The speech Against Leocrates, delivered by Lycurgus in court, along with insignificant excerpts from some others. Leocrates, a wealthy Athenian citizen, left Athens in 338 BC after the defeat of the Athenians at Chæronea, without sharing in the dangers faced by his homeland, out of fear that it would be seized; in Rhodes, where he sought refuge with his belongings, he spread word that Athens had fallen into the hands of the Macedonians. He wished to return there in 331 BC.

Lycurgus accused him of ultimate treason, relying more on the general perception of proper behavior and the duties of a citizen rather than specific charges and relevant laws. Initially, he cites the resolutions and measures that the city attempted to take to address the difficult situation. One of these even declared guilty of treason anyone who would henceforth abandon Athens.

However, Leocrates managed to take refuge in Rhodes a few hours before his indictment, and thus, in the belief behind his speech, the orator focuses on the moral rather than the legal aspect of the issue. A similar accusation was made by Lycurgus against another citizen, Autolykus.

Most likely, the accuser in both cases was driven by patriotic and moral motives, but the excessively harsh punishment he sought, namely a death sentence, did not yield the outcome he expected. Leocrates was acquitted by a margin of only one vote.