Androcles

Conflicting claims were made by the informers I have mentioned, by Pythonicus, on the ground that he had first brought the matter before the Assembly, and by Androcles, who urged the part played by the Council.

Thus, Androcles of Pitthus, speaking against the law, being shouted at when he said the laws need a law to correct them, went on, and fishes need salt, although it is neither probable nor credible that they should, being brought up in brine;

Androcles of Sphettus and Nausicrates of Carystus lent to Artemo and Apollodorus, both of Phaselis, three thousand drachmae in silver for a voyage from Athens to Mendê or Scionê, and thence to Bosporus—or if they so choose, for a voyage to the left parts of the Pontus as far as the Borysthenes, and thence back to Athens, on interest at the rate of two hundred and twenty-five drachmae on the thousand;

Theodotus, privileged alien, Charinus, son of Epichares, of Leuconium, Phormio, son of Ctephisophon, of Peiraeus, Cephisodotus of Boeotia and Heliodorus of Pitthus depose that they were present when Androcles lent to Artemo three thousand drachmae in silver, and that they know they deposited the agreement with Archenomides of Anagyrus.

In accordance with this agreement, men of the jury, I lent the money to Artemo, this man’s brother, at the request of Lacritus, and upon his engaging that I should receive everything that was my due in accordance with the agreement under which the loan was made.

For I beg and earnestly beseech you, gentlemen, to remember the point which I put before you a short while ago, that Androcles here declares that he is guardian of my clients as being the legitimate sons of Euctemon, and has also himself claimed for himself the estate of Euctemon and his daughter as heiress;

“How do you know, Androcles, that Philoctemon neither made a will nor adopted Chaerestratus as his son?

When Androcles lodged a protestation that the estate was not adjudicable because Euctemon had a legitimate son, namely, Antidorus, Chaerestratus and his supporters impugned the protestation, declaring that both Antidorus and his sister were illegitimate and that the law ordains that an illegitimate son or daughter cannot inherit as next-of-kin.

The people were exasperated, and felt bitterly towards Alcibiades, and Androcles, who was his mortal enemy, egged them on.

During this time Androcles, the popular leader, produced sundry aliens and slaves who accused Alcibiades and his friends of mutilating other sacred images, and of making a parody of the mysteries of Eleusis in a drunken revel.

For some of the younger men, having conspired together, secretly assassinated one Androcles, the most prominent leaders of the commons, and who also had mainly procured the banishment of Alcibiades;