For Phormion
{{Short description|Speech composed by Demosthenes}}
"For Phormion" ({{langx|grc|Παραγραφὴ ὑπὲρ Φορμίωνος|Paragraphe Hyper Phormionos}}) was a speech composed by the Athenian logographer Demosthenes.
It was delivered on Phormion's behalf, possibly by Demosthenes himself, probably in 350–49 BC.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|pp=109–110}} It is the thirty-sixth speech in the Demosthenic Corpus.
Contents
Phormion{{efn|This Phormion is not the same as the one prosecuted by Chryssipus in "Against Phormion", the 34th speech in the Demosthenic corpus.{{sfn|MacDowell|2004|p=150}}}} was a former slave who had been given his freedom as a reward for his good service. When Pasion, his former owner, died, Phormion was named in the will as one of the guardians of Pasion's youngest son, who was still a child, in which position he was responsible for the management of Pasion's estate.{{sfn|MacDowell|2004|p=150}}
"For Phormion" deals with a dispute between Pasion's elder son, Apollodoros of Acharnae and Phormion, over the handling of Apollodoros' inheritance.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|pp=110–111}} Apollodoros had claimed that Phormion had never paid back an 11 talent loan, and prosecuted Phormion to compel him to repay it with interest – a total of 20 talents.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|pp=110–111}} To block this, Phormion counter-sued, claiming that Apollodoros had previously made a formal declaration that all Phormion's debts to him had been fulfilled. Apollodoros, he claimed, therefore did not have standing to sue.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|p=111}} "For Phormion" was written to deliver as part of this countersuit.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|p=111}}
The speech was composed to be presented by a supporter of Phormion, rather than Phormion himself. Phormion had apparently been unable to speak, either due to his poor Greek or incapacity due to illness or old age.{{sfn|MacDowell|2004|p=151}} Though it is not certain whether the speech was delivered by Demosthenes or another friend of Phormion, the orator Dinarchus writes that Demosthenes did give a speech on behalf of Phormion in a trial; it is likely that this is a reference to "For Phormion".{{sfn|MacDowell|2004|pp=151–152}}
"For Phormion" is one of the few speeches from ancient Athens for which we have any information about the result of the case.{{sfn|MacDowell|2004|p=152}} Apollodoros' first speech "Against Stephanos" shows that Phormion's countersuit was successful, and he won the case.{{sfn|MacDowell|2009|p=114}}
Notes
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References
{{Reflist}}
Works cited
- {{cite book|last=MacDowell|first=D.M.|title=Demosthenes: Speeches 27–38|year=2004|publisher=University of Texas Press|location=Austin}}
- {{cite book|last=MacDowell|first=D.M.|title=Demosthenes the Orator|year=2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford}}
- Paley, F. A.; Sandys. J. E. (1886).[https://archive.org/details/selectprivateora01demoiala/page/n21 Select Private Orations of Demosthenes, Part 1] (in Greek with introductory notes in English). Cambridge University Press.
External links
- Kennedy, Charles Rann (1892). [http://brittlebooks.library.illinois.edu/brittlebooks_open/Books2012-12/demost0001oraofd/demost0001oraofdv00004/demost0001oraofdv00004.pdf#page=212 "The Oration for Phormio"] Demosthenes. Bohn's Classical Library. London: George Bell & Sons, p. 212ff
{{Demosthenes' works}}
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