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(1) When Archiades died childless, Leocrates took possession of his estate, as he was his relative and said that Archiades had adopted him. Up until a certain point he himself held the estate, and then he made his own son Leostratus into an adopted son of Archiades, withdrew himself from the family, and went back to his original family, because the law grants indemnity for this. (2) But Leostratus in turn did the same thing; he put his son Leocrates into Archiades’ family and went back to the house of his natural father. (3) Now Leocrates, the last one adopted by Archiades, has died childless. Aristodemus has come to claim the estate, saying that he is the closest living relative of Archiades (whose estate it was originally) and that through Archiades he is the closest living relative to Leocrates (the last of those adopted). (4) But Leochares, the brother of the dead man, disputes with Aristodemus over the estate, basing his claim largely on an adoption, on the grounds that he was the adopted son of Leocrates, but also claiming that he is related to Archiades. (5) And the man who is speaking on behalf of Aristodemus demonstrates that the familial relationship awards the estate to Aristodemus, but that the adoption is illegal. For Leocrates (he says) did not adopt Leochares as his son while he was alive, as the laws prescribe; rather, the adoption took place after his death for the purpose of defrauding someone of an estate, contrary to the laws. Aristodemus’ son delivers the speech.

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