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(1) Polyeuctus, an Athenian man, was the father of two daughters. He initially gave the younger one to Leocrates, and later to Spudias, and he gave the older one to the plaintiff in this case against Spudias. (2) Polyeuctus then died, leaving his daughters an estate to share. The husband of the older daughter says that forty mnae were agreed upon for the dowry. However (according to him), the whole amount was not handed over immediately; there was an outstanding debt of ten mnae. While he was still alive, Polyeuctus agreed that he was responsible for this debt, and when he was about to die, he agreed to separate the house from the rest of the estate and apply it toward the debt. But Spudias demands that the house, just like everything else, be included among their common property. (3) This is the most important of the points in dispute in the speech, but the plaintiff also accuses Spudias of other things. For he says that Spudias owed money to Polyeuctus and the older daughter but did not pay it back as required. (4) But in response to Spudias’ claim that he, too, received thirty mnae as a dowry, the speaker says that it was entirely at Polyeuctus’ discretion, if he wished, to give a larger dowry to one of the daughters rather than giving an equal dowry to both of them, and then he proves that Spudias is even lying about this; for he says that Spudias received thirty mnae in silver, ten in clothing, and some gold coins which (as he says) are worth more than ten mnae.

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page 53 of 58