Speeches

by Aeschines, C. D. Adams, Charles Darwin Adams

Overview

An adversarial advocate.

Aeschines, orator and statesman of Athens, 390 or 389–314 BC, became active in politics about 350. In 348 he was a member of a mission sent to the Peloponnese to stir up feeling against the growing power of King Philip of Macedon; but in 347, when part of a peacemaking embassy to Philip, was won over to sympathy with the king, and became a supporter of the peace policy of the Athenian statesman Eubulus. On a second embassy in 346 to ratify a peace Aeschines’ delaying tactics caused the famous orator Demosthenes and Timarchus to accuse him of treason, a charge that he successfully rebutted in the strong extant speech Against Timarchus. In 344–343, when Demosthenes accused him again in a speech, Aeschines replied in the fine extant speech having the same title On the False Embassy and was again acquitted. In 336, when Ctesiphon proposed that Demosthenes should be awarded a crown of gold for state service, Aeschines accused him of proposing something that would violate existing laws. At the trial Aeschines’ extant speech Against Ctesiphon was answered by Demosthenes in his masterpiece On the Crown. Aeschines, discredited, left Athens and set up a school of rhetoric at Rhodes. He died in Samos.

As examples of Greek oratory the speeches of Aeschines rank next to those of Demosthenes, and are important documents for the study of Athenian diplomacy and inner politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674991187
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	01/01/1919
Series:	Loeb Classical Library , #106
Edition description:	5th printing/1st pub.1919
Pages:	560
Product dimensions:	4.25(w) x 6.38(h) x 1.10(d)
Language:	Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Table of Contents

Introduction—

The Life Of Aeschines

Bibliography

The Text

The Speech Against Timarchus

The Speech On The Embassy

The Speech Against Ctesiphon

Index