"Against Androtion" was a speech composed by
Demosthenes
Demosthenes (; el, Δημοσθένης, translit=Dēmosthénēs; ; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator in ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual pr ...
in which he accused
Androtion
Androtion ( grc, Ἀνδροτίων, gen.: Ἀνδροτίωνος; before 405after 346 BC), was a Greek orator, and one of the leading politicians of his time. He was born between 415 and 405 BC, the son of Andron, who was a member of the Four H ...
of making an illegal proposal. This was the first surviving speech of Demosthenes composed on public charges (γραφαί, ).
The case was brought in 355/4 by Diodoros and Euktemon, and concerned Androtion's proposal that the
council of that year be awarded a crown for their services.
This was a customary award for the outgoing council every year, but the crown was only to be awarded to a council that had built a certain number of
triremes
A trireme( ; derived from Latin: ''trirēmis'' "with three banks of oars"; cf. Greek ''triērēs'', literally "three-rower") was an ancient vessel and a type of galley that was used by the ancient maritime civilizations of the Mediterranean S ...
that year.
Despite the council of 355/4 BC having built no triremes, Androtion proposed that the crown should be awarded.
[ After Androtion's proposal was passed, Euktemon and Diodorus brought a prosecution against Androtion claiming that the proposal had been illegal.
Androtion was acquitted,][ and continued to be active in Athenian politics at least until 347/6.]
See also
* Graphe paranomon
The ''graphḗ paranómōn'' ( grc, γραφή παρανόμων), was a form of legal action believed to have been introduced at Athens under the democracy sometime around the year 415 BC; it has been seen as a replacement for ostracism, which fe ...
Citations
External links
Text of the speech at the Perseus Digital Library
Works by Demosthenes
Ancient Greek orations
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