who was a greek lawyer and public speaker

by Miss Layla Bahringer 3 min read

For a time, Demosthenes made his living as a professional speech-writer (logographer) and a lawyer, writing speeches for use in private legal suits.
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Demosthenes
Born384 BC Athens, Greece
Died12 October 322 BC (aged 62) Kalaureia, Greece
OccupationLogographer
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How was the lawyer first exposed to public speaking?

Mar 15, 2013 · Updated lawyers list for Athens. 30 April 2020. 2020 lists of lawyers in Greece update. 1 April 2019. Update to HTML format. 8 March 2018. Updated 08 March 2018. 31 January 2018. Updated 31 ...

How was public speaking taught in ancient Greece?

Demosthenes (/ d ɪ ˈ m ɒ s. θ ə n iː z /; Greek: Δημοσθένης, romanized: Dēmosthénēs; Attic Greek: [dɛːmosˈtʰenɛːs]; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens.

What did the king of Greece admire most about public speaking?

Although Greece eventually lost political sovereignty, the Greek culture of training in public speaking was adopted almost identically by the Romans. Demosthenes was a well-known orator from Athens. After his father died when he was 7, he had three legal guardians which were Aphobus, Demophon, and Theryppides. [8]

Who was the most famous Greek orator?

Jun 24, 2017 · Demosthenes was an Athenian lawyer and public speaker who opposed Philip. He warned the Athenians that Philip was a threat to Greek freedom. he urged all the city-states to join together to fight...

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What was public speaking in the time of the Greeks called?

rhetoricPublic speaking in the time of the Greeks was called rhetoric.

Who was the famous orator in ancient Greece?

DemosthenesDemosthenes, (born 384 bce, Athens [Greece]—died Oct. 12, 322, Calauria, Argolis), Athenian statesman, recognized as the greatest of ancient Greek orators, who roused Athens to oppose Philip of Macedon and, later, his son Alexander the Great.

What is Demosthenes famous for?

Demosthenes (c. 384 - 322 BCE) was an Athenian statesman who famously stood against Macedonian king Philip II and whose surviving speeches have established him as one of the greatest patriots and powerful orators from ancient Greece. He is not to be confused with the 5th century BCE Athenian general of the same name.Mar 14, 2016

Were there judges and lawyers in ancient Greece?

Ancient Greek courts were cheap and run by laypeople. Court officials were paid little, if anything, and most trials were completed within a day, with private cases done even quicker. There were no court officials, no lawyers, and no official judges.

Who was the first orator?

Demosthenes (/dɪˈmɒs. θəniːz/; Greek: Δημοσθένης, romanized: Dēmosthénēs; Attic Greek: [dɛːmosˈtʰenɛːs]; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens....DemosthenesOccupationLogographer4 more rows

What is the history of public speaking?

The study of public speaking began about 2,500 years ago in ancient Athens. Men were required to give speeches as part of their civic duties, which included speaking in legislative assembly and at court (sometimes to defend themselves as there were no lawyers for the average Athenian).Apr 30, 2018

Who preserved Minoan culture?

The civilization was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans....Minoan civilization.Geographical rangeAegean Sea, especially CreteCharacteristicsAdvanced art, trading, agriculture and Europe's first cities6 more rows

Who is the Greek teacher of rhetoric?

Aristotle (384-322 BCE), the most famous Greek Scholar, defined rhetoric as the “faculty of discovering the possible means of persuasion in reference to any subject whatever.” He divided the “means of persuasion” into three parts–logical reason (logos), human character ( ethos ), and emotional.

What kind of a boy was Demosthenes?

As a boy Demosthenes had suffered from a speech impediment, an inarticulate and stammering pronunciation. This caused Aeschines to taunt him and refer to him in his speeches with the nickname "Batalus", ostensibly invented by his own pedagogues or by the little boys with whom he was playing.

Who created Greek law?

The Law in Ancient Greece. The traditions of Athens and Sparta say that the laws were given to them by Solon and Lycurgus, legendary figures who served as leaders of their city-states long ago. The two traditions agree that the laws are made by the Assembly and approved by the Senate.

What were some ancient Greek laws?

Solon wrote many of the laws that were used in Athenian courts. There were four types of laws: Tort Laws, Family Laws, Public Laws, and Procedural Laws.

What is the law in Greece?

Greece is a civil law country, and thus jurisprudence is not considered as a source of law. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, although article 28 of the Greek Constitution provides that international conventions ratified by Greece as well as EU legislation shall prevail over any other provision of law.

