Demosthenes: Selected Political Speeches

by: Herrman, J.

Demosthenes, as an emerging political leader in fourth-century Athens, delivered a series of fiery speeches to the citizens in the democratic Assembly, attacking the Macedonian king Philip II as an aggressive imperialist bent on destroying the city's independence. This volume presents the Greek text of five of these speeches with full introduction and detailed commentary. They show how the foremost politician of the day argued his case before the people who made policy decisions in the Assembly, and how he eventually persuaded them to support his doomed militaristic position in preference to the more pragmatic stance of accommodation advocated by his political opponents. These speeches are unique sources for the ideology and political history of this crucial period, and the best specimens of persuasive rhetoric in action from democratic Athens. This edition takes account of recent studies of fourth-century Athens and showcases Demosthenes as a master of Greek prose style.

Contextualizes these important speeches within their political, legal, and historical contexts
Pays close attention to the minutiae of grammar, helping to guide students and instructors in their understanding of the Greek
Discusses rhetorical technique in depth so that students and instructors learn to read the speeches as a genre with its own rules and style

Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Historical background
2. Assembly speeches
3. Language and style
4. Publication
5. The afterlife of the speeches
6. The text:
1 ΟΛΥΝΘΙΑΚΟΣ Α
2 ΟΛΥΝΘΙΑΚΟΣ Β
3 ΟΛΥΝΘΙΑΚΟΣ Γ
4 ΚΑΤΑ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ
9 ΚΑΤΑ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ Γ
Commentary
First Olynthiac
Second Olynthiac
Third Olynthiac
First Philippic
Third Philippic.

Demosthenes: Selected Political Speeches

by: Herrman, J.

• ISBN-13: 9781107610842 / 978-1-107-61084-2
• ISBN-03: 1107610842 / 1-107-61084-2
• Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2019