For Phormion

For Phormion (Ancient Greek: Παραγραφὴ ὑπὲρ Φορμίωνος Paragraphe Hyper Phormionos) was a speech composed by the Athenian logographer Demosthenes. It was delivered on Phormion's behalf, possibly by Demosthenes himself, probably in 350–49 BC. It is the thirty-sixth speech in the Demosthenic corpus.

The speech deals with a dispute between Apollodoros of Acharnae and his stepfather Phormion, over the handling of Apollodoros' inheritance. Apollodoros had claimed that Phormion had never paid back an 11 talent loan, and prosecuted Phormion in order to compel him to return this along with interest – a total of 20 talents. In order to block this, Phormion counter-sued, claiming that Apollodoros had previously made a formal declaration that all of Phormion's debts to him had been fulfilled; Apollodoros, he claimed, therefore did not have standing to sue. For Phormion was written to be delivered as part of this countersuit.

The speech was composed to be presented by a supporter of Phormion, rather than Phormion himself. Phormion had apparently been unable to speak, either due to his poor Greek or incapacity due to illness or old age. Though it is not certain whether the speech was delivered by Demosthenes or another friend of Phormion, the orator Dinarchus writes that Demosthenes did give a speech on behalf of Phormion in a trial; it is likely that this is a reference to For Phormion.

For Phormion is one of the few speeches from ancient Athens for which we have any information about the result of the case. Apollodoros' first speech Against Stephanos shows that Phormion's countersuit was successful, and that he won the case.