Neaira was back in Athens, and attempted to take her back from Stephanus. Stephanus resisted, claiming that as Neaira was a free woman he had no right; a claim which Phrynion proceeded to challenge in court, though he was persuaded to settle the case by arbitration instead. The arbitrators decided that Neaira was indeed free, and that in addition to this she was her own kyria (mistress); this was an extremely unusual decision in a society where all citizen women, at least, had a kyrios (master). Despite this unusual level of freedom, however, Neaira was compelled to split her time between the two men as they agreed, without any input herself. Trial Sometime between 343 and 340 BC, Neaira was brought to trial by Theomnestus on behalf of his father-in-law Apollodorus, accused of xenias (representing herself as a citizen when in fact she was not). If she was convicted, the maximum penalty Neaira faced was being sold into slavery and having her property sold. Neaira herself would not have been permitted to speak at her trial, though she was probably present. The only surviving record of the trial is the speech given by Theomnestus and Apollodorus against Neaira and Stephanus, and the outcome is unknown. No records of Neaira exist after the trial. Modern commentators have noted the weaknesses in Apollodorus' arguments, though as the outcome of an Athenian trial depended heavily on what the parties involved could persuade the jury to accept, and how much of their dishonesty they could get away with, we cannot say for certain that the suit failed. See also Apollodorus of Acharnae Hetaerae Phryne Prostitution in Ancient Greece Pseudo-Demosthenes Women in Classical Athens References Further reading Hetairai 4th-century BC Greek people Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Metics in Classical Athens Demosthenes 4th-century BC Greek women Ancient Greek slaves and freedmen