Aristogeiton (orator)
Aristogeiton (Ancient Greek: Aριστογείτων; lived 4th century BC) was an Athenian orator and adversary of Demosthenes and Dinarchus. His father, Scydimus, died in prison, as he was a debtor of the state and unable to pay: his son, Aristogeiton, who inherited the debt, was likewise imprisoned for some time. He is called a demagogue and a sycophant, and his eloquence is described as of a coarse and vehement character.[1] His impudence drew upon him the surname of "the dog." He was often accused by Demosthenes and others, and defended himself in a number of orations which are lost. Among the extant speeches of Demosthenes there are two against Aristogeiton,[2] and among those of Dinarchus there is one. The Suda[3] mentions seven orations of Aristogeiton,[4] and an eighth against Phryne is mentioned by Athenaeus.[5] Aristogeiton died in prison.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Hermogenes of Tarsus, De Formis Oratoriis, i; Photius, Bibliotheca, cod. 268; Plutarch, Parallel Lives, "Phocion", 10; Quintilian, Institutio oratoria, xii. 10
- ^ Against Aristogeiton I is now attributed to Pseudo-Demosthenes. See [1] (requires access).
- ^ Suda, "Aristogeiton (1)", "Aristogeiton (2)"
- ^ Photius, cod. 265; Harpocration, Lexicon of the Ten Orators, s.v. "Autokleides"
- ^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, xiii. 60
- ^ Plutarch, Moralia, "Sayings of kings and commanders" p. 188
[edit] Sources
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).
[edit] External links
- Dinarchus, Against Aristogeiton (Perseus Project)
- Demosthenes, Against Aristogeiton 1 (Perseus Project)
- Demosthenes, Against Aristogeiton 2 (Perseus Project)
