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Now, men of the jury, if it were toward myself only that Lampis were showing contempt, it would be nothing to cause surprise; but in reality he has acted far more outrageously than Phormio toward you all. For when Paerisades had published a decree in Bosporus that whoever wished to transport grain to Athens for the Athenian market might export it free of duty, Lampis, who was at the time in Bosporus, obtained permission to export grain and the exemption from duty in the name of the state; and having loaded a large vessel with grain, carried it to AcanthusA town in Chalcidicê. and there disposed of it,—he, who had made himself the partner of Phormio here with our money.
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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 gallonLiterally 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.
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In proof that my words are true, take, please, the deposition and the law.
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The Deposition. The Law
