Against Phormio

And he did this, men of the jury, though he was resident at Athens, and had a wife and children here, and although the laws have prescribed the severest penalties if anyone resident at Athens should transport grain to any other place than to the Athenian market; besides, he did this at a critical time, when those of you who dwelt in the city were having their barley-meal measured out to them in the Odeum,[*](We learn from Aristoph. Wasps 1109, that the Odeum, built by Pericles as a music school, near the great theatre, was sometimes used as a law-court, and Pollux 8.33, states that suits concerning grain were decided there. Compare Dem. 59.52. It is easy, therefore, to assume that distribution of grain may have been made there.) and those who dwelt in Peiraeus were receiving their loaves at an obol each in the dockyard and in the long-porch,[*](The long-porch was a warehouse for grain in the Peiraeus.) having their meal measured out to them a gallon[*](Literally a half-sixth (i.e. one-twelfth) of a medimnus, a measure containing about twelve gallons.) at a time, and being nearly trampled to death.

In proof that my words are true, take, please, the deposition and the law.

The Deposition. The Law

Phormio, then, with the help of this fellow as his accomplice and witness, thinks proper to rob us of our money—us, who have continually brought grain to your market, and who in three crises which have come upon the state, during which you put to the test those who were of service to the people, have not once been found wanting. Nay, when Alexander entered Thebes,[*](In 355 B.C.) we made you a free gift of a talent in cash;

and when grain earlier advanced in price and reached sixteen drachmae, we imported more than ten thousand medimni of wheat, and measured it out to you at the normal price of five drachmae a medimnus, and you all know that you had this measured out to you in the Pompeium.[*](This was a hall near the Dipylon, in which the dresses and other properties used in the Panathenaic procession (πομπή) were kept.) And last year my brother and I made a free gift of a talent to buy grain for the people.

Read, please, the depositions which establish these facts.

The Depositions

Surely, if any inference may be based upon these facts, it is not likely that we should freely give such large sums in order to win a good name among you, and then should bring a false accusation against Phormio in order to throw away even the reputation for honorable dealing which we had won. It is right, therefore, that you should come to our aid, men of the jury. I have shown you that Phormio in the first place did not put on board the vessel goods to the value of all the loans which he had secured at Athens, and that with the proceeds from the goods sold in Bosporus he with difficulty satisfied his creditors who had lent money for the outward voyage;