In Demosthenes’ Against Meidias, the author elaborates his defendant’s character using all the vices that, since archaic times, had been considered very typical of community’s biggest enemy: the tyrant. Plaintiff’s intention is to turn Meidias into not his personal enemy but the city’s, the god’s and law’s worst foe. Therefore, although a public procedure entails many risks, that is the one he chooses to use. Demosthenes accuses Meidias of crimes that civic ethics would reject and would be considered dangerous by the polis: ὕβρις, σέβεια and an improper attitude towards wealth. Demosthenes’ discourse also includes a seemingly indiscriminate attack against the riches for being, in turn, against demos’ own power. However Demosthenes, in a very conventional way, defends the traditional values too. He praises dedication for the community and underestimates any time spent on private business. For that purpose, he availed himself of principles of action more traditional than specifically democratic.