DEMADES (c. 38o-318 B.c.)

This article appears in Volume V07, Page 979 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: DAH-DEM

DEMADES (c. 38o-318 B.c.) , Athenian orator and demagogue. He was originally of humble position, and was employed at one time as a common sailor, but he rose partly by his eloquence and
1 Held by Franz Delitzsch, Dillmann and Lenormant.
partly by his unscrupulous

character

CHARACTER (Gr. xapareri7p, from xap&crew, to scratch)

to a prominent position at Athens. He espoused the cause of Philip in the war against Olynthus, and was thus brought into

bitter

BITTER, KARL THEODORE FRANCIS (1867– )

and

life

LIFE

long

LONG, GEORGE (1800-1879)
LONG, JOHN DAVIS (1838– )

enmity with

Demosthenes

DEMOSTHENES

,whom he at first supported. He fought against the Macedonians in the battle of

Chaeroneia

CHAERONEIA, or CHAERONEA

, and was taken prisoner. Having made a favourable impression upon Philip, he was released together with his fellow-captives, and was instrumental in bringing about a treaty of peace between Macedonia and Athens. He continued to be a favourite of Alexander, and, prompted by a bribe, saved

Demosthenes

DEMOSTHENES

and the other obnoxious Athenian orators from his vengeance. It was also chiefly owing to him that Alexander, after the destruction of Thebes, treated Athens so leniently. His conduct in supporting the Macedonian cause, yet receiving any bribes that were offered by the opposite party, caused him to be heavily fined more than once ; and he was finally deprived of his civil rights. He was reinstated (322) 011 the approach of Antipater, to whom he was sent as

ambassador

AMBASSADOR (also EMBASSADOR, the form sometimes still used in America; from the Fr. ambassadeur, with which compare Ital. ambasciatore and Span. embajador, all variants of the Med. Lat. ambassiator, ambassiator, ambasator, &c., derived from Med. Lat. amba

. Before setting out he persuaded the citizens to pass sentence of death upon Demosthenes and his followers, who had fled from Athens. The result of his

embassy

EMBASSY

was the conclusion of a peace greatly to the disadvantage of the Athenians. In 318 (or earlier), having been detected in an intrigue with Perdiccas, Antipater's opponent, he was put to death by Antipater at

Pella

PELLA

, when entrusted with another mission by the Athenians.

Demades

DEMADES (c. 38o-318 B.c.)

was avaricious and unscrupulous; but he was a highly gifted and practised orator.
A fragment of a speech (Rep' &JSEKa.erlas), bearing his name, in which he defends his conduct, is to be found in C. Mailer's Oratores Attici, ii. 438, but its genuineness is exceedingly doubtful.

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