This Athenian statesman and orator gained prominence through his speeches, which offer a significant insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. He honed his rhetorical skills by studying the works of earlier masters, delivering his first legal orations at the age of twenty to recover his inherited estate. For a period, he earned a living as a professional speechwriter and lawyer, crafting arguments for private legal cases. His orations represent a key expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess.
Demosthenes (384 322 BCE), orator at Athens, was a pleader in law courts who later became also a champion of Athenian greatness and Greek resistance to Philip of Macedon. His steadfastness, pungent argument, and severe control of language gained him early reputation as the best of Greek orators, and his works provide vivid pictures of contemporary life.
The four private speeches contained in this collection were functional artefacts whose object was to persuade a jury numbered in hundreds by manipulating both the facts of the case and the prejudices, beliefs and attitudes of the Athenian man-in-the-street. A commentary sheds light on their effectiveness.
A newly edited Greek text of one of the masterpieces of ancient Greek prose. The book also contains an introductory essay and a detailed commentary which elucidates the text and makes clear how Demosthenes achieved his objectives. schovat popis
Demosthenes was one of the greatest of the classic Athenian orators. He wrote for the courts in public and private cases and in major political trials and is a major source for the history of Athens' struggle against Macedon. This is the widest selection of his speeches in a single volume.
Demosthenes' Philippic Orations were delivered in the 4th century BC and addressed the growing threat of Philip II of Macedon. In this translation by Samuel Woods, readers can engage with Demosthenes' eloquent defense of Athenian democracy and his call to arms against foreign aggression.
A translation and critical edition of some of Demosthenes' most famous speeches, including the 'Philippics' and 'On the Crown.' Includes detailed annotations and an appendix on the historical context of Demosthenes' oratory.