20
That is why my father never brought a suit for the estate. Then came the Corinthian war,394-386 B.C. in which my father and I were obliged to serve, so that neither of us could have obtained justice. When peace was restored, I had unfortunate difficulties with the public treasury,Debtors to the public treasury were temporarily deprived of their rights as citizens and therefore could not engage in litigation. so that it was not easy for me to contend with my opponents. Thus we have good reasons for our conduct in the matter.
21
But the time has now come when it is only right that my opponent should declare who it was that gave him the estate, and what laws justify his introduction in the ward, and why it is that my mother was not heiress to this fortune. These are the points on which you must give your verdict, not as to whether we are late in demanding what is our own. If they cannot explain these points, you would be justified in deciding that the estate is mine.
