Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/291

 YOUTH OF DEMOSTHENES. 265 as a proprietor of land and exporter of corn in Bosphorus, sent his two daughters to Athens ; where, possessing handsome dowries, they married two Athenian citizens Demochares and the elder Demosthenes. The latter was a man of considerable wealth, and carried on two distinct manufactories ; one of swords or knives, employing thirty-two slaves the other, of couches or beds, em- ploying twenty. In the new schedule of citizens and of taxable property, introduced in the archonship of Nausinikus (378 B. c.), the elder Demosthenes was enrolled among the richest class, the leaders of Symmories. But he died about 375 B. c., leaving his son Demosthenes seven years old, with a younger daughter about five years of age. The boy and his large paternal property were confided to the care of three guardians named under his father's will. These guardians though the father, in hopes of ensuring their fidelity, had bequeathed to them considerable legacies, away from his own son, and though all of them were rich men as well as family connections and friends administered the property with such negligence and dishonesty, that only a sum compara- tively small was left, when they came to render account to their ward. At the age of sixteen years complete, Demosthenes at- tained his civil majority, and became entitled by the Athenian law to the administration of his own property. During his minority, his guardians had continued to enrol him among the wealthiest class (as his father had ranked before), and to pay the increased rate of direct taxation chargeable upon that class ; but the real sum handed over to him by his guardians was too small to justify such a position. Though his father had died worth fourteen tal- ents, which would be diminished by the sums bequeathed as le- gacies, but ought to have been increased in greater proportion by the interest on the property for the ten years of minority, had it been properly administered the sum paid to young Demosthe- nes on his majority was less than two talents, while the guardians not only gave in dishonest accounts, but professed not to be able to produce the father's will. After repeated complaints and remon- strances, he brought a judicial action against one of them Apho- bus, and obtained a verdict carrying damages to the amount of ten talents. Payment however was still evaded by the debtor. Five speeches remain delivered by Demosthenes, three against Apho- bus, two against Onetor, brother-in-law of Aphobus. At the date 23