Demosthenes
Demosthenes (384-322), Greek orator and states-man, who fought for Greek liberty against the imperialist ambitions of King Philip II of Macedonia. He made his first speech in court on his coming of age, when he successfully prosecuted his guardians for squandering his inheritance. In preparing himself to speak, Demosthenes is said to have practised with pebbles in his mouth to improve his diction. Although he hoped to form an anti-Macedonian alliance with Athens at its centre, Philip’s victory at Chaeronea (338) silenced Demosthenes until the death of Philip’s son, Alexander the Great, in 323. His final attempt to rally Greece against Alexander’s successors failed and he took poison to avoid execution.
