But before the witnesses come up I want to say a few words
 to you. You are well acquainted, gentlemen, with the tricks of defendants and with the
 requests made by others asking pardon for them. You know too well that desire for bribes
 and favors induces many witnesses to forget what they know, to fail to appear, or to
 contrive some other excuse. Ask the witnesses therefore to come up without hesitation and
 not to put offered favors before your interests and the state. Ask them to pay their
 country the debt of truth and justice which they owe and not to follow the example of
 Leocrates by failing in this duty. Otherwise let them swear the oath of disclaimer with
 their hands on the sacrifice. At Athens depositions bearing on a case were submitted
 in writing to a magistrate at a preliminary inquiry ( ἀνάκρισις ), and no fresh evidence was allowed at the trial itself. But if
 a witness refused to appear at the ἀνάκρισις he
 might be called to the trial by either party, on pain of a 1000 drachma fine, to vouch
 for the truth of a written statement which the clerk would read out to him. If he
 professed ignorance he had to support his claim with a solemn oath (e)cwmosi/a). See
 Isaeus 9.18 ; Aeschin.
 1.45 ; Dem. 19.176 , etc. If they refuse both
 these alternatives, we will summons them in the interest of yourselves, our laws and our
 democracy. Read the evidence.
 Evidence To resume then, gentlemen. After this, time passed,
 merchant ships from Athens continued to arrive
 at Rhodes , and it was clear that no disaster had
 overtaken the city. So Leocrates grew alarmed, and embarking again, left Rhodes for Megara . He stayed at Megara for
 over five years with a Megarian as his patron, unashamed at living on the boundaries of
 Attica , an alien on the borders of the land
 that nurtured him. He had condemned himself so finally to a lifetime of exile that he sent for Amyntas, the
 husband of his elder sister, and Antigenes of Xypete , a friend of his, to come to him from Athens , and asked his brother-in-law to buy his house
 and slaves from him, selling them to him for a talent. Out of this sum he arranged that
 his debts should be settled, his loans paid off For these
 loans compare Hyp. 3.7 and note. and the balance
 restored to him. After concluding all this business Amyntas resold the slaves himself for thirty-five
 minas to Timochares of Acharnae who had married Leocrates’ younger sister. Timochares had
 no ready money for the purchase and so drew up an agreement which he lodged with
 Lysicles A Lysicles of Leuconoe, possibly a banker, is
 mentioned in a similar connection in Hyp. 3.9 . The rate of
 interest here given (a mina per month) amounts to 34 2/7% which is very high, even
 though from 12% to 18% was a normal rate for Greeks. Hence the text has been suspected,
 but none of the emendations can be regarded as certain. and paid Amyntas interest
 of one mina. To convince you that this is fact, lest you should think it idle talk, the
 clerk shall read you the evidence relating to these points also. If Amyntas had been still
 alive I should have produced him in person; since he is not, I am summoning for you the
 men who know the facts. Please read me this evidence showing that Amyntas bought the
 slaves and house from Leocrates at Megara .
 Evidence Now hear how Philomelos of Cholargus and Menelaus, once an
 envoy to the King, received from Amyntas forty minas owed them. Evidence Please take the evidence of Timochares who bought the slaves from Amyntas for thirty-five
 minas, and also his agreement.