Andocides biography examples

Soon afterwards, however, he was set free, or escaped from prison. Andocides then went to Cyprus, where for a time he enjoyed the friendship of Evagoras ; but, by some circumstance or other, he exasperated his friend, and was consigned to prison. Here again he escaped, and after the restoration of democracy in Athens and the abolition of the Four Hundred, he ventured once more to return to Athens; but as he was still suffering under a sentence of civil disenfranchisement, he endeavored by means of bribes to persuade the prytaneis to allow him to attend the assembly of the people.

The latter, however, expelled him from the city. It was on this occasion, in BC, that Andocides delivered the speech still extant "On his return", on which he petitioned for permission to reside at Athens, but in vain. In his third exile, Andocides went to reside in Elis, and during the time of his absence from his native city, his house there was occupied by Cleophon, the leading demagogue.

Andocides remained in exile until after the overthrow of the tyranny of the Thirty by Thrasybulus , when the general amnesty then proclaimed made him hope that its benefit would be extended to him also. He himself says that he returned to Athens from Cyprus, where he claimed to have great influence and considerable property. Because of the general amnesty, he was allowed to remain at Athens, enjoyed peace for the next three years, and soon recovered an influential position.

According to Lysias , it was scarcely ten days after his return that he brought an accusation against Archippus or Aristippus , which, however, he dropped on receiving a sum of money. During this period Andocides became a member of the boule, in which he appears to have possessed a great influence, as well as in the popular assembly. He was gymnasiarch at the Hephaestaea, was sent as architheorus to the Isthmian Games and Olympic Games , and was even entrusted with the office of keeper of the sacred treasury.

But in BC, Callias II, supported by Cephisius, Agyrrhius, Meletus, and Epichares, urged the necessity of preventing Andocides from attending the assembly, as he had never been formally freed from the civil disenfranchisement. Callias II also charged him with violating the laws respecting the temple at Eleusis. He was acquitted. After this, he again enjoyed peace until BC, when he was sent as ambassador to Sparta regarding the peace to be concluded in consequence of Conon 's victory off Cnidus.

The best among his orations is that "on the Mysteries"; but, for the history of the time, all are of the highest importance. Some scholars ascribed it to Phaeax , who took part in the ostracism, according to Plutarch. But it is more likely that it is a rhetorical exercise from the early fourth century BC, since formal speeches were not delivered during ostracisms and the accusation or defence of Alcibiades was a standing rhetorical theme.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. Greek logographer and orator c. This article is about the orator. For the potter, see Andokides potter. For the painter, see Andokides painter. Life [ edit ]. Oratory [ edit ]. List of extant speeches [ edit ].

Notes [ edit ]. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia , 6th ed. Indeed he seems to have been at heart a moderate of the type of Theramenes, without his political gifts, but with much of his astuteness. After his acquittal in he was still vigorous and appears to have taken an active part in public life. Thus we still possess a speech which he delivered in the Ecclesia some eight years later as a member of a delegation sent to Sparta to arrange terms of peace; in spite of their possessing full authority, the delegates had preferred to refer the Spartan proposals to the Ecclesia for discussion, and Andocides explains their advantages at length.

The speech was clear and able; but it failed to carry conviction. We have it on the.

Andocides biography examples

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