Thesauros Literature Oratory περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην

περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην

περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην Demosthenes
155 Now the law of Leptines, Athenians, does harm not only by abolishing the rewards of good service and so rendering fruitless the good intentions of those who are ambitious for honor, but also by leaving our city under the serious reproach of imbecility. For you are of course aware that for each grave offence a single penalty is provided by the law, which says explicitly that at any trial there shall be not more than one assessment of penalty, whichever the court imposes, whether a personal punishment or a fine, but not both.
156 But Leptines has used a different measure and says that if anyone claims a return from you, he shall be disfranchised, and his property shall be confiscated. There you have two penalties. The process shall be by laying information or by summary arrest; and if he be convicted, he shall be liable under the law which provides for the case of a man holding office while in debt to the treasury. Death is what he means, for such is the punishment in that case. Why, here are three penalties!All this is pure sophistry.ἀτιμία involving loss of property was not a double penalty, but merely one degree of ἀτιμία. Moreover, the law cited refers to penalties assessed by the courts, not to those prescribed by statute. Lastly, the so-called third penalty was imposed for the additional offence of contempt, where one who had incurred ἀτιμία nevertheless claimed ἀτέλεια. Is it not monstrously hard, Athenians, if it proves more serious in your courts to ask for a return for good service than to be convicted of some heinous crime?

nav.navigate

nav.identity

common.settings

common.language
TR EN
common.theme