Against Evergus and Mnesibulus

Demosthenes

Demosthenes. Vol. V. Private Orations, XLI-XLIX. Murray, A. T., translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1939 (printing).

When he had given me this reply, I called upon those present to be witnesses to his answer, but I paid him the judgement, for I did not think it best to he in default. As for Evergus, I did not know that he had gone to my house on that day, but as soon as the judgement had been paid, while Theophemus still had the sheep and the slaves and the furniture, a stone-cutter, who was working on the monument near by, came to bring me word that Evergus had carried off from the house the rest of my furniture—that, namely, which had remained untouched the day before,—Evergus, with whom I had nothing whatever to do.

To prove that I am speaking the truth, that on the day before they had taken from me goods as security, and that the next day they recovered the money from me (and yet, if the money had not been got together and I had not given them notice, how, pray, could they have secured immediate payment?), and that on that very day they had gone again into the house, while I was paying the money—to prove all this, the clerk shall read you the depositions.

The Depositions