As I understand it, it is permitted to kill an adulterer caught in the act, and Lysias is making a play off the meanings of keleuo - "exhort," "urge," "command," etc but sometimes "propose" - to make it seem more regular to do so.
But one rather assumes that the reason this action is being brought against Euphiletes in the first place is because the interpretation of "death to adulterers by force!" is an interpretation much more honoured in the breach than in the observance. If nothing else, because of the polluting nature of violent death, and the undesirability of longrunning feuds within the citizen body.
(I should dig up the bits in Against Neaira and Against Timarchos to refresh my memory of Athenian family/citizenship law... in my copious spare time.)
Really, Euphiletes is a bit of a murdering jerk. Even his defence speech hints at premeditation and entrapment, I kind of think.
Speaking of wrangling - 1.38 gives me such godawful trouble. Participles! Gentives! An even more confusing word order than usual...
no subject
But one rather assumes that the reason this action is being brought against Euphiletes in the first place is because the interpretation of "death to adulterers by force!" is an interpretation much more honoured in the breach than in the observance. If nothing else, because of the polluting nature of violent death, and the undesirability of longrunning feuds within the citizen body.
(I should dig up the bits in Against Neaira and Against Timarchos to refresh my memory of Athenian family/citizenship law... in my copious spare time.)
Really, Euphiletes is a bit of a murdering jerk. Even his defence speech hints at premeditation and entrapment, I kind of think.
Speaking of wrangling - 1.38 gives me such godawful trouble. Participles! Gentives! An even more confusing word order than usual...
Not that I'm bitter, or anything.