Demosthenes was an Athenian orator and statesman of the 4th century BCE. He is best known for his political career defined by opposition to the expansion of Macedon under King Philip II. Born to a wealthy family, he was orphaned young and his inheritance was mismanaged by guardians. According to ancient accounts, he overcame a speech impediment through determined self-training. He first worked as a speechwriter for private lawsuits before becoming a major public figure.
His most famous works are political speeches urging Athens to resist Philip, including the Philippics and Olynthiacs. He also delivered celebrated judicial speeches, such as On the Crown, a successful defense of his entire political career. In total, 61 speeches survive under his name, though modern scholars question whether all are authentic. Following Athens' final defeat by Macedon and a failed revolt, Demosthenes was condemned to death and took his own life in 322 BCE.
Demosthenes is considered the greatest of the Athenian orators. His works were studied for centuries as masterpieces of rhetorical technique, argument, and powerful emotion. Historically, he represents the voice of Athenian democracy and resistance to external domination. His speeches provide a critical window into the political and legal world of classical Greece. His legacy was so influential that the Roman orator Cicero later modeled himself on Demosthenes.
Available Works
κατὰ Ἀνδροτίωνος παρανόμων
Against Androtion for Illegal Acts
74 passages
κατὰ Ἀφόβου ἐπιτροπῆς α΄
Against Aphobus for Guardianship, Part 1
60 passages
κατὰ Ἀφόβου β΄
Against Aphobus, Part 2
22 passages
κατὰ Ἀριστοκράτους
Against Aristocrates
204 passages
κατὰ Ἀριστογείτονος α΄
Against Aristogeiton, Part 1
90 passages
κατὰ Ἀριστογείτονος β΄
Against Aristogeiton, Part 2
23 passages
κατὰ Κόνωνος αἰκείας
Against ConAssault
41 passages
κατὰ Διονυσοδώρου βλάβης
Against Dionysodorus-Damage
41 passages
κατὰ Εὐέργου καὶ Μνησιβούλου ψευδομαρτυριῶν
Against Evergus and Mnesibulus-False Testimony
74 passages
κατὰ Μειδίου περὶ τοῦ Κονδύλου
Against Meidias-The Club
200 passages
κατὰ Νεαίρας
Against Neaera
102 passages
κατὰ Ὀλυμπιοδώρου βλάβης
Against Olympiodorus-Damage
53 passages
κατὰ Φιλίππου α΄
Against Philip I
45 passages
κατὰ Φιλίππου β΄
Against Philip II
27 passages
κατὰ Φιλίππου γ΄
Against Philip III
60 passages
κατὰ Φιλίππου δ΄
Against Philip IV
64 passages
κατὰ Στεφάνου ψευδομαρτυριῶν α΄
Against Stephanus-False Testimony A
84 passages
κατὰ Στεφάνου ψευδομαρτυριῶν β΄
Against Stephanus-False Testimony B
27 passages
κατὰ Τιμοκράτους
Against Timocrates
204 passages
ἔφεσις πρὸς Εὐβουλίδην
Appeal To Eubulides
66 passages
παραγραφὴ ὑπὲρ Φορμίωνος
Counterplea for Phormion
55 passages
παραγραφὴ πρὸς Ναυσίμακον καὶ Ξενοπείθην
Counterplea To Nausimachus and Xenopithes
26 passages
παραγραφὴ πρὸς Πανταίνετον
Counterplea To Pantaenetus
55 passages
προοίμια δημηγορικά
Demagogic Prologues
134 passages
Ὀλυνθιακὸς α΄
First Olynthiac
26 passages
ὑπὲρ Μεγαλοπολιτῶν
For the Megalopolitans
26 passages
Ἀποσπάσματα τῶν Δημοσθενικῶν Λόγων
Fragments of Demosthenic Orations
70 passages
ὑπὲρ Κτησιφῶντος περὶ τοῦ στεφάνου
In Defense of Ctesiphthe Crown
274 passages
ὑπὲρ τῆς Ῥοδίων ἐλευθερίας
In Defense of the Rhodians' Freedom
33 passages
ἔνδειξις κατὰ Θεοκρίνου
Indictment-Theocrines
57 passages
ἐπιστολή
Letter of Philip
20 passages
Δημοσθένους ἐπιστολαὶ
Letters of Demosthenes
87 passages
Ὀλυνθιακὸς β΄
Olynthiac 2
25 passages
Ὀλυνθιακὸς γ΄
Olynthiac 3
34 passages
περὶ Ἀλοννήσου
On Alonnessus
37 passages
περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην
On Incompletion to Leptines
156 passages
περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης
On Peace
21 passages
περὶ τῶν ἐν Χερρονήσῳ
On the Affairs in Chersonese
58 passages
περὶ τοῦ Στεφάνου τῆς τριηραρκίας
On the Crown of the Trierarchy
22 passages
περὶ τῆς παραπρεσβείας
On the Embassy
300 passages
περὶ τῶν συμμοριῶν
On the Symmories
38 passages
περὶ τῶν πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον συνθηκῶν
On the Treaties with Alexander
27 passages
πρὸς Ἀπατούριον παραγραφή
To Apaturius for False Entry
34 passages
πρὸς Ἄφοβον ὑπὲρ Φάνου ψευδομαρτυριῶν γ΄
To Aphobus-Behalf of Phanus for False Testimony, Part 3
51 passages
πρὸς Βοιωτὸν περὶ προικὸς μητρῴας
To Boeotian-Maternal Dowry
50 passages
πρὸς Βοιωτὸν περὶ τοῦ Ὀνόματος
To Boeotus-the Name
40 passages
πρὸς Καλλικλέα περὶ χωρίου βλάβης
To Callicles-Land Damage
33 passages
πρὸς Κάλλιππον
To Callippus
28 passages
πρὸς τὴν Λάκριτον παραγραφὴν
To Lacritus-Counterplea
47 passages
πρὸς Λεωκάρη περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου κλήρου
To Leocares-Archias' Estate
64 passages
πρὸς Μακάρτατον περὶ Ἁγνίου κλήρου
To Macartatus-Hagnius' Estate
77 passages
πρὸς Νικόστρατον περὶ ἀνδραπόδων ἀπογραφῆς
To Nicostratus-the Census of Slaves in Arethousa
29 passages
πρὸς Ὀνήτορα ἐξούλης α΄
To Onetor On Eviction A
36 passages
πρὸς Ὀνήτορα ἐξούλης β΄
To Onetor On Eviction B
16 passages
πρὸς Φαίνιππον περὶ ἀντιδόσεως
To Phainippus-Exchange
29 passages
πρὸς Φορμίωνα ὑπὲρ δανείου
To Phormio-Loan
44 passages
πρὸς Πολυκλέα περὶ τοῦ ἐπιτριηραρχήματος
To Polycles-the Trierarch's Duty
53 passages
πρὸς Σπουδίαν ὑπὲρ προικός
To Spoudias-Dowry
27 passages
πρὸς τὴν ἐπιστολήν τὴν Φιλίππου
To the Letter of Philip
17 passages
πρὸς Τιμόθεον ὑπὲρ χρέως
To Timothy-Debt
52 passages
πρὸς Ζηνόθεμιν παραγραφή
To Zenothemis-Counterplea
30 passages