Where did public speaking originate?

Tradition has it that public speaking as an art was cultivated first in Syracuse in Sicily in the years before the middle of the fifth century b.c.e. Syracuse had been ruled by tyrants and a great deal of litigation followed their overthrow, necessitating the oratorical skills of numerous people in court. The art reportedly first came as an import from Sicily into Athens in 527 b.c.e. While he was in Athens on a diplomatic visit, the rhetorical skills of Gorgias of Sicily captivated the Athenians. Gorgias went on to become a famous Sophist—that is, a teacher who taught the skills necessary for public speaking—and he was known for the high tuition fees he charged. Athenians were willing to pay the fees, however, because public speaking was a valuable skill in Athens, not only for a politician addressing the assembly, but in the courts as well, for neither the plaintiffs nor the defendants in trials could hire lawyers to speak for them. The best they could do was to hire a speechwriter, or a "logographer," as they were called. Speechwriting thus became a profitable profession—one that was particularly attractive for orators such as Lysias who were resident aliens in Athens and therefore could not themselves speak in the courts or the assembly. The pioneer speechwriter was the Sophist Antiphon, (c. 480–411 b.c.e.). Antiphon first gave advice to citizens who were entangled in litigation, but about 430 b.c.e. he began to write speeches for others to memorize and deliver. He spoke only once for himself. He was tried for treason in 411 b.c.e. and wrote out a speech in his own defense. His speech failed—Antiphon was executed—but he set a trend. After him orators would write down and publish speeches they delivered themselves in the courts or, more rarely, in the assembly. Oratory was in full flower by the time Aristotle wrote a treatise on rhetoric, which he divided into three types: forensic, for the courts; deliberative, for delivering in the assembly; and epideictic, for a special occasion such as a funeral.

Why is Demosthenes important?

Demosthenes is notable for two reasons. First, as an Athenian statesman he passionately opposed the imperialist ambitions of Philip II of Macedon, whose son , Alexander the Great, would continue his father's policies and transform the world of Greece with the conquest of Persia. For that reason, some historians have hailed Demosthenes as the courageous defender of Athenian freedom and democracy , while others have condemned him as a dead-end politician mired in the past. Second, he brought the art of oratory to new heights—a conclusion few would dispute. His masterpiece was his speech On the Crown in defense of Ctesiphon, one of his supporters who was charged with illegally proposing to honor Demosthenes. The combined armies of Athens and Thebes had been defeated in 338 b.c.e. at the Battle of Chaeronea, and it was the anti-Macedonian policies which Demosthenes urged upon the Athenians that led to the disaster. Yet two years after the defeat, Ctesiphon, one of Demosthenes' supporters put forward a motion in the assembly that Demosthenes be awarded a golden crown for his services at the upcoming festival of Dionysus. The time and place for the award violated the law, and Demosthenes' rival and bitter enemy Aeschines charged Ctesiphon for the proposal, as a way to attack his real enemy, Demosthenes. The case did not come to trial until 330 b.c.e. Demosthenes rose to address the jury after the jury had been listening all forenoon to Aeschines' argument that this extraordinary honor which Ctesiphon had proposed for Demosthenes could not be justified by a great service he had done the state, for the anti-Macedonian policy which he had promoted had ended in disaster. In a brilliant piece of sophistry, Demosthenes disregarded the legal questions and focused on slandering his accuser. He regaled the jury with a malicious caricature of Aeschines' parents, who were very ordinary folk, and finally he attacked Aeschines himself, suggesting that it was Aeschines who was really responsible for the disaster at the Battle of Chaeronea, which was a perversion of the truth. He ended with a prayer to the gods to keep the state safe. The speech is a brilliant example of making the worse argument appear the better. Demosthenes died following an anti-Macedonian uprising in Greece in 323 b.c.e. The tough old Macedonian general Antipater crushed the revolt in Athens, and Demosthenes tried to escape retribution by fleeing to the island of Calauria. He sought asylum in a temple, but he took poison when it was clear that Antipater's men intended to drag him from his sanctuary.

Who is the most famous philosopher who argued that public speaking is moral?

Aristotle and Quintilian are among the most famous ancient scholars to give public speaking definitive rules and models. Aristotle defined rhetoric as the means of persuasion in reference to any subject. Quintilian published a twelve-volume textbook on rhetoric and many of these references are still used today by politicians. He argued that public speaking was inherently moral and stated that the ideal orator is “a good man speaking well.”

Who is the most famous rhetorical thinker?

