Demosthenes was (384-320 BC) one of the most famous orators of ancient times, and many of his speeches are preserved and studied by students of rhetoric.
Here is the story of his stuggle with his stuttering and eventual success…
Birth to age 19
Demosthenes
was born in Athens, Greece in 384 B.C. to a wealthy family. At the age of
seven, his father died and he was put under the care of guardians.
had a delicate physique that
prevented him from receiving the customary Greek gymnastic education.
When he
turned 20, Demosthenes realized that his large inheritance had been squandered
by his guardians. He was now without a means a support.
being cheated and put in a difficult position, Demosthenes sought to sue his
guardians in the courts. In 4th-century democratic
Athens, every citizen who wished to prosecute a lawsuit or to defend himself
against accusation had to do the speaking himself in court.
Motivated to overcome stuttering.
His
strong desire to sue the scoundrels led him to study legal rhetoric and train
himself as an orator.
The
problem was that Demosthenes had a speech defect. He
was inarticulate and had a stammering pronunciation. He sought to
overcame his handicap by practicing speaking with pebbles in his mouth. Doing
this forced him clearly enunciate his words, instead of rushing and stammering.
He learned to control his speaking.
also practiced reciting speeches when running and climbing uphill. Again, he was able to control
his speaking, as well as his breathing. Another thing he did was to practice
speaking before a large mirror. In those days before microphones, the speaker
had to have a strong voice and use dramatic gestures for effect.
(which was still remaining in our time), and hither he would come constantly
every day to form his action and to exercise his voice; and here he would
continue, oftentimes without intermission, two or three months together,
shaving one half of his head, that so for shame he might not go out, though he
desired it ever so much.
The story of
Demosthenes evolution as an orator is especially notable because he was not a
naturally talented or confident speaker as a youth, but rather, a relatively
poor one. He gained his reputation mainly through hard work, and improved his
speaking abilities by various methods such as shouting to be heard above the
crashing of the ocean waves, and spending many hours in his studio preparing
his speeches. He eventually became a prosperous lawyer and when Philip of
Macedonia began involving himself in the affairs of Greece, he became
increasingly involved in politics.
Note: The above information is compiled from various online aticles on Demosthenes.
1 thought on “Demosthenes unveiled”
Sachin
(August 21, 2012 - 4:05 am)So very true- and relevant to most of us! I find very meaningful that he did not deny that he had a problem, he did not run away from it.. But he squarely FACED the problem and dealt with it, without getting lost into unending discussions about its origin and cure..
Yes, he just went ahead and solved HIS problem..
Hope, we will learn from him..
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