Demosthenes, On Halonnesus, James Herbert Vince (Translator), 9

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[9] Then again he says that he has sent envoys to arrange with you an inter-state legal compact, and that this compact will be valid, not as soon as it is ratified by the body of Athenian jurors, as the law directs, but only after it has been referred to him, thus constituting himself a court of appeal from your decision.¹ His object, of course, is to steal a march on you, and to insert in the compact an admission on your part that none of the wrongs committed at Potidaea are charged against him by you as the injured party, but that you confirm his seizure and retention of that city as lawful.

On Halonnesus. Demosthenes. James Herbert Vince (Translator). London. 1930.

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Current edition Perseus

On Halonnesus (English) (Demosthenes, Vol. I: Olynthiacs, Philippics, Minor Public Speeches, Speech Against Leptines, I-XVII, XX. Vince, J. H., translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1930 (printing).)

Editions (1)

περὶ Ἀλοννήσου Perseus (Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. I. Butcher, S. H., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903.) — 9 focus

[9] ἔτι περὶ συμβόλων φησὶ πεπομφέναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοὺς ποιησομένους, ταῦτα δὲ κύρια ἔσεσθαι, οὐκ ἐπειδὰν ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ τῷ παρʼ ὑμῖν κυρωθῇ, ὥσπερ ὁ νόμος κελεύει, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὰν ὡς ἑαυτὸν ἐπανενεχθῇ, ἐφέσιμον τὴν παρʼ ὑμῶν γενομένην γνῶσιν ὡς ἑαυτὸν ποιούμενος. βούλεται γὰρ ὑμῶν τοῦτο προλαβεῖν καὶ ὁμολογούμενον ἐν τοῖς συμβόλοις καταστῆσαι, ὅτι τῶν περὶ Ποτείδαιαν γεγενημένων ἀδικημάτων οὐδὲν ἐγκαλεῖτε αὐτῷ ὡς ἀδικούμενοι, ἀλλὰ βεβαιοῦτε δικαίως αὐτὴν ἐκεῖνον καὶ λαβεῖν καὶ κεκτῆσθαι.

Notes on the current edition

On Halonnesus

1. Agreements between two Greek states, laying down the conditions under which their nationals might mutually obtain legal redress, were called σύμβολα. The cases were tried in the courts of the defendant’s state. The terms of the compact with Macedonia were to be ratified by the heliastic court of Athens , but Philip claimed the right of final ratification. Others explain it to mean that Philip demanded that the verdicts of the Athenian juries in cases under this pact ( δίκαι ἀπὸ συμβόλων) should be confirmed by him.

Demosthenes On Halonnesus 9

James Herbert Vince (Translator)

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