Demosthenes, renowned as a great Greek orator and statesman, was born in 384 (or 383) B.C. He died in 322.

Demosthenes' father, also Demosthenes, was an Athenian citizen from the deme of Paeania who died when Demosthenes was seven. His mother was named Cleobule.

Demosthenes Learns to Speak Publicly

The first time Demosthenes made a speech in the public assembly was a disaster. Discouraged, he was fortunate to run into an actor who helped show him what he needed to do to make his speeches compelling. To perfect the technique, he set up a routine, which he followed for months until he had mastered oratory.

Plutarch on the Self-Training of Demosthenes

Hereupon he built himself a place to study in underground (which was still remaining in our time), and hither he would come constantly every day to form his action and to exercise his voice, and here he would continue, oftentimes without intermission, two or three months together, shaving one half of his head, that so for shame he might not go abroad, though he desired it ever so much.

- Plutarch's Demosthenes

Demosthenes as Speech Writer

Demosthenes was a professional speech writer or logographer. Demosthenes wrote speeches against Athenians he believed guilty of corruption. His first Philippic was in 352 (it is named for the man Demosthenes opposed, Philip of Macedonia.)

Aspects of Athenian Political Life

Greek men of means were expected to contribute to the polis and so Demosthenes, who became active politically in c. 356 B.C., outfitted a trireme and, as choregus at Athens, he paid for a theatrical performance. Demosthenes also fought as a hoplite at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338.

Demosthenes Gains Fame as an Orator

Demosthenes became an official Athenian orator. As an official orator, he warned against Philip when the Macedonian king and father of Alexander the Great was beginning his conquest of Greece. Demosthenes' three orations against Philip, known as the Philippics, were so bitter that today a severe speech denouncing someone is called a Philippic.

Another writer of Philippics was Cicero, the Roman with whom Plutarch compares Demosthenes in Plutarch's Parallel Lives. There is also a fourth Philippic whose authenticity has been questioned.

Death of Demosthenes

Demosthenes' troubles with the royal house of Macedon didn't end with Philip's death. When Alexander insisted that the Athenian orators be delivered to him to be punished for treason, Demosthenes fled to a temple of Poseidon for sanctuary. A guard prevailed on him to come out.

Realizing he was at the end of his rope, Demosthenes requested permission to write a letter. Permission was granted; the letter was written; then Demosthenes began to walk, quill pen in his mouth, to the door of the temple. He died before he reached it -- of a poison he'd kept in his pen. That's the story.

Works Attributed to Demosthenes

On the Accession of Alexander

Against Androtion

Against Apatourius

Against Aphobus

Against Aphobus 1

Against Aphobus 2

Against Aristocrates

Against Aristogiton 1

Against Aristogiton 2

Against Boeotus 1

Against Boeotus 2

Against Callicles

Against Callippus

On the Chersonese

Against Conon

On the Crown

Against Dionysodorus

Erotic Essay

Against Eubulides

Against Evergus and Mnesibulus

Exordia

On the False Embassy

Funeral Speech

On the Halonnesus

Against Lacritus

Against Leochares

Against Leptines

Letters

On the Liberty of the Rhodians

Against Macartatus

Against Midias

Against Nausimachus and Xenopeithes

On the Navy-Boards

Against Neaera

Against Nicostratus

Against Olympiodorus

Olynthiac 1

Olynthiac 2

Olynthiac 3

Against Ontenor

Against Ontenor

On Organization

Against Pantaenetus

On the Peace

Against Phaenippus

Philip's Letter

Reply to Philip's Letter

Philippic 1

Philippic 2

Philippic 3

Philippic 4

Against Phormio

For Phormio

Against Polycles

Against Spudias

Against Stephanus 1

Against Stephanus 2

Against Theocrines

Against Timocrates

Against Timotheus

On the Trierarchic Crown

Against Zenothemis

For the Megalopolitans

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