electoral meeting of the deme and declared that Apollodorus had not adopted me, the members, as a result of what they had heard and from their own knowledge of the facts, took the oath over the victims and registered my name in accordance with Apollodorus's injunctions; so notorious among them was the fact of my adoption. And to prove the truth of my statements, please call the witnesses to these facts.

Witnesses

It was before all these witnesses, gentlemen, that my adoption took place, at a time when an inveterate enmity existed between Apollodorus and my opponent, and a close friendship as well as kinship between Apollodorus and us. But it is, I think, quite easy to prove to you, that, even if he had had neither of these sentiments—enmity towards my opponents and affection towards us—Apollodorus would never have left his estate to them.