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Analysis of Lysias 1: Ethics and Justice in Ancient Athens

Explore Lysias' influential speech on the Murder of Eratosthenes, examining themes of adultery, justice, and the portrayal of women in ancient Athenian society. Discover Lysias' unique style and character insights in this intriguing legal case study.

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Analysis of Lysias 1: Ethics and Justice in Ancient Athens

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  1. Lysias 1 Lecture: Thursday 2/10/11

  2. Lysias(~445 BCE – ~380 BCE) • Attic orator (1 of the 10 in the “Alexandrian Canon”) • Remember, Peloponnesian War 431 BCE-404 BCE • Family from Syracuse, moved to Athens (412) • “Resident alien” in Athens, escaped purge by the 30 Tyrants (404) • Lost much of his property (taxes/seizures/attempts to help return democracy to Athens) • To earn a living, he wrote speeches (34 extant/200+) • Known for his “plain style”

  3. His “speeches” • Court cases, where Lysias would write defense/attack speech that the Athenian citizen would recite • No lawyers- argue your own case • Lysias’ speeches are known for character insight, vivid descriptions WITHOUT being pompous • “elegance joined with plainness” • He often employed scenes of daily life in Athens

  4. Lysias 1: On the Murder of Eratosthenes (ca. 400 BCE) • Characters: • Euphiletos (husband) • Eratosthenes (adulterer- dead) • Prosecution (family of Eratosthenes) • Euphiletos’ wife • Witnesses

  5. Story • Euphiletos’ wife sleeps with Eratosthenes; Euphiletos kills Eratosthenes • Pre-meditated?  Murder • Legal act of justifiable homicide  Husband’s right\ • Lysias’ speech serves to • Discredit Eratosthenes as a known adulterer/bad guy • Athens is a better place without this “super-seducer” • Portray Euphiletos as a good (gullible) guy, incapable of the type of deception that Eratosthenes perpetrated

  6. Women in Lysias 1 • Separate quarters • ALWAYS subservient to men and work • Failure to control your wife = disgrace • Eratosthenes = corrupter of her mind • The wife was not able to be active participant- • Only able to be controlled or seduced • Servant girl • Assisted the affair • Turned informant once she was threatened with torture and presented with Euphiletos’ knowledge

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