Adultery Law and Its Seriousness in Athenian Society

This article discusses the Athenian law regarding adultery and its seriousness in the society. It also explores the place of women and slaves in the Athenian society. After assessing the case, the author thinks that Euphiletos was wrong about killing Eratosthenes.

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World History
Adultery Law and Its Seriousness
The Athenian law regarding abortion states that when a husband gets his wife with another man,
he ought to kill the other man or demand for compensation from him (Heffer 460). However, it
was common for men practicing adultery to make payments than face the knife. Adultery is as a
heinous act in the Athenian society than rape. The reason behind making the action dangerous is
that it involves sleeping with a woman who is legally married to another man with full
knowledge. Adulterers bring confusion in the family making it hard to determine the father of the
children in the household (Falkner). They seduce the souls of the victims by making them more
intimate with them than their husbands. According to Viano, the Greek law permitted the killing
of adulterer’s men and it was common in all cities around Greece (228). Therefore, the fact that
adultery has no place in the Greek law gives room to have victims demanded to pay for their
actions. Thus, adultery is highly condemned in the Athenian society for maintaining the piety of
the marriage and safeguarding the Greek laws.
The Place of Women and Slaves in the Athenian Society
The Athenian society appears to be male chauvinistic. Women have no opportunity to make
choices and it the man who bears the burden in case a woman lands in a wrong ordeal. For
instance, when Euphiletos wife makes love with Eratosthenes, the man is held accountable for
what ensues between then without considering that the woman had a role to play in the incidence

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(Falkner). Women are housekeepers who perform domestic chores as Euphiletos takes care of
the house matters after giving birth. Women ought to look after the kids with the help of slaves.
Slaves assist their masters with duties such as going to the market and walking with them
wherever they go. Unfortunately, the slaves are tortured for nothing. For instance, Euphiletos
threatens to torture his slave if she does not tell her the truth about his wife (Heffer 467). The
agreement in the speech that it is wrong to rape a free woman implies that it is okay to assault
slaves sexually. Thus, women and slaves suffer similar ordeal in the arms of men in the Athenian
society where men control without consideration of their feelings as human beings.
The verdict of the Case
After assessing the case, I think that Euphiletos was wrong about killing Eratosthenes. Notably, I
think the burden of proof lies with Euphiletos, and much of the evidence he brings on board is
not convincing enough. Indeed, the law is clear on how adulterers should be punished. However,
the killing or compensation needs to follow a due process that respects the litigation procedures
of the Athenian society. Most of the arguments raised by the accused rely on heresy, and he does
not at any point present substantial evidence for killing the victim (Viano 220). Indeed, if he said
that he caught them in the act, his actions would be justified by the law. For, instance, it is absurd
he presents to the judge that he threatened his slave to force her tell him about the relationship
ensuing between his wife and the victim (Falkner). Therefore, the evidence he presents to the
judge lacks substance, and he deserves to die like Eratosthenes.

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Works Cited
Falkner, Caroline. "Diotima". Stoa.Org, 2018,
http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/eratosthenes.shtml. Accessed 10 Sept 2018.
Heffer, Chris. "Revelation and rhetoric: A critical model of forensic discourse." International
Journal for the Semiotics of Law-Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique 26.2
(2013): 459-485.
Viano, Cristina. "Ethical Theory and Judicial Practice: Passions and Crimes of Passion in Plato,
Aristotle and Lysias." Aristotle on Emotions in Law and Politics. Springer, Cham, 2018.
217-236.