Editing Demosthenes (section)

====Case of Meidias (348&nbsp;BC)====
{{details|Against Meidias}}
In 348&nbsp;BC a peculiar event occurred: [[Meidias]], a wealthy Athenian, publicly slapped Demosthenes, who was at the time a choregos at the [[Dionysia|Greater Dionysia]], a large religious festival in honour of the god [[Dionysus]].<ref name="Usher226" /> Meidias was a friend of Eubulus and supporter of the unsuccessful excursion in Euboea.<ref name="Peace5II">Demosthenes, ''On the Peace'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Peace#5:5|5]]<br />* E. M. Burke, "The Early Political Speeches of Demosthenes", 174 (note 47).</ref> He also was an old enemy of Demosthenes; in 361&nbsp;BC he had broken violently into his house, with his brother Thrasylochus, to take possession of it.<ref name="Meidias 78–80">Demosthenes, ''Against Meidias'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0074%3Aspeech%3D21%3Asection%3D78 78–80.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520104706/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0074%3Aspeech%3D21%3Asection%3D78 |date=20 May 2012 }}</ref>
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| style="text-align: left;" | "Just think. The instant this court rises, each of you will walk home, one quicker, another more leisurely, not anxious, not glancing behind him, not fearing whether he is going to run up against a friend or an enemy, a big man or a little one, a strong man or a weak one, or anything of that sort. And why? Because in his heart he knows, and is confident, and has learned to trust the State, that no one shall seize or insult or strike him."
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| style="text-align: left;" | Demosthenes (''Against Meidias'', 221)—The orator asked the Athenians to defend their legal system, by making an example of the defendant for the instruction of others.<ref name="Romilly113-117">J. De Romilly, ''Ancient Greece against Violence'', 113–117.</ref>
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Demosthenes decided to prosecute his wealthy opponent and wrote the judicial oration ''Against Meidias''. This speech gives valuable information about Athenian law at the time and especially about the Greek concept of [[Hubris|hybris]] (aggravated assault), which was regarded as a crime not only against the city but against society as a whole.<ref>H. Yunis, ''The Rhetoric of Law in 4th Century Athens'', 206.</ref> He stated that a democratic state perishes if the [[rule of law]] is undermined by wealthy and unscrupulous men, and that the citizens acquire power and authority in all state affairs due "to the strength of the laws".<ref name="Meidias223">Demosthenes, ''Against Meidias'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0074&layout=&loc=21.223 223.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117164744/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0074&redirect=true |date=17 November 2022 }}</ref> There is no consensus among scholars either on whether Demosthenes finally delivered ''Against Meidias'' or on the veracity of Aeschines' accusation that Demosthenes was bribed to drop the charges.{{Ref label|H|h|none}}