Erotic Essay
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The Erotic Essay ( Greek: Ἐρωτικός) constitutes along with the Funeral Oration the two epideictic speeches ascribed to the prominent Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes, which are still extant.
According to Ian Worthington, the speech was written probably between the late 350s and 335 BC (during Demosthenes' lifetime), but its real author is unknown. Friedrich Blass believes that it belongs to a member of a school of Isocrates.[1] I. Worthington believes that the content and style of the Erotic Essay is the most removed from Demosthenes' other writings and asserts that the oration is influenced by both Plato and Isocrates.
In terms of contect, the essay is written for a youth named Epicrates, about whom nothing is known. The author attempts to counsel Epicrates and the audience on what is best for a person. He maintains that through the study of philosophy a person will become a virtuous citizen.
[edit] Notes
- ^ F. Blass, Die attische Beredsamkeit, III, 1, 406
| Demosthenes' orations | |
| Political orations | Olynthiacs 1-2-3 | First Philippic | On the Peace | Second Philippic | On the Halonnesus | On the Chersonese | Third Philippic | Fourth Philippic | Reply to Philip | Philip | On Organisation | On the Navy | For the Megalopolitans | On the Liberty of the Rodians | On the Accession of Alexander |
|---|---|
| Judicial orations | On the Crown | On the False Embassy | Against Leptines | Against Meidias | Against Androtion | Against Aristocrates | Against Timocrates | Against Aristogiton 1-2 | Against Aphobus 1-2-3 | Against Ontenor 1-2 | Against Zenothemis | Against Apatourius | Against Phormio | Against Lacritus | For Phormio | Against Pantaenetus | Against Nausimachus and Xenopeithes | Against Boeotus 1-2 | Against Spudias | Against Phaenippus | Against Macartatus | Against Leochares | Against Stephanus 1-2 | Against Evergus and Mnesibulus | Against Olympiodorus | Against Timotheus | Against Polycles | On the Trierarcic Crown | Against Callipus | Against Nicostratus | Against Conon | Against Callicles | Against Dionysodorus | Against Eubulides | Against Theocrines | Against Naeara |
| Epideictic orations | Funeral Oration | Erotic Essay |