Cicero is considered one of the most significant rhetoricians of all time. He is most famous in the field of public speaking for creating the five canons of rhetoric, a five-step process for developing a persuasive speech that we still use to teach public speaking today.

What did Aristotle study?

Aristotle is one of the most famous ancient scholars to study public speaking.

What is public speaking in the 21st century?

Public speaking in the 21st century. In the 21st century, you must communicate effectively to succeed. It can be the difference between landing your dream job, winning a multi-million dollar contract or delivering a moving speech at a wedding.

How long did the Lincoln Memorial speech last?

According to the Lincoln Memorial’s website, the speech lasted only two minutes, but its impact lasted much longer. 7. Margaret Thatcher. Margaret Thatcher was the first female British prime minister and used her aggressive public speaking skills to win several elections and stay in office.

What is the strategy of Aristotle?

Ethos, logos and pathos. Aristotle discovered that in order to rally the citizens into conformity, one needed to persuade people. This is what he called rhetoric, and it's defined as the capacity to persuade people, and he broke it down into three strategies: Ethos. Logos.

What is public speaking?

Public speaking is the act of performing a speech to a live audience in a structured manner, in order to inform, entertain and persuade them. There are many aspects to public speaking, from picking a topic and writing a speech, to answering questions from the audience. Public speaking is usually a formal, face-to-face speech to ...

How did Demosthenes speak?

He spoke awkwardly, using long-winded and complicated arguments, which irritated his audience. His feeble voice dissolved in the hubbub; someone yelled at him to shut up and go home.

What is Demosthenes' story about?

So, in conclusion, Demosthenes’ story proves that even a naturally dismal “anus” of a speaker can rise to stardom with motivation and the right training. Indeed, later in his life, when he had become a teacher of oratory himself, someone asked him what the three most important things are when learning to speak in public. His answer? Practice, practice, practice!

How long did Demosthenes fight for his inheritance?

After two years of training, Demosthenes finally sued his guardians. He fought them in court for five years and eventually won his case. Although the court awarded his inheritance back to him, he recovered only a small amount of money as his trustees had already squandered the rest. Nevertheless, through his trials, he had gained something far more valuable: he found his voice as a public speaker and all of Athens knew his name. So he now pursued a glittering career as a legal advocate and speechwriter.

How did the sailor train himself?

For two long years, he trained himself to improve his delivery. He built an underground chamber. Every single day, for two or three months at a time, he would go down into it and practice. To force himself to focus on his training, he even shaved off one side of his hair so he’d be too embarrassed to go out in public. Instead, he stood in front of a large mirror, patiently reciting entire speeches and studying his own delivery. He started using physical gestures to emphasise certain words, as a way to drive home his ideas and compensate for his weak voice.

How did Athenian politicians use litigation and defamation?

Instead of electioneering, Athenian politicians used litigation and defamation to remove rivals from government processes. Often they indicted each other for breaches of the statute laws ( graphē paranómōn ), but accusations of bribery and corruption were ubiquitous in all cases, being part of the political dialogue.

Who was Demosthenes?

Demosthenes ( / dɪˈmɒs.θəniːz /; Greek: Δημοσθένης, romanized : Dēmosthénēs; Attic Greek: [dɛːmosˈtʰenɛːs]; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a 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 ...

How many votes did Aeschines get?

Nonetheless, Aeschines was acquitted by the narrow margin of thirty votes by a jury which may have numbered as many as 1,501. In 343 BC, Macedonian forces were conducting campaigns in Epirus and, in 342 BC, Philip campaigned in Thrace.

What did Demosthenes do to make his living?

To make his living, Demosthenes became a professional litigant, both as a " logographer " ( λογογράφος, logographos ), writing speeches for use in private legal suits, and as an advocate ( συνήγορος, sunégoros) speaking on another's behalf.

Why did Demosthenes learn rhetoric?

Demosthenes started to learn rhetoric because he wished to take his guardians to court and because he was of "delicate physique" and could not receive gymnastic education, which was customary.

Why did Antipater send his men to track Demosthenes down?

To prevent a similar revolt against his own rule , Alexander's successor in this region, Antipater, sent his men to track Demosthenes down. Demosthenes took his own life, to avoid being arrested by Archias of Thurii, Antipater's confidant.

What did Plutarch's voice mean?

As a boy Demosthenes had a speech impairment: Plutarch refers to a weakness in his voice of "a perplexed and indistinct utterance and a shortness of breath, which, by breaking and disjointing his sentences much obscured the sense and meaning of what he spoke.".

Who taught public speaking?

