Demosthenes: Selected Political Speeches

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.

List 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 Sigma ; 2 Sigma ; 3 Sigma ; 4 ; 9 ; Commentary; First Olynthiac; Second Olynthiac; Third Olynthiac; First Philippic; Third Philippic.

About the author

Judson Herrman is Frank T. McClure Professor of Greek and Latin and Chair of the History Department at Allegheny College, Pennsylvania. He is the author of two previous books: an annotated collection of translations, The Athenian Funeral Orations (2004), and a critical edition of Hyperides: Funeral Oration (2009), with an extensive introduction and commentary.

Summary

This edition of five of Demosthenes' Assembly speeches arguing for a military response to Philip II of Macedon is aimed at students. The extensive introduction and grammatical notes fully explicate the Greek text and provide abundant detail and up-to-date references to help readers understand the historical and literary context.

Product details

• Authors: Judson (Allegheny College Herrman
• Assisted by: Judson Herrman (Editor), Judson (Allegheny College Herrman (Editor), Herrman Judson (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.06.2019
• EAN: 9781107610842
• ISBN: 978-1-107-61084-2
• No. of pages: 306
• Series: Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics; Cambridge Greek and Latin Clas
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology; Ancient Greece, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, military history, Classical texts, Political leaders & leadership, Ancient History, Classical history / classical civilisation, Political leaders and leadership, Ancient (Classical) Greek, BCE to c 500 CE, Speeches, BCE period – Protohistory, Ancient, classical and medieval texts