Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Demades

DEMADES, an orator and demagogue who flourished in the 4th century B.C. He was originally of humble position, and was employed at one time as a common sailor, but he rose partly by his eloquence and partly by his unscrupulous character to a prominent position at Athens. He espoused the cause of Philip in the war against Olynthus, and was thus brought into bitter and life-long enmity with Demosthenes. Notwithstanding his sympathies he fought against the Macedonians in the battle of Chæronea, after which he was instrumental in procuring a treaty of peace between Macedon and Athens through his influence with Philip. He continued to be a favourite of Alexander, and, prompted by a bribe, saved Demosthenes and the other obnoxious Athenian orators from his vengeance. His conduct in supporting the Macedonian cause, yet receiving any bribes that were offered by the opposite party, caused him to be heavily fined more than once; and his flagrant disregard of law and honour ultimately led the citizens of Athens to pass upon him the sentence of atimia. This was recalled in 322 on the approach of Antipater, to whom the citizens sent Demades and Phocion as ambassadors. Before setting out he persuaded the citizens to pass sentence of death upon Demosthenes and his followers who had fled from Athens. Harpalus and Antipater both succeeded in bribing him to their cause; but the latter, discovering while Demades was with him on another embassy in 318 a correspondence which showed him to have been at the same time in communication with Perdiccas, put him to death along with his son Demeas. A fragment of a speech bearing his name is to be found in the Oratores Attici, but its genuineness is exceedingly doubtful.