Separately from the Sophists, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle developed their own theories of public speaking and taught these principles to students who wanted to learn skills in rhetoric. Plato and Aristotle taught these principles in schools that they founded, The Academy and The Lyceum, respectively.

Who is the Roman orator?

For a person who delivers an oration, see Orator. The Roman orator Cicero speaks to the Roman Senate. Public speaking (also called oratory or oration) is the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. However, due to the evolution of public speaking, it is modernly viewed as any form of speaking (formally and informally) ...

What is the best way to improve your public speaking skills?

Trainings. Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such as Rostrum, Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC), or Speaking Circles, in which members are assigned exercises to improve their speaking skills.

How many members does Toastmasters International have?

Toastmasters International. Toastmasters International is a public speaking organization with over 15,000 clubs worldwide and more than 300,000 members. This organization helps individuals with their public speaking skills as well as other skills necessary for them to grow and become effective public speakers.

What did Roman orators do in the Roman Republic?

Instruction in rhetoric developed into a full curriculum, including instruction in grammar (study of the poets), preliminary exercises ( progymnasmata ), and preparation of public speeches (declamation) in both forensic and deliberative genres.

What is the purpose of public speaking?

Public speaking can serve the purpose of transmitting information, telling a story, motivating people to act or encouraging people. This type of speech is deliberately structured with three general purposes: to inform, to persuade and to entertain.

What is the act of speaking face to face to a live audience?

Theatre. Ventriloquism. v. t. e. Public speaking (also called oratory or oration) is the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. However, due to the evolution of public speaking, it is modernly viewed as any form of speaking (formally and informally) between an audience and the speaker.

Who was the Latin teacher who promoted rhetorical theory from ancient Greece and from the height of Roman rhetoric?

Quintilian’s Influence. “Quintillian” by unknown. Public domain. Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (A.D. 35 – 95) was a celebrated orator, rhetorician, Latin teacher and writer who promoted rhetorical theory from ancient Greece and from the height of Roman rhetoric.

Who was the greatest Roman orator?

Marcus Tullius Cicero was born on January 3, 106 BC and was murdered on December 7, 43 BC. His life coincided with the decline and fall of the Roman Republic, and he was an important participant in many of the significant political events of his time. He is considered to be the greatest of the Roman orators, and was, among other things, a lawyer, ...

Why did Quintilian adopt Cicero's oratory style?

Gwynn wrote that Quintilian adopted Cicero’s oratory prowess as the model for this return to rhetorical tradition ; because during the previous century, Cicero’s far more concise style was the standard. [4] . Quintilian disliked the excessive ornamentation popular in the oratory style of his contemporaries (silver Latin).

What was Cicero's rule in Rome?

In Cicero’s Rome the government eventually came under the control of a well-trained ruling class. Legal training became an integral part of this ruling class. Roman rhetoric provided rules for all forms of oratory; however, legal speaking became the primary emphasis of textbooks. Cicero is noted for writing the De Inventione when he was about ...

What did Cicero consider to be the highest form of intellectual activity?

Cicero firmly held that oratory was more than legal pleadings or a school subject. Cicero considered oratory to be the highest form of intellectual activity and an instrument indispensable for the welfare of the state. In addition, he combined the three functions of the orator to the three levels of style.

How many books did the Institutio Oratoria have?

His work on rhetoric, the Institutio Oratoria, is an exhaustive volume of twelve books and was a major contribution to educational theory and literary criticism. Many later rhetoricians, especially from the Renaissance, derived their rhetorical theory directly from this text.

What did Cicero feel about the perfect orator?

Corbett wrote that “Cicero felt that the perfect orator had to be conversant with many subjects. In order to invent his arguments, the perfect orator must have a command of a wide range of knowledge.”.

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What Is Public Speaking?

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In order to understand what contemporary public speaking is, we first must understand the genesis of public speaking. We begin with the Greeks and rhetoric. Rhetoric, as defined by Aristotle, is the “faculty of discovering in the particular case all the available means of persuasion.”For the Greeks, rhetoric, or the art of public …
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Greece: The Early Years of Public Speaking

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Ethos, Logos and Pathos

Public Speaking in The Modern Age

Public Speaking in The 21st Century

  • The end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 b.c.e. was followed by political turmoil and Isocrates was apparently on the wrong side since he lost the family estate. Isocrates first tried logography as a way to make a living, but then turned to teaching, first on the island of Chios, and then, from not long before 387 b.c.e. until his death in 338 b.c.e...
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Famous Public Speakers Throughout History