Biography
Demosthenes - an ancient Greek speaker and rhetoric, skill and acuity of which are still given in an example of modern politicians and lawyers. This man's own biography proved that purposefulness and patience allow us to overcome any obstacles: Demosthenes coped not only with shyness, but also with stuttering. Even such things seemingly incompatible with oratorical art, they did not prevent this person to succeed.Childhood and youth
The future speaker was born, allegedly, in 384 BC, in the upper pit, not far from Athens. The father of Demosphen, in honor of which the son was named, owned his own weapon factory. The family of Demosphen did not help and even had some number of slaves. The mother of the future rhetoric was called Kleovul.
Unfortunately, in childhood, Demosfen had to face human greed and injustice. It was these events that later influenced the choice of the Demosphen's Life Way. The fact is that the boy has lost her father early. However, the demosphen senior took care of the children (Demosthene had a sister) and his wife. A man left a large amount of money to friends who asked for their family.
But the guardians turned out to be unprincipled people: making money and dowry, they turned away from the wife of demosfen-senior and children. Despite such unpleasant events, Demosphen visited the school and received a good education. And the main motivation for a young man was the idea of the fair punishment of dishonest guardians.
Rhetoric
It is noteworthy that the resentment caused by the Demosphenian guardians did not harm the heart of a young man, but inspired to the future speaker a sharp feeling of "legality" - so Demosphen called the justice that the most important virtue believed. To achieve this legality towards offenders, the young man gradually began to exercise in oratory.
In addition, barely reaching the 18th anniversary, the young man hired a speaker known at the time that he taught him the wisdom of attic rights and eloquence, so necessary in court cases.
Thus, the process of litigation with failed guardians was for demosphen the best rhetoric school. The life of the young man, in contrast to his peers, was filled with stubborn labor. Demosthenes developed speech, the gift of conviction and strengthened faith in his own strength.
Additional complexity for a young man was in the congenital defect of speech: Demosphen stutter (for other information - Kartval). But with this obstacle managed to cope: a daily young man practiced speech with pebbles in the mouth and thus got rid of the lack.
Soon, the demosphen was so podnatar in the oratory and knowledge of the laws that people began to contact him with requests to speak to him. Demosphen began to help others resolve certain problems using their own eloquence.
After some time, the demosphen began to read as a better rider. The speaker himself will later write that the main weapon of a skilled speaker is not a clear pronunciation, competent speech and convincing arguments. Every speaker, according to Demosphen, must first have nobility and morality, only then its power is compared with the power of the armed forces.
The demosphen's own principles followed steadily: he did not strive for personal gain, and was also not afraid of condemnation or displeasure. Demosphen expressed what he considered fair, seeking "legality" in every little thing.
It did not cost the speaker and without detractors. A certain mussels, a secured person and friend of dishonest guardians of Demosphen, constantly tried to prevent the speaker, plotting small and large dirty. The mussels insulted the speaker, contracted Demosphen in the eyes of the people and even bribed the judges. It came to the point that the enemy of Demosphen spoiled the festive clothing of the speaker, prepared for solemn speech.
But even such insults and attacks did not force the demosphen to retreat from their own principles: he did not answer the offender independently, but demanded a legitimate proceedings in court.
Personal life
About the personal life of the Demosphen's speaker has been preserved little information. It is known that the rhetoric was married to the Athinean. The first child is demosphen, the girl, died in infancy. Later, the wife gave the orator of two sons.Death
The life of Demosphen fell on severe time for Greece: the country suffered from the attacks of Macedonia and was constantly attacked. Demosthenes, taking advantage of the gift of conviction, tried to incline people to the idea that the scattered Greek policies should be rally in the fight against the enemy.
Partly the speaker managed to achieve the desired: part of the policies really united against Macedonia. However, there were too little, and the Greek army fellow in the next battle. Power went into the hands of Macedonians who brought their own orders. Despite this, Demosphen continued to speak with speeches against the invaders.
Of course, the Macedonians did not like the unknown orator-free-produce. Demosphenus carried a death sentence. The Great Rtoric tried to avoid sad fate and leave the capital, however, did not have time. Demosthenes grabbed, but a man was committed to breaking out of the hands of Guard and take a deadly poison at one moment.
A courageous speaker was established a monument not far from the temple of Poseidon. In addition, the older son of Demosfen sought the privilege of not paying taxes. Thus, the Athenians honored the memory of a person who did not break even a deadly danger.
Demosthesfen is often compared with another ancient speaker - Cicero. In "comparative lives", Plutarch emphasized that demosphine was distinguished straightness and honesty, while Cicero tried to be more flexible and less categorical in judgment.
Now the preserved speeches of Demosthene remain a visual material, which can be judged by the moral and culture of Greece of the time, as well as about the oratorical art and the laws adopted in those distant years.
Speech Demosphen.
- "Olinf's first"
- "Olinf second"
- "First speech against Philip"
- "The second speech against Philip"
- "About cases in Chersonese"
- "On the distribution of funds"
- "On Simmories"
- "On freedom of the Rhodians"
- "For Megalopoltsev"
- "On agreement with Alexander"
- "For KTesifona about wreath"
- "On the criminal embassy"