On the Estate of Philoctemon

They first urged Euctemon to cancel the will on the ground that it was not to the boys advantage; for no one would have any claim to the real estate on Euctemon's death except the daughters and their issue; whereas, if he sold part of the property and left it in cash, they would get secure possession of it.

Euctemon listened to them and immediately demanded the document back from Pythodorus and served upon him a summons to produce it. When Pythodorus appeared before the archon, Euctemon stated that he wished to annul the will.

Pythodorus was prepared to agree with Euctemon and Phanostratus, who was present, that the document should be destroyed; but, as Chaereas, who had been a party to its deposition, had left an only daughter, he suggested that it should be destroyed only in the presence of her legal representative, and the archon decided in favor of this course. Euctemon, after agreeing to this in the presence of the archon and his assessors, called many persons to witness that the will deposited by him no longer existed and then went his way.

In a very short time—and this was the object of their advice to Euctemon to annul the will—he sold a farm at Athmonon[*](The site of this place was near the modern Marusi, about seven miles north-east of Athens (See Frazer on Paus. 1.31.4).) to Antiphanes for seventy-five minas and the bath-house at Serangion[*](The site of these baths has been discovered below the eastern end of the hill on Munychia on the Peiraic peninsula. They consisted of a subterranean chamber with openings in different directions through the cliff (see Frazer's Pausanius 5. p. 477).) to Aristolochus for 3000 drachmas; and he realized a mortgage of forty-five minas on a house in Athens from the hierophant.[*](The official who displayed the sacred emblems at the Eleusinian mysteries; he was a member of the house of the Eumolpidae.) Further, he sold some goats with their goat-herd for thirteen minas and two pairs of mules, one for eight minas and the other for five hundred and fifty drachmas, and all the slaves he had that were craftsmen.

In all, the value of the property which he hurriedly sold after Philoctemon's death, was more than three talents. And to prove that I am speaking the truth, I will first call witnesses in support of each of my statements.

Witnesses

So much for these transactions. They then immediately began scheming to obtain the rest of the property and planned the most outrageous plot of all, which merits your careful attention. Seeing that Euctemon was completely incapacitated by old age and could not even leave his bed, they began to look about for a means whereby all his property should be under their control after his death. And what did they do?