Demosthenes: Olynthiacs

by Demosthenes, E.I. McQueen (Editor)

This edition is in part a new work, and partly a revised and expanded version of the Pitt Press edition by J.M. MacGregor (Cambridge University Press, 1915). The Introduction is based on MacGregor's, revised and with an additional sections on Olynthos and the Chalcidian League, and Demosthenes' oratory. There is a also a new bibliography. The Greek text follows, along with a completely new commentary by E.I. McQueen, concentrating mainly on questions of grammar and syntax. The two Appendixes, on the Order of the Olynthiac Speeches and the Theoric Fund, have been completely rewritten to take account of modern scholarship.

234 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1915

About the author

Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by studying the speeches of previous great orators. He delivered his first judicial speeches at the age of 20, in which he argued effectively to gain from his guardians what was left of his inheritance. For a time, Demosthenes made his living as a professional speech-writer (logographer) and a lawyer, writing speeches for use in private legal suits.