book: Lysias 21
Book
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Lysias 21

A Commentary
  • Aggelos Kapellos
Language: English
Published/Copyright: 2014
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

About this book

Lysias’ 21st speech “On a charge of taking bribes” is an important example of Attic oratory that sheds significant light on Classical history and society. Delivered after the restoration of democracy in 402 B.C.E., this speech provides information that is critical for our understanding of the relationship between the Athenian demos and aristocrats, Athenian civic institutions (e.g., taxation, liturgies and conscription), religious beliefs, moral values, political behavior, and, in particular, of the legal and rhetorical treatment of embezzlement and bribery. It also supplies unique information about the military engagement of the Athenians at Aegospotami and the role of Alcibiades in the political life of Athens. Despite its importance, however, Lysias’ speech has never been the subject of an extensive study in its own right. This volume seeks to fill that gap by presenting the first systematic commentary on this speech. The author puts much emphasis on its structure, strategy, and argumentation, focusing especially on the tension between the actual practices of the anonymous client of the logographer and civic ideals invoked in the present case. The book is intended to be of interest to classicists, ancient historians and political theorists, but also to the general reader.

Author / Editor information

A. Kapellos, University of Ioannina.

Reviews

"Kapellos deserves our thanks for dedicating his doctoral thesis to a commentary on this speech. It fills a genuine gap in the literature, and fills it well; this review has concentrated on omissions in order to demonstrate the continuing need for more commentaries on this scale. The price is perhaps too steep to make this a realistic introduction to oratory for students; but the format of the lemmas and the balance between linguistic and historical analysis would make it ideal for the purpose."
Ben Cartlidge in: BMCR 2015.08.31


Publicly Available Download PDF
I

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
V

Publicly Available Download PDF
VII

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
IX

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
XI

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
1

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
61

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
167

Requires Authentication Unlicensed

Licensed
179

Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
September 12, 2014
eBook ISBN:
9783110362268
Hardcover published on:
August 19, 2014
Hardcover ISBN:
9783110354331
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
Front matter:
18
Main content:
182
Downloaded on 31.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110362268/html
Scroll to